Vowels And Consonants For Preschoolers To Improve Language Skills

Today, we all understand how important it is to learn the English language. Children are taught the language from a young age so that they can get a hold of the language easily. Vowels and consonants in English are a big part of the language, and kids must be explained and taught the same. In this article, we have covered all the information about vowels and consonants that you can teach your child.

Let’s get started.

What Are Vowels?

We all know that the alphabet consists of 26 letters. Out of these 26 letters, there are 5 letters which are vowels – a, e, i, o, u. The rest of the letters are known as consonants.

The term vowel is derived from the Latin word “vox”, which means “voice”. Vowels are the sounds that are produced by running air over vocal cords. When we speak vowels, we do not have any friction – tongue, teeth, lips, to produce the sound. All we need to do is adjust the shape of our mouths and make different vowel sounds.

What Are The Types Of Vowels Sound?

There are two types of the vowel sound in English

1. Monophthon (Single Sound)

It is a pure, single or one vowel sound. For example, “feet” when we say this word, a long E sound, can be heard. It’s a single vowel sound.

2. Diphthongs (Two Sounds)

It is a single sound that is produced when two vowels are joined together in order. The sound starts with a single vowel sound but blends into another when they are articulated. For example, “away”, when we say the word, the vowel moves from a long A sound to a long I sound.

What Are Consonants?

There are a total 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u). The remaining 21 letters of the alphabet are known as consonants. The sound of constant is produced by blocking the flow of air out of the mouth. This can be done with teeth, lips or tongue.

When To Teach Vowels And Consonants To Your Kids?

A preschooler generally knows all the letters. Therefore, you can start building the foundation of vowels and consonants in children from this age. This will give children the time to grasp it easily, and they will learn the art of blending consonants and vowels to make a word.

Chart Of Vowels And Consonant

Here is a chart of vowels and consonants that will be helpful in teaching your child the same.

Vowels And Consonants For Children With Example

Teaching with examples is a great way to learn things easily. Below, we have mentioned some examples of vowels and consonants to teach your child.

Vowels Examples

Consonant Examples

What Is The Difference Between Vowels And Consonants?

Following are the differences between vowels and consonants:

1. Vowels do not block the flow of air from the mouth. Consonants block the flow of air from the mouth.
2. There are 5 vowels. There are 21 consonants.
3. Vowels are the nucleus of a syllable. Consonants have to be linked with a vowel to form a syllable.

Why It Is Important To Teach Vowels And Consonants To Your Child?

Read the following reasons to know why your child should know about vowels and consonants.

1. It enhances the reading skills of children.
2. It helps children to spell the words right.
3. It helps children to identify and learn new words.
4. It is a foundation of reading, writing and understanding the English language.

How You Can Teach Vowels And Consonant To Your Child?

Following are the ways to teach your child vowels and consonant letters.

Teaching Vowels To Kids

1. Vowels Chart

Teach with the help of a vowel chart. Ask your child to repeat each vowel slowly.

2. Tell The Vowel

Show your child a picture of different things and ask them to tell the consonant it starts with. For example, if you show an “aeroplane” to your child, they have to say “a”. If you show an “egg” to your child, they have to say “e”.

3. Circle The Vowel Words

Give your child a page of a child-friendly magazine to read. Ask them to circle all the vowel words they come across while reading.

4. Colour The Vowels

On a sheet, draw some letters, a mix of vowels and consonants. Make sure to draw in such a way that children can fill in the colours inside them easily. Now, give the sheet to your child and ask them to colour only the vowels.

Teaching Consonant To Kids

1. Consonant Chart

Teach with the help of a consonant chart. Ask your child to repeat each consonant slowly. This way, your child will also learn about the types of consonant sounds.

2. Consonant Before & After

Give your child any one consonant at a time and ask them to tell the consonant that comes before and after that consonant. For example, if you will say “d”, your child has to say “c” and “f”.

3. Tell The Consonants

Show your child a picture of different things and ask them to tell the consonant it starts with. For example, if you say a “ball” to your child, they have to say “b”. If you say a “pen” to your child, they have to say “p”.

Questions and Answers On Vowels and Consonants For Kids

Now that your child has mastered their grasp on vowels and consonants list shared above, it’s time to ask them some questions. Below is the list of questions that you can ask your child.

Questions

1. English alphabet has how many vowels?

a). 4
b). 5
c). 7

2. Cheerful: Count the vowels in this word.

a). 7
b). 2
c). 3

3. “Undo” How many consonants are there in this word?

a). 1
b). 2
c). 3

4. How many consonants are there in total?

a). 21
b). 26
c). 5

5. Find the odd one out: u, q, t, d, f

a). u
b). q
c). f

6. Find the odd one out: a, z, i, u

a). a
b). z
c). u

7. Which of the following word starts with a vowel?

a). Rat
b). Lion
c). Ice

8. Count the total number of consonants present in the word: Bedsheet

a). 4
b). 5
c). 6

9. Add the correct vowel to complete the word: A _ R

a). I
b). O
c). U

10. Select the vowel from the given options.

a). c
b). i
c). t

Answers

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