If you are teaching your students how to count phonemes in a word, you’ll love this resource. It has 72 phoneme counting picture cards young children will instantly recognise and relate to. This comprehensive set features real-life photos perfect for a phonemic awareness picture sort.

Save Time Searching for Suitable Word Segmenting Images

These carefully curated cards are print-and-go. I’ve done the searching for you and hand-picked, high-quality photo images representing words with 2, 3, 4, and 5 phonemes.

I've also included a heap of BONUS resources in this resource so you can use these cards for a variety of different learning activities.

I’m always looking for age-appropriate resources that cover multiple learning objectives because – well, how else do you fit everything in! I love this set.

It aligns with both the numeracy and literacy curriculum so I can use them repeatedly in our lessons and activities.

This Comprehensive Set of Phoneme Picture Cards Contains:

• 72 Labelled Vocabulary Cards representing objects with different numbers of phonemes: I’ve designed them so you can easily cut off the labels if you want a set of just pictures. The full set of 72 cards contains 18 picture cards with two phonemes, 18 picture cards with three phonemes, 18 with four phonemes and another 18 pictures representing five phoneme words. They all come in 2 sizes, so you have the option of large or small cards. Choose the size to best fit your teaching needs.

• 4 Sorting mats: There are four labelled phoneme sorting mats in a full-colour nature theme. They will help your students remember the sorting categories.

• Ink-saving Sorting Mat Labels: Don’t want to print out the full-colour sorting mats? Use these labels to make your ink-friendly set. Just print the single page of blackline labels. Glue each phoneme number label to the top of a plain coloured card, and you’ll have instant phonemic category sorting mats.

• A Sorting Information Poster: This poster defines sorting as grouping objects based on their attributes. Use it to inform parents and other educators, to illustrate your learning intentions and as a visual reminder for students learning how to sort.

• A Phoneme Information Poster: This poster defines phonemes as the smallest unit of sound in spoken words. Phonemic awareness terminology can be tricky for both your students and other educators working in your classroom. This poster can help them and it can also illustrate curriculum learning intentions. It’s a handy visual reminder for students too.

• 2 Sorting Learning Prompt Posters: These printable prompts make setting up a hands-on investigation area or sorting activity super easy.

• 2 Phoneme Counting Prompt Posters: These picture cards have been designed for students to practice segmenting words and counting the sounds they hear in words. If you are looking for an engaging phonemic awareness learning center or investigation area, use these printable prompt posters to target the learning.

• 2 Student Recording Sheets for Recording Sorts: Including a way for children to record their sorting will give you valuable evidence of learning. Use this information to inform your planning. (It comes in handy as an assessment piece, too!) I’ve included 2 sizes of these sheets for you to choose from.

• Teacher Assessment Recording Sheet: I like to keep track of my students' progress. This recording sheet makes it easy. There’s a place to enter a sorting score and a space for short observational notes.

• Task Card Box Label and Document Wallet Label: If you keep your resources organised you are much more likely to use them. That’s why I included these storage labels. Ensure your resources are always at hand and organised. The picture cards can be kept in a task card box but if you want to keep all the printables together, I suggest storing them all in a document wallet. That’s what I do. I put the picture cards inside a clip-lock bag and store it with all the other printables in a clear document wallet.

Increase Engagement and Learn About Segmenting Phonemes

If you want to boost engagement, make your learning experiences hands-on and purposeful.

Use the comprehensive bundle of phoneme counting and sorting resources in this pack to create educational and interactive learning activities your students will love. These resources will bring learning about individual sounds and words to life and help you teach numerous skills, from sorting and counting to categorisation skills and phonemic awareness.

Easy to Differentiate with 2, 3, 4, and 5 Phoneme Words

Tailor your activity to your students' learning needs. For those students just starting to segment words, start with a selection of five or six cards from the two- and three-phoneme sort. Build their confidence before adding a few cards representing four-phonemes.

These labelled phoneme sorting cards can be used for:

• Word walls – for spelling or phonemic awareness

• Vocabulary work and discussion starters

• Phonological awareness – phonemic awareness

• Spelling cards – fold the labels to the back to make them self-correcting

• Card games like Memory, Go-fish or Snap

• Writing Centers – as story starters and spelling aids

• Math Activities – for sorting and counting

• Science – for categorising skills

Integrate Maths and English

This fun hands-on activity strengthens segmentation skills in English and reinforces counting and sorting in Math. My students need lots of sorting and counting practice at the start of the year, and all early childhood educators know how important phonemic awareness is. It's the foundation for teaching reading and writing!

That’s why I designed this integrated activity.

There’s so much to teach in our jam-packed curriculum, so anything that covers multiple learning objectives is always a winner!

Use it to teach so many kindergarten learning objectives like sorting, counting, and phonemic awareness.

Download these Counting Phonemes Picture Sorts, and you’ll have an educational resource you can use over and over!