Confidence with Phonics Practice

Helping Kids Build Confidence with Phonics Practice

One of the biggest challenges I’ve seen when teaching reading is helping kids build confidence while tackling tricky phonics patterns. It’s so important for them to practice sounds like blends, digraphs, and vowel teams, but it can quickly become frustrating if the activities feel boring or overwhelming.

That’s why I created the Sound Star Challenge, a simple but engaging game designed to make phonics practice something kids actually want to do. The game breaks down different sound patterns into manageable columns of words — like “ch,” “th,” “igh,” “magic e,” and more — so kids can focus on one sound at a time. Each column has about 10 words, and the goal is to read as many as possible correctly to earn a star. Once they earn five stars, they get to celebrate by choosing a book to read that uses many of the same sounds. It’s a fun way to motivate steady progress.

What I really love about this game is the flexibility. The words can be read right from the page or cut apart and arranged on a table or floor, making the practice more hands-on. You can mix and match the columns, too, so you can adjust the challenge to fit your child’s current needs. Whether you’re homeschooling, tutoring, or just looking for a fresh way to help your child practice reading, this game is easy to set up and really effective.

If you’re interested, the Sound Star Challenge is available on Teachers Pay Teachers. It includes everything you need—a cover page, clear instructions, 25 columns of words covering essential phonics patterns, and a star tracker to celebrate progress.

I’ve seen how consistent practice with activities like this builds not just skill but also confidence. And confidence is half the battle when it comes to reading. If you want to check it out, here’s the link:

[https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phonics-Word-Work-Challenge-Blends-Digraphs-Silent-E-Vowel-Teams-Reading-14151542](https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Phonics-Word-Work-Challenge-Blends-Digraphs-Silent-E-Vowel-Teams-Reading-14151542)

Reading should feel rewarding, and this game is one small way to help that happen. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it works for your family or students!