Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Beginning Sounds Quiz: Free Printable Quiz for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Beginning Sounds Quiz is a free printable quiz for Reception (ages 4 to 5) in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children answer the question "Which word starts with the same sound?" by listening to a word and choosing from three answers. It is screen free, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Each question on the sheet starts with a short, simple word. A grown-up reads it aloud and says the first sound. Children then listen to three answer words and choose the one that starts with the same sound. There is no reading pressure. This is a listening activity first, so children can answer by pointing, circling or saying their choice aloud.
- Which word starts like sun?
- Which word starts like dog?
- Which word starts like pig?
- Which word starts like map?
- Which word starts like tap?
- Which word starts like hen?
- Which word starts like fish?
Why first sounds matter
Before children can read words, they need to hear the sounds inside them. The first sound is the easiest one to notice, so it is where most children begin. In England, early reading is taught through phonics, which links the sounds we hear to the letters we write. Spotting first sounds is one of the earliest steps on that path.
English has more sounds than it has letters, and a sound is not always the same as a letter name. That is why the grown-up says the sound a letter makes, not its name. Hearing the sound clearly helps children match it to the right letter later, when they start to read and write their own words.
Skills and curriculum link
- Listening
- First sounds
- Choosing
- Matching sounds
- Talking about words
Helping your child hear first sounds
- Face your childSit where your child can see your face. Watching your lips and tongue helps them hear and copy each sound.
- Say the sound, not the letter nameMake the sound a letter stands for. Keep it short and clean, without adding extra noise on the end.
- Say every word aloudRead the question word and then each answer word out loud. Hearing all of them one after another makes it easier to compare.
- Stretch, then askHold the first sound for a moment, then ask, "Does this one start the same way?" Let your child say yes or no before they choose.
Key words
- SoundSomething you hear when you say a word. Words are made of sounds.
- First soundThe very first sound you hear when you say a word.
- LetterA mark we write. A letter stands for a sound, or sometimes helps make one.
- BeginningThe start of something. The beginning of a word is the first part you say.
- SameExactly alike. Two words that start with the same sound begin in the same way.
- ChooseTo look at the options and pick the one you think is right.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read each question word aloud. Say the first sound, not the letter name.
- Read the three answer words aloud, one at a time. Ask your child which one starts the same way.
- Talk about each choice, including wrong ones. Ask, "What sound did you hear at the start?"
- Check with page 2, then come back to the quiz another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Stretch the first sound so it lasts longer, then say each answer word the same way. Work on one question at a time and take a break after a few. Let your child point to the word that sounds right, rather than writing.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to think of three more words that start with each sound on the sheet. Say them aloud or draw them. Then try an odd one out: say three words and ask which one starts with a different sound.
Make it a game
Play I spy with beginning sounds. Say, "I spy with my little eye something beginning with" and then give the sound, not the letter name. Look around the room together. Take turns, and let your child be the spy too.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child picks a word that rhymes with the question word, because it sounds alike.
Try thisExplain that rhymes match at the end, but this quiz is about the start. Say both words slowly and listen only to the very first sound.
Watch forA child says the letter name instead of the sound.
Try thisShow them how to say the sound the letter makes, in a short, clean way. Say it together a few times, then try the question again.
Watch forA child chooses a word because it goes with the question word in meaning, not in sound.
Try thisRemind them this is a listening game about sounds, not about what words mean. Say each word aloud and listen to how it starts.
Talk about it
- What sound can you hear at the start of this word?
- Can you say that sound without saying the rest of the word?
- Which of the three words sounds different at the start?
- Can you think of another word that starts the same way?
- What was tricky about that one? What helped you decide?
- Can you hear the first sound in your own name?
Take it off the page
Sound hunt
Pick one sound and hunt around the house for objects that start with it. Put them in a basket and say each name aloud. Ask an adult to choose anything breakable or sharp.
Two bowl sort
Choose two sounds and put two bowls on the floor. Take small safe objects or toys and sort them by first sound. Say each name before it goes in a bowl.
Sound jumps
Say a sound and then a list of words. Your child jumps whenever a word starts with that sound and stays still when it does not.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Say each sound clearly and keep the mood light. Short bursts work better than a long session. Praise careful listening, not just right answers.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity after phonics teaching. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas, so you can use it with mixed groups, working with a small group or one to one.
Home educators
Pair the quiz with picture books, songs and everyday talk. Point out first sounds when you read, shop or walk. The sheet is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit a few weeks later.
Where this fits in learning to read
Before this skill, children enjoy listening to sounds around them, joining in with rhymes and songs, and playing with the sounds in speech. They learn to tune in to what they hear before they link it to letters.
After first sounds, children move on to hearing the last sound in a word, then the sounds in the middle. They then learn to blend sounds together to read simple words and to split words into sounds to spell them.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Beginning Sounds Quiz for?
It is written for Reception, ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger children can join in as a listening game, and older children who need extra practice with first sounds can use it too.
- What will children practise?
Children practise hearing the first sound in a word and choosing another word that starts the same way. This listening skill supports early word reading in the Literacy area of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
- How do I use it?
A grown-up reads each word aloud and says the first sound, not the letter name. Then they read the three answers and the child chooses one. Talk about each choice, then check with the answers on page 2.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Try stretching the first sound so it lasts longer, and say each answer word the same way. Do a few questions at a time and let your child point rather than write. Come back to it another day.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or to practise again a few weeks later.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. All your child needs is a pencil, so it works well as a screen free activity at home or in class.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.