Sound Smash: Initial, Medial & Final Sounds is an engaging, hands-on phonics activity designed to help students identify sounds in different positions within words. By incorporating play dough and a satisfying smashing component, students actively listen, recognise, and respond to phonemes in a motivating and interactive way. Perfect for small group work, literacy centres or whole-class instruction, this game promotes phonemic awareness, listening skills, and sound-letter correspondence in a fun and memorable context.

Whether focusing on initial, medial, or final sounds, students will enjoy scanning colourful images, listening closely, and smashing play dough balls to show their understanding. This game is particularly effective for kinaesthetic learners who benefit from movement-based tasks and provides plenty of opportunities for discussion, reasoning, and reinforcement of phonics skills.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Build phonemic awareness by identifying individual sounds in words
• ✅ Develop sound-letter correspondence and early spelling strategies
• ✅ Encourage active listening and turn-taking through interactive play
• ✅ Support fine motor development through the manipulation of play dough

What’s Included:

• Printable Sound Smash game boards featuring vibrant, recognisable images
• Multiple sets focusing on initial, medial and final sounds
• Clear instructions and adaptable usage ideas

Materials Needed:

• Printed Sound Smash game boards (recommended to be printed on thick card)
• Play dough for smashing
• Optional: write-and-wipe sleeves for durability and reusability

How to Use:

• Print and cut out the game boards before use
• Decide on the sound focus for the session: initial, medial or final
• Students place a play dough ball beneath each image on their board
• The teacher calls out a sound; students scan their board and smash any play dough ball that matches the sound position
• The first student to smash all their play dough balls correctly wins!

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as a small group rotation during phonics time with teacher guidance
• 💡 Set up as a self-checking independent station by colour coding boards to focus on one sound position
• 💡 Send home laminated boards with instructions for home learning packs

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Reinforce sound positions by modelling aloud with a sample board before beginning
• 💛 Use the discussion of “why” a student chose to smash a particular image as a formative assessment opportunity
• 💛 Provide dry erase markers for students to write the matching letter after smashing each ball

Sound Smash: Initial, Medial & Final Sounds is a fun and effective way to reinforce phonics learning through sensory play and student engagement. Download now and bring an exciting, smash-worthy twist to your literacy sessions!