What Is Phonological Awareness?

Phonological awareness is the ear before the eye — the ability to hear the sounds that make up spoken words. Before children can read print on a page, they need to recognize that words can be broken down into syllables, rhymes, and individual sounds (phonemes).

Research shows that phonological awareness is one of the strongest predictors of later reading success. Children who can blend, segment, and play with sounds learn to decode words far more easily once print is introduced.

You can nurture this skill long before reading begins. Try clapping syllables in names (“So-phie!”), spotting rhymes during storytime, or playing a “sound detective” game — “What sound starts sun, sand, and sock?”

Every giggle over a silly rhyme or tongue twister helps wire the brain for literacy. When children learn to hear language, reading becomes not just possible, but magical.

Bring sound play to life. Explore our Magic Phonemes and Rainbow Rhyming games — playful, research-backed ways to help little learners hear, laugh, and fall in love with the sounds that build reading.