What do the words through, throw, and three all have in common? You guessed it, they all start with the same three letters "thr".
When you put the letters "thr" in a word the combine together to make one sound...they are called trigraphs. And just like any other phonics sound, children need to paly around with them to learn the sound and recognize the letters that make that sound.
And today, I have these fun "thr" playdough mats to help children learn the trigraph "thr"
THR Words Playdough Mats
This is one of those easy setup activities!!!
- Print off pages on card stock paper.
- Next, laminate them or place them in sheet protectors.
- Finally, grab some playdough and you are ready to go.
These mats are super simple to use, and so much fun! They are a stressfree way to work on saying and reading trigraphs.
- To begin, introduce your child to the trigraph "thr". Explain how these three letters are very special and work together to make one sound.
- Next show them the mats. You can begin by pointing to the picture and saying the word. Then point to the word and clearly say the "thr" sound and then the rest of the word. See if you child can repeat you.
- Now, let them shape the playdough into letters. Have them make the "thr" in one color, and the rest of the word in another color.
- Finally, have them read the word to you by placing their finger under the "thr" when saying that part of the word, and then moving their finger to the right as they finish saying the word.
If you need other trigraph activities these may help...
Normally we just think that playdough is a fun activity for children, but it is so much more.
Did you know that when children are shaping, rolling, squishing, mashing, and squashing their playdough they are developing fine motor skills? Many children that struggle with fine motor skills have weak muscles that need to be strengthened. When we encourage our children to flatten and roll out their playdough to make the letter needed, they are strengthening their muscles.
Some children also need the sensory input that comes from playing with playdough. The touch of it, the smell of it, and the consistent movement can all meet the needs of children that need a little extra sensory input. You can even create your own playdough and add new smells to it, like this lemon recipe, to build olfactory (smell) sensory resilience.
I love how Amalie from Kids Are the Bomb Diggity described playdough play...
Sensory experiences such as Play Dough allow children to develop their senses and emotional development. It helps children to regulate their moods. Sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain’s pathways which lead to the child’s ability to complete more complex learning tasks.
Have fun playing with the "thr" playdough mats.
Download "thr" Words Playdough mats
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>> Download THR Words Playdough Mats <<
Rachel is a homeschool mom to four little ones, ages 2 to 6. She is a former public elementary teacher, and has recently began blogging at her page You’ve Got This. You can also find her on Facebook and Pinterest.
