Kids Learning Arcade
CVC words
CVC words are three-letter words built consonant, vowel, consonant, like cat, pig and sun. They are usually the first words children learn to sound out and spell.
CVC words by vowel
Spell the Picture has 64 CVC words with pictures, grouped by the short vowel in the middle. Each list has its own page to print, and a Play button that opens the game on that vowel.
How children learn them
- Hear the sounds. Say the word slowly and count its sounds: c, a, t. Three sounds, three letters.
- Blend. Put the sounds back together, faster each time, until they make the word.
- Spell. Find the letter for each sound, left to right. That is what the game asks for.
- One vowel at a time. Short a first is common, then e, i, o and u, then mixed.
In the game, vowels are red and consonants are blue, like classroom letter tiles, so children see the vowel in the middle of every CVC word.
Short vowel sounds
- Short a as in cat and hat
- Short e as in bed and hen
- Short i as in pig and pin
- Short o as in dog and pot
- Short u as in sun and bus
Questions parents ask
What are CVC words?
CVC words are three-letter words built consonant, vowel, consonant, like cat, pig and sun. They are usually the first words children learn to sound out and spell.
What age are CVC words for?
Most children work on them in preschool and kindergarten, from about age 4 to 6. In the game they are the age 3 deck, with the letters given in order on Easy, so younger children can match and listen.
Is egg a CVC word?
No. Egg starts with a vowel, so it is VCC. The game has it with the short e words because it has the same short e sound.
How do I teach CVC words?
Say each sound, then blend them: c, a, t, cat. Start with one vowel, like short a, before mixing vowels. Spell the word with letter tiles after reading it.