Why are Vowels so Important?

Have you ever stopped to consider the value of a vowel?  Vowels are not only in every single word, but they are also in every single syllable.  I teach this to kids by asking them to find a word without a vowel in it.  Sometimes a smart kid will say, “Well fly doesn’t have a vowel in it.”  Then I proceed to tell them how y is sometimes a vowel and have them listen to the sound that y makes in that word.  Since it is making the i sound, it is a vowel.

All kids need to know that the vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y.  I love teaching through songs and through personalizing songs.  So I created the Vowel song to the tune of Bingo.  It goes like this.

There was a girl named Mikayla

Who lived in Wisconsin

a, e, i, o, u

a, e, i, o, u

a, e, i, o, u

and sometimes y.

These are the vowels

and I’ll sing them with you

a, e, i, o, u

a, e, i, o, u

a, e, i, o, u

and sometimes y.

To personalize this song for your child, just insert boy or girl and your child’s name into the song.  Add where your child lives and you have your very on personalized vowel song.  Your child will smile and happily sing along with you.  Not only that, but your child will know which letters are the vowels in no time.

Now onto consonants?  One may wonder how you teach the concept of consonants to kids.  This is easy.  Tell the child, that any letter that is not a vowel is a consonant.  You can play a game where you name a letter and they have to tell you if it is a vowel or a consonant.

What are some ways that you have taught young ones the vowels?