CVC Word Building Peg Cards: Initial Sounds Phase 2 Phonics Activity

What’s included?

This download includes x6 A4, pdf sheets (landscape orientation).

What’s it for?

This hands-on CVC peg words activity supports essential early phonics development using only Phase 2 sounds. Learners clip initial letters onto the word strips to complete and read CVC words across the five short vowel families: -at, -et, -it, -ot, and -ut. This multi-sensory resource strengthens phonetic awareness by focusing on initial sound identification and blending to build complete words.

Who’s it for?

This resource has been designed for early years children, pupils in years one and two as well as older students needing additional learning support.

Resource Details

This resource supports early phonics by focusing on CVC word building and initial sound identification.

• This download includes twenty unique peg strips (words), organised into five sets
• Each set features four CVC words with the initial consonant missing.
• Cards and matching missing letters are colour-coded (red, orange, yellow, green, blue) for easy grouping and clarity.
• The text uses the clear, legible Sassoon font.
• four clip-style pegs are required for each set, used to secure the initial letters and complete the words.

Self-Checking Answer Sheet (included)

To promote independent learning and immediate feedback, this resource includes an easy-to-use answer key.

Words Included (CVC Word Families)

The resource allows learners to build and read a total of twenty CVC words, organised by short vowel rime family.

-at (Red words, initial letters b, c, h, r):

• bat
• cat
• hat
• rat

-et (Orange words, initial letters b, n, p, s):

• bet
• net
• pet
• set

-it (Yellow words, initial letters k, n, p, t):

• kit
• nit
• pit
• tit

-ot (Green words, initial letters c, d, h, p):

• cot
• dot
• hot
• pot

-ut (Blue words, initial letters c, g, h, n):

• cut
• gut
• hut
• nut

How to use it?

This activity has been designed for learners to get on with independently though could be used with an adult to reinforce initial sound identification and sounding out CVC words.

Setting Up the Activity

1. Print each set onto a sheet of card and carefully cut along all the dotted lines, laminate for improved durability.
2. Secure each of the coloured initial letters onto the opening ends of clip-style pegs, ideally using blue tac.
3. Place each set of coloured letter pegs with their corresponding matching CVC word strips.

Learner Instructions

1. Choose a coloured word strip and look at the image.
2. Determine the missing initial sound for that image.
3. Locate the peg with the matching (coloured) grapheme attached.
4. Clip the grapheme into position to complete the word.
5. Say the complete word aloud, checking it matches the picture.
6. Complete the three remaining words in the set before moving onto the next set.

Important message

Any issues with this resource please let us know - we are happy to make changes.