Phonemic Awareness, Phonological Awareness & Phonics: The Three P’s of Learning to Read

Phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, phonics…oh my! Do you ever feel like those terms get tossed around like they mean the same thing? Sure, they sound similar and are all connected to reading. But when you ask what the difference is, the explanation can feel fuzzy.

These skills build on each other, but they’re not interchangeable. Understanding how the three P’s of learning to read fit together will change how you support your child at home. They build on each other in a very specific order, and when that order gets skipped or rushed, reading can feel harder than it needs to be. 

If you’re new here, hi! I’m Miss Beth, the founder of Big City Readers. I help parents support early reading and writing through playful, research-backed strategies rooted in the five building blocks of early literacy. My goal is to help families make sense of reading development without pressure or panic, so children can build confidence and find joy in learning to read. 

The Three P’s of Learning to Read

When we talk about early literacy, there are three closely related concepts that work together:

• Phonological awareness

• Phonemic awareness

• Phonics

They sound super similar, which can be confusing, but each one plays a different role. 

Think of phonological awareness as the umbrella. It’s the ability to hear and work with parts of spoken language. That includes noticing rhymes, clapping syllables, counting words in a sentence, and eventually isolating individual sounds.

Phonemic awareness is a subset of phonological awareness. It zooms in on the smallest unit of sound in a word, called a phoneme. Next comes phonics, which is when we attach letters to the sounds children already understand and begin working with the alphabetic code.

All three matter, but they don’t happen at the same time or teach the same thing. One of the most common misunderstandings I see is parents being told to “work on phonics” when what their child actually needs is stronger sound awareness underneath.

If you’ve ever felt like the progression hasn’t been clearly explained, that’s exactly why I created the Raising Readers workshop. It walks through the science of reading in parent-friendly language so you can see how these pieces fit together and feel confident about the order.

Learning to Read Starts With Your Eyes Closed

If you’re confused by the title here, I get it! But hear me out: one of the most helpful mindset shifts for parents is that learning to read starts with your eyes closed. 

Before children ever attach letters to sounds, they need to be able to hear and play with the sounds in spoken language. That skill falls under phonological awareness.

For example, can your child:

• Count how many words are in a short sentence?

• Clap the syllables in “strawberry”?

• Hear that “cat” and “hat” rhyme?

• Break apart “rainbow” into “rain” and “bow”?

None of those activities require flashcards or worksheets, only listening. When we skip the listening part and move straight to letters, children are asked to attach symbols to sounds they are not yet comfortable manipulating. Strong readers are strong listeners first!

Want an easy way to check your child’s early sound skills? Download our free Phonological Awareness Checklist to see what listening and sound-play skills children typically build from toddlers through early elementary.

What Is Phonemic Awareness?

Now let’s zoom in even further. Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate individual phonemes, the smallest units of sound in spoken words.

→ The word “cat” contains three phonemes: /c/ /a/ /t/.

→ The word “shoe” contains two phonemes: /sh/ /oo/.

When we’re building phonemic awareness, we’re working entirely with sounds. No letters are required. In fact, letters can sometimes get in the way if introduced too early. Phonemic awareness includes skills like:

• Segmenting a word into individual sounds

• Blending sounds together to form a word

• Substituting one sound for another

• Deleting a sound from a word

If I say “dog” and ask you to change the /d/ to /l/, you get “log.” If I say /b/ /a/ /t/ and your child blends it into “bat,” that’s phonemic awareness at work. It’s the bridge between general sound awareness and formal phonics instruction. When it’s strong, phonics gets much easier.

What Age Should My Child Learn Phonemic Awareness?

Phonemic awareness develops gradually and begins long before formal reading instruction.

Babies build early phonological awareness through conversation, songs, rhymes, and being talked to throughout the day. Toddlers and preschoolers begin noticing rhymes, clapping syllables, and counting words in simple sentences.

As children approach kindergarten, they’re typically ready to start isolating and manipulating individual sounds in words. Skills like blending and segmenting can develop before or alongside early phonics instruction. 

Building a strong, sound foundation is what helps letters make sense later, and that’s exactly what we focus on inside my Kindergarten Ready course. The lessons move from sound awareness into letter sounds and blending, helping early learners build the skills they need to read with confidence.

From Sounds to Letters: Let’s Talk Phonics

Phonics is where letters enter the picture. Phonics teaches children how letters and letter combinations represent spoken sounds. English is a code, and phonics helps children learn that code so they can decode unfamiliar words. 

This is very different from memorizing words. When a child spells “tree” as “tre,” that’s not a mistake to panic over. It shows they’re applying phonics! They’re representing the sounds they hear and thinking through the code rather than relying on visual memorization.

Phonics feels logical when phonemic awareness is already in place. Without that sound foundation, letters can feel abstract and overwhelming.

Why Some Kids Struggle With Phonics

When a child struggles with phonics, the parental instinct is to practice more phonics. This usually means more letter drills, sight words, and reading practice. But if the underlying sound awareness is weak, extra phonics instruction won’t solve the root problem.

When I see a struggling reader, the first place I look is phonological awareness. Can they hear individual sounds clearly? Can they blend and segment without letters? Can they manipulate sounds orally?

If the answer is no, phonics will feel overwhelming because there’s nothing solid for those letters to attach to. Sometimes, strengthening listening skills first can change everything.

Phonemic Awareness vs. Phonics: What’s Really the Difference?

Here’s the easiest way to think about it: Phonemic awareness focuses on sounds only. It trains the ear to isolate, blend, and manipulate phonemes in spoken words. Phonics connects those sounds to letters. It teaches children how to decode and spell written words.

→ Phonemic awareness happens with your ears.

→ Phonics happens when you add your eyes.

When the sequence is respected, reading feels logical. If you’d like to hear this progression explained out loud, I walk through the three P’s step by step in an episode of The Play on Words podcast. You can listen below for additional clarity and examples, or save it to check out later.

Phonemic Awareness Activities To Try At Home (No Flashcards Required!)

You don’t need a workbook or a fancy curriculum to build phonemic awareness. In fact, it works best when it feels playful and woven into your day. These quick listening games help train your child’s ear to notice and manipulate sounds, which is what makes phonics easier later on.

Here are a few simple ways to practice phonemic awareness at home:

• Segment with your fingers. Say a simple word like “map” and hold up one finger for each sound: /m/ /a/ /p/. Have your child do the same with other short words.

• Blend in the car. Slowly say a word like /b/ /a/ /t/ and ask your child to say it fast. This works beautifully during car rides or while waiting in line.

• Play sound swap. Say a word like “dog” and ask what happens if we change the /d/ to /l/. Keep it light and playful. It’s okay to laugh at silly made-up words.

• Try sound deletion. For slightly older kids, say “smile” and ask what’s left if we take away the /s/. Start with easier words before moving to more complex ones.

• Pound the sounds. Choose a short word and ask, “How many sounds do you hear?” Remember, you’re counting sounds, not letters. Have them pound out each sound with a pop-it toy.

The more confident your child becomes playing with sounds out loud, the more natural decoding will feel when letters are introduced.

Start With Listening, Then Add Letters

Phonemic awareness isn’t an extra skill you squeeze in before reading. It’s the foundation that makes reading possible. When children can confidently hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words, phonics stops feeling so confusing. 

English is a code, and we teach it step by step. First, we listen, then we connect sounds to letters, then we read. If blending has felt tricky or phonics hasn’t quite clicked yet, it doesn’t mean something is wrong. It may just mean your child needs a little more time strengthening the listening skills underneath. And that’s completely doable.

Have questions about the three P’s or how they fit into your child’s reading journey? Feel free to DM me @bigcityreaders or leave a comment below. For more early literacy support and learning tips, be sure to explore our other blogs: