Phonics Stick

Free Online Phonics Story for Beginning Readers

Stick is a short, illustrated phonics story for beginning readers. With simple sentences and repeated sounds, it helps children practice decoding short vowel words and CVC patterns while following a playful science experiment.

In this story, Pat has sticks to make a boat — to see if it will float! Children will enjoy the gentle rhythm and curiosity in this story as they build confidence reading short words with a, i, and o vowel sounds.

Letter–Sound Correspondence

Short Vowels

1. /ă/ sound spelled a (pat, has)
2. /ĭ/ sound spelled i (stick, it, will)
3. /ŏ/ sound spelled o (boat, float)

Long Vowels

1. /ē/ sound spelled ee (see)

Consonants

1. /b/ sound spelled b (boat)
2. /f/ sound spelled f (float)
3. /h/ sound spelled h (has)
4. /k/ sound spelled ck (stick)
5. /l/ sound spelled l (will, float)
6. /m/ sound spelled m (make)
7. /p/ sound spelled p (pat)
8. /s/ sound spelled s (sticks, has, see)
9. /t/ sound spelled t (it, boat, float)
10. /w/ sound spelled w (will)

Phonics Focus

1. Reinforces short a, short i, and long e vowel sounds.
2. Combines CVC and CVVC words for varied decoding practice.
3. Repetition and rhyme support reading fluency.
4. Encourages scientific curiosity through storytelling.

Perfect for Early Reading Practice

1. Ideal for phonics lessons, guided reading, or home learning.
2. Teaches short vowels in meaningful sentence contexts.
3. Supports fluency and confidence through predictable phrasing.

Settings