D Sound Phonics Worksheet (EYFS/KS1)

Make early phonics learning fun, purposeful and engaging with Dippy the Dino - a playful worksheet designed to help young learners identify and practice the /d/ sound in words.

In this dinosaur-themed activity, children help Dippy out of a daze, by looking at each picture, saying the sounds they hear, and blending them to fix the scrambled word. Children are encouraged to focus on phonemes (sounds) from the picture, rather than simply reading the letters shown. Through listening, speaking, blending and early writing, pupils strengthen their phonemic awareness while building confidence with sound-letter correspondence.

What this worksheet helps children achieve

. Recognise and identify the /d/ sound in simple words
. Say and blend phonemes to read scrambled words
. Make clear links between spoken sounds and the letter m
. Develop early phonics skills in a low-pressure, playful way
. Build listening skills, vocabulary and early problem-solving
. Practice fine motor skills through marking, pointing and writing

How to use

Ideal for EYFS, Nursery and Reception

. Perfect for phonics sessions, small group work, interventions or home learning
. Can be used alongside any systematic phonics programme (e.g. Letters and Sounds)
. Children look at each picture, say the sounds they hear, and blend them to unscramble and fix the word, helping Dippy Dinosaur put all the /d/ words back in order.

Why teachers love it

✔ Clear learning objective
✔ Encourages sound-first phonics (not letter naming)
✔ Simple instructions for independent or adult-guided work
✔ Child-friendly visuals that support engagement
✔ Promotes talk, reasoning and phoneme blending