Free Long and Short Vowels Activities

Distinguishing between long vowel and short vowel sounds can be fun to teach! Identifying the differences between long and short vowels can be difficult for some children. If you turn practice into a game format, then distinguishing between the long and short vowels becomes fun! Thus, “Frog and Toad” the vowel amphibians came into being. Use these fun characters to create a meaningful reason to distinguish between long and short vowel sounds. Grab these free long and short vowels activities here!

Frog and Toad: The Long & Short of It

“Frog and Toad”, by Arnold Lobel, is a beloved classic. My kids still love these characters. It was probably on the millionth time of reading “Frog and Toad Are Friends” that I realized something. Frog and Toad were perfect for distinguishing between long and short vowels. Their names were ready-made to teach and reinforce long and short vowel sounds!

I am a huge believer in teaching with multi-sensory activities. I’ve always linked each letter sound to a specific picture, movement that corresponds with the sound, and the sound itself. Providing all the different cues allows children to access the sound in the way that works best for them.

Since many children have difficulty distinguishing between long and short vowels, I created characters to represent each  long and short vowel sound. I’ve found that by giving students a character to tie to each specific sound, they seem to form a relationship with the character and it easier to recall and apply the vowel sound. You can check out my vowel characters here.

The characters are used in a variety of formats including:

• Interactive notebook activities
• Print & Go word sorts, word sorts (use with pocket chart, mats, or special characters)
• Flip books
• Bookmarks, word lists, and posters.

Read more about using the characters here.

Frog & Toad Sort: Long Vowels and Short Vowels

My kids would be perfectly happy to sort the vowel sounds into a container with an image attached, but imagine their excitement when they get to actually “feed” Frog and Toad. It takes the activity to another level. Instead of sorting into bins or bags, they are now playing with the characters Frog and Toad. Kids are highly engaged and beg to continue learning  playing. Grab the free long and short vowels fun here.

Check out the original Frog and Toad. They were made from Lysol Wipes containers. This blog post gives detailed directions on how to create your own set of Frog & Toad- mega size. 

While I love these mega sized amphibians, I needed to create a set of characters that are easier to store. By nature I am a hoarder  collector, so I need to make use of small-sized learning tools whenever possible. Thus, a new Frog and Toad were born.

Frog & Toad Get a Face Lift

This set of Frog and Toad characters are made out of icing containers, foam/paper and felt. They do require use of a hot glue gun, but were pretty easy to create. Head over to the DIY directions to find out exactly how to make them!

These amphibians are cheap and easy to make AND small enough to make storing them a breeze! You can get them ready just in time for spring.

Not Crafty? No Problem

If you look at the pictures and think “NO WAY!”, then there is a low-prep version for you! Simply print out the labels included in this free set and attach them to a container, paper bag, or even ziploc bag. You are all set!

Differentiated: Long and Short Vowels

There is more included in this free set than just DIY: Frog and Toad. Grab up differentiated recording sheets + Cut & Paste sorting sheets! It is just more fun to use with frog and toad!

Thanks for joining me to check out my newest version of Frog and Toad! I would love to hear from you about your great ideas. Leave me a comment, or feel free to email me. I’ll be back soon with more ideas on how to make learning fun!