15 Sight Word Games - Just for Fun
Donna
Learning sight words is an important part of Learning to Read. Sight words are service words. They are not meant to be sounded out. Learning these words helps the reader to maintain reading fluency without getting caught up on meaning.
I like the Dolch Sight Word List, but there are many other lists available. Sight word cards are an essential part of your Teacher Resources kit. Pop them onto cards about 12cm x 6cm. Then use these cards to enjoy some of the following sight word games and activities with your children.
1. Play Battleships with words on a grid with a partner or as a class.
2. Place the sight words on the floor. Throw a coin onto them. Children say the word that the coin lands on.
3. During the conferencing or editing stages of children's writing, have a box of mini blank cards available. These are about 10cm x 3 cm. Children use these cards when looking for words on word wall, boxes, on charts, in story books, to write the words on. They then take these smaller versions back to their writing to edit their spelling.
4. Play who am I? - I am yellow, I have 5 letters, and I end in the letter t.
5. Make a letter twister chart with chalk on a concrete floor, children place their feet and hands on the letters to spell words.
6. Children make their own word wall / dictionary using photocopied small words and scrapbooks labeled with a letter of the alphabet on each page... can be added to throughout the year
7. Use the sight words to play a game of - hangman.
8. Children find the sight words in their readers during guided reading sessions.
9. Use your laminated sight word cards to play dominoes with the same end letter - beginning letter.
10. Whiteboard pens can be used on the laminated word cards to circle certain letters within the sight words.
11. Play Chinese Whispers - say a word - pass it around.
12. Focus on a phonic blend such as 'th' for children to find within the laminated word cards and circle using a whiteboard pen.
13. Practice writing sight words with different colored chalk on concrete outside.
14. Use the laminated sight words for handwriting activities. Children trace over the words with the whiteboard pen.
15. Order the sight word cards alphabetically.
Make sure a set of laminated sight words becomes an integral part of your teaching resources arsenal. I have used my set forever. They were always available to the children and were never just tucked away - only to be seen during - look and say - sessions. Make use of sight word games to make it fun.
Now, go and have some fun with those sight words!
About the Author:
Donna is a retired early years teacher with a passion for developing hands-on quality educational resources. Check out 86 more ideas for sight word games and general hands-on downloadable teacher resources at her early years Teacher Resources website.
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