15 Sight Word Games - Just for Fun
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.
There are many different high frequency word lists produced over the years. My favorite is the widely used Dolch Sight Word List. It has been used in schools for years and the list is not too long, just 220 words. Make up word cards using the Dolch list , about 4 words per A4 sheet is a good size, laminate them and have some fun playing sight word games and activities. A set of laminated sight word cards is very useful and important addition to your teacher resources.
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 the game - What am I? - I am red, I have 3 letters, and I start with n.
5. Children have a great time playing these types of sight word games. Play twister using a letter chart drawn with chalk on the concrete. Children spell out the sight words using their legs and arms.
6.Photocopy small versions of the sight word lists. Children then make up their own alphabet book or word wall in their scrapbooks. This can be an ongoing project, with words being added to alphabet pages throughout the year.
7. As a whole class or in pairs, play a game of hangman using the sight words.
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. Using an erasable pen - children practice their letter recognition by drawing a ring around certain letters on the laminated sight word cards.
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.
Sight word cards can be used for so much more than just look and say sessions. Keep a laminated set of words as part of your essential teacher resources. I have used them for impromptu lessons, as well as planned and sight word games have always been a part of my weekly language group planning.
Now, go and have some fun with those sight words!