A Phonics Game
February 25th, 2008 by admin
Many younger reading students don’t mind playing games to practice their phonics skills. Here’s an easy game that you can modify for nearly any phonics skill and for two to six players.
Start with a file folder. Colored ones add a bit of life to your game, but any kind will do. Choose a theme for your game that will be enjoyable for the kids who will be playing. Younger children might like a circus theme or an animal theme, and older students may appreciate a skateboarding theme or a career theme. Decorate the front of the folder and choose a thematic name. You can use your own art work, clip art from a book, or pictures that you cut from old magazines or books.
Inside the folder, make a trail for the players to follow. This can be drawn on in marker, or you can use round stickers available from office supply departments. It adds excitement if you make a few penalty and bonus spots. Either write the penalty or the bonus on the path, or designate a special meaning for a few of the colors of spaces.
Make a set of word cards that focus on the phonics skill that you wish to drill. You might make several decks to use with the same file folder game, and so extend the skills being covered. One pack of cards might contain words that have the CVC pattern, another could be composed of words that have long vowels with final silent e’s. Older readers could have packs of words with suffixes, or special numbers of syllables, unusual phonic patterns (like -tion) or words that follow different rules for adding affixes. You’ll want about as many words as there are spaces on your trail. Get a die or a spinner with low numbers on it and you’re all set!
On the back of the folder, write out the directions for the game so kids can play independently and without asking you for help. Players choose who will go first, choose a card from the deck and read it. If they read correctly, they get to spin the spinner or roll the die and make their move. First player to the end of the trail is the winner.
If your game is going to have heavy use (like in a family or classroom setting), it is wise to protect your investment of time and creativity. Laminate or cover the folder with clear contact paper to make it last longer. The cards can be stored in a zipper bag stapled to the back of the folder if you wish.
Even a simple game such as this one will help your young readers practice and keep them entertained at the same time. Give it a try!
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© 2005 Sandra Fleming
This entry was posted on Monday, February 25th, 2008 at 5:33 pm and is filed under Games. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
