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I am always blown away at the amount of information that children are able to absorb and retain. Little takes me by surprise often with new words or phrases or a new activity that he decides to try out. It is one of my greatest joys to see him learn and explore the world around him.
Today, I’m sharing an activity that we have recently incorporated into our learning time that you can easily recreate and do in your own home.
Teaching Your Child to Read | Some Background
We play a lot in the Live Well Play Together house. If we can make it a game, we do. I come from a family of teachers and while I have never ventured into the classroom myself, I am always eager to learn ways to incorporate learning into our play.
Some of the simple ways we encourage learning in our home is by reading books together, going to the library for story times, talking about the things we are doing, and pointing out letters and numbers when we are out and about.
My sister recently bought this set of books for Little. To be honest, I thought they were a little advanced for him. They are an early reader set that is focused on sight words. I cannot say enough good things about these books.
We read them often to the point where Little has memorized several of them. One really cool feature of these books is that they include sight word flash cards and an activity guide for parents or teachers full of ideas to help make learning fun and ways to extend the lessons with the sight words in each book.
When we opened the book, I promptly removed the sight word flash cards assuming that they were too advanced for Little right now. But, he demanded to hold them himself, found the color words and much to my surprise, began to tell me (correctly) what each one said. He’s known his colors for a while and must have learned to recognize the words through color books.
Seeing this completely made me a believer in sight words. Little ones really can see and recognize words from an early age. And thus, this sight word matching game was born.
Sight Words Matching Game
Remember how I said we try to make things a game if we can? I decided that I would take the provided sight word cards and create corresponding cards to introduce a match game. I saw several ideas on Pinterest, but none that were exactly what I wanted. Most of the matching games included two sets of the same word.
I wanted to have Little match the word to the actual color. So, I decided to make color cards. He picks a word card and matches it to the correct object (color) card.
I’m happy to report that it’s been a hit! Little gets so excited when he finds the matches. I’ve since made another set with numbers (word cards also provided in the book) and I plan to create my own for other words. Think “cat” with a corresponding object card that includes a picture of a cat. Or “hat” with a corresponding card that has a picture of a hat.
I chose this method since Little has not yet demonstrated the ability (or interest) in sounding out words to read yet. He is happy to think about what letters a word might start with based on sound, but not much more. And since our main focus is learning through playing, we’re not pushing it. He can easily recognize the objects and by seeing them with the words repetitively, he is quickly catching on with the words. It really is exciting.
Make Your Own Sight Words Matching Game
This activity can easily be recreated and because it’s so versatile, you can use any words that you want. I can see it easily being incorporated to reinforce lessons in the classroom for Pre-K or Kindergarten students as well.
Supplies
- White/neutral color construction paper
- Card stock may be used to create heavier matching cards.
- Multi-colored construction paper
- Glue Stick
- Scissors or paper cutter
- I used this paper cutter to make clean lines
- Packaging tape
- You may also use laminating paper if you have it, but I just used what I had on hand and found this to be perfect.
- Permanent marker
Directions
For Word Cards:
- Using the paper cutter, cut dimensions cards out of white paper
- Write words on each card.
- You may also choose to print these from your computer if you’d rather not write the words out yourself.
- Seal with packaging tape
- This will prevent the cards from bending
For Object Cards:
- Using the paper cutter, cut cards out of white paper.
- Cards should be 2″x4″
- Cut corresponding cards out of colored paper – these should be smaller than the white cards since they’ll be glued on.
- If you aren’t doing color matching cards, you will want to skip this step and cut out photos for your object cards (i.e. a cat, or hat, from the example above)
- Glue photos for object cards onto the white cards
- Seal with packaging tape
- This will prevent the cards from bending
Instructions for Play
Flip the object cards face down.
Have your child choose a word card.
Next, flip over object cards one at a time until the matching card is found.
Place the matching set to the side.
Once all matches are found, read over the words together.
You may also play the more traditional version of Match by flipping all the cards over and searching for matches. Another way we play is to simply have all the cards out and match them without a real order. There really isn’t a wrong way to play so long as the correct object and word cards end up together in the end.
Again, I really think that playing is the best way to learn – especially for little ones. The great thing about this activity and so many others like it is that it doesn’t have to be perfect to be educational and fun so don’t stress about it.
What are your favorite ways to incorporate learning into your play at home? I’m always looking for new ideas – so let me know in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, I would be so appreciative if you would share it with others so they can enjoy it as well!
With a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old we’re heavy into the sight words age. Love that you made some cards on your own. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
Thank you! Those are the perfect ages! The cards are so simple to make!
This is a fun and useful game and I love that you made your own! Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party this week. Pinned!
We love it!! It’s so versatile and really allows Little to play and learn.
This has given me the best idea for my kindergym classes, mainly to incorporate with Pete the Cat books and colour matching, in particular Pete the cat and his white shoes 🙂 #openslather
Oh that is a great book for this game! We like Pete the Cat!
This is such a cute idea with the matching color and words–what a great way to help kids to learn to read! I think my toddler would enjoy this, he talks all about colors these days!
Oh, I bet he would! And it’s a great rainy day activity too!
I love this idea! Making learning fun is so important for them to be successful! Sight words are so important for their reading foundation too! Thanks for sharing this game!
I so agree! We try to focus a lot on learning through play at our house!
This is a great idea!! I am always looking for ideas to teach my little ones! This would be perfect for them! Will be using your idea 🙂 <3
Let me know how you like it!
I will have to keep this in mind for next year!! What a great idea!
You should! They are really simple and fun to use!
Love this! My twins are in kindergarten and this might help them become better readers.
You should definitely give it a try!
My oldest learned color words first too. Her Pre-k actually started with them because they said most of the kids learn them quickly. I love this game and definitely give it my teacher stamp of approval.
That is interesting. I wonder why that is. He definitely learned these words really quickly!
Sight words have always been a great way for me to help my kiddies get started with reading. I love how easy these are and big too. I think they are an awesome resource for any parent wanting to add a bit of extra help at home.
I completely agree!
I am a former Kindergarten teacher. This is a great activity to encourage early literacy!
Thanks so much! My sister is also a Kindergarten teacher so I’m always asking her opinion on ideas!
I did an activity similar to this in my classroom with my students. They loved it so much that they wanted to take them home to “play with their parents.” Hahahahha. I love when something you throw together quickly ends up being their favorite thing!
Right?! That’s awesome that your students wanted to take them home!
I need to make this for my daughter! The boys have trashed our old cards.
They are really simple to make! Let me know if you end up making them and how you like them!
These are darling! I love making learning more fun for kids and these are wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
And fun, too!! We love learning through play!
I need this for my twin boys! They love matching games! Thanks!
Then I’m sure they would love this! They ate really simple to make. You could even just use regular index cards if you wanted!
This is a great idea! I love the color matching game. My little guy catches on to things so fast that I feel I will always be challenged to keep up with him so he won’t get bored. I might be doing these site word games with him sooner than later!
You totally should! They are really fun!
Wow, this is a great idea! My son just started Kindergarten and this would go great with what he is learning in school! Thanks so much.
It is a great at home enrichment idea!
Those books look really great, thanks for the recommendation! And I love this idea for a sight word game, so perfect and I know my little ones would love matching the colors!
We like using them a lot. And there are so many variations on the way you can play!
This is so cute! My kids both love books and learning and games. We have some file folder games that I made a while back that have gotten quite a bit of use out of them, plus it helps keep the pieces contained. 😉
Thank you! I should get some file folder games! My sister uses those in her classroom!
This is so cute! I actually have this set for my daughter, I bought it for her last year for Pre-K too, and she loved reading the books. (Okay remembering all the words so she could pretend she was reading.) I never thought to do the match up, so it was easier for her to remember. This is good! She’s in Kindergarten now, so she’s remembering sight words easier, but this is a cool game! (Wish I could figure out pictures for words like “that”. Lol Those are her problem words.
~ Sanaa
http://www.amomthatsleeps.com
I’m glad you’ve also read the book – I am a big fan of the set! You are not kidding on words like “that”. To be honest, I’m not sure how to teach that! I figure every little bit helps though, so we’re trying to think of any words we can make pictures for that might be useful!
My kids love matching games like this!
We have lots of fun with it, too!
thanks so much we have grandsons that are and will be learning to read soon. These games will make learning easier thanks for sharing
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Oh fun! Let me know if you incorporate these games! Best of luck to them as they learn to read!
What a great activity! I’m going to try this for my son!
Oh fun! I hope you’ll let me know how it goes!
My daughter does sight words with her oldest. Think this matching game is pretty awesome idea. Going give this a go.
This was my first venture with teaching sight words and we’re big fans of this little game around here now. Any way to make learning fun!
These are awesome tools! I need to start using them for the kids I tutor
-xo, Azanique | https://www.lotsofsass.com
Definitely! I think it’s more fun since it’s a game and you can play it so many different ways!
These are great! As a preschool teacher, sight words are sometimes the hardest words to teach. Making it a game makes it so fun!
I agree! We are all about learning through play over here – especially at such a young age!
I really agree playing is the best way to learning for little ones. If it’s fun they take it loads. Looks like a great game and brill to spend time together. Thanks for sharing with #bloggersbest x
So exciting that he’s catching on to words just by association and repetition! We’ve had great success (aka, my son participated happily 😉 ) with sight words on flashcards as well ~ and I love the homemade touch to these!
That’s great for your son! Happily participated counts as a success! Best wishes as he continues to learn to read! Thank you so much for stopping by!
Cute idea!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing with us at Love to Learn; Pinned.
Thanks so much!
You have so many cute and fun educational games! This one seems so versatile and easy to make.
It really is; we enjoy it a lot!
I love educational games! I am so going to try some of these with my little one who is just on the verge of reading!!!! Thanks for the ideas!
Thank you so much for stopping by! We love the games, too. Let me know if you end up making them. I’d love to know how you like them!
Such a great way to learn to read! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m pinning because I’ve got several children who need this!
Thanks so much! My mom & sister (both teachers) have told me about sight words for so long. I’m excited to have found a great way to incorporate them into our home.
This is fantastic! I can’t wait to do this with Miss A!
I bet she would love them!