Activities
Sight words are high-frequency words that students must learn to recognize quickly without needing to decode them. They make up a huge chunk of the words used in early literacy education. Since much of early reading instruction involves sight words in one way or another, here are 20 fabulous activities to shake up your students’ sight word practice and make learning fun!
1. Sight word STEM!
This activity from Jessica Travis (@wildaboutfirstieson IG) is a fun, hands-on way to practice sight words. Students read the word on a set of cards, write the word, and build the word. Using legos, puffballs, and any number of other materials, students get to access their inner engineer with Sight Word STEM!
6. Water balloon toss!
Source: Primary Playground
Take your sight word practice outdoors with this fun activity. Yes, it takes some prep time to get the water balloons ready, but the sight words can be written by students with chalk. You call the sight words, kids get to throw balloons and learn at the same time. Win-win! Perfect for those sweltering days in the classroom or for parents to set up at home during distance learning!
3. Puddle jumping!
Source: Fantastic Fun And Learning
How fun is this? Make some sight word puddles and use painters tape to secure them to the ground. Arm your students with umbrellas and rain boots, then call out the words. Kids jump from puddle to puddle, getting fresh air and movement and having so much fun that they forget they’re learning. This is such a fun and educational way to get the wiggles out! Keep in mind, each student will need their own set of puddles, or be willing to take turns with a partner or small group.
4. Toss and read!
Source: Forward With Fun
In this activity, students toss pom poms into a muffin pan. Whenever they make a goal, they get to read the word. This activity is great for distance learning, because most parents have a muffin tin and post-its lying around, and they can use pom poms or substitute cotton balls or whatever else they have handy.
5. Snowball STEM
Source: Wild About Firsties
This simple activity supports fine motor, literacy, phonics, and so much more!
5. Spelling with pool noodles!
Source: The Happy Teacher
Students build sight words letter by letter, and then practice writing them with pool noodles and paper towel holders. It’s simple but still different enough from basic rote memorization that students will be engaged.
7. Guess Who?
Source: Taylored To Teach
Taylored To Teach makes it easy to turn this classic game into a sight word game. Get the TpT printable here.
8.Giant fly swatter game!
Source: Mrs Dockett’s Class
The fly swatter has made its rounds on social media, but this giant version from Mrs Dockett’s Class adds a new layer of interest. How could anyone resist?
9. Sight word typing!
Source:Miss Learning Bee
This is so fun and cute! Simply set up a couple of colorful keyboards as part of a literacy center, and have the students type their sight words. This is easily done at home, as well.
10. Shaving cream writing!
Source: Teacher 2 the rescue
This is a great way to get your kinesthetic learners engaged. This would be fun in a literacy center, or at the kitchen table at home.
11. Truck and tractor literacy fun!
Source: Planning Playtime
Everyone has at least one student that is obsessed with trucks and tractors. This adorable activity lets students drive their favorite vehicles to “erase” the sight words after they write them.
12. Feed the bins!
Source: Straight A Tutors1
Your really imaginative students will get a kick out of feeding the bins. Bonus points if you make them monster or alien-themed.
13. Reading Jenga!
Source: The Play Based Mom
Here’s another way to take a classic game and turn it into a learning game. Check out The Play Based Mom for more awesome ideas.
14. Build a word with Legos!
Source: The Printable Princess
You can often find large Lego or Duplo blocks in the clearance bins at Target. Write sight words on the bigger blocks and letters on the smaller blocks and let students build their way to sight word mastery!
15. Sight word painting!
Source: Tickled Pink in Primary
If you have a white crayon, you can have students reveal hidden words with watercolor paints.
2. Roll and write!
Source: Natalie Lynn Kindergarten
Students simply roll the dice and write whichever sight word corresponds with the number on the dice. Everyone has some dice lying around, and using them turns practiceinto a game. Adding scented markers is a nice touch.
16. Spin and Spell Easter eggs!
Source: Raising Dragons
If you’re a parent, you probably have about a million of these plastic eggs in your house. We buy them year after year despite having thousands in a bin somewhere in the garage. Now you can put them to good use! Students spin the top of the egg to form new words.
17. Words with beads and pipe cleaners!
Source: Lessons For Little Ones
This is a good activity for literacy centers or any time you need your students to work quietly. They form the words by threading the beads onto the pipe cleaner that is attached to a word card.
18. Fall sight reading!
Source: Clearly Primary
Write words on some fake leaves and toss them in a basket for a fun, seasonal learning activity.
19. Mini eraser fun!
Source: The Connett Connection
This is a brilliant way to use all of those dollar spot mini erasers that we’re hoarding. If you have not succumbed to the mini eraser craze, you can have students color the sight words as they find them.
20. Sprinkle words!
Source: The Play Based Mom
This is a fun and seasonal way to practice sight words! All it takes is a baking sheet, some sprinkles and a paintbrush. Oh, and the willingness of a parent, because we all know we won’t be bringing sprinkles into the classroom! (Colored rice might be a good substitute though!)
Inspired to come up with your own creative way to teach sight words? Tag @BoredTeachers so we can see your great idea!
