Sight Word Word games for BaFM - Be A Fun Mum...AQuick!Word!! Ages:7+!! You!will!need:!! • Game!lists! • PrePcutletters!from!letter! sheet! • Hator!other!item!to!draw!letters!from!

Word games for the love of learning Mastering spelling, learning sight words and developing other literacy skills is a big job for kids in the early years at school. You might find you are just as daunted as they are by the big list of words they bring home, and you might be thinking – where do we start?! It’s amazing how many kids just glaze over once they see lists of words on paper, or when you place a pencil in their hand. They seem to get the idea early on that this is what ‘work’ looks like, and usually ‘work’ means playtime is over. The result may be anything from passive resistance to flat out rage. Well that’s about to change! These FREE printables have been created especially for Be a Fun Mum readers, and are word games that aim to help make learning literacy skills more fun. Print out the instructions and accompanying sheets, and follow the directions. It’s that easy!

1. Sight Word Detective See how many words you can spy on the game sheet. Some are hiding in tricky places. How many words can you find before time runs out? All words will score a point, but sight words get bonus points!

2. A Quick Word How many different things can you think of that start with the same letter? You have a list of ten things to think of an answer for, and you have to think quickly. Time is ticking.

3. Picture This Put pen to paper and get drawing! This is a game of fast drawing and good guessing. Put those motor and visual processing skills to the test. Fun for all ages.

The instructions include bonus tips on how each activity can be modified or extended to incorporate other skill areas important for learning such as visual processing, fine motor skills including handwriting, attention and concentration, and auditory processing. Multi-‐sensory learning can be incorporated by:

• Using coloured and/ or textured paper for the printables • Writing using a variety of pens and other media • Change the environment in which you are playing the games. Throw a picnic

rug outside and sit in the yard, or stand around the kitchen bench while munching on afternoon tea.

Age suggestions accompany each activity, however you know your child best. Use these suggestions as a rough guide.

Sight Word Detective Ages 5 + You will need:

• Timer • Pencil • Printed game sheets

Instructions:

1. Give each player a copy of the game sheet. There are six included in this printable. One is blank so that you can make your own based on the words your child needs to work on.

2. Get the timer ready. You can set the timer to any time you like. If you want more of a challenge, try two minutes. Need a bit longer? Set it for four or five. Any more than five minutes and you might end up with bored players, so you might need to adjust accordingly.

3. Each player writes down the words that they can spy on their sheet. Words can be two or more letters. Words must be in a straight line, either down, across or diagonally. They can be backwards too.

4. Pens down when the timer stops, or when no more words can be found by the players.

Scoring: One point is scored for every correct word identified. Bonus points -‐ If the word you have found is on your sight word list, you get double points for that word! BONUS TIP: If you want to work on handwriting too, grab some lined paper that is the same as what your child is using at school. If it looks a little too much like schoolwork, tear a page out and cut it into a smaller square or a different shape. If you’re feeling really creative, laminate the lined paper and use thin whiteboard markers to write the words. Decorate the edges with stickers or a creative border. This activity is also great for working on those visual processing skills that are important for literacy e.g. scanning and tracking.

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Sheet 6 -‐ Make your own.


A Quick Word Ages: 7+ You will need:

• Game lists • Pre-‐cut letters from letter

sheet • Hat or other item to draw letters from • Pencil • Timer

Instructions: You will need to prepare ahead by printing out and cutting out the letters from the letters page. The game requires you to draw a letter at random from a hat before each round. To improve durability, laminate the sheets once printed. Print out the game lists. There are six provided, including a blank one for your own items. Set the timer for 3 or 4 minutes depending on how much time you think your players will need. One player chooses a letter from a hat. That is the letter that you must use to start each of your answers. For example; if the letter is B.

Things you find at the beach – Ball The name of a cartoon character – Bob the Builder Things you need for school -‐ Bag

You can only use each answer once e.g. you cannot use ‘Ball’ for ‘Things you find at the beach’, and ‘Things you need to play sport’. Scoring: A point is scored for every response that the rest of the players agree is a good answer. Answers must make sense and be somewhat logical.

BONUS TIPS: This activity is a fun way to improve processing speed, organisation skills, creativity , expressive language and handwriting. Parents can help with spelling of words and encourage editing of answers following the game. To practice listening and auditory processing skills, give each player a blank sheet of paper, and read each of the items aloud. If you are playing just with one child, answers can be given verbally. This is a great way to practice verbal communication skills. Use lined paper if you would like to focus on letter placement, letter formation and legibility.

List 1 1 An activity you would do

on a rainy day

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2 A sport

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3 Something you would find at the beach

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4 An item you might find at school

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5 A place you might go for your birthday

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6 A famous person

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7 A type of flower

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8 Takeaway you might buy for dinner

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9 A job or occupation

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10 Something that makes you laugh

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on a sunny day

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2 A board game

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3 Something you would find at the park

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4 An item you might find In the kitchen

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5 A place you might go for a school excursion

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6 A famous animal’s name

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7 A type of tree

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8 Somewhere you might go for breakfast

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9 A super hero

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10 Something that makes you cry

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with your family

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2 An animal that lives in the sea

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3 Something you would find in a forest

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4 An item you might find In the bathroom

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5 A place you might go to see fireworks

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6 A type of car

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7 A type of bird

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8 Somewhere you might see a snake

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9 Something you use every day

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10 Something that is scary _____________________

List 4 1 Something you practice

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2 A musical instrument

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3 Something you would find in space

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4 An item you might find in the backyard

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5 A place you might go to buy an ice-‐cream

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6 The name of a book

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7 An animal that lays eggs

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8 Somewhere you might go to swim

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9 A famous musical group or singer

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10 Something that surprises you

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List 5 1 A school subject

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2 Something with wheels

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3 Something you would find at a circus

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4 An item you might need to take camping

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5 A place you might go to read quietly

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6 A cartoon character

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7 A food item

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8 Somewhere you might see fish

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9 A city, state or country name

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10 Something that makes you sneeze

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List 6 (your choice) 1 _____________________

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2 _____________________

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3 _____________________

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4 _____________________

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5 _____________________

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6 _____________________

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7 _____________________

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8 _____________________

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10 _____________________

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Letter Sheets

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Picture this Ages 5 + You will need:

• Blank paper • Word cards (printable) • Pencils • Timer

Instructions: Prepare the word cards by printing the word cards, and cutting each of the words out. The word cards are graded level 1, 2 and 3 indicating perceived level of difficulty. Use the level of difficulty that you feel is right for your child. These cards are then shuffled and placed in a pile face down. To make the cards more durable, consider laminating them or printing them on to thick card. Print the cards in three different colours if you would like to keep the cards separated according to their assigned level. Players take turns to draw a card from the pile. They can’t show anyone else who is playing. The player then attempts to draw a picture that represents or looks like the word on the card. All players try to guess the word within the allocated timeframe. Scoring: The player who is drawing scores 1 point if another player guesses the word correctly. The player who guesses correctly first scores 2 points. BONUS TIP: Pre-‐writing skills are important to practice in order for writing skills to emerge successfully. Drawing pictures is a great way to practice lines and shapes, appropriate pencil grasp, placement and pressure, and also helps with growing confidence in written communication. Use the blank cards to write sight words that are being learned, if the words are able to be easily represented as a picture.

Word Cards Level 1

Cat

Apple

Tree

Dog

Bed

Hand

Pillow

Book

Level 1

Tap

House

Car

Cup

Clock

Flag

Square

Shoe

Level 1

Hat

Leaf

Cloud

Table

Hill

Road

Plane

Bike

Level 2

Cinema

Banana

Computer

Caterpillar

Money

Wind

Water

Pancakes

Level 2

Smile

Potato

Church

Watermelon

Sausage

Football

X Box

Eyes

Level 2

Chicken

Motorbike

Skirt

Horse

Umbrella

Saucepan

Phone

Earring

Level 3

Globe

Oxygen

Gnome

Orchestra

Dance

Marathon

Sunshine

Fruit Shop

Level 3

Farmer

Bowling Alley

Keyboard

Test tube

Fire truck

Snore

Footpath

Runway

Level 3

Airport

Maths

Monkey

Bouquet

Royalty

Train Station

Armpit

Refrigerator

BLANK (fill in your own)

Documents

Sight Word Word games for BaFM - Be A Fun Mum...AQuick!Word!! Ages:7+!! You!will!need:!! • Game!lists! • PrePcutletters!from!letter! sheet! • Hator!other!item!to!draw!letters!from!