Learning sight words can seem like a simple task to us parents, but can be very overwhelming to little ones. Simply memorizing the words shown to you may not work for every kid. Getting creative can make the process a little less scary and a lot more fun. Here are some tried and true ways for your child to learn their sight words and be set on the path of successful reading:
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Make it an activity
- Use holiday items like Easter Eggs to hide the words in, then hide the eggs. Give them a word to find.
- Hopscotch version. Write the words in chalk and have them jump to each word.
- Use shaving cream or kinetic sand to write out the words.
- Sight words parking lot. Draw out a parking lot with a sight word in each spot. Have your child drive their car to the word needed and park.
- Swat the word! Kids can swat the word with a fly swatter.
- Make a song for each word and sing it all day.
- Bean bag toss. Toss the bean bag and read the word it lands on.
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Make it a game:
- Sight Word Hide and Seek. Place sight words throughout the house and have them seek each word.
- I Spy. Sight words are everywhere, look for them in the wild.
- Match Game. Place all sight words face down, 2 each and see if they can match each set.
- Use the classic Guess Who board with sight words. This would be good towards the end of the year when you have more words to put out for review. Ask questions like, "does the word start with a b?"
- BINGO. Make cards with sight words and call them out. Winner gets a cookie.
- Scrabble can be easily simplified for sight words.
- Word Search. Make a word search or print one online.
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Make Art:
- Make rubbings by writing the word with a glue gun. The letter will be raised and the child can use paper and crayons to rub the image out and read the word.
- Fridge magnets are easy to spell out words with.
- Use window paint to write out words.
- Make crowns out of construction paper with sight words on them.
Practice, practice, practice and make it fun. They will feel more confident in themselves and be a bit less scared in class.
