SIGHT WORDS GAMES ARE A CLASS FAVORITE WITH STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FOR READING FLUENCY

Are you tired of the same old boring sight word drills? Well, have no fear because it’s time to add some fun and laughter to your sight word instruction! Sight words, also known as Dolch or Fry sight words (or high-frequency words), are common words that appear frequently in written materials and are essential for building reading fluency. And while they may not be the most exciting words in the English language, with the right approach, sight word games can make learning them a fun and enjoyable experience for both you and your students.

Dolch vs. Fry Sight Words

Before we dive into the learning sight words, let’s understand the difference between Dolch and Fry sight words. Both Dolch and Fry sight words are important tools for improving reading skills, but they each have their own unique twist.

Dolch sight words, also known as the Dolch List, includes 220 commonly used words that can’t easily be sounded out. These words make up 50-75% of the text in children’s books, so it’s important for young readers to recognize them quickly.

On the other hand, Fry sight words, also known as Fry’s Instant Words, include the 1,000 most frequently used words in the English language. These words make up 90% of the text in children’s books, making them an essential tool for helping students develop their reading skills.

So, while both Dolch and Fry sight words are important, they serve slightly different purposes. Dolch sight words focus on the most commonly used words in children’s books and can be easier to learn and taught at a younger age, while Fry sight words provide a more comprehensive list of the 1,000 most frequently used words. Ultimately, it’s up to the teacher to decide which list is the most appropriate for their students.

We’ve created our popular Sight Word Cookie games using the Dolch sight words, but are working hard to add Fry sight words as well!

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Sight Word Games

One of the most popular methods for teaching sight words is through flashcard drills. But let’s be honest, flashcard drills can get pretty boring, pretty fast. That’s why it’s important to mix things up and incorporate some fun and engaging games into your lesson plans.

Games like “Sight Word Bingo” and “Sight Word Memory” are great tried-and-true options to make learning sight words more enjoyable for students. Not only do they make learning fun, but they also help to boost student engagement and motivation. Seeing the excitement on their faces when they win is priceless!

BUT, if you’d like to try something new, one of the MOST exciting sight word games we’ve been using is Sight Word Cookies! Students love feeding sight word “cookies” to different silly characters. This game not only make learning fun and boosts student engagement, but also helps with fine motor skills!

Sight Word Cookies Game

The concept is pretty simple and something that can be easily tailored around countless themes and holidays. To assemble the game:

• For the “hungry” character:
  • Print any of silly characters included in the set
  • Laminate the character page (not mandatory, but helps prevent ripping)
  • Use a craft knife to cut out the mouth of your character
  • Cut and affix the character to an empty tissue box or other container
• For the sight word “cookies”:
  • Choose your appropriate grade level or group of sight word cookie flash cards and print and laminate (again, not mandatory, but no one likes a ripped cookie)
  • These sight flashcards are specially sized to fit in your hungry characters mouth!
  • Use a paper cutter (or scissors) to cut the flashcards apart

Sight Word Flash Cards

There are multiple sight word flashcard formats included in these games! Aside from the adorable sight word cookie flashcards, there are also more traditional flash cards you could print on festive or brightly colored paper. There are even flashcards where the student can trace or write the sight word before feeding it to the characters!

Let’s play!

Once all the pieces are printed and you’ve completed the quick assembly, you’re ready to play! You can stack up the flashcards or scatter them around the table for students to pick from randomly. Students simply read the card and once they’ve read it correctly, it’s time to feed it to the silly character! How fun!

It’s also important to provide students with immediate feedback and praise for their efforts. Students want to feel successful and confident in their abilities to read and write! So, when they get a word right, make sure to give them a high-five or a virtual thumbs up and let them know how awesome they are doing!

Other Tips for Learning Sight Words

Sight words are the basic building blocks of reading, and mastering them can be the key to unlocking reading success! Along with sight word games, here are some other tips to help make sight word learning fun for your child:

1. Incorporate games: Turn sight word practice into a game by using flashcards or making your own game board. You can also use physical objects like blocks, toys, or counters to practice.
2. Use technology: Technology is a great way to make learning fun. There are many apps and websites that make sight word practice interactive and engaging.
3. Make it a competition: Encourage your child to compete against themselves or you to see who can get the most sight words correct in a certain amount of time.
4. Get creative: Have your child write their own sight words in sand, on the sidewalk, or with paint. You can also have them draw pictures that represent each sight word.
5. Use music: Singing sight words is a great way to help your child remember them. You can even make up a dance or movement to accompany the song.

Download your favorites or all of them today!

These games are low prep with easy assembly and a HUGE classroom favorite! They feature cute and silly color characters and multiple flashcard formats that are sure to inspire and add lots of fun and learning to whichever holidays you choose to use!

I would love to hear what other ideas you come up with in using this resource!

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