Sight words. Words you can't "sound out." They comprise most of what we read. It is crucial that children learn to read sight words, but how can you do it in a meaningful and fun way?
As a special education teacher at the elementary level, I've taught lots of sight words! Merely drilling flashcards is not going to cut it. Don't get me wrong, flashcards are fine. Just don't try to teach sight words by using only flashcards. Kids need a multi-sensory way to learn new words and I'm here to give you the 25 best ways to do that!
As a special education teacher at the elementary level, I've taught lots of sight words! Merely drilling flashcards is not going to cut it. Don't get me wrong, flashcards are fine. Just don't try to teach sight words by using only flashcards. Kids need a multi-sensory way to learn new words and I'm here to give you the 25 best ways to do that!
Ready? Here we go!
1. Have the child use sidewalk chalk to write the word. Important: have them say each letter while they are writing it and then say the entire word. Example "t...h....e....the."
2. Parent writes a few words on the driveway with sidewalk chalk. Have your child use gross motor skills to get to each word. Example "Hop to 'was'!" "Tiptoe to 'of'." "Stand on your right leg on 'goes'."
3. Make a hopscotch board with sidewalk chalk and have your child spell and say the word they land on.
4. Post It Note Parking. Write one sight word on each sticky note (5-8 total). Give your child a toy car. Say "Park on....the." Child drives the car to that sticky note. "Park on....was." Child drives the car to that sticky note.
5. Spray shaving cream on a cookie sheet and have your child write the word with their finger. Bonus: The room will smell good!
6. Find a mud puddle (or make mud on a cookie sheet) and have your child write the word with their finger! Messy and fun!
7. Use homemade dough (or Play-doh) and have your child roll out the down into a long 'worm' and then use the worm to shape the letters of each word.
8. Use homemade dough (here is my favorite recipe for homemade play-doh) and give your child clean alphabet stamps. Have them stamp the sight word into the dough.
9. Use letter beads and a pipe cleaner or string to build the words.
10. Hide sight words in Easter eggs and have your child go on an egg hunt. When they open the egg, have them read the word.
11. Have your child "sky write" the word. Point their finger and make their arm straight. Use their whole arm to make each letter. (Gross motor practice can help the brain remember!)
12. Carpet writing. Child uses their index finger to "write" the word on the carpet.
13. Magazine collage. Have child look through magazine and find as many of the target word as possible. Cut them out and make a collage if desired.
14. Use abc stamps to stamp the words.
15. Use abc stickers (Dollar Tree and Target Dollar Spot often have big books of them for $1) to build the sight word.
16. Use a song to teach the sight word. Heidi Songs on Youtube has lots of great sight word songs. I've used "There" "His" and "She" frequently in my classroom!
17. Closed-eye writing. Have your child close their eyes and use their arm in the air to 'spell' the word while picturing it in their mind.
18. Get scented markers and let your child use those to write their words. (I like these fine tip Mr. Sketch markers!)
19. Wikki Stix are fun ways to build sight words!
20. Incorporate whole-body learning with having your child jump or hop each time they say a letter in the word.
21. Read your child a picture book. Have them snap every time they hear the sight word you are working on.
22. Play Tic Tac Toe but instead of using X's and O's, each player has a designated sight word that they write in the box. They must say each letter and read the word each time they take a turn!
23. Play the game HeadBandz but instead of using the cards that go with it, use index cards of sight words. Child has to say your name to get a point.
24. Here's another way to use a popular game! Instead of using Don't Break the Ice to teach social skills, use it for sight words! Have a stack of sight word cards that your child is working on. Before they take their turn, they have to turn over and read one of the words.
25. Connect 4. You can put a little garage sale sticker dot on each piece and write a sight word on it. Players have to read their word before playing their piece. OR if you don't want to alter the game pieces, simply set out a stack of sight word cards. Before each player takes a turn, they read a word card (just like above in #24)!
6. Find a mud puddle (or make mud on a cookie sheet) and have your child write the word with their finger! Messy and fun!
7. Use homemade dough (or Play-doh) and have your child roll out the down into a long 'worm' and then use the worm to shape the letters of each word.
8. Use homemade dough (here is my favorite recipe for homemade play-doh) and give your child clean alphabet stamps. Have them stamp the sight word into the dough.
9. Use letter beads and a pipe cleaner or string to build the words.
10. Hide sight words in Easter eggs and have your child go on an egg hunt. When they open the egg, have them read the word.
11. Have your child "sky write" the word. Point their finger and make their arm straight. Use their whole arm to make each letter. (Gross motor practice can help the brain remember!)12. Carpet writing. Child uses their index finger to "write" the word on the carpet.
13. Magazine collage. Have child look through magazine and find as many of the target word as possible. Cut them out and make a collage if desired.
14. Use abc stamps to stamp the words.
15. Use abc stickers (Dollar Tree and Target Dollar Spot often have big books of them for $1) to build the sight word.
16. Use a song to teach the sight word. Heidi Songs on Youtube has lots of great sight word songs. I've used "There" "His" and "She" frequently in my classroom!
17. Closed-eye writing. Have your child close their eyes and use their arm in the air to 'spell' the word while picturing it in their mind.
18. Get scented markers and let your child use those to write their words. (I like these fine tip Mr. Sketch markers!)
19. Wikki Stix are fun ways to build sight words!
20. Incorporate whole-body learning with having your child jump or hop each time they say a letter in the word.
21. Read your child a picture book. Have them snap every time they hear the sight word you are working on.
22. Play Tic Tac Toe but instead of using X's and O's, each player has a designated sight word that they write in the box. They must say each letter and read the word each time they take a turn!
23. Play the game HeadBandz but instead of using the cards that go with it, use index cards of sight words. Child has to say your name to get a point.
24. Here's another way to use a popular game! Instead of using Don't Break the Ice to teach social skills, use it for sight words! Have a stack of sight word cards that your child is working on. Before they take their turn, they have to turn over and read one of the words.
25. Connect 4. You can put a little garage sale sticker dot on each piece and write a sight word on it. Players have to read their word before playing their piece. OR if you don't want to alter the game pieces, simply set out a stack of sight word cards. Before each player takes a turn, they read a word card (just like above in #24)!
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