sight word a activities

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55 Fun Sight Word Activities That Work

It’s a myth that blindly memorizing every letter in a sight word is the only way to learn it.

Teachers are always on the hunt for great sight word activities. Sight words are any words readers recognize automatically “by sight”—for fluent readers, that’s almost all words! High-frequency words, the most commonly occurring words in written English, like those on the Dolch list , are often thought of as the most crucial sight words.

It’s a myth that blindly memorizing every letter in a sight word is the only way to learn it. The science of reading tells us that linking sounds and letters is the most effective way for kids’ brains to learn any word. Many common words are easy to tackle using beginning phonics skills (like “at,” “can,” “him,” etc.), so staying true to a strong phonics curriculum is one way to support kids’ sight word learning. Even irregularly spelled words have decodable parts, e.g., kids can use the sounds of “s” and “d” to help with “said,” even if the “ai” is unexpected. Experts often call these words “heart words” to call out for kids that they should learn the unexpected word parts “by heart.” (If all this is unfamiliar to you, it can feel overwhelming, but you’ve got this! Check out teaching guru Jillian Starr’s explanation for more help.)

Read: What Are Sight Words?

Check out these low-prep and engaging sight word activities for both teaching and practicing words.

Sight Word Activities for Introducing Words

These activities are great when you are introducing new words or when students need a reminder of the letters and patterns that make up each word.

1. Map it and drive it

@droppinknowledgewithheidi/LEGO sight word activity via Instagram

This is a genius way to introduce words with appealing materials: Say the word, represent each sound with a LEGO brick, write letters for each sound, and “drive” to read it.

Learn more: @droppinknowledgewithheidi

2. Smush play dough for each sound

@playdough2plato/Sound mapping activity via Instagram

Set up a routine that works for any word. Play dough squishing for each sound is the ultimate multi-sensory component.

Learn more: @playdough2plato

3. Map words with a magnet wand

@warriorsforliteracy/Heart word activity via Instagram

It is so super-satisfying to drag those magnetic dots around! Watch the video below for lots of tips on introducing a word using this process.

Learn more: @warriorsforliteracy

4. Make a mini book

@hughesheartforfirst/Sight word activity via Instagram

Create a mini-book they can take home with them to read on their own.

Learn more: @hughesheartforfirst

5. Tap it, pop it, learn it!

@hellojenjones/Pop-It sight word activity via Instagram

Hardwire those words in kids’ brains with this comprehensive word intro routine. (You had us with the Pop-Its !)

Source: @hellojenjones

Sight Word Activities for Practicing Words

Once students have learned a word, it’s all about practice, practice, practice! These activities will help students learn words by “heart.”

6. Find and swat words

@kids_play_laugh_learn/Sight word activity via Instagram

An oldie but such a goodie. Find a word in an array and whack! Swat it with a fly swatter!

Learn more: @kids_play_learn_laugh

7. Flip word pancakes

Playdough to Plato/Sight word pancakes via playdoughtoplato.com

Serve up sight word pancakes while practicing spelling them aloud.

Learn more: Playdough to Plato

8. Wear heart word bracelets

@teachingmore/Sight word bracelets via Instagram

Make kids feel like sight word VIPs and keep sight word review on hand.

Learn more: @teachingmoore

9. Search for sight word balls

@preschoolforyou/Sight word ball activity via Instagram

Write sight words on ball pit balls with a chalk marker or dry-erase marker. Kids can race around hunting for balls to read and toss in a basket, or hunt through a big tub of balls for a certain word.

Learn more: @preschoolforyou

10. Start a sight word band

@earlyyears_withmrsg/Sight word band via Instagram

Loud but oh-so fun! Feel the rhythm while tapping and reading sight words stuck to homemade percussion instruments.

Learn more: @earlyyears_withmrsg

11. Drive on a sight word path

@travisntyler/sight word car activity via Instagram

This is one of many fun ways to use magnetic tiles for learning! Kids love “knocking down” word tiles with a toy car as they read each one.

Learn more: @travisntyler

12. Use sticky notes to inspire sight word sentences

@kinneypodlearning/sticky note sentence activity via Instagram

Have kids stick words on items that give them ideas for sentences. “My Mom said to wear a helmet!” = so good!

Learn more: @kinneypodlearning

13. Write words on a sensory bag

@make.it.multisensory/Gel bag activity via Instagram

So easy: Fill a zip-top bag with a small amount of kid-safe paint, seal well, and have kids practice “writing” sight words with their finger or a cotton swab.

Learn more: @makeitmultisensory

14. Wear a sight word crown

@mrsjonescreationstation/Sight word hats via Instagram

Wear your word proudly and practice reading others’ words. Fun in person or virtually.

Learn more: @mrsjonescreationstation

15. Play a magnetic-tile board game

@twotolove_bairantwins/Sight word racetrack via Instagram

We love new ideas for ways to use magnetic tiles for sight word activities. Easy to set up and fun to play.

Learn more: @twotolove_bairantwins

16. Spell words to a familiar tune

@builditbre/Sight word song via Instagram

Get sight words stuck in everyone’s head, in a good way. We’d add a line for chanting the sounds in the word!

Learn more: @builditbre

17. Feed a word monster

@ecplayandlearn/Sight word monster via Instagram

Nom, nom, nom.

Learn more: @ecplayandlearn

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18. Search for the pom-pom under sight word cups

@la.la.learning/Sight word cup game via Instagram

Read all the words as you try to find the cup that hides the prize.

Learn more: @la.la.learning

19. Play sight word Kaboom!

@essentiallykinder/Sight word game via Instagram

This classroom classic is perfect for sight words. If you need a refresher on the rules, Jillian Starr covers them.

Learn more: @essentiallykinder

20. Roll and write words

@mylittlepandamonium/Sight word dice roll game via Instagram

Roll, write, repeat.

Learn more: @mylittlepandamonium

21. Write words with rainbow colors

@mylittlepandamonium/Sight word rainbow writing via Instagram

Bonus points for aromatic markers.

22. Trace words with flashlights

@giggleswithgerg/Sight word flashlight writing via Instagram

Stock up on batteries because kids never get tired of this!

Learn more: @giggleswithgerg

23. Find words in plastic eggs

@blooming_tots1/Sight word hunt via Instagram

Give kids a checklist of words to find as they open each egg.

Learn more: @blooming_tots1

24. Spy words around the classroom

@readingcorneronline/I Spy sight words activity via Instagram

Just add a magnifying glass and clipboard to make kids feel like supersleuths!

Learn more: @readingcorneronline

25. Find words in the morning message

@tales_of_a_kinder_classroom/Morning meeting sight words via Instagram

Don’t forget about old standbys! This is one of our favorite ways to get kids to recognize sight words in connected text.

Learn more: @tales_of_a_kinder_classroom

26. Build words with bricks

The Printable Princess/Sight words with bricks via theprintableprincess.com

Such a great use of extra building bricks!

Learn more: The Printable Princess

27. Write words in sand

@teacherhacks_/Sand writing via Instagram

Easy-peasy to set up and keep neat if you use plastic pencil boxes.

Learn more: @teacherhacks

28. Spell words on a construction site

@planningplaytime/Construction site sight words via Instagram

Bulldozing over each word to read it is the best part!

Learn more: @planningplaytime

29. Spell words with toy cars

@lozlovesprep/Car sight word activity via Instagram

Drive on over!

Learn more: @lozlovesprep

30. Park in a sight word “parking lot”

@msbendersclassroom/Parking lot sight word activity via Instagram

This one is easy to modify based on whatever toys are available in the classroom or at home.

Learn more: @msbendersclassroom

31. “Plant” words in play dough

@planningplaytime/Sight word play dough activity via Instagram

Watch those reading skills grow!

32. Build words in a sensory tub

@coffeeandspitup/Sight word tub activity via Instagram

Because spelling is just more fun when your hands are covered in beans!

Learn more: @coffeeandspitup

33. Write words on a magnetic drawing board

@moffattgirls/Sight word magnetic writing via Instagram

That eraser track makes for a perfect word card holder!

Learn more: @moffattgirls

34. Or write words on the window!

@kindergarten_matters/Word writing activity via Instagram

Everyone wants a turn to write on the window!

Learn more: @kindergarten_matters

35. Shhh! Discover words written in invisible ink

@teachstarter/Invisible ink words via Instagram

Write words in white crayon and reveal them with watercolors on top!

Learn more: @teachstarter

36. Dot-paint words with a cotton swab

@sightwordactivities/Sight word painting via Instagram

Calming and effective.

Learn more: @sightwordactivities

37. “Type” words on a keyboard

@lifebetweensummers/Sight word keyboarding via Instagram

Busy day at the sight word office! Use a keyboard cover or any old keyboard.

Learn more: @lifebetweensummers

38. Read words before heading through the door

@msrowe.kinder/Sight words on doors via Instagram

The line leader can double as the word pointer during transitions.

Learn more: @ms.rowekinder

39. Read the word the teacher’s wearing!

@libblyklinnerteaching/Sight word teacher activity via Instagram

Wait, is there something on my shirt?

Learn more: @theprimarypartner

40. Take a sight word cakewalk

@joyfulinkinder/Sight word walk via Instagram

Choose a winning word when the music stops!

Learn more: @joyfulinkinder

41. Play sight word hopscotch

@wheretheliteracygrows/Sight word hop scotch via Instagram

If you can’t get outdoors, tape on the floor works just as well.

Learn more: @wheretheliteracygrows

42. Play tic-tac-toe

Boy Mama Teacher Mama/Sight word tic-tac-toe via boymamateachermama.com

I’ll be team “look.”

Learn more: Boy Mama Teacher Mama

43. Go sight word bowling

@thecreativeteacher_/Sight word bowling via Instagram

No bowling pins? Use half-filled plastic water bottles instead.

Learn more: @thecreativeteacher_

44. Ready, aim, read

@laurens_lil_learners/Sight word target via Instagram

Just throw a beanbag at a word target if foam darts are a no-go.

Learn more: @laurens_lil_learners

45. Play muffin tin ball toss

@fun_with_lynda/Sight word muffin tin activity via Instagram

Toss a ball or pom-pom into the muffin tin and read the word. It’s easy to use colored muffin cups to prep different sets of words.

Learn more: @fun_with_lynda

46. DIY sentence flash cards

@teachertipsandtales/Sentence writing via Instagram

Authentic use of words in context for the win.

Learn more: @teachertipsandtales

47. Play sight word checkers

@sightwordactivities/Sight word checkers via Instagram

King me! If kids don’t have a partner available, they can “play” with a stuffed animal and get double practice.

48. Play sight word Guess Who?

@rebekahpoeteaching/Sight word Guess Who? game via Instagram

Set up this game once and use it forever.

Learn more: @RebekahPoeTeaching

49. Sight word jars

No Time for Flash Cards/Sight word jars via notimeforflashcards.com

Students organize a big jar of letters into words and pack them into smaller jars. Or put the letters you need for each word into a jar and students pour out the letters, then spell.

Learn more: No Time for Flash Cards

50. Sight word fishing

A Teachable Teacher/Sight word fishing via ateachableteacher.com

Put paper clips on notecards with sight words written on them, and have students go fishing.

Learn more: A Teachable Teacher

51. Sight word balloon toss

No Time for Flash Cards/Sight word toss via notimeforflashcards.com

On those hot days, take students outside and write sight words on the pavement. Fill water balloons and have kids toss them at the words they read.

52. Sight words on the menu

The Kindergarten Connection/Sight word cafe via thekindergartenconnection.com

Put sight words in the pretend-play center and have students request, and then be served, sight words.

Learn more: The Kindergarten Connection

53. Sight word dominoes

No Time for Flash Cards/Sight word dominoes via notimeforflashcards.com

Create sight word dominoes out of note cards and have students play dominoes, matching sight word with sight word.

54. Sight word caterpillar

This Reading Mama/Caterpillar sight words via thisreadingmama.com

Write letters on bottle caps and have students build sight words by adding letters to the caterpillar’s body.

Learn more: This Reading Mama

55. Sight word rubbings

The OT Toolbox/Sight word rubbings via theottoolbox.com

Create raised sight words using a glue gun. When the glue is dry, students can use the cards to color over and see sight word rubbings.

Learn more: The OT Toolbox

We’d love to hear—what are your favorite sight word activities? Share in the comments below.

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Hands on kids activities for hands on moms. Focusing on kids activities perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

12 Sight Word Activities with a Lot of Hands on Learning

Literacy & ABCs Kindergartners Resources Sight Words 23 Comments

Henry is a first grader this year and came home with a letter about their expectations for learning sight words.

Call me crazy, but I was so excited!

That means we get to do all these fun sight word activities to help him learn them!

Sight words are all about memorization and recognition. Not about the spelling or sounding them out.

Seeing the sight word and knowing what it is right off the bat. That’s the goal.

All throughout kindergarten we’ve been doing tons of sight word activities to practice, practice, practice. Henry loves it, so I just go with it!

These are twelve activities that we’ve done to learn sight words, with a few from around the web as well.

A wonderful bonus to any of these activities is that they can usually be adapted to letters. Check out the game on the stairs , or the magic pain t.

So, if you have a preschooler that wants to play along, just switch out the sight words for letters of the alphabet.

I’ve done this so many times with Henry and George. Henry works on sight words and George works on letters. Its a wonderful combo for hands on learning.

12 sight word activities using a lot of hands on learning:

• Make a sight word treasure hunt.
• Find matching pairs of sight words. Like the worksheets that you draw a line to the matching pair… but big.
• Jump and grab the sight words.
• Make an I spy sensory bag to spot the sight words.
• A spider web caught the sight words! Oh-no! Find the matching sight words on the web.
• Sight word practice , a game to get to the top of the stairs.
• Magic sight word learning. What sight word magically appears? Can you name it?
• Can you spot the sight word in the magazine? Circle it!
• Sight word cup crash from Coffee Cups and Crayons
• Sight word speed racer game from No Time for Flash Cards
• Sight word parking lot from Juggling with Kids
• Sight word scavenger hunt from No Time for Flashcards

Please share in the comments any of your favorite ways for your kids to learn sight words.

More homework? Check these out:

• 21 Crazy Fun Ways to Practice Spelling Words
• 24 Common Core Activities to Help Your Kindergartner Succeed

Products I recommend to practice sight words:

These product links are affiliate links to help provide you with easy ways to learn and practice sight words with your kids.

• Melissa & Doug See & Spell
• Magnetic Sight Words
• 100 Super Sight Word Poems

About Jamie Reimer

Jamie learned to be a hands on mom by creating activities, crafts and art projects for her three boys to do. Jamie needed the creative outlet that activities provided to get through the early years of parenting with a smile! Follow Jamie on Pinterest and Instagram !

More Hands on Kids Activities to Try

Reader Interactions

23 comments.

Christi Warrick says

March 9, 2018 at 6:07 am

Malia Urquidi says

November 20, 2017 at 10:25 am

Thank you for these helpul activities.

Rachel says

November 21, 2017 at 8:05 am

You are so welcome! Glad you are enjoying them!

March 6, 2015 at 12:12 am

Thank you so much for these wonderful fun ideas! I am starting my first year homeschooling and I’m always looking for fun ways to learn!

sujata says

August 28, 2014 at 2:01 am

Thank you Jamie for the nice and creative ideas. I’ll use ladder game for alphabets today only:)

Reena Lewis says

August 27, 2014 at 3:32 pm

Hi Jamie, I just want you to know how much I love all your posts. I found you on pinterest because I loved a lot of stuff you shared. So creative. I hope that using your tips helps me to think more outside the box with my activities. Keep the ideas coming!

Jamie Reimer says

August 27, 2014 at 4:34 pm

Thanks so much Reena!!

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59 Ingenious Dolch Sight Words Activities

October 2, 2023 //  by  Lauren Du Plessis

You can easily make reading for beginners more engaging and delightful with the right blend of fun and educational activities! Our collection of 23 Dolch Sight Words activities is designed to help students master common sight words in a variety of engaging ways. These activities are perfect for creating a stimulating environment where they can broaden their vocabulary while having a great time. Dive right in to discover more! 

1. Word Detective Game

Have your students channel their inner detectives as they hunt for Dolch sight words in their favorite books. Once they spot a sight word, they can jot it down and add it to their ‘clue’ collection.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

Try a round of site word bingo to get your little learners better acquainted with the common sight words. The first to completely cover a row with buttons or pom poms wins! 

Learn More: 123 Homeschool 4 Me

3. Word Jump

This is a fun exercise for both body and mind! Your littles can hop, skip, and jump on chalk words dotted throughout the playground. Call out the words and prompt your students to jump on the corresponding drawing.

Learn More: Fun Learning For Kids

4. Word Musical Chairs

Jazz up the classic game of musical chairs by adding a fun twist! As the music stops, students must swiftly spot a chair, correctly read out the attached sight word, and sit down. 

Learn More: Spoonfuls of Kindergarten

5. Interactive Sight Word Wall

Transform your classroom wall into a lively space that can be dedicated to facilitating learning in a fun way. As your students master a new sight word, they can write it on a paper balloon and pop it on the wall.

Learn More: The Moffatt Girls

6. Sight Word Bean Bag Toss

Aim, toss, and learn with a game of sight word bean bag toss! Create a 3×3 sight word board in which you insert singular words into each square. Students must then aim bean bags at the squares and shout out the word they land on. 

Learn More: Sight Words

7. Sight Word Chain

Invite your students to create a chain of words to adorn one of the classroom walls. Each student can write a sight word on a strip of paper before looping it around others to create a chain! 

Learn More: Adventures in Literacy Land

8. Word Construction Zone

Take a hands-on approach to learning by incorporating building blocks into your lessons! Give your students letter blocks and task them with constructing sight words that are called aloud. 

Learn More: Family Education

9. Sight Word Race

On your marks, get set, read! Ignite a friendly competition where students must race to read sight words. This high-energy game will motivate them to speedily master their sight words.

Learn More: Sight Word Mania

10. Flashcard Swap

Time for a swap meet! Set up a flashcard swap session where your kiddos can create and trade sight word flashcards. 

Learn More: The Many Little Joys

11. Sight Word Treasure Hunt

Your littles are bound to love this treasure hunt with a linguistic spin! Hide sight word flashcards around the room and let your students have a go at seeking them out before reading them aloud to discover the ultimate treasure. 

Learn More: Homeschool Creations

12. Fly Swat Game

This quick-paced game is a fun and interactive way to familiarize your students with sight words. Hand each learner a fly swatter and call out sight words for them to ‘swat’. 

Learn More: Way Fair

13. Word Relay Race

Get your students’ adrenaline pumping with a sight word relay race! Teams must dash to a board filled with sight words, read a word aloud, and then dash back to pass the baton to their awaiting teammate. 

Learn More: YouTube

14. Sight Word Story

Make storytime a sight word delight! Challenge your students to craft a narrative that’s brimming with sight words. The best part you ask? They won’t just write, they’ll draw too! Every illustration they etch will be paired with a sight word and will reinforce the meaning of these words. 

Learn More: Lucky Little Learners

15. Artistic Words

This activity is fantastic for Summer learning! Allow your littles to use markers to write sight words on large paper towel sheets before spraying them with water as they sound them out. 

Learn More: Montessori From The Heart

16. Sight Word Bookmarks

Embrace creativity and literacy with a splash of color and imagination! Have your students design bookmarks peppered with Dolch sight words! 

Learn More: Fun In First

17. Sight Word Song

Reinvent your learning space as your transform it into a recording studio! Ask your students to tap into their inner songwriter as they compose catchy tunes using sight words. 

Learn More: Larry Heilman

18. Word Search Puzzles

Ready for some sight word detective work? Create word search puzzles featuring sight words and let your students put on their thinking caps to uncover all the words! 

Learn More: Stop And Smell The Crayons

19. Memory Match

Make a set of cards that display the same sight word. Mix them up, place them face down, and have your students turn two over at a time to find a match. 

20. Sight Word Charades

Try a round of sight word charades to test learner understanding in a fun way! Have your students draw sight words and then act them out while the rest of the class makes guesses as to what they are. 

Learn More: Everything AJA

21. Tic-Tac-Toe

Have a go at a game of sight word tic tac toe- aiming to get three in a row! Instead of using Xs and Os, use sight words. Your students will need to correctly pronounce a sight word before placing their marker over it. 

Learn More: Confidence Meets Parenting

22. Sight Word Sand Writing

Hit the beach, or at least imagine you did with this sensory activity! Fill trays with sand and have your students write sight words using their fingers.

Learn More: Mrs. V’s Chickadees

23. Sight Word Sentence Building

Give your students sight words and encourage them to create sentences. Watch their linguistic confidence bloom as they weave words into meaningful sentences; further enriching their communication skills.

Learn More: Pinterest

24. Sight Word Spelling Beads

Instill a love for words in your students with this vibrant and tactile vocabulary lesson. Simply begin by providing them with string and colorful letter beads.  Then, challenge them with spelling out sight words by having them thread their beads onto string to create dazzling bracelets or necklaces. 

Learn More: This Reading Mama

25. Word Collage

Art class meets English class in this snazzy project. Task your kiddos with finding sight words in old magazines and newspapers. Once they’ve picked out their words, encourage them to cut them out and paste them onto poster boards to create eclectic collages of words.

Learn More: Habyts

26. Sight Word Hopscotch

Here’s an activity that’s a vocabulary builder in disguise!  Draw up a hopscotch grid outside using chalk and then fill each square with sight words.  You can then invite your learners to hop from word to word and call out each one as they go.

27. Sight Word Basketball

This exhilarating activity will have your kids slam-dunking into the day! Start by plastering sight words across your classroom wall. Then, task them with successfully reading a word before having them use a mini basketball to shoot and score their word.

Learn More: JDaniel4’s Mom

28. Digital Sight Word Slideshow

Pique the interest of your modern little minds with this digital activity. Use technology to your advantage by creating a slideshow with sight words that flash by. As the words zip by, challenge your students to see who can read the word first!

Learn More: Life Over C’s

29. Word Guessing Game

Strengthen your kiddos’ vocabulary with this verbal mystery. Drop clues or cryptic definitions of sight words, before inviting them to play detective and decipher the words.

30. Sight Word Fishing

Send your learners on a fishy expedition without ever leaving the classroom! Simply start by designing little paper fish with sight words on them and then attach a paperclip to each one. Then, tie a magnet to a stick by using some string to create mini fishing rods, before inviting your little fishermen to use them to catch fish.  Finally, have them read each word aloud on their catch of the day!

31. Sight Word Stamps

Stamp up the vocabulary fun with this hands-on activity. Supply your little creators with alphabet stamps and ink pads and then encourage them to stamp out sight words on paper or even fabric! 

32. Word Puzzle

Jigsaw puzzles are so last year. Instead, create a word puzzle by cutting sight words into pieces. Proceed by challenging your kiddos to put the words back together and then have them read each completed word aloud.

33. Sight Word Ball Toss

Gather your little athletes around for this gym class and English class combined!  Simply begin by writing out sight words on a beach ball.  Then, throw the ball around your class and as they catch it encourage them to read out the word that’s closest to their thumb.

Learn More: Kids Activities Blog

34. Sight Word Boggle

Revamp the classic game of Boggle by adding some sight words to the equation. Challenge your learners by having them search for words in a sea of jumbled letters.  Everyone’s a winner in this fun-filled vocabulary search!

Learn More: Cara Carroll

35. Word Dominoes

Engage your pupils in a mesmerizing cascade of vocabulary and skill.  Start by providing them with cards adorned with sight words. Encourage them to then place the cards end-to-end, matching words as they go. 

36. Sight Word Jenga

Treat your kiddos to a game of perilous towers and wordy wobbles.  Start by writing sight words on a set of Jenga blocks. Then, invite your learners to remove one piece at a time as they articulate the word written on it.

Learn More: HonorsGradU

37. Cooking With Words

It’s time for a verbal adventure as your pupils cook up a vocabulary feast! Scribble down sight words on recipe cards and then pass them around to your class. Encourage them to then carry out the recipe by having them enunciate each ingredient and step.

38. Sight Word Cookies

Let the heavenly aroma of baked goods fill your classroom! Task your little bakers with using alphabet cookie cutters to form letters from cookie dough. Once baked, they can then form words with their delicious treats – a feast for the tummy and mind!

Learn More: Playdough To Plato

39. Sight Word Parking Lot

Create a vocabulary parking lot in your classroom that’s perfect for some speedy learning. Place a sight word in each parking space and then encourage your kiddos to flawlessly read each word, before parking their miniature cars at its designated spot. 

Learn More: Handmade by CJ

40. Sight Word Picnic

Take your learners on an imaginary picnic with a twist! Start by labeling toy food items with sight words and then share them among your class. Challenge them to then recite each word before they “munch” on their pretend food.

41. Go Fish with Vocabulary

Your kids will go fishing for vocabulary with this playful activity! Simply begin by modifying a standard deck of Go Fish cards to feature sight words. Then, prompt them to ask “Do you have any…”, and encourage them to finish the sentence by reading the word on the card.

Learn More: The Measured Mom

42. Play-Doh Word Formation

Here’s an activity for your tactile learners! Provide your little ones with Play-Doh and letter cutters, before inviting them to mold various site words.  This hands-on activity is a fantastic way to activate memory retention.

43. Skittles Vocabulary Game

Treat your students to a sugary bite of education! Simply write sight words on Skittles and then serve them to your eager snackers. Proceed by having them enunciate each word before they savor their sweet treats.

Learn More: Planning Playtime

44. Linguistic Ladder

Here’s a memorable activity for your nimble little workers. Start by constructing a wall-mounted ladder and label each rung with a sight word. Challenge your learners to ascend the ladder by having them pause to verbalize each word they pass.

Learn More: This Literacy Life

45. Chalkboard Words Wash

Your kiddos are in for a clean sweep of learning with this activity – literally!  For this activity, you will start by writing down sight words on a chalkboard.  You can then arm your learners with moistened sponges, as they recite each word before wiping the chalk away.

Learn More: Miss DeCarbo

46. Pretend Vocabulary Store

Welcome to the market of words, where every purchase is sure to enrich your little minds! You’ll need to label toy grocery items with sight words and then encourage your students to utter each word before they can “purchase” an item. 

Learn More: Forward With Fun

47. Vocabulary Twister

Get those little bodies twisting in this physical vocabulary activity.  Simply begin by modifying a Twister mat to include sight words. Then, engage them in reading each word before they place their hands and feet on them.

48. Puppet Word Show

Create a puppet theatre in your classroom – the perfect stage for learning! Task your kiddos with writing sight words on the back of hand puppets.  For their big debut – have them project each word as their character takes center stage. 

49. Word Snowball Fight

Transform your classroom into a winter wonderland with this snowball fight activity. Invite your learners to write sight words on paper and then have them scrunch them up to create icy snowballs. Finally, allow them to throw their snowballs around and with each catch made, prompt them to read aloud the word inside. 

Learn More: Simply Kinder

50. Wordy Caterpillar

Your students will create wriggly vocabulary caterpillars in this crafty activity. Simply create circular “body parts” that have sight words written on them. Encourage your kiddos to then read the sight word on each segment before inviting them to add the circle to the ever-expanding worm. 

51. Vocabulary Robots

Teleport your learners to the future with this creative activity. Challenge them to create paper robots out of pieces of paper that contain sight words. Each time they add a part to their robot, invite them to utter the corresponding word to bring their mechanical invention to life!

52. Hide and Seek Words

Calling all adventurers and explorers, it’s time to get hunting! Start by hiding sight words around your classroom. Then, release your students into this jungle of vocabulary, and as they find each linguistic treasure task them with reading each word aloud. 

Learn More: Empowering Parents To Teach

53. Word Garden

In this activity, your kiddos will bloom beautiful paper gardens on their classroom walls.  Task your learners with planting their flowers by having them read the syllables written on each petal, before placing them on the wall. 

Learn More: Dabbling Momma

54. Drumming Words

Inject some vibrance into your lessons with this musical activity! Provide your little musicians with a drum and then encourage them to bang out the syllables of each sight word they read. It’s an auditory and kinetic experience that transforms learning into a musical ensemble.

55. Color Code Words

Engage your learners’ senses with a vivid display of learning. Start by assigning a unique color to each sight word on your list. Then, invite them to read through the list as they color-code each word according to its assigned color.

Learn More: Primary Playground

56. Word Rainbow

This colorful activity is perfect for a visual learning experience. Your students will create a captivating rainbow by first writing sight words on a spectrum of hues. Then, task them with arranging the colorful words to create their very own vocabulary rainbow.

Learn More: My Attempts At Being Creative

57. Daily Word Calendar

Think of each day as a blank canvas that’s ready to be filled with words. Begin every lesson by assigning a new sight word to your classroom’s daily calendar.  You can then invite your kiddos to recite the word multiple times throughout the day.

Learn More: Twinkl

58. Vocabulary Fashion Show

Here’s an activity for all those little fashionistas in your class! Simply attach Dolch words to articles of clothing or accessories that your kiddos will then wear. Invite them to read aloud the word that they’re wearing as they strut their stuff around the classroom.

Learn More: Ms. Reading & Writing Fun

59. Vocabulary Fortune Teller

Mystify your eager learners with this memorable learning experience. Task them with adding sight words to each fold and flap of pre-made paper fortune tellers. Then, allow them to flick and flack their creations before reading aloud the unveiled word.

Learn More: The Room Mom

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Greetings! My name is Becky Powell, and I have been a classroom teacher (Kinder-3rd) for the past 18 years. In my experience, sight words have proved to be one of the most important parts to reading and writing success. This inspired me to create activities to help students learn sight words!

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20 Sight Word Games, Activities, and Reading Ideas

By melissa taylor.

If your child is learning to read, then you know that sight words are high-frequency words common in most text, words like the , and, they , or she . Knowing these words at a glance makes reading easier. Here you’ll find sight word games, apps, multi-sensory activities, and reading ideas. I recommend trying multiple approaches to engage your child’s different modalities of learning these words.

Also, it’s important to note that schools generally use either the Dolch or the Fry Sight Word lists. The lists are slightly different so make sure you know which one to use.

Games bring an element of fun and playfulness to learning. Since many of these games ask for sight word playing cards, make your own using index cards or download free printable cards here for the Dolch list and here for the Fry list.

Memory Make your own card deck with two of each sight word. Shuffle. Place the cards face down in rows. When it’s your turn, turn over two cards and try to get a matching pair. If you don’t have a match, turn the cards back over. The winner is the player with the most pairs. (See example on Frogs, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails .)

Bingo Download premade bingo cards grouped by levels of sight words here . Or, make your own bingo cards with the specific group of words your child is learning.

Scavenger Hunt Make a list of sight words and a corresponding sticky note for each word on the list. Have your child find the sticky note somewhere in your house and match the word with the corresponding word on the master list.

Go Fish We played this game a lot when my youngest learned her words. Make a set of sight word pairs (or make four like the original game) for each word. You’ll probably want at least 30 cards. Deal out five cards to each player. Play using the Go Fish rules — either looking for two or four cards to make a set.

Ukloo We love this store-bought treasure hunt because it helps kids practice reading sight words. The game clues come in three levels, each has clues written primarily with sight words. We made it inexpensive by finding the silliest “treasures” we could find such as a gum wrapper or paper clip.

Zingo!  Kids won’t even care they’re practicing sight words because this Bingo game makes practice such a blast.

Technology often motivates kids to learn, which is why sight word apps can be a helpful tool. Try these learning apps and see which one your child enjoys most.

Bob Books Reading Magic Sight Words Read the highlighted word in a sentence and practice writing by dragging the letters to the spaces at the bottom.

Gappy Learns Reading Fill in the missing letter or letters to make bridges for the rabbit to cross and get home. Includes both three letter words and sight words.

The Sight Word Adventure Play 10 fun games such as whack-a-mole, letter scramble, and hide-and-seek to practice 320 sight words at five levels.

Sight Word Games With a section for learning and one for playing games, this new app from This Reading Mama gives kids more ways to practice their words, including Hangman and Bingo.

Sight Word Bingo My kids loved the cute monsters in this entertaining Bingo game that uses the Dolch words.

MULTI-SENSORY

We have many senses other than our visual and auditory senses that can be engaged for optimum learning. These activities add in movement and touch.

Chants With these chants, your child will work to learn the words while moving and acting like an animal.

Play Dough Mats Using play dough and a sight word mat, make the letters of each sight word. Then write the words below.

Magnet Letters Make your sight words on a magnetic surface using magnetic letters.

Wikki Stix or Pipe Cleaners Build your sight words using Wikki Stix or pipe cleaners.

Beads Practice your words by threading letter beads onto pipe cleaners to make each one.

Flash Cards You’ll want a list of the words your child needs to learn so that you can make your own flash cards or buy them. Then tackle a few each day. When your child has learned a word, post it on a wall to celebrate. Soon you’ll have a wall filled with words they can read!

Bob Books Bob Books are short leveled books that help children learn a few words at a time, practice those words in the books, and then move on to reading more. We found them to be a very helpful resource.

Sentence Cards These are printable cards with a sight word and the sight word used in a short sentence. They don’t just increase a child’s sight word bank, they also improve reading skills too.

Printable Leveled Booklets These are short, printable books that you can download for free or for a small price that are text controlled. In other words, you can choose the appropriate reading level with what specific sight words your child needs to learn.

Have other tips for how to help kids learn sight words? Share in the comments below.

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100+ Free Sight Word Activities and Games for Kids

These free sight word activities and sight word games require very little prep and are super easy to differentiate for any level. Better yet, the kids will beg to play them!

Most are editable so you can use them for any high frequency words or heart words you are teaching.

Sight Word Activities and Games

If you are looking for sight word games and activities that will make learning fun and exciting, then look no further.

Whether you are looking for printable activities or digital paperless activities , I have got you covered.

These high frequency word resources are going to make differentiation super easy for you!

Fun Sight Word Games

These word work activities are perfect for kids who are learning to read and need fun, hands-on ways to learn to read and spell words.

Forget the flash cards and the quizzing and give these digital and printable activities a try. You won’t regret it.

My kids beg to play these sight word games and activities and we are able to use them to work on a large variety of skills.

Most of the games are editable which means you can also type in CVC words , blend words, word with digraphs or vowel teams, and lots of different phonics skills .

Differentiated Word Work

Because most of them are editable, you can easily change out the words whenever you need to.

Changing the words on the games can be done in a matter of a minute or two. It couldn't be any easier!

High Frequency Words Activities for All Themes

These sight word activities and games come in a large variety of themes, so you can find activities for any season and many of the different themes you use in your classroom.

There are resources for fall, winter, spring and even summer as well as activities for most of the major holidays.

Plus, there are sight word activities for lots of fun themes like unicorns, robots, dinosaurs, and more!

Check out the list of sight word resources below!

Editable Pumpkin Theme BINGO Game

Editable Apple Theme Bingo Game

Editable Caterpillar Word Work Mats Free Printable

Editable Easter Bunny Word Work Mats

Free Editable Name Tracing Printable Worksheets for Name Practice

Free Printable Spider Word Work Mats

Editable Apple Spin & Build Mats

Free Printable Back to School Spin and Build Word Work Mats

Editable Back to School Four in a Row Printable Game

Editable Feed the Fish Spin and Build Mats Printable

Editable Flower Bump Game Printable for Word Work

Editable Frog Spin and Build Mats Word Work Printable

Digital Frog Feed Me Word Work Mats for Kindergarten

Digital St. Patrick’s Day Feed Me Words Activity for Kindergarten

Editable Shamrock Spin and Build Mats Free Printable

Editable Mailbox Spin and Build Mats Word Work Printable

Editable Valentine’s Day Spin and Build Word Work Mats

Digital Feed the Heart Words Activity for Kindergarten

Editable Valentine’s Day Four in a Row Printable Literacy Game

Groundhog Day Free Printable Editable Board Game

Free Digital Feed the Groundhog Words Activity

Editable Groundhog Spin and Build Word Work Mats

Editable Winter Bump Game Printable for Word Work

Editable Snowman Write the Room Printable Activity

Digital Feed the Snowman Words Activity for Kindergarten

Editable Gingerbread Bump Game for Word Work Printable

Editable Gingerbread Spin and Build Word Work Mats Printable

Editable Christmas Tree Four in a Row Literacy Printable

Free Printable Christmas Editable Board Game

Turkey Find and Cover the Word Free Printable Mats

Editable Turkey Spin and Build Word Work Printable Mats

Editable Scarecrow Spin and Build Word Work Printable Mats

Digital Pumpkin Feed Me Words Activity for Kindergarten

Editable Pumpkin Bump Game for Word Work in Kindergarten

Apple Tree Sight Word Find and Cover Printable for Kindergarten

Editable Apple Bump Game for Word Work in Kindergarten

Digital Apple Feed Me Word Work Activity

Editable Back to School Write the Room Free Printable

Editable Pencil Bump Game for Word Work Printable

Digital Back to School Feed Me Words Activity

Editable Ocean Word Building Mats Free Printable

Digital Ocean Word Work Mats for Preschool and Kindergarten

Editable Sight Word Worksheets – Editable Word Work Printables

Editable Space Theme Board Game Free Printable

Digital Butterfly Word Building Mats for Preschool and Kindergarten

Editable Insect Four in a Row Game Free Printable

Editable Flower Word Building Printable Mats

Digital Flower Word Building Word Work Activity

Editable Easter Word Building Digital Word Work Activity

Editable Easter Word Building Mats for Preschool and Kindergarten

Editable Flower Sight Word Write the Room Free Printable

Editable Spring Sight Word Activities

Editable Race and Trace Board Game for Word Work

Editable Rainbow Word Building Digital Word Work Activity

Free Printable Third Grade Sight Word Worksheets

Free Printable Second Grade Sight Word Worksheets

Editable Valentine’s Day Word Building Digital Word Work Activity

Free Printable First Grade Sight Word Worksheets

Free Printable Pre-K Sight Word Worksheets

Free Printable Kindergarten Sight Word Worksheets

Awesome Superhero Sight Word Mats for Google Slides and Seesaw

Editable Snowman Four in a Row Game Free Printable

Editable Snowman Word Building Digital Word Work Activity

Editable Gingerbread Word Building Mats Free Printable

Editable Stocking Word Building Digital Activity

Editable Fall Word Building Digital Word Work Activity

Farm Theme Editable Board Game Free Printable

Paperless Sight Word Activities for Google Slides and Seesaw

Editable Fall Four in a Row Game Free Printable

Digital and Editable Pumpkin Sight Word Building Mats

Digital Apple Sight Word Building Mats That You Can Edit

Free Printable Pet Theme Editable Board Game

Editable Back to School Word Building Mats

Back to School Sight Word Building Mats for Google Slides and Seesaw

Digital Spring Sight Word Mats for Google Slides and Seesaw

Editable Superhero Board Game Free Printable

Editable Flower Four in a Row Game Free Printable

Editable Flower Word Work Board Game

Editable Robot Board Game Free Printable

Rainbow Secret Code Word Puzzles Editable Printable

Editable Rainbow Four in a Row Game Free Printable

Editable Valentine’s Day Word Work Board Game Printable

Editable Valentine’s Day Sight Word Write the Room Printable

Dental Health Editable Tracing Cards Printable

Editable Penguin Four in a Row Game Free Printable

Free Printable Snowman Word Building Mats for Winter

Editable Snowman Word Work Board Game Free Printable

Editable Gingerbread Sight Word Write the Room Printables

Free Printable Fall Word Building Mats

Editable Pumpkin Sight Word Write the Room Printables

Editable Pumpkin Word Building Activity Mats Printable

Editable Apple Sight Word Write the Room Printables

Editable Apple Word Building Activity Mats Printable

Printable Roll and Write Your Name Activity for Back to School

Printable Spin and Write Your Name Activity for Back to School

Editable My Home Printable Board Game

Free Printable Pencil Secret Code Word Puzzles for Word Work

Editable My Home Word Building Activity Mats Printable

Editable 4th Of July Board Game Printable

Free Printable Editable Dragon Board Game

Easter Secret Code Word Cards for High Frequency Words

Editable Easter Board Game Free Printable

Easter Secret Code Puzzles for Word Work

Editable Unicorn Board Game Free Printable

Editable Rain Cloud Feed Me Sight Words Activity Printables

Editable St. Patrick’s Day Board Game Free Printable

Rainbow Secret Code Word Cards Editable Printable

Valentine’s Day Secret Code Words for High Frequency Words

Editable Valentine’s Day Board Game Free Printable

Editable Penguin Board Game Printable

Editable Snowman Board Game Free Printable

Editable Gingerbread Board Game Free Printable

Editable Fall Board Game Free Printable

Pumpkin Editable Board Game Free Printable

Editable Race Car Sight Word Game Printable

20 Editable Word Work Games to Make Learning Fun!

Editable Flower Word Building Printable Activity for Spring

Sight Word Activities that Your Kids Will Love!

Building Words with Ping Pong Balls is Super Fun!

Family Word Puzzle Activity

Alphabet Sensory Bag

Sight Word Pockets Activity

Frog Hop Sight Word Game

Robot Alphabet Card Games and Activities

Easter Egg Sight Word Sort

I Have Who Has Card Game

Play Dough and Alphabet Beads Activity

Spelling Sight Words with Magnetic Letters

Sight Word Ice Excavation

Sight Words with Alphabet Stamps

LEGO Duplo Sight Word Towers

Snowball Toss Sight Word Game

Building Sight Words Activity

Easter Egg Puzzles for Teaching Letters and Sight Words

Get the editable sight word games bundle today.

Want to make learning sight words even more fun? Then you will LOVE our editable sight word games bundle ! It is our best-seller and teachers have given it rave reviews.

Click the link below to check it out!

Editable Sight Word Games Bundle

27 Awesome Sight Word Activities

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. View our full disclosure policy here .

Did you know that sight words make up more than half of the words we read? So, it only makes sense that they are an important part of teaching kids how to read. Learning to read certainly doesn’t have to be boring though – it is exciting! These 27 awesome sight word activities for Pre-K and Kindergarten provide engaging, hands-on ways to build up sight word knowledge and increase reading skills!

*Pair with our EDITABLE Sight Word Centers and Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten !

Grab some chopsticks and have a blast reviewing words with this  Pick Up Sticks Sight Words Game . // JDaniel 4’s Mom

This  Sight Word Game  is a great way to build up fine motor skills and get in some spelling practice too! // Little Bins for Little Hands

Did somebody say chocolate? This  Chocolate Sight Words Tray  is a sensory-filled good time. // Natural Beach Living

Take your craft sticks and turn them into these easy DIY  Popsicle Stick Sight Word Puzzles . // And Next Comes L

Get up and move with a game of  Sight Words Parking Lot . // And Next Comes L

Recycle your old games and play  Scrabble Sight Words . // Kids Creative Chaos

Build scissor skills and handwriting skills with  Cut and Paste Sight Word Sentences . // The Kindergarten Connection

Popcorn Sight Words  is a fun way to review words with your little ones. // The Preschool Toolbox

Take some notecards and create these simple and fun  DIY Sight Word Puzzles . // 3 Dinosaurs

Print out these  Sight Word Wall Cards  and have words to read at your fingertips.  // 3 Dinosaurs

Serve up some words with this fun Sight Words Cafe  dramatic play center. // The Kindergarten Connection

Use your sticky notes for a fun word review game of  Sticky Note Sight Words . // The Kindergarten Connection

Grab some watercolors and make a “magic” rainbow with this  Rainbow Sight Words activity. // The Kindergarten Connection

This  Word Building Travel Kit  is great for on-the-go or as a classroom word work choice.  // I Heart Crafty Things

Another great use for sticky notes – make these fun  Word Towers ! // Planning Playtime

Anything monster themed is a hit with my kids, like this  Monster Munch Sight Word Eater . // The Craft Train

I have craft sticks in abundance, so this  Popsicle Stick Sight Word Game  is perfect for a fun word review. // Teach me Mommy

Have you tried  Playdough Sight Word Writing ? // Fantastic Fun and Learning

These  Sight Word Printables for any Word List are fun no matter what words you are working on! // The Kindergarten Connection

Grab some chalk and head outdoors for a game of  Sight Word Twister . // A Mom with a Lesson Plan

Stay active and on the move with a fun game of  Sight Word Soccer . // Coffee Cups and Crayons

Save those plastic bottlecaps and build  Caterpillar Sight Words . // This Reading Mama

Have fun with letter beads and try  Sight Word Beading . // In My World

These  Simple Tools for Making Words With Playdough  make sight word practice even more fun.  // The Kindergarten Connection

Who knew Nerf Guns helped with learning sight words too? This  Shoot The Sight Words  game is sure to be a hit!  // 1+1+1 Equals One

These crayon  Sight Word Rubbings  are a fun, sensorial way to learn sight words. // Sugar Aunts

Make some  Easy and Fun Sight Word Games with Felt  to play in each season of the year. // The Kindergarten Connection

Want unlimited access to even MORE of our activities and resources? Join us in the Print and Play Club!

Your planning will be so much easier with instant access to:

• hundreds of printables
• every TKC resource
• video lessons
• a digital games vault
• Pre-K and TK Scope & Sequence
• a PLAYlist of fun songs AND activities
• professional development
• additional teacher resources…

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The Measured Mom

Education resources for parents and teachers

PS PK K 1 2 3 29 Comments

25 low-prep sight word activities

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Today I’m sharing some simple sight word activities that you can prepare in minutes!

So what are sight words, anyway?

Some people will tell you that sight words are words that kids can’t sound out; they just have to learn them by sight . Others tell you that sight words are the high frequency words: the words that kids encounter the most when they read.

But researchers tell us that sight words are words we recognize automatically without needing to sound out or guess.

The real question is … how can we turn high frequency words INTO sight words? 

The number one thing to do is to teach each word explicitly. That’s why I created my set of sight word lessons with decodable books.

Once you’ve taught the words with attention to the spelling patterns ( these sight word worksheets are also great for this), you’re ready for these low prep sight word activities that you can put together in under 15 minutes!

Low prep sight word activities

1- It takes just 5 minutes to set up Sight Word Sticky Note Match.   Just write the words on sticky notes and have your child cover the words on a dry erase board!

2 – Grab your alphabet stamps and some play dough for this simple sight word activity . 

3 – Write the words on sticky notes. Then have your child write them in sand .

4 – Teach sight word songs. 

THE BEST SIGHT WORD WORKSHEETS

High Frequency Word Worksheets – Based on the science of reading!

$ 15.00

Just say no to busywork! These high frequency word worksheets are the real deal. They’ll help your students connect the sounds to the letters and finally master those sight words!

5 – Write the words on sticky notes. Then have your child swat each sight word   with a fly swatter as you name it!

6 – Do fun actions with your sight words with This Reading Mama’s free action cards.

7 –   Write sight words in play dough with a stick or wooden skewer.

8 – Try chanting sight words in a variety of different ways – like a robot, a cheerleader, and more! You can get free sight word chants on TPT here .

HANDS-ON PRACTICE FOR SIGHT WORDS

High Frequency Word Practice Mats – 240 words!

$ 24.00

Teachers love our practice mats because they’re low-prep and effective. Kids love them because they’re engaging and hands-on!

9 – Make a sight word memory game . Just write each sight word on two different index cards. Then turn the cards over and invite your child to find the matches.

10 – Print these free sight word cards and build the words with letter tiles. When you join This Reading Mama’s free email list, you’ll get lots of free sight word cards! Learn more here .

11- Learning is always more fun with dice! Grab these free rainbow roll & write pages for a variety of sight words. Kids roll a die, check the key at the top of the page, and write the word in a particular color.

12 – This is such a creative way to practice writing sight words! Find the words with a magnifying glass and write them on the lines. Get the freebie here .

13 – Are you students learning beginning sight words? Print and play sight word blackout .

14 – Simply write your child’s sight words on a piece of paper and have him stamp them with alphabet stamps.

15. Grab the play dough, a sheet protector, and a dry erase marker. Your child can build the word with play dough and write it on the lines below. Get the freebie here .

16 – Grab these free color-by-sight-word pages.

17 – Get some colorful craft sticks and write the words with a permanent marker for some simple sight word puzzles .

18- Sight Word Showdown is both simple and genius! Just grab a stack of index cards and write each word twice. Then follow the directions in this post.

19 – Write sight words in muffin tin liners and play a simple game of Three in a Row .

20 – Bury magnetic letters in a sensory material. Have children dig out the letters to build words .

21 – Make a sight word parking lot . Draw tiny parking spots on a piece of poster board, and write a sight word in each one. As you name the words, have your child park a toy car in each spot. Learn more here .

22- Practice writing sight words using a dry erase marker on a dry erase board.

23- Write sight words on craft sticks and provide some magnetic letters for this portable sight word activity.

24 – Where’s the bear? Write the words on paper cups and hide a small bear or other tiny object. Your child guesses where the bear is hiding by naming the word on the cup.

25 – Go on a simple sight word hunt   by matching the sticky note sight words to the words on a clip board. (This one’s a favorite at our house.)

And there you have it! 25 low-prep ways to practice sight words!

Editable Reading Games for Every Season – MEGA PACK!

Your students will ASK to practice their reading when you start using this versatile set of sight word games! Simply type up to 12 words, and they’ll autofill into the 150 seasonal games.

Free Reading Printables for Pre-K-3rd Grade

Join our email list and get this sample pack of time-saving resources from our membership site! You'll get phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading comprehension resources ... all free!

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29 comments.

September 2, 2019 at 12:56 pm

I have been teaching for a long time. These are some of the same activities I have used with my students, however, I have not put them in a worksheet format. Thank you for this great website, for sharing these activities.

May 31, 2019 at 4:05 pm

I love the sight word books! It is exactly what I was looking for to help teach them to my 5 year old. I was disappointed to see that there was not a book for the word “like” that I could find. I will definitely be using this site often!

March 16, 2019 at 10:28 am

Great ideas! thank you so much for sharing! Sometimes people like me are not that creative and when you see posts like this, your world improves 🙂

March 17, 2019 at 7:10 am

I’m glad you liked this, Amanda!

Sarah Bartley

December 14, 2021 at 1:41 pm

Good Afternoon,

I purchased “25 low-prep sight word activities” this morning and still have not received it. Are you able to confirm that the purchase went through?

Laura Cherney

December 14, 2021 at 2:14 pm

Hi Sarah! Please check your inbox for an message from Customer Support. Thank you!

September 13, 2018 at 6:16 pm

I just printed your free pre-primer sight words worksheets and am excited about using them with my kindergartner, who is struggling with these. My only disappointment is that the collection did not include all 60 of the Dolch pre-primer words. Any chance they will be available in the future?

September 13, 2018 at 7:05 pm

Every list I’ve found has 40 preprimer sight words, so that’s what I’ve included in the free preprimer pack in the subscriber library.

Renata Cottone

March 21, 2018 at 6:24 am

Anna, you are amazing! I am a Special Education Resource Teacher and I use so many of your activities on a daily basis! You have inspired me as a teacher and the success is remarkable. Thank you! God bless you!

April 2, 2018 at 8:03 pm

Thank you SO much for your kind words, Renata!

July 30, 2017 at 6:54 pm

Very nice !! Thank you!

August 12, 2017 at 8:55 am

You’re welcome, Becki!

February 19, 2017 at 7:19 am

Thank you so much for your wonderful activities and games that you share

Anna Geiger

February 27, 2017 at 9:46 am

You’re very welcome, Mary, and thank you for reading!

February 12, 2017 at 9:51 am

Thank u so much!!!

February 13, 2017 at 5:08 am

You’re welcome, Mai!

February 11, 2017 at 8:13 pm

It is so nice for you to share your games. I was just looking us long vowel games. Your site was a great find. Thanks so much from a teacher in Oklahome.

February 12, 2017 at 7:07 am

You’re very welcome, Mary – I’m so glad you found my site!

February 10, 2017 at 10:12 am

Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful ideas and resources. I am always amazed and grateful!

February 10, 2017 at 10:19 am

You’re very welcome, Tammy! 🙂

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Books and Giggles

40+ Fun Ways to Practice Sight Words

The challenge with teaching sight words is that children need so much repetition – and that can get boring. So having a big list of fun ways to practice sight words can help you keep your students engaged longer.

If you teach kindergarten, then you probably already know that sight words are a big step in early literacy. Yes, phonics is critical too, but learning how to read some common words instantly really helps kids hit the ground running!

Of course, you want to make sure children are really ready to learn sight words so that no one gets frustrated.

Fun Ways to Practice Sight Words

These sight word practice ideas are sure to make work time feel more playful! Even better, many of these are multi-sensory activities – which we know actually help children learn better.

Write the Words in Fun Ways

• Trace the word on a sand, kinetic sand, or salt tray .
• Trace laminated sight word cards with finger paint or shaving cream (less mess than paint!).
• Go outside and write words with sidewalk chalk
• Or, stay inside and write the words on an easel or whiteboard. Dry erase markers make everything more interesting!
• Write or trace the words with glitter markers, scented markers, etc.
• Print off these cute worksheets and rainbow write the words!
• Write the words on a Magna Doodle magnetic drawing board.

Build Sight Words with Hands-On Materials

• Use playdough to build words .
• Build words with letter tiles, blocks, or alphabet beads.
• Use magnetic letters to spell out sight words.
• “Write” out the words with letter stamps .
• Create words out of dried macaroni and spaghetti, alphabet shaped pasta, or even letter shaped cookies.

Gross Motor Sight Word Practice Ideas

Active children learn well when they can move around. Plus, providing lots of opportunities for physical activity helps them stay engaged and interested in learning.

Here are some ideas that could work in a larger classroom or nearby hallway:

• Set up a sight word scavenger hunt where kids have to find the words and read them aloud.

• Make a sight word bean bag toss game: place words on the floor and try to toss a beanbag onto them. Read the words as part of playing.
• Try having kids jump over to the words on the floor instead of tossing a beanbag onto them.
• Play a matching game with 2 identical decks of word cards. Keep the first deck in a stack on one side of the classroom. Then, on the other side of the room, spread out all of the cards from the other deck. Students draw a card, read it, then walk across the room to find its match. Repeat until each sight word card has a match.
• Play a balancing game where students walk across a long strip of masking tape on the floor. Place word cards along the line for children to stop and read. Encourage them to use their imaginations and pretend they’re walking across a log bridge, tightrope, etc.
• Pretend to write the word in the air with their finger as a “pen.”

Imaginative Play Sight Word Practice

When attention is lagging, some kids may respond to using imaginative play in their sight word practice!

• Have dolls, stuffed animals, or action figures “search” for certain sight words. (Ages ago my kids practiced sight words with toy animals ).
• Similarly, you can have toy vehicles drive around to read and collect sight word flashcards.

• Give the child puppets to read out words. It’s fun to ready your words in a silly voice!
• Play police or fire dispatcher: say something like “there’s an emergency at the word have “! Then the child races to find that word card and pretend to help.
• Involve the kids in inventing a simple sight word game with favorite themes or characters.

Musical Sight Words

A quick search on youtube will bring you lots of sight word songs. Jack Hartman’s high-energy interactive songs are super popular. If you want some sweet, calming sight word songs, then Molly Songs may be for you:

You can also just make up songs on the fly using familiar tunes and popular songs.

If you want your students to focus more on the sounds of each letter, and notice which words are irregular – a la Science of Reading – then you might like this newer playlist that I found from Nitty Gritty Phonics. There is more silly/engaging acting than singing, and the production value isn’t as high, but I think the educational value is fantastic.

Practice with Sight Word Apps

Practicing sight words with an app can be another easy way to keep kids interested in learning.

Some popular sight word apps include:

• ABC Mouse (ad)
• Reading Eggs
• Learn Sight Words (ipad, iphone only)
• Sight Words from RV App Studios

You can also practice with Boom Cards , which are wonderful because they can give teachers data about exactly which words students are struggling with.

Hands-On Sight Word Worksheets

Sight word worksheets don’t have to be boring. Many good ones incorporate interesting materials, such as dot markers, stamp markers, etc.

Here are a few from this site and in my store that you might like:

Easy Prep Sight Word Center Activities

You also can print off and prepare cute sight word puzzles, feed the sight word activities, and more.

• Swat the Sight Word
• Sight Word Fishing Game
• Popsicle Stick Sight Word Puzzles
• Feed the Cow Sight Word Activity

In conclusion, young children can practice sight words in so many ways! You really don’t need to bore them with flashcards and drills. They’ll learn by having fun!

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