Alphabet Book: Write and illustrate an alphabet book. Draw pictures and/or cut them out of a magazine. Example: page 1 write a and draw an apple, page 2 write b and draw a ball, and continue on.
Sound Collage: Choose a letter and cut out pictures from a magazine with objects whose name begins with that letter. Example: Write the letter b then cut out a bat, ball, buns, and such.
Flashlight Game: Choose about 5 – 10 cards (these could be words from the book they are reading or spelling words). Write a different word on each card. Place the cards around you. Shine the light on a card and say the word. As your child learns the words add new words.
Scavenger Hunt: Have your child search the room for a list of objects that start with the same letter/sound.
Hop Scotch: Draw a hop scotch with chalk on your driveway. Write a different word in each box. (these can be from their reading or spelling) Throw the stone, hop to the square with the stone and say the word. Then repeat the word in a sentence.
Snap Game: Say two words and snap if they have the same sound at the beginning of the word.
Examples: ball bat (snap)
car kitten (snap)
sand book (no snap)
You can try this game with middle sounds such as seed and beach, cap and cake, cut and cup, yellow and roller
Try with ending sounds such as run and tan, hi and cry, log and rug, back and clock.
Name Game: Choose words from your child’s reading. Clap the syllables in the word. Example – sun (clap) ken (clap) = sunken
Make A File: Write a letter (upper case and lower case) on an index card. Then draw or cut out pictures from a magazine that shows words that start with that letter.
Suggestions: Find toys that begin with the letter b.
Find animals that begin with the letter m.
Making Words: Need letters on post it notes or other paper. Write a letter on each post it note. Come up with as many words as you can using the given letters.
Example: (a i n r t) Write the vowels in red or a different color. Make and record as many words from these letters as you can. (an, in, at, rat, Nat, tan, tar, tin, ran, ant, art, rain; mystery word train)
You can do this with the letters in your child’s name, name of school, or any other word with five or more letters.
Reread: Read and reread books over and over. Repetition is good.
Chit Chat Journal: Provide a notebook or paper. Instead of talking have a conversation writing back and forth to each other.