GO FISH:

PREPARATION: Print out upper and lower case letters or sight words and glue onto card stock (or print onto index cards).

TO PLAY: Shuffle and pass out 5 cards to each player, the rest in a stack in the Fish Pond. Each player puts their cards face up. The teacher or parent starts. She asks a specific child (child's name) if s/he has the letter (says the name of the letter) that says (says the sound of the letter). Example: "Jane, do you have a 'd' that says '/d/'?" Jane would look at her cards. If she does, she gives it to the asker; if she doesn't she says "Go fish", and the asker would get a card from the top of the Fish Pond. If Jane has the card asked for and gives it, it is still the asker's turn until the asker goes fishing. Play goes around the circle clockwise until either one player has no cards or the Fish Pond is gone.
The game may be played with only sounds, only letter names, or both.

This game may also be played with sight words the child knows. Print out two of each of those words s/he knows. The words below are in order of introduction from the reading series I use. Your child does not know all of them so please only use the words s/he knows! Check the current large storybook for the current words.

MATCHING GAME:

PREPARATION: Use the same double set of letters or words as in Go Fish. Place cards face down on a mat or table surface.

TO PLAY: Turn face down in a rectangular shape, in rows and columns. Turn two cards over, one card at a time, placing face up in the same space. The child reads each one as it is turned over. If they match, s/he takes them and has another turn. If not, s/he turns them back over in the same space.

JUMPING BEAN:

PREPARATION: Print out the letters or words your child has learned on 1/2 index cards. Into the stack, intersperse a card with a picture of a bean or peanut with face, arms, and legs jumping.

TO PLAY: Have child stand up. Have child read words or say the name or sound of the letters as you flash the card. When you get to a Jumping Bean, s/he jumps three times while saying, "Jump-ing-Bean!".

A a B b C c D d E e F f G g  H  h  I  i  J  j  K  k   L  l   M   m  N  n  O  o  P  p  Q  q   R  r  S  s  T  t  U  u  V  v   W  w   X  x  Y  y   Z  z

Sight Words:

Print out two of each of those words s/he knows. The words below are in order of introduction from the reading series I use. Your child does not know all of them so please only use the words s/he knows! Check the current large storybook for the current words.

I        go      to       a        we      you     will   not     on      the     and   yes     jump here   too    find    have   one     who  big     can     ran     lot    got     in       is       once   what   five   four    two    upon   three   for    do     my      get    said    want   soup   me     bug    but     quit does   he      she    live     where  full    pull   pass   of     cold    look   animal

pack   bird    fall   all      call     why    eat    your flowers   paper   every shall   first   never    miss  also    some  like    many funny plan   family picture love   children     people  play    today red   orange   yellow green  blue  purple   brown  black  knock  friend   play   know    down   hear   car     hold   hurt   learn  their    walk   would grow   light  long  more  other right   small  rough room  these   this    that’s  smooth

why    which heavy   fancy plain  wait   could   house how   over   own

so   think     world  state    place  give    good   her     little  try  was   fly      our     kite    like    she’ll     can’t   isn’t    doesn’t     didn’t     it’s

its  we’ve  morning found shout by   out  show   climb  go   home  woke

nose   whole huge   use tune   went   lift  cow    table  now door   there

through horse   wall   me   EEK  sheep  eating   been   far    forest    goes     hungry   soon    evening   near    rain   wait  day     away

More Games on Appendices Page