Having spent years and years in the classroom, I learned that some activities are better than others at engaging kids. I also learned that when kids have fun, they retain concepts better.
Flashcards are one of those things that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love them because they're effective. I hate them because they're boring.
Fortunately, there's a better way for kids to practice concepts!
My favorite way to combine learning with fun is through games. I LOVE playing games with kids! Sometimes they have so much fun, they don't even realize that they're working!
One game that my students always asked for is STAR Search. This is an amazing game to practice all kinds of skills, but in a super fun way!
It's very easy to learn and play, but is also unbelievably versatile.
Did I mention that it's FREE?!?!
I've created a version of this game for you that includes three levels of play.
Level 1 has three letter words for beginning readers.
Level 2 has short vowel words with blends and digraphs.
Level 3 has two syllable words.
Level 4 has silent e words.
The levels make this game one that will last and last!
This is how you play STAR Search:
Print out one copy of the cards (print on cardstock or colored paper so the words don't show through).
Cut apart all the cards.
Place the word cards and STAR cards in the middle of the table, upside down. Shuffle to mix them up.
Take turns drawing a card and reading it out loud.
Put the word cards in a discard pile, but keep the STAR cards.
The player with the most STAR cards wins!
That's it! Kids LOVE to compete to collect stars!
The really cool part about this game is that it is extremely flexible.
There are so many ways to make this game more challenging. Just add a simple variation, such as:
Use the word in a sentence.
Spell the word without looking.
Instead of counting how many STAR cards, count how many total stars on your cards.
Print two copies of the game board.
Not only are there 4 levels in this freebie, but I've included a blank board!
The blank STAR Search board is what makes this freebie really great!
With the blank board, you can change the practice focus to just about anything!
You could create cards for:
Spelling words
Vocabulary words
Fluency phrases
Sentences
Math facts
Science terms
And more!!!
I know your child will enjoy this game as much as my students did.
Happy Reading!!
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