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.)
Check out these low-prep and engaging sight word activities for both teaching and practicing words.
Sight Word Activities for Introducing Words
1. Map it and drive it
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.
Source: @droppinknowledgewithheidi
2. Smush play dough for each sound
Set up a routine that works for any word. Play dough squishing for each sound is the ultimate multi-sensory component.
Source: @playdough2plato
3. Map words with a magnet wand
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.
Source: @warriorsforliteracy
4. Make a mini book
Lots of handy info in one place for your little learners.
Source: @hughesheartforfirst
5. Tap it, pop it, learn it!
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
6. Find and swat words
An oldie but such a goodie. Find a word in an array and WHACK! Swat it with a fly swatter!
Source: @kids_play_learn_laugh
7. Flip word pancakes
Serve up sight word pancakes while practicing spelling them aloud.
Source: @bee_happy_teaching
8. Wear heart word bracelets
Make kids feel like sight word VIPs.
Source: @teachingmoore
9. Search for sight word balls
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.
Source: @preschoolforyou
10. Start a sight word band
Loud but oh-so-fun! Feel the rhythm while tapping and reading sight words stuck to homemade percussion instruments.
Source: @earlyyears_withmrsg
11. Drive on a sight word path
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.
Source: @travisntyler
12. Use sticky notes to inspire sight word sentences
Have kids stick words on items that give them ideas for sentences. “My Mom said to wear a helmet!” = so good!
Source: @kinneypodlearning
13. Write words on a sensory bag
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.
Source: @makeitmultisensory
14. Wear a sight word crown
Wear your word proudly and practice reading others’ words. Fun in person or virtually.
Source: @mrsjonescreationstation
15. Play a magnetic-tile board game
We love new ideas for ways to use magnetic tiles for sight word activities. Easy to set up and fun to play.
Source: @twotolove_bairantwins
16. Spell words to a familiar tune
Get sight words stuck in everyone’s head, in a good way. We’d add a line for chanting the sounds in the word!
Source: @saysbre
17. Feed a word monster
Nom, nom, nom.
Source: @ecplayandlearn
18. Search for the pom-pom under sight word cups
Read all the words as you try to find the cup that hides the prize.
Source: @la.la.learning
19. Play sight word KABOOM
This classroom classic is perfect for sight words. If you need a refresher on the rules, Jillian Starr covers them.
Source: @essentiallykinder
20. Roll and write words
Roll, write, repeat.
Source: @mylittlepandamonium
21. Write words with rainbow colors
Bonus points for aromatic markers.
Source: @mylittlepandamonium
22. Trace words with flashlights
Stock up on batteries because kids never get tired of this!
Source: @giggleswithgerg
23. Find words in plastic eggs
Give kids a checklist of words to find as they open each egg.
Source: @blooming_tots1
24. Spy words around the classroom
Just add a magnifying glass and clipboard to make kids feel like supersleuths!
Source: @readingcorneronline
25. Find words in the morning message
Don’t forget about old standbys! This is one of our favorite ways to get kids to recognize sight words in connected text.
Source: @tales_of_a_kinder_classroom
26. Build words with bricks
Such a great use of extra building bricks!
Source: @raysinkinder
27. Write words in sand
Easy-peasy to set up and keep neat if you use plastic pencil boxes.
Source: @teacherhacks
28. Spell words on a construction site
Bulldozing over each word to read it is the best part!
Source: @planningplaytime
29. Spell words with toy cars
Drive on over!
Source: @lozlovesprep
30. Park in a sight word “parking lot”
This one is easy to modify based on whatever toys are available in the classroom or at home.
Source: @msbendersclassroom
31. “Plant” words in play dough
Watch those reading skills grow!
Source: @planningplaytime
32. Build words in a sensory tub
Because spelling is just more fun when your hands are covered in beans!
Source: @coffeeandspitup
33. Write words on a magnetic drawing board
That eraser track makes for a perfect word card holder!
Source: @moffattgirls
34. Or write words on the window!
Everyone wants a turn to write on the window!
Source: @kindergarten_matters
35. Shhh! Discover words written in invisible ink
Write words in white crayon and reveal them with watercolors on top!
Source: @teachstarter
36. Dot-paint words with a cotton swab
Calming and effective.
Source: @sightwordactivities
37. “Type” words on a keyboard
Busy day at the sight word office! Use a keyboard cover or any old keyboard.
Source: @lifebetweensummers
38. Read words before heading through the door
The line leader can double as the word pointer during transitions.
Source: @ms.rowekinder
39. Read the word the teacher’s wearing!
Wait, is there something on my shirt?
Source: @theprimarypartner
40. Take a sight word cakewalk
Choose a winning word when the music stops!
Source: @joyfulinkinder
41. Play sight word hopscotch
If you can’t get outdoors, tape on the floor works just as well.
Source: @wheretheliteracygrows
42. Play tic-tac-toe
I’ll be team “the.”
Source: @create_n_teach
43. Go sight word bowling
No bowling pins? Use half-filled plastic water bottles instead.
Source: @thecreativeteacher_
44. Ready, aim, read
Just throw a beanbag at a word target if foam darts are a no-go.
Source: @laurens_lil_learners
45. Play muffin tin ball toss
Toss and read. It’s easy to use colored muffin cups to prep different sets of words.
Source: @homeschooling_fun_with_lynda
46. DIY sentence flash cards
Authentic use of words in context for the win.
Source: @teachertipsandtales
47. Play sight word checkers
King me! If kids don’t have a partner available, they can “play” with a stuffed animal and get double practice.
Source: @sightwordactivities
48. Play sight word Guess Who?
Set up this game once and use it forever.
Source: @lessons_and_lattes
We’d love to hear—what are your favorite sight word activities? Share in the comments below.
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Plus, what are sight words?
Immy is well and truly on the road to learning to read, arriving home from school with her very first levelled reader last week!
As I have shared previously, learning to automatically recognise high frequency sight words is an important part of learning to read as automatic recall positively influences reading fluency, which in turn aids clearer comprehension – you can read more about the importance of sight words to reading in this post – What Are Sight Words?
Providing lots of opportunity for children to revisit sight words is important to the development of automatic recall but this repetition doesn’t have to be boring, in fact the 50 sight word activity ideas included in the list below are most definitely not boring!
But before we get to the list, if your child loves playing games or learns best through fun and engaging activities (and don’t we all), please take a moment to check out our printable, no prep sight word games pack. Great for home revision, classroom literacy groups or withing learning support settings.
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
Memorizing sight words and high frequency words is such an important part of learning to read. These sight word activities will keep your students actively engaged while getting tons of practice with the words YOU choose.
As teachers, we know students are more likely to learn something if they connect with and enjoy it. I find that many of my students learn through touch and movement. Because of this, I love using activities that allow them to be active, to touch, to move, and to have fun!
The best part about these sight word activities is that students love them.
I use many of them during guided reading and literacy centers so engagement is essential. When my kids think they’re playing instead of learning, we are all having a better time.
Sight Words and High frequency Words
Sight words and high frequency words aren’t just read and memorized on the spot. (Wouldn’t that be amazing 🤪)
There are well over a hundred that are so common they show up in the text we read all the time. They appear even more often in new reader’s text. These words are super important but they are also super tricky for some of our new readers.
Note: Did you know there is a difference between sight words and high frequency words? I thought they were the same thing for the longest time. Learning the difference changed how I taught them. You can read more about that here!
This post contains affiliate links. By purchasing through this link, we get a small commission. Rest assured – we only share links to products that we know and love!
These sight word activities are hands-on, simple, fun and require very little preparation on the teacher’s part. 🙌
Each one can be done with a set of sight word flashcards and not a single one needs a worksheet to be copied. 👏 👏 👏
Free Sight Word Flashcards
Do you need flashcards? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! You can download my editable sight word flashcards right here!
Setting Up the Sight Word Flashcard Activities
I keep the activities in a container like a box or basket. Students are shown how to get the materials out, set them up, use them and clean them up.
Giving my student’s these responsibilities teaches them to be independent and saves me time setting up, giving directions multiple times and cleaning up. 🥳
In my classroom, students are grouped into pairs for literacy centers. These activities can easily be scaled up for more or down for one. I just find partners work best for me. I will refer to my partners as P1 – Partner 1 and P2 – Partner 2.
The way your students use these materials and do these activities is totally up to you. I’m sharing how I have done them in my own classroom but that is definitely not the only way!
Have fun with them. I can assure you that your students will!
Sight Word Fly Swat
Materials: Two sets of sight words cards and a fly swatter.
Set Up: Lay one set of cards out in a grid, face up. Put the second set of cards face down in a stack as a draw pile.
Activity: P1 pics up a card from the draw pile and reads the card. P2 finds the word and swats it with the fly swatter.
Partners can switch back and forth or each go through the whole stack. A variation is having P1 read the letters in the word for P2 to find.
Sight Word Fishing
Materials: Sight word cards with a paper clip attached and fishing poles with magnets.
Set Up: Lay cards out or keep them in a tub (or a pool if you’re feeling fancy!).
Activity: P1 and P2 go fishing for sight words. They can either take turns or go at the same time. Each time they “catch” one, they show it to their partner and read it aloud. ?
Later on in the year I have my students come up with a sentence for the word they “caught” to extend the activity. ?
Note: you can make your own fishing poles with a dowel rod, string and a magnet. Simply tape or glue the string to the end of the rod and hot glue a magnet to the end of the string. This works like a charm if you don’t have fishing poles and can’t purchase them.
Sight Word Go Fish
Materials: Two sets of sight word cards. I recommend using about 20 words for this game.
Set Up: Shuffle or mix up the cards and put them in one stack as a draw pile. Each partner gets 5 cards.
Activity: Play “Go Fish” with cards. P1 looks at their cards and chooses one. P1 asks P2 if they have the match to that card. If P2 has it, they pass it over. If they do not, P1 gets to draw a card from the draw pile.
When a player has a match, they say what it is and lay it down. When all the matches have been found, they count how many they got and play again.
Sight Word Memory
Materials: Two sets of Sight word cards. I usually use 15-20 words we have been practicing.
Set Up: Mix up all of the cards and lay them face down in a grid.
Activity: P1 and P2 take turns looking for matches. On their turn, they flip over two cards and read them. If they are a match, they keep them. If they are not a match they turn them back over. When all the matches have been found, mix them up and play again.
Sight Word Bean Bag Toss
Materials: Sight word cards and bean bags.
Set Up: Lay the cards face up in a grid.
Activity: Partners take turns tossing bean bags onto cards. We do this in a couple of ways depending on the time of year.
At the beginning, we toss the bag, spell the word and say it.
Later in the year, P1 tells P2 what word to toss it on too. P2 tries to land their beanbag on the correct word.
Finally we play this game by giving directions. P1 might say “Toss the bag onto a word with 4 letters.” Then P2 tosses the beanbag onto a 4 letter word and reads it.
Sight Word Parking Lot
Materials: Sight word cards and cars.
Set Up: Create a parking lot with the sight word flash cards.
Activity: Each partners drives a car up to a flashcard. They read the flashcard as they drive up and park their car. They say “I parked my *description, like red* car on the word ______.” Then they get another car to park.
When all the cars have been parked, partners work together to “clear the parking lot.” They read the words as they drive their cars out of the parking lot.
Sight Word Pathways
Materials: Sight word cards.
Set Up: Partners work together to create a path (in a designated area) with sight word cards.
Activity: Partners take turns walking along the path they created. Each time they step on (or next to) a word, they read it aloud. After they finish going through their path, they can do it again or create a new one!
Note: I tell me students to step on either side of the word card so they can read it. That way they don’t slip on the laminated card and it lasts much longer.
Sight Word Sort
Materials: sight word cards and a pointer. (Optional: pocket chart, cards to make “headers.” )
Set Up: None
Activity: Partners decide how they will sort the cards. (The first idea I give is to sort by number of letters.) They sort the cards by the rule they determined. Then they point to the words with the pointers and read them.
I let my students use a pocket chart for this activity. I also let them use scrap paper to make “headers” for the top of their sorts. They love playing teacher so this activity is a favorite for them.
If they finish making and reading their sort, they can choose another way to sort and do it all again.
Note: I give them some options at the beginning of the year but they often come up with their own as the year goes on!
Sight Word Cups
Materials: Sight word cards and dixie cups or solo cups with matching sight words on them. (I use solo cups and write words on them in sharpie because they generally last the whole year!)
Set Up: Set out cups so you can see all of the sight words and put the sight word cards in a stack as a draw pile.
Activity: Partners take turns drawing sight word cards from the draw pile. P1 draws a word and reads it. Then P1 looks for the cup with that word and uses it to start a tower. P2 draws a card and does the same thing.
They go back and forth, finding cups and using them to build epic cup towers. I guarantee your students will think you are the COOLEST teacher ever when you show them this game. ?
I Spy a Sight Word
Materials: Sight word cards or a word wall
Set Up: Lay the cards out in a grid
Activity: Partners challenge each other by picking secret sight words for the other partner to guess. P1 chooses a word from the word wall and says “I spy, with my little eye, a word that _____.” P2 guesses a word. P1 either says “You got it!” or “That’s not my word.”
This game needs some scaffolding. We play it whole group and in guided reading for a few weeks before I move it to a center. I give all sorts of clues so they can have lots of examples like: number of letters, ending sound, number of syllables, etc.
I also make sure to tell them that they should only say what the first letter or sound is when they are ready for the other person to get it! That is usually a giveaway!
Don’t those all sound like so much fun? I seriously feel like a rockstar teacher when I see my kids laughing, collaborating and having fun while practicing sight words and high frequency words.
If you’re looking for more ways to practice sight words, check out this post with all of my favorite online games to practice sight words!
Do you have any favorite sight word activities I should try in my classroom? Let me know below! 👇
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.
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!
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.
Sight words are one of the easiest things to practice at home because they simply require some memorization and little skill is required to teach them. The hard part about teaching sight words is trying to make them FUN and engaging because sometimes flashcards are just plain boring. To help with that, I wanted to share 3 fun and free sight word activities you can easily play home (or in the classroom).
I shared all 3 of these in the video below if you would rather watch/listen to the content. If not, just keep scrolling and read them!
Sight word hide and seek:
To play this simple game, choose 5-6 sight words to review with your child first and read them all aloud. Write them on cups like the picture above and show the object you will be hiding underneath one of the cups (in the above case, one of those little bears)! Have your child turn around or close their eyes while you hide the object under one of the cups. In order to play hide and seek, students must say the sight word of the cup they want to check under. They will keep going until they find the hidden object. Once found, that cup is removed and you continue playing until there is only one cup left! Sight word hide and seek is an easy game to switch up with different sight words, cups, and objects to keep it fun and interesting!
Roll, Read, and Race:
This printable sight word game is SO simple to play and it is a great, independent game for students to practice reading sight words. I love the ease of this one and the fact you can quickly edit it to make it fit your child’s needs! All students need to do is roll one die, and read the word in the corresponding column. After they read the word aloud, they will write it in the box above the word. They continue rolling, reading, and writing, as they race their way to the top of a column! The game is over once one of the columns is completely filled to the top. I have a completely editable version of this here for you to play over and over again: sight word printable.
sight word scavenger hunt:
Last, and certainly not least, I wanted to share sight word scavenger hunt! Both my boys love playing this one at home and it is easy to prep. To play, you will again pick 6 words for your kids to read and identify and write them in the boxes. For the example shown above, I wanted my son Theo (5.5) to be able to read the sight words in context so I wrote simple sight word sentences and underlined the sight word I wanted him to find in each. I then wrote the 6 sight words on sticky notes and hid them around the house. He had to read the sight word sentence, then find the sight word that was underlined and match it by covering the box. To make this trickier, you can hide about 10-12 sticky notes and half of them can be other sight words that are not on this sheet! I like this because kids are reading, they’re moving, and they’re having fun at the same time!
I also have this sheet for free so you can edit it here: sight word scavenger hunt
So there are 3 fun sight word activities you could easily use at home or in the classroom! If you’re looking for some more sight word games I love, check out my playlist over on YouTube where I have tons of fun and free ideas for sight words: