Word games for learning to read

Sight words and high frequency words are an important part of teaching new readers. These words have to be memorized, which means they require a lot of repetition and practice. I love using these online games to teach sight words in my classroom.

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Sight word instruction can be really challenging in the classroom because you have a classroom filled with students who learn different things in different ways at different paces. 🥴

It requires so much repetition and practice, yet all of our students need those things in different ways.

I tackle sight word instruction from all sides. We read them in sentences, practice them with music and movement, do art projects, and more!

These 10 online games to teach sight words are FREE and super interactive. [Free as of August 2019] They give students the chance to practice identifying, matching and reading sight words, all while playing fun games.

Note: Did you know there is a difference between sight words and high frequency words? I thought they were the same for the longest time. Knowing their differences has helped me with my instruction. Read more about that here!

Sight Word Bingo

This classic bingo game from abcya.com is a favorite for all of my students. The little amoeba monster at the top says a word, then the student identifies it and clicks it.

This game words great on a computer or on an interactive white board. I have my students take turns at the SmartBoard in my classroom during a center or we do it whole group when we have a minute to spare.

No matter when we use it, it’s a student favorite. 👍🏼

Sight Word Smash

Students love this fun, sight word identification game. The computer says a word. Then they use the pointer to find it and smash it.

I like this game because the word is on more than one block so students get the repetition of seeing and identifying the word multiple times!

Sight Word Memory

There are many, many sight word memory games online but this one is my favorite. I like that the computer says the word as you flip the card, whether it’s a match or not.

Seeing and hearing a word multiple times is perfect for auditory and visual learners. I also appreciate that when they finish a level, they can keep playing with new words!

Sight Words in Space

Students love this space themed sight word game. A cat says the word they are trying to find. Words float by in power cells and they have to click the right one.

The words are floating up so students have to identify them quickly. Just like in Sight Word Smash, words appear more than one time, too. 👏

Listen & Spell

I absolutely love this Listen & Spell game! We know that readers struggle with sight words because they do not follow phonics rules or because they are too advanced. We also know that students learn to read and write words at the same time.

This game gives them the chance to spell sight words with a limited number of letters at the bottom. First it says the word, then students use the yellow letters to spell it. The only letters available are letters that are in the word.

Playing this game helps students move on from “identifying” to “creating” on Bloom’s Taxonomy, which we know helps make information stick. Students will gain confidence in writing their sight words as well as reading them!

Sight Word Jigsaw

This identification game uses the same concepts as matching, except students are able to see all of the words at one time. They click the sound button on one of the yellow pieces to hear the word they are looking for. Then they find the blue word puzzle piece and drag it over.

I like that this game adds the element of looking at several words to find the correct one. It gives students practice at quickly identifying words by their beginning sounds.

Popcorn Words

Students playing this game are working the popcorn machine at a movie theater. A monkey comes up to the counter and says a sight word. Students click on the correct sight word to give it to the monkey.

Once they have handed out 10 popcorn buckets correctly, they get to play a quick in-between game and then are promoted. Their goal is to become the manager. I’m sure it will not surprise you to hear that my students beg to play this game!

Kitten Hop

This silly game is another favorite of my students. They are playing a kitten who bounces from yarn ball to yarn ball. The computer says a sight word. That word is on one of the four yarn balls in front of the one your kitten is on.

Students love this game because they are racing three other kittens. The winner is the one who reaches the couch at the end of the game first. They have to be quick at matching the sight word their hear to the correct ball of year if they want to win!

Note: this game has options at the beginning for choosing a color, a name, etc. You will want to teach your students how to do this quickly (and set that expectation) so that they can do it independently.

Starfall Sight Words

Though I’ve already included a Memory Sight Word game, who doesn’t love Starfall? In this sight word game, the students need to determine if it is the same sight word by sight alone as it is not read until the match is made. But I love that they have three stars in the upper left corner to show their progress to the next level.

Once the student completes the game, they can move on to Level 2, where the sight words are slightly more difficult. The students love moving up a level to show their achievement!

My Reading Tools

In My Reading Tools, students see a kangaroo get several tools to become a better reader. The first tool is a flashlight. He uses it to highlight words in a dark cave.

This game is more challenging than the rest because students are asked to finish the sentence with the word spelled correctly. The computer reads the sentence. Then students hover their flashlight around the cave to find the word. 🔦

In this example, I was looking for the word “again.” The other options in the cave were misspelled words “agin,” “agane,” etc. This game is perfect for students who are confidently reading many sight words and are ready for a challenge!

These 10 online games to teach sight words are perfect for giving students extra practice and lots of repetition during centers in my classroom. Did I miss any of your favorites? How do you like to practice sight words? Let me know below! 👇

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Digital Sight Word Lessons with Practice

Are you looking for digital ways to teach sight words?

I mean, what’s the point of practicing a word (even with the fun and free sight word games shared above) if a student has not explicitly been taught a sight word? 🤔

For this very reason, I’ve created 150 sight word lessons with practice.

These Google Slides lesson and practice can be used with any free Google accounts and are so easy to assign in Google Classroom!

As you assign words to your students one at a time, they will learn, identify, build, read in context, and master the new sight word. It’s explicit instruction and practice, all in one.

Don’t just take my word for it, watch the lesson in action in the video below. 👇🏽

While the lessons DO have audio, this preview video does not. 🎧 Students can have the words and sentences read to them, if needed.

You can purchase the 150 Digital Sight Word Lessons and Practice (for use with Google Slides™️ on my website or TpT.

Click HERE to buy on Teachers Pay Teachers

Click on the button below to purchase on my website (where you get lifetime access)!

Learning to read is one of the biggest challenges that kids face.  For some, it comes easily, but others struggle until that switch is flipped!

One of the ways to help make the process easier is to introduce sight words.  These are simply words that kids can NOT sound out! These sight words can help them with reading words games, online games, sight word cards, and more. Kids love to learn when there are fun ways to do it! Be sure to check out my other First 100 Dolch Sight Words Printables for even more learning ideas!

That crazy English language! Use these fun sight word games as a way to help kids learn. Teaching them that learning a sight word or two doesn’t have to be hard at all. Make sure to make time to sit with the kids and help them learn with this process. You’ll love being a part of the learning and seeing their confidence soar! You can never have too much learning options for the kids!

Dolch word games are a great way to help them get excited about learning how to read! When you can teach kids and make a fun game of it, great things happen!

What is the best way to teach sight words?

Any way that kids learn is the best! You can use these activities listed below or use them as an inspiration to make up your own games and activities as well.

One game that is great for review is to make a sight word race track. This can be done with index cards or construction paper. Write a different sight word on each card, making sure to use words that the children are struggling with. Laminate the cards if you want them to last longer. Place the cards in a line, staggered so that they resemble a race track. Children can take turns picking a card and reading the word out loud. As they read the word correctly, they get to move their car (a toy or drawing) along the track! The first person to reach the finish line is the winner!

Is it helpful for kids to write sight words?

Yes, it can be helpful for kids to write sight words. This gives them the opportunity to see the word, say the word, and then write the word. This helps with memorization and recognition.

It is also a good way to assess where the child is at with learning the sight words. If they are having difficulty writing the words, it may be an indication that they need more practice with that particular word.

What is the benefit of learning sight words?

There are many benefits to learning sight words. They are some of the most common words used in the English language, so it is important for kids to be able to recognize them.

Sight words can also help with fluency and reading comprehension. If a child knows the meaning of a sight word, they can focus on the rest of the sentence and better understand what they are reading.

Additionally, sight words can make writing easier and faster. Knowing sight words can help kids spell common words correctly without having to sound them out each time.

Here are some of the best games to help with high-frequency words. Find the perfect word list or word game to help your student learn.

I told you that there were so many fun sigh word games for kids! These games are helpful so that the kids know that learning and fun can work together. This gives them the chance to start to earn confidence in their reading skills!

This activity might be geared toward younger children, but it can be a great refresher in reading for all! Use these sight word activities to get everyone excited about learning!

My Favorite Resources for Sight Word Practice:

When it comes to even more fun for sight words, here are some other games that everyone can join in on!