Word Card Games based on Sight Words
Word card games are ideal for encouraging familiarity with the most common sight words. Children need more than phonemic understandings to become successful readers and writers. Sight word knowledge is crucial. My word games are based on the Dolch Words and Magic 100 Words* (those words most commonly used in English). While some children with very good visual memories, can see a word once and know it thereafter, there are also children who need to see a word up to 50 times (or more), before they know it and can recall it instantly. A classroom program that incorporates word games, will provide opportunities for students to see and say the most commonly used words every day (and have fun with them).
*More information about Magic 100 Words (and the 2nd 100 Magic Words), is available from the website
www.magicwords.com.au
Wild Words and Pet Words
My experiences in teaching have led me to think there may be a place for a new collection of sight words for the classroom. After using the Dolch Words and the Magic 100 Words in classrooms, I thought shorter lists might be easier for younger students to come to grips with. My lists are also based on the most common words in English , but they exclude the easily sounded out words such as 'get', 'but' and 'had'. Included are words that require phonemic understandings other than just the consonant sounds and the short vowel sounds. These are true sight words, that readers will have difficulty with if they try to sound them out without prior phonics knowledge. I have called these the Wild Words. I have also placed the words with easily recognisable rimes in another collection of word lists for early readers to learn and recognise automatically. These are the Pet Words. My games will be designed around my lists, but teachers should find it easy to select games and activities for their students' needs whether using these, the Dolch word lists, the Magic Words, or any other combination of words. Look at the Wild Words and Pet Words lists to determine which games and activities are most appropriate.
Then select games and activities that include the words you need to provide experiences with.
Sight Words Lists and Resources
Games to help learners spell sight words
 The Quest For Golden Treasures
Set 1 (Print in A3 if possible)
This game gives players lots of repetition with the most common sight words. Players place their counter on any word to start. Take turns to roll a die, and move that many spaces in either direction. The player reads the word aloud that he lands on. If he lands on the same word as one in the centre, he takes the card from the board. Another word card is then turned over to replace the card that has been won. The first player to collect 5 cards is the winner.
Race for Rubies Free resource Set 2 (Print in A3 if possible)
This game gives players lots of repetition with the most common sight words. Players place their counter on any word to start. Take turns to roll a die, and move that many spaces in either direction. The player reads the word aloud that he lands on. If he lands on the same word as one in the centre, he takes the card from the board. Another word card is then turned over to replace the card that has been won. The first player to collect 5 cards is the winner.
Sailing the Blue-Green Sea Sets 3 and 4 (Print in A3 if possible)
This game gives players lots of repetition with the most common sight words. Players place their counter on any word to start. Take turns to roll a die, and move that many spaces in either direction. The player reads the word aloud that he lands on. If he lands on the same word as one in the centre, he takes the card from the board. Another word card is then turned over to replace the card that has been won. The first player to collect 5 cards is the winner.
In Search of the Ancient Tomb set 5 (Print in A3 if possible)
This game gives players lots of repetition with the most common sight words. Players place their counter on any word to start. Take turns to roll a die, and move that many spaces in either direction. The player reads the word aloud that he lands on. If he lands on the same word as one in the centre, he takes the card from the board. Another word card is then turned over to replace the card that has been won. The first player to collect 5 cards is the winner.
Lost in Space set 6 (Print in A3 if possible)
This game gives players lots of repetition with the most common sight words. Players place their counter on any word to start. Take turns to roll a die, and move that many spaces in either direction. The player reads the word aloud that he lands on. If he lands on the same word as one in the centre, he takes the card from the board. Another word card is then turned over to replace the card that has been won. The first player to collect 5 cards is the winner.
In a Kingdom Far Away... Set 7 (Print in A3 if possible)
This game gives players lots of repetition with the most common sight words. Players place their counter on any word to start. Take turns to roll a die, and move that many spaces in either direction. The player reads the word aloud that he lands on. If he lands on the same word as one in the centre, he takes the card from the board. Another word card is then turned over to replace the card that has been won. The first player to collect 5 cards is the winner.
 Class Bingo Game With Simple Sight Words
(a set of 12 different boards; students play in pairs)
The teacher calls the words, and students place a counter on the matching words on their boards.
Lift Off!
A card game with lots of repetition of the focus words.
There is a set of cards for each of the 1st hundred Wild Words lists.
These sets can be mixed or kept in their word groups as made. There are 30 words (and 23 Lift Off cards) in each set of cards.
Suggestions for organisation:
Each set of cards could be printed on a different colour so they are distinguishable from each other. Before laminating, each card could be marked in some way to show which set they belong to.
*To check which words are in each list:Wild Words Lists
Strike! (10 Pin Bowling theme)
A card game with lots of repetition of the focus words.
There is a set of cards for each of the 1st hundred Wild Words lists.
These sets can be mixed or kept in their word groups as made. There are 30 words (and 23 Strike cards) in each set of cards.
Suggestions for organisation:
Each set of cards could be printed on a different colour so they are distinguishable from each other. Before laminating, each card could be marked in some way to show which set they belong to.
 Bad Apple!
A card game with lots of repetition of the focus words.
There is a set of cards for each of the 2nd hundred Wild Words lists.
These sets can be mixed or kept in their word groups as made. There are 30 words (and 23 bad apples) in each set of cards.
Suggestions for organisation:
Each set of cards could be printed on a different colour so they are distinguishable from each other. Before laminating, each card could be marked in some way to show which set they belong to.
Gone Fishing! and Autumn Leaves
(these are a mixture of several games to add interest for older readers)
Card games with lots of repetition of the focus words.
There is a set of cards for each of the 2nd hundred Wild Words lists.
These sets can be mixed or kept in their word groups as made. In Gone Fishing! there are 30 words, 4 broken line cards, 6 need more worms cards, and 4 puzzle pieces in each game. In Autumn Leaves there are 30 words, 4 burn off cards, 6 make some mulch cards, and 4 puzzle pieces in each game.
Ouch!
(Really simple: keep taking cards until you pull out an Ouch! card. Then the next player gets a turn.)
A card game with lots of repetition of the focus words.
There is a set of cards for each of the 2nd hundred Wild Words lists.
These sets can be mixed or kept in their word groups as made. There are 30 words (and 23 ouch cards) in each set of cards.
Wild Words Uno Instructions: Deal 6 cards to each player and place the rest face down in a stack. Place 1 card face up on the table to begin the game. Players take it in turns to place a card on top that matches the last one played. If players can not place a card, they take a card from the stack. The first person to use all their cards is the winner. Words must be said aloud as they are played. Matches can be made with the same picture, the same word, or the same action card.
External Links to
Online Resources For Teachers
Sight Word Card Games
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