WHEATLAND

Do you remember those days when you came home from school and your mom or dad would have this stack of flash cards for you to memorize? Do you remember the groan you made because all you could think about was playing? I remember those days all too well, so I’ve come up with a plan to help make memorizing so much fun your children will beg you to let them practice their sight words and math facts. The best part about these activities is that they require only a few materials, are easily created, and the games can be adapted for math or reading. Did I mention you can use the same cards for each of these activities? I’ve tested each of these games in the classroom and they always have students excited and fully engaged.

Go Fish:

For this game, you will write one sight word on each index card. You will need 4 copies of each word. For example, if your child is learning 6 sight words you will have four cards per word, totallying 24 playing cards). Shuffle the cards and distribute 5 cards to each player. Place the remaining cards in a stack that is called the “pond”. Each player will take turns asking other players for a word that matches his or her card. Don’t forget the player must read and spell the word!!! If a match is created, the player can lay the match on the table for safe keeping. If the player does not get a match, he or she must grab a card from the pond and add it to the cards in his or her hand. The game continues until the pond is empty. The player with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

• Alternate: for math, write four different math facts for each sum or difference (ie 3+2, 4+1, 5+0, 6-1). Players have to ask others if they have math facts that have the same answer as his or her target number. For example, a player might ask, “Mom do you have any cards with the answer of 5?”

Concentration:

For this game, you will need a matched pair of each sight word. I highly recommend no more than 12 cards total for this game. Good news, if you already made Go Fish cards, you already have matched pairs created! Now, all you have to do is shuffle the cards and lay them face down in a grid format. Each player will take a turn flipping over a card, read the word, and cover to spell. If the word is read AND spelled correctly, the player may flip over a second card in hopes of finding its match. If a match is found, the player keeps both cards for save keeping. He or she continues to play until he or she does not find a match. If the player does not find a match, he or she must flip the cards to their original positions and the next person takes a turn. The game ends when all matches have been found. The player with the most matches at the end of the game is the winner.

• Alternate: for math, write a math fact on one card and the sum or difference on the other card. The players will have to match the math fact with the correct answer. 

Fiddlesticks:

For this game, you will use the cards you created for Go Fish. You will also add one or two cards that read Fiddlesticks. Shuffle the cards together and place them in a deck, word side down. Each player will take a turn flipping over a card, read the word, and cover to spell. If the word is read AND spelled correctly, the player can keep the card. If not, the card must be returned to the bottom of the deck. If a player turns over the Fiddlesticks card, he or she must return all of his or her cards to the bottom of the deck. 

• Alternate: for math, write math facts on the index cards opposed to sight words. You will still use the Fiddlesticks card. 

Read Around the House:

For this activity, you simply take the word cards and tape them around the house. This way, every time your child opens a cabinet, door, or refridgerator, he or she has to read and spell the sight word. 

• Alternate: for math, place math flashcards around the house.

There are millons and millons of more ideas you can do with your children to help make memorizing more fun. Be sure to check back for other ideas!