• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

What Do We Do All Day logo

  • Start Here
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Books for kids
  • Games
  • Indoor activities for kids
  • Parenting
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Literacy / Easy Phonetic Reading Game Using Simple Words

     

    Easy Phonetic Reading Game Using Simple Words

    1178 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    This is an easy reading game using letter sounds to spell three letter words.  My son is constantly asking me how words are spelled so this was a fun way to harness his interest and sneak in a bit of phonics learning.

    Turn i spy into a simple phonetic game to teach reading and spelling

    Materials: 

    • I used a box of alphabet learning cards*  and pulled out a few pictures of three letter words (e.g. cat, cup, hat) If you don't have these cards, you could easily make them yourself with photos cut out from magazines. Paste the photo on one side side of an index card and write the word in lower case letters on the other.
    • Sandpaper letters* We use these for so many activities they are worth buying, but you can also simply write individual letters on index cards.

    I spy phonetic reading game

    How to:

    I lined up three pictures and then said "I spy, with my little eye something spelled huh-ah-ttt". Kiddo then found the corresponding letters our of his sandpaper letter deck, he spelled the word and checked his work by turning the picture over to reveal the correctly spelled word.

    We continued with as many sets of three letter words I could pull out from the deck. We could only use words that didn't repeat letters, but if you have more than one letter set, that wouldn't be a problem.

    He thought it was great fun and it was easy for me since I could putz around doing household tasks (or sip my tea) while he found the letters and put together the word.

    I think in the future I am going to try this activity without the pictures. Kiddo is a highly visual learner. After he heard me spell I could tell he relied on the photo to get the job done.  (Update: kids who need a slightly more advanced spelling game will enjoy "sift 'n' spell.")

    * Our alphabet cards and sandpaper letters were a great investment. We use them all the time. At my affiliate link you can find similar items (or you can make your own):

    I also love these phonics easy readers from The Measured Mom:

    phonics books

    And don't forget this list of easy readers that are actually easy!

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    « Painting With Water to Make Chalkboard Art
    Coin Sorting Activity for Kids »
    1178 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. So Smrt says

      April 06, 2009 at 2:36 pm

      I'm a visual learner too...good idea to remove the pics. Bet he won't like the game as much, though!

      Reply
    2. Kim Baise says

      April 06, 2009 at 1:24 pm

      Great Activity! Thanks for sharing and I love the montessori- mom blog link too. Very helpful 🙂

      Reply
    3. Holly@MotherIsNotConcerned says

      April 07, 2009 at 1:40 am

      Thank you for this idea! I'm going to try it with my son...

      Reply
    4. Momma Snail says

      April 07, 2009 at 6:55 am

      I am going to play this game with my kids. This is great! Hmmm...wonder if we can do it in the car...

      Reply
    5. Steph says

      April 09, 2009 at 6:14 pm

      I love how you had Kiddo spell the words himself after you gave him the sounds. I'll keep that in mind for the future. Thanks!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Erica! I believe parents can stay sane without giving their kids an electronic device. Learn how!

    More about me →

    Newsletter

    Join over 19,000 subscribers who said "Yes! I want to unplug my kids!" We'll send you 10 waiting games your kids can play anytime, anywhere. Join here -->

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About the Site

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and join over 15,000 other families finding ways reduce screen time.

    Other Stuff

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Copyright © 2023 What Creative Media LLC

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.