Bubble Words (Alysia Pitts, Woodbury, TN)
Use a bubble font to make sight words and place in a clear sheet protector. The children roll out play dough to make the words. (If you don’t have a bubble font you can just create your own words like I did below.)
Question of the Day (Mary McCarroll)
First, do a drum roll by slapping hands on thighs.
Second, count backwards from 10, 9, 8…0
Third, ask a question.
Christmas Card Puzzle (Bobbie Jean Hurde)
Cut up old Christmas cards and place them in a brown bag or zip bag. Children shake up the bag and then put the puzzle together.
Reading Station Puzzle (Mandy Collins, Rossville, TN)
You will need cardboard puzzles to create this center. Write sight words on the backs of the puzzle pieces. Also write the sight words on the cardboard puzzle frame. Children match words on the puzzle piece to the frame to complete the puzzle.
Word Bubble Map (Linda Jo Kincaid)
Use bubbles to help children blend sounds and read words. Make a bubble for each word family similar to the one shown. Write the answers on the back.
Walking Down the Hall (Carin Ragos)
Whatever theme you are working on (bears, butterflies, cars, etc.), invite the children to walk or move that way down the hall. If they are not quiet or can’t follow directions they have to walk like a “regular person.”
Weightlifting Count to 100 (Amy Gibson)
Pick up your weights and count 1-20 as you do bicep curls; 21-40 for shoulder press; 41-50 tricep press; 61-80 butterfly press; 81-100 overhead.
Wipe brow!!!
Caterpillar Finger Play (Linda Drake)
Here comes the caterpillar on the green leaf.
(Place one hand flat and use one finger from the other hand to wiggle across the flat hand.)
Inside the chrysalis for two whole weeks.
(Squeeze hand around caterpillar with thumb up.)
Out he pops as pretty as can be!
(Lock thumbs and flutter fingers.)
He is a butterfly as you can see!
(Move hands like a butterfly in the air.)
Diagraphs (Heidi Brunner)
Teach children these gestures to help them remember the sounds of “th”, “sh,” and “ch.”
“TH” – Stick your tongue out at the teacher. It is the only time you are allowed to stick your tongue out at a grown up!
“SH” – Hold your finger next to your lips like you are going to tell someone to be quiet.
“CH” – Put one hand down flat and use the other hand to pretend to chop something.
Sing the blends to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus.”
The T and H say /th/ /th/ /th/…all the time.
Soul Train Scramble
Place letters in students’ names or sight words on a magnetic board. Play the ABC song by the Jackson Five. Students have until the end of the song to unscramble the letters to make the word.
Rhyming Game (Kim Thurston)
Teacher says, “I’m thinking of a word that rhymes with “hat.”
The students can’t guess using the word. They have to describe the word.
Students say, “Is it an animal that says meow?”
Teacher says, “Good guess, but that’s not it.”
Students say, “Is it an animal that flies?”
Teacher answers, “Yes, it is a bat.”
Color Game (Maureen Goonan)
What are you wearing? (Children stand and do the motions for the color they are wearing.)
Red – just stand up and touch your head.
Blue – touch your shoes.
Green – look real mean.
Yellow – wave to a fellow.
Purple – draw a circle.
Brown – act like a clown.
Black – pat your back.
Pink – blink, blink, blink.
White – look at the light.
Orange – peel an orange.
You’re great cause your colors are straight and
you’re cool because you learn at school!
Attach a large butterfly clip to individual white boards for each child. Voila! Clipboards!
Category Game
The children repeat after the teacher:
“Pink is a color.” (Children repeat.)
“Purple is a color.” (Children repeat.)
“A square is a color.” (Children yell NO!)
Adapt for shapes, objects in a house, rhyming words, numbers, and other categories.
