Need a fun and engaging way to teach your students short vowel sounds in CVC words?? What could be more fun and engaging than games?!? These 3 CVC games will help your students master their short vowel sounds AND they’ll have no idea they’re learning!
Hint: Make sure you read to the end of this post for an exclusive CVC Games FREEBIE!!
First things first… When teaching phonics, it is important that the students first learn how to both blend and segment sounds. Here’s a reminder of what the difference is between the two.
Blending Sounds
Blending sounds is when you take separate sounds in a word and blend them together to read a word. For instance, a student would take each sound–c-a-t–and blend them together to read it as “cat.” This skill is very important when learning how to read.
Segmenting Sounds
Segmenting sounds is basically the opposite of blending. It is when you take a word and separate it into its individual sounds. For example, “hat” would be separated into h-a-t. This is important when learning how to spell words.
Both skills are important for students to learn because you obviously want your students to be able to read and spell CVC words!
Luckily, these games help your students practice both skills!
And these games are incredibly easy to prep! All you have to do is print, laminate (if you wish) and play! Plus, the only supplies you need are materials that you probably already have on hand!
Match a Picture! CVC Game
The “Match a Picture!” game focuses on helping students blend sounds together to read CVC words. There are 5 different game boards for the 5 different short vowel sounds, so the students get plenty of practice with reading words with each sound!
The students read the words on the game board and then color the corresponding picture on their recording sheet that matches the word. Any game that also involves coloring is sure to be a hit in the classroom!!
Spin and Bump! CVC Game
Like “Match a Picture!”, “Spin and Bump!” also helps the students practice blending sounds in CVC words. This time, the students spin words, and then look for the matching picture. Again, there are 5 versions for each of the short vowel sounds!
The students will LOVE being able to “bump” their opponent’s counter off of the board when they spin the same word!
Roll and Write! CVC Game
This one helps the students segment sounds in order to spell CVC words correctly. When the students land on a picture, they need to write the word on their recording sheet.
Using the CVC Games in Your Classroom
These 3 CVC games can be used so many ways!
Literacy Centers
One of my favorite ways to use games is as an independent literacy center! Once the students know how to play the games, they can play them on their own while I meet with small reading groups! Plus, with 15 different game boards, there are plenty of options and they won’t get bored!
Fast Finisher Activity
Another way I love to use games is as a fast-finisher activity. I like to keep the games somewhere that is accessible to the students so that any time they finish an activity early, I can say, “Go grab a game to play with a partner!”
Reading Groups
Use these with your small reading groups to help them practice important short vowel sounds!
Organizing the CVC Games
Because these CVC games don’t require a bunch of tiny pieces or cards, keeping them organized is super easy!
I laminate my game boards to help keep them durable and then store them in plastic drawers for my students to access easily.
Another way to keep the games organized is to glue them into file folders and use them as file folder games! You can write the name of the game and the vowel sound it features on the tab so that you can quickly tell which game you are grabbing!
CVC Games: Short Vowels
These games are perfect for your students and super easy for you!!
- They help your students practice both blending and segmenting sounds!
- These games are so easy to prep… Just print, laminate and use!!
- They don’t require a bunch of materials or supplies– everything you need you probably already have on hand!
- Easily keep them organized with file folders or plastic drawers!
Ready to grab all 15 game boards and their recording sheets? Click the image below!
CVC Games: Short “a” FREEBIE!
Want to give these games a try for yourself? Click the image below, sign up with your personal email address and you’ll get the password to my FREEBIE Library where you can download lots of FREEBIES including all of my short “a” games!
After you download the games, I would LOVE to hear how you use them in your classroom!! Leave a comment below and let me know!
If you’re looking for more resources to help your students master their phonics skills, check out this post all about my 104 Must-Have Phonics Word Lists!
