23 Fun Ways to Practice Sight Words at Home


Sometimes it is difficult to encourage our children to practice sight words at home. I mean most children do not want to sit and look at flashcards to memorize or become fluent with their words.

So why not use some of these fun ideas to make sight word practice a bit more enjoyable?  Scoot over and see if these ideas might be something you can use with your kids.



With the situation at hand and many parents using cyber schooling, homeschooling, websites, worksheets and lots of ideas that teachers are linking on their websites or have sent home for you support your child while schools are closed, I thought I would share some quick and easy ideas to work with sight words at home.

Many of these ideas will add a little fun to your day and encourage your children to get up and moving!

Maybe try a new way each day to keep it fun or write some ideas on sticks or slips of papers and put them into a jar or cup and pick one a day to try or play a favorite everyday! 


  • Write words in shaving cream on a cookie sheet...fun for everyone!
  • Form words or even simply letters using Play-doh.  
  • Form the words using pipe cleaners or Wiki Sticks. (you can write the word and then have your child go over it using any of the above methods.
    • Spell words using letter beads on pipe cleaners or using sticker letters on paper.

    • Put copies of the words around on the floor or rug and ask your child to jump onto a certain word read and as you advance spell it without looking (feet covering the word). Put the words on the steps and read them as you walk upstairs or downstairs.
    • Use an Etch-a-Sketch and write the words.
    • Write words on the iPad or computer.
    • Paint the words on an easel.
    • Type the words in different fonts on the computer.  The        to      have    from   like
    • Write the words with markers, crayons or colored pencils using a different color for each letter.  w i t h 
    • Cheer the words...vowels arms up, consonants arms down...You can even make pom-poms for cheering the words if the word is  T O...it might look like this: T O : to
    T
    O 

    It gets more fun as the words get longer and longer. 
    • Say the words using different voices...For example:  mouse voice, Elvis voice, old person voice, robot voice, opera voice, cowboy voice, baby voice or any other voice you can think of to use that might be a little silly.
    • Outline the  letters of the words in Cheerios, Fruit Loops, M and M's, Skittles...if the word is read correctly, eat the word! (or switch to beads or buttons)  I have also put copies of the word in muffin tins and kiddos toss a small candy into the tin and then read the word.  If it is correct, you get to eat the candy. If not leave it there and when you do know it the reward is more!
    • Sky write the words saying each letter as the word is written in the "sky".  We have been known to imagine and visualize that our favorite color is spraying out of our pencils or fingers when writing the word...great for handwriting practice as well!!!












    • Form the words using Unifix blocks or Legos.



    • Write Letters with sidewalk chalk.

    • Write the words on cups, stack them, read them and knock them down!!!
    • Use Sticker letters to write your words.
    • Circle or find your words in books, magazines and newspaper or online and write them in a notebook.
    • Hide the words around the house and then have your child find them and read them.
    • Stamp your words with alphabet stamps or in play-doh with stamps.
    • Use a paintbrush with water and "paint" them on the sidewalk.  Better be sure to read the words before the sun dries it up!!

    • Put magnetic letters for each word in a bucket filled with water and have children pull the letters out and spell the word correctly....or no water!!! 
      .
    • Give each child a letter or a baggie of letters to a group of students and have them form a HUMAN Word with their letters. You can get the whole family involved with this one.

    You might also be interested in Variations of the game BANG!









    I hope these ideas bring a little sunshine your way and give you a few ways to encourage and support your children to practice their sight words.

    If you need a free list of sight words to use, Click Here for 300 Words Pick and choose those words that work for your child. Color words and family words included. the words go from easy to harder with color words and family words at the end.