Early Reading Matching Game

Here is a project that is actually two activities in one!  The Early Reading Matching Game is fun to make and then play when you’re all finished.  Create one game with a whole bunch of words or several themed games like colors, animals, etc.  This is also a great way to learn those sight words!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Old magazines, junk mail, catalogues, old children’s books
  • Index cards or scrap paper
  • Markers
  • Scissors (help younger kids with this part!)
  • Glue
  • Zip top storage bag

To begin, cut out various pictures of simple words like we did below.  It was fun searching for the perfect pictures that we wanted to use.

If you’re using index cards, you can skip this part…we used scrap card stock on hand.  Just be sure the cards are all about the same size.

Next glue one image per card.  Write the word on another card to create a set.

Do this for the remaining images…

Make as many as you want, now you’re ready to play!  Scroll down to learn how (several different variations)

Several ways to play (one or more players)

  1. Version 1: Lay all cards face up and mix them up.  Have child select a picture and then have them search for the matching word.  Each time they get a correct match, they can keep the set.  Player with most sets wins.
  2. Version 2: Same as version 1, but they must also read the word out loud in order to keep the set (this eliminates “lucky guesses” for the most part)
  3. Version 3: Mix cards up and flip them over so that no one can see them.  Take turns flipping them over to make a match.  Player with most matching sets wins…like a memory game but with reading involved.

Have fun playing and reading!

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