Here are 9 simple word work activities for Kindergarten, first, and second grade! These word work ideas are great for literacy centers!
- Upper and lower-case letter matching puzzles
- Match photos of classmates to the first letter in their names – and then check with a partner
- “Sensory search” – hunt for magnetic letters in sand or another material)
- Picture sorts (initial sound, final sound, medial vowel sound, word family, digraph, blend, etc.) – students first practice naming the pictures to themselves or to a partner
- Word sorts
- Speed sort (sort words, read them aloud, and time it – try to beat your own time)
- Make letters or words with playdough, Wikki Stix, magnetic letters, stamps, etc. (and then read them aloud to a partner – this part is crucial because many kids will just make words and not know what they say!)
- Search for a letter, word pattern, or word family in a familiar big book, poem, or other text (and write words down on a recording sheet)
- Search for a spelling pattern in books, newspapers, magazines (and create a list of words with that pattern)
For even more word work activities, check out my word work packs for Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd!
