If you’re a fan of post-it notes like us, then you and your child will love this activity. Try this simple, yet fun and engaging flipping word card activity that can be used for umpteen spelling patterns!
Materials Needed for Creating your Flip Word Cards
Thick felt pens or marker pens
How to Make your Flip Word Cards
- Fold a piece of card into 3 equal parts.
- Cut along the fold lines to create 3 strips.
- Place a pile of post-its (ideally a different colour from your card) on your card where the letters will change.
- Write your letters on the post-it notes in one colour.
- On the card, write the letters that you wish to remain the same (your focus sound or spelling pattern).
- You’re ready to get reading!
PLEASE NOTE: Think carefully about your letter combinations. Below are a few suggestions of letter combinations you could use.
Remember, your child will be learning made-up. nonsense or monster words at school to help them be fully secure on the sounds the letters make, so silly words are not a problem.
Using the Flipping Word Cards with Your Child
We recommend matching the letters your child is learning in their reading programme. Your child should read each the letter sound (phoneme) out loud in order and attempt to blend the letters together. This can take some children longer than others to develop, but simply sounding out the letters is also excellent and important practise.
Once your child has read their word, fold up one of the post-it notes to reveal a new word. You can mix and match the shown letters in any combination.
[one_fourth_first]
[/one_fourth_first][one_fourth]
[/one_fourth][one_fourth]
[/one_fourth][one_fourth_last]
[/one_fourth_last]
What words can I create?
For ideas on the words you can create with the letters we’ve learned so far, please look at our word lists.
Other ideas
* Trace your finger around the letters in the way that the letter would be formed when writing correctly.
* You can use the same technique practise digraphs (ll, ss, zz, ou, ow) and trigraphs (igh). Just use one post-it as it counts as one sound.
* Use this to support writing certain spelling patterns to help make it clear that certain letters do not change. Great for practising that dreaded spelling list sent home for homework!
* Add sound buttons under the sounds to help your child make links like they might at school.
[one_half_first]
[/one_half_first][one_half_last]
[/one_half_last]
* Add more post-it notes. Can your child write some more letters to expand their practice further?