10 Online Games To Practice Sight Words

In a previous post I wrote about 10 Resources On Children’s Literacy. They were resources on the web that I have used for ideas, strategies and to educate myself in the area of children’s literacy. Today’s post lists online games that my children have used to help them master their sight words (also known has high frequency words). Naturally most of these types of games can be done off line in some way, but I find sometimes it is helpful to change the learning medium to keep children interested and provide some variety from the rote learning that these lists requires.

A big thank you to my daughter’s wonderful prep teacher who put me on to the many of these sites!

1. Learn To Read

This is the first game from Starfall that I will feature. Learn To Read has 15 individual activities listed within the “Play, Book, Skills” format. The play component had children making words with similar endings eg cot, pot, hot, dot. The Book format then focuses on a sound like the “short o” and children click on individual words on the book to listen to the word and read along. The Skills format is either a video reinforcing a skill required for reading like “chunking” or practicing blends.

2. Dub Cubs

From PBS Kids, Dub Cubs focuses on rhyming words through allowing kids to make their own little rap. Complete with record scratching sounds and throwing in words like “funky” and “alright”!!

3. Three Little Plays

Another game from the fab Starfall. Three Little Plays has two components, firstly familiarising the child with the key words to be read in the play and then they read the play, by pressing on each word individually. What I like about this part is that the audio comes up slowly, so allows the child time to decode the word themselves.

4. Word Reader

Word Reader requires the child to listen to a word then click on its written form. It has a base of approx 35 words that it runs through of the easier sight words. My only issue is that the audio could be a little clearer to make it easier for the children.

5. Star Words

From BBC, Star Words requires the child to identify the shape of the sight words and match them up to the shape by either dragging the word to the shape or clicking on the shape.

6. I Can Read

I Can Read requires the child to listen to a simple sentence and the associated question. To answer the question the child will need to click on one of the high frequency words. (You need to click on listen after each time you have answered a question.)

7. Missing Letter Game

The Missing Letter Game requires the kids to fill in the missing letters of the sight word. There are a number of words listed below to help the child determine what the word is that they need to finish spelling.

8. Dinosaur Eggs

Similar to Word Reader, Dinosaur Eggs requires children to listen to the words and then click on the matching text. The words in this game are from the harder high frequency words.

9. Spellbound

Also from BBC, Spellbound displays a high frequency or sight word briefly, then scatters the letters of this word. The child then needs to click and drag the letters into their right place to spell the word.

10. Room 108 Dolch Word Games

This site breaks down the sight (dolch word) lists into 11 even lists and has the same games for each list. Children can start at list one and move along as they master the words. The games are simple and not flashy, but they are easy for the kids to use. There are three games for each list which are:

Listen and Spell: This is a game where the student is dictated a word and given a group of mixed up but correct letters and has to click the correct letters to spell the word. This game is timed and marked by the computer.

Listen and Match: This is a game where the student must flip cards to match the sound with the word. This game is set for two players to play against one another.

Jigsaw: This is a game where the student must fit a word into a groove where they can click to hear the word

Can you add any other good online games to this list?