Games and Activities to Help Your Student with Reading

We often talk about the importance of mastery-based, multisensory lessons, but it’s also important to make learning to read FUN—and engaging games and activities may be just the ticket to make that happen! Helping kids develop a love for reading can then lead to increased focus and more efficient learning during reading time. Reading incentives like games and activities can sometimes be just the push that a struggling learner needs to advance.

We believe that learning should be an enjoyable experience, and games are perfect for parents who want to encourage their student’s language development in a creative, entertaining, and easy way. There’s a game out there for every age and skill level, whether your student is just beginning to read or is already reading proficiently.

Keep reading to discover some of our favorites!

Reading Games to Help Your Student Learn

1. Concentration (Memory)

   This game goes by many names, but whatever you call it, it’s a classic kid favorite. Gather a list of the words your student is currently studying and write each word on two index cards to make a pair. We recommend starting with five or six pairs.

   Once the cards are ready, lay them on the table with the words facing down. Have your student flip over two cards and read the words aloud. If the cards match, your student may remove the cards and place them in a pile off to the side. If they don’t match, flip the cards back over to their original positions.

   

   Students can play by themselves or with other players, taking turns to see who can find the most pairs. To make the game more challenging, just add more pairs of words!

   Looking to tie in some reading or spelling practice with a fun twist? Our Something Fishy review book is packed with activities for reviewing reading and spelling! For a sneak peek into our hands-on approach, try a free version of our take on this memory activity…but with sea slugs! Download this Sea Slug Match-Up game for a great way to practice either reading or spelling.

   

   If you love this activity, you may want to check out our other review book, Birds of a Feather! These supplementary books offer an engaging way to reinforce any reading or spelling word list through a variety of enjoyable and straightforward activities.

2. Bingo

   Bingo is another easy game that can be played with your student’s current study words. Start by drawing a 4×4 or 5×5 grid on a piece of paper to use as a bingo card, or create grids on the computer and print them. Gather a list of about 30 study words and have your student fill out a bingo card by writing words from the list in each of the boxes, one word per box.

   Once the card has been filled out, read words from the list in random order. When your student hears a word that is on his card, he should cross out that square. When the player has crossed out a complete row, column, or diagonal line on the bingo card, he shouts “Bingo!” This game can be played with individual or multiple players.

   Help your child review (and master!) phonograms with the help of monkeys, lions, and other exotic inhabitants with our Phonogram Jungle Bingo printable activity! Download it now, but be careful—it’s a jungle out there!

   

3. Word Scavenger Hunt

   A word scavenger hunt is just like a word search—but takes place throughout your house or backyard! Start by gathering a list of words that are suitable for your student’s reading level. Write the words on index cards and place them around the room, the house, and/or the backyard. Once finished, read each word out loud and have your student find the corresponding index card. You can make the game more challenging by hiding the cards or by setting a time limit to see how many cards they can find within a certain amount of time. This game also works well with groups of students.

4. Word Searches

   Kids love word searches, and the internet provides many free options for generating your own custom word searches with your student’s study words. To ensure your student is reading the words and not simply looking for letters that match, you can read the target words out loud rather than providing the student with a list of words to find.

5. Silly Sentence Match-Ups

   This entertaining and imaginative game is a great way for children to learn and laugh at the same time. Made by All About Learning Press, the game is free to download and comes with different pages for students of various levels. Just cut out the cards, start drawing pairs, see if you can keep a straight face! Check out our Silly Sentence Match-Ups blog post.

   

6. Drag Race

   For kids that like cars, this review activity is the perfect way to practice reading! The free downloadable activity sheets include race cars, a starting line, and racetrack cards. Just print the sheets, cut out the pieces, and start revving your engines! With each word the students read correctly, their race cars get to move forward. Take a look at our Drag Race – A Reading and Spelling Review Activity blog post.

   

Ways to Make Reading More Fun

1. Create a Reading Nook

   Sometimes doing something difficult is easier when you have an area dedicated to doing that activity. When it comes to reading, kids may be more likely to enjoy reading when they have a special place to read in. If you have enough space, create a cozy reading nook in your home! A small bookcase dedicated to your student’s books and a beanbag or colorful chair is all you need to get started. You can decorate the nook further by having your student draw pictures of characters and scenes from their favorite books and hanging them on the wall.

   Check out our blog post on creating the perfect reading nook!

   

2. Reading Olympics

   Setting specific goals for your student can make reading much more enjoyable, and a great way to do this is by holding a Reading Olympics. Determine how many books or chapters the student needs to read in order to win the bronze medal, the silver medal, and the gold medal. Then create a chart where you can track their progress. Invite other family members or friends to compete and give out prizes and medals to the winners!

Reading Games You Can Purchase

In addition to games you can make yourself, there are plenty of popular games that are not only great for reinforcing reading skills, but that kids love to play. Here are some we recommend.

• Boggle
• Apples to Apples
• Hedbanz
• Phonics Dominoes
• Silly Sentences
• Pickles to Penguins
• Bananagrams
• Reading Games with Ziggy the Zebra

Explore Our Free Reading Activity Downloads

We have a huge assortment of free printable activities to help nurture important reading and spelling skills. Here are a few favorites!

• Reading Activity Bundle
• Spring Reading Bundle
• Summer Reading Bundle
• Fall Reading Bundle
• Winter Reading Bundle
• See More

Let Us Do the Work for You!

Including games and activities in your reading lessons doesn’t just help keep things engaging and fun…it also makes learning stick! This multisensory approach can transform your lessons—for both you and your child.

With All About Reading, we do the work for you. Our lightly scripted lessons provide hands-on games and activities throughout the program. The carefully sequenced lessons leave no gaps in learning and aid in achieving permanent learning.

If you’re ready to boost your child’s progress with open-and-go lessons full of games and activities, be sure to check out our curriculum! And if you ever need a helping hand, we’re here for you.

When students don’t enjoy reading, it’s often because it’s a skill they struggle with. Thankfully most kids love games, and we can use those games to help young readers overcome their challenges and develop a love of reading. Try some of these games and activities with your student and let us know in the comments which ones are your favorites!