Helping your child learn to read can be both an exciting and frustrating time. When helping children to read the key is to make it fun and interactive so that they develop the passion and joy for reading.
After failing miserable and countless arguments with my daughter when trying to teach her to read books and words on a page as shared by the teacher through COVID lockdowns I gave up. Instead, I created a fun and interactive Swat a Sight Word Game to use in conjunction with reading books.
We all know that the best way to learn is when it feels like play and fun as opposed to a chore. Swat a Sight Word Game helped both my kids read and placed them above the standard levels. The most significant benefit was their increased confidence which helped them develop a passion for learning other subjects too.
What are Sight Words?
Sight words are the most common and frequently used words in the English language and some of them are unable to be sounded out (such as the, I and of).
The ability to recognise sight words such as “a,” “and,” and “for” enables children to develop the building blocks of language so that they can read fluently and independently without stopping to sound out every word.
When do Children Start Learning Sight Words?
Sight words are taught to children starting in kindergarten/ reception/ prep/ foundation and continuing through to second grade. Although all children learn in various ways and at different rates, an approximate target to aim for is 20 sight words by the end of kindergarten, 100 by the end of first grade and 250 by the end of second grade.
How to Teach Sight Words?
Let’s face it, kids love games and having fun hence making fun and interactive. This is why I love the game Swat a Sight Word Game.
It allows them to learn the most common words in the English language while at the same time developing skills like word recognition, eye-hand coordination, vocabulary building and problem-solving.
I also got creative with the game by getting Blu-Tac and sticking the flies to the wall where my son shot at the words using his Nerf gun.
However, there are other fun ways to learn sight words. Think about what your child enjoys doing and see if you can incorporate the words there. Otherwise, Google game ideas for sight words and you will get lots of great ideas.
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