Teaching CVC words is something many primary teachers are actively working on in the classroom. But have you ever worried that your lessons are getting a bit… boring?! I know I have! That’s exactly why I like to mix it up with different engaging activities in the classroom. Come along to add some new ideas to your teacher toolbox and make learning CVC words fun!

Learning CVC Words Can Be Fun!

As a primary teacher, I’m sure you already know that practice makes progress. And much of that practice requires repetition. But don’t worry friends, this doesn’t mean that your lessons are doomed to be boring! We can practice the same words in different ways to keep things fun and engaging. In fact, I like to lean into this in my classroom every week to make sure my kids don’t get bored and check out.

This can be done in a lot of different ways, but perhaps the easiest is to plan on having a different type of CVC word center in your room each day of the week. This way, your students will get daily practice with your target words, but in a fun new way each day. This is also appealing to students who have different learning styles. Making sure to have a blend of activities that appeal to different learning styles will ensure everyone in your room is getting what they need. Now, ready for those ideas? Here are 5 of my favorite ways to practice CVC words!

1. Playdough with Alphabet Stamps

It’s no secret that kids love playdough. This is why it’s a great idea to feature a CVC word center in your room that uses playdough. You can do this a couple of different ways, but my favorite is to use playdough alongside alphabet stamps. The kids love this because they get to roll and smash the dough as they build CVC words.

I love this center option because it’s super easy to prepare! Just keep a set of stamps in a bin along with some colorful playdough. I like to switch out the color based on the season to tie into our theme and keep things fun. Then, each week, add a new set of CVC word cards or picture cards. Students will choose a card, read or name the CVC word, and then use the stamps to build it in playdough. You can extend this activity further by also having them record their answers on a piece of paper. This activity is a classroom favorite and super simple to prep each week!

2. Color by Code CVC Words Mystery Pictures

Speaking of easy prep, it doesn’t get much easier than these Color by Code CVC Word Mystery Pictures. I use these once a week as a center option to practice the CVC words we’re working on. This is one of the “easy button” centers that help balance out more time-consuming prep that I might have on my plate. All I need to do is add my target word list, print, and go! It doesn’t get better than that.

Not to mention, these are a huge hit among my little learners! Once the words are added, students will follow the code to color the page accordingly. As they work, a mystery picture is revealed and they love trying to guess what it will be! I have options for many different holidays and seasons, so these are easy to weave into our learning all year long. And best of all, they’re not just for center time! They come in handy for fast-finishers, homework assignments, independent learning activities, and of course, my emergency sub tub too. These pages make practicing CVC words fun and easy, and I’m always here for that!

3. Search and Find CVC Word Centers

Next up is one of my students’ favorite center activities of all time. I like to save this one for mid-week when everyone is feeling a little draggy and needing a boost of engagement. Search and Find Centers feature seasonal or holiday pictures that students will scour for hiding CVC words. I like to give my kids magnifying glasses to make this activity even more fun!

Inside each Search and Find set, there are a variety of options to mix it up. There are options to cover up words, color words, trace words, and color pictures. I like to use a different one each week during center time to help keep this activity feeling fresh and fun for students. There are also “Word Detective” signs and badges included that you can give to students after they complete the task. This adds a whole new level of fun that will excite your students!

The best part about these activities though is the editable features. This means you can add the exact CVC words you’re targeting. This option makes differentiation a breeze and allows you to add new words each week and reuse the center materials. Inside the Search and Find Bundle, there are also resources for learning letters and math skills as well! The versatility of these centers is my favorite!

4. Super Stamp Sentences

Another easy center that I frequently pull out is something I call Super Stamp Sentences. The fun name makes my kids smile and they always know exactly what I mean. To use, all we need are some rubber alphabet stamps, stamp pads, a CVC word list, and paper. If your students are on the younger side, you might also write a few example sentences and/or provide some vocabulary words to help prompt and support their writing as well.

The task is for students to choose a few CVC words from the list to include in some sentences. I have them write all the words in pencil except the CVC word. Then they get to stamp the CVC word right into their sentence. Using multiple materials makes this more fun than plain old sentence writing and tends to keep my kids more engaged. I also find that this is what makes this activity so effective, too. The act of putting the pencil down and stamping the CVC word helps my kids focus on the target word.

Center Variation

Keep in mind that if your students aren’t quite ready to come up with their own sentences, you can also type up sentences that are missing the CVC word. They can read and trace the sentence and then stamp the proper CVC word in the blank place. Either option is a great way to practice reading and writing.

This is another station that’s easy to prepare and switch up each week. Sometimes I might use picture cards that represent CVC words, while other times I will use word cards. Either way, this is a great active learning center that gets kids thinking about how to use our target CVC words in sentences. I encourage the kids to write silly sentences and draw pictures as well if they’d like – after all, the more fun they’re having, the more likely they are to enjoy this process!

5. CVC Words BINGO

We’re going to finish out this list with an activity that I love to save for Fun Friday… BINGO! What better way to end the week than with a fun game, after all? With my CVC Word BINGO Activities, you’ll be able to practice your list of CVC words in a fun way that everyone will love! These seasonal and holiday BINGO cards are editable, so you’ll be able to add the exact words you want to focus on. There are also pre-made options included if you would prefer to just print and go.

Then all you need to do is decide if you want to use the color or the black & white game boards and hit print. The black and white cards are great to use with BINGO dauber markers or crayons, while the color cards are great to use with mini erasers or other small manipulatives.

Also included, you get a BINGO call list and calling cards. The calling cards can be laminated and repurposed in other centers too! As I mentioned above, I like to save this game for Friday and play as a whole group. My kids have so much fun that they don’t even realize how much practice they are getting with CVC words! Plus, since these come in so many seasonal options, we’re covered for the whole year. This one is definitely a favorite in my room!

Practice CVC Words Every Day of the Week

So friend, which of these ideas for practicing CVC words was your favorite? If you’re like me, you probably can’t decide! And guess what… that’s perfectly fine! In fact, I think it’s a good thing. The more options we have in our bag of tricks for learning and practicing CVC words, the better. This way, we can practice CVC words every day of the week without our lessons feeling stale.

And in case you didn’t notice… there were no flashcard drills in sight on this list! Learning CVC words doesn’t have to be boring, and in fact, it can be pretty fun! So, as you get started planning engaging activities to learn CVC words in your room, remember to keep variety in the mix! It will be your best friend when it comes to happy kids and high engagement. If you want more ideas, be sure to check out all of these resources and many more in my TPT shop!

Looking for More?

Check out these posts next for more engaging ideas for the primary classroom.

• 5 Reading Activities to Encourage Literacy in the Primary Classroom
• 8 Must-Haves in Your Primary Classroom Routine
• Planning a Year of Lessons Using Thematic Teaching

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