DO IT TOGETHER
COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES
Catch a Rhyme
Sit in a circle with your group. Pick a single-syllable word to start, like “cat” or “book.” Go around the circle sharing words that rhyme with the first word. If you can’t think of one, it’s ok to repeat.
Circular Logic
Try new starter words. For a challenge, spell the new word after you say it! How many times can you go around your circle with a single rhyme?
Rhyme Toss
Stand in a circle. Say a starting word, then toss a ball to someone. When they catch it, have them say a word that rhymes with yours, or they’re out! The last person standing wins.
Did you know?
Playing with rhyming words helps kids practice thinking about words with shared letter combinations, which is an important skill for reading new words.
Supplies Checklist:
A ball or anything you can toss.
Sizzling Sounds
Words like splash, purr, crackle, or bang sound like what they do. Name five more, then act the sounds out with your friends!
Soundscape Stories
Write down the five sound words you chose. As a group, tell a story based on what happened to make those sounds.
Sound-It-Out
Act out a new, secret sound word, and see if your group can guess what makes the sound or what the sound is used for.
Did you know?
Developing memory and listening to repeated sounds help young brains get ready to read.
Supplies Checklist:
Paper
Pencil
Alphabet Picnic
We’re going on a picnic, and everyone is bringing something imaginary to eat that begins with the first letter of their first name. Go around in a circle to have each person say their first name and tell everyone what they’ve brought.
Picnic Pets
Mix it up by bringing an imaginary pet that begins with the first letter of your last name. To simplify, restart the game after every four players. If you’re playing on your own or with a small group, go through the alphabet.
Party Planners
Challenge your group to say their name, a food, and a fictional or famous character, all beginning with the first letter of their first name!
Did you know?
Playing with individual sounds helps kids sound out words when they read.
Supplies Checklist:
Just your imagination
DO IT TOGETHER
DO IT TOGETHER
Sidewalk Boggle
With sidewalk chalk, draw a 4 x 4 foot square. Divide the square into four, then each square into four again. Write one vowel (A, E, I, O, U) in each row, then fill in the rest of the squares with other letters. If you include Q, make sure you have U! Write down the words you find together. How many did you find?
Ready-Set-Go!
Draw a second board with new letters, and set a timer for three minutes. Split into teams or compete individually. When the timer starts, write down as many words as you can!
Long Answer
Set the timer again and see which team can make a sentence with their words.
Did you know?
Word games help kids build vocabulary and recall words more quickly when they read.
Supplies Checklist:
Sidewalk chalk
Ruler, or you can use someone’s foot!
Timer
detective
academy
Have one player strike a pose. Have the other players look at them closely for 10 seconds, then close their eyes for 10 seconds. The person posing makes one small change–like putting their hand in a pocket or untying a shoelace. Then the detectives open their eyes and try to find the change. Whoever guesses right first is the next to pose!
Three’s a Crowd
If you have a big enough group, have two or three people pose at once, but ask only one person to make a change. See who can detect what’s different now!
Total Recall
For a serious challenge, have the detectives keep their eyes closed while trying to answer questions about the person posing like: What color shirt is the person wearing? Which way are they leaning? Who can recreate the pose?
Did you know?
This game is a great way to practice focusing, memory recall, and detailed observation, which are all important skills for succeeding in reading and math.
Supplies Checklist:
None needed.