Compound Word Games for First Grade
Compound word games can be used to introduce or reinforce compound words. Students will enjoy playing the games and won't even realize that they are learning at the same time. Compound word games can be based on familiar games but involve compound words instead of regular cards or game pieces. Students won't have to focus so much on the rules and can instead focus on the content of the game.
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Compound Word Eggs
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To prepare for this activity, you will need 12 to 24 plastic Easter eggs. With a permanent marker, write half of a compound word on one half of the egg and the other half on the other piece of the egg. Keep writing compound words on the rest of the eggs. For a partner or small group game, take the eggs apart and mix them up. Have students match up the two eggs to make a compound word. To make this activity harder, make small picture cards that go with the words and students must put them inside the correct eggs.
Snowball Compound Words
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This whole class activity will get students excited to learn compound words. For this game, write half of a compound word on a sheet of paper. Write the other half on a separate piece of paper. Keep writing words until you have enough papers for all your students. Give each student a paper. Line up the students with the first half of the word in the front of the room. Students with the last half will go to the back of the room. Have them wad up their papers and throw them across the room like a snowball fight. After several minutes, have each student pick up a snowball and try to find their other half.
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Compound Word Go Fish
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Students will enjoy playing this familiar game with compound words. On separate index cards, write the two parts of the compound words. For struggling readers, put picture cues on the cards. Students will pick up five cards from the pile and put the rest in the draw pile. They will play the game like "Go Fish" and try to make matches of compound word parts. When it's a student's turn, for example, he will ask another student, "Do you have any cards that go with rain?" If the student does, she will give him her card. If not, the student will draw from the pile. The student with the most matches wins.
Compound Match Up
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Small groups of students can play compound match up. To prepare for this game, make a set of cards on index cards or cardstock featuring compound words. One half of the word will be on one card and one half of the word will be on another card. Make sure that students are not able to see through the back of the cards. Your students will play this game like the game "Concentration." Each child will have to match up the two halves of a compound word to make one word. When he makes a match, he must read the word to his partner. If he gets it correct, he gets to keep the cards.
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