Frugal Tip #4 - DIY literacy games

With all the colorful enchanting flash cards, bingo games, and phonics cards lurking in teacher stores and catalogs, we catch ourselves ordering overpriced items that we can make ourselves without a lot of money, time or energy! Let's stop throwing money away on games that you can easily make yourself!

I have caught myself buying a sightword bingo game ($10.00) from a store just to get it home and realize that the words aren't exactly the words my students are working on, the pieces are just a little too flimsy, there are not enough boards for all of my students, and the layout is either too advanced or too easy! I end up spending more time altering the game to adapt it to my students' learning styles than I would have if I had just made the game myself!

How can you make these games when you do not seem to have any extra time as it is? Easily! Here's how to make literacy games:

1. Use microsoft word or another word processing program to create a basic table for your game. If you are using Microsoft Word, go to insert and click on table. Pick the number of columns and rows you want for the game, expand the sizes of the boxes (if needed), type in the words and/or insert pictures, and save! Once you have a basic table made, you can literally create hundreds of variations of different games within minutes!

2. Use DLTK's free worksheet and games generator! http://www.dltk-holidays.com/
I must say this is a really cute money and time saving way to make educational games that can be implemented into any literacy block! Once your are at the site, click on the category/holiday theme you would like to generate a game for. For example, I chose summer. There are lots of different online games (great for smartboard and technology goals) as well as worksheets and game generators. Then, I click on the games and puzzles section. I scroll down to "SUMMER THEMED PRINTABLE GAMES AND PUZZLES" and click on the games that I want to make. You get to pick the level of difficulty, color or b/w, etc. Basically, all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions and you will have wonderful learning games in seconds! The site makes jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, bingo at various levels, concentration (memory), etc. You really can't go wrong with this site!

3. Use the table you generated on microsoft word and type in spelling words, sight words, vocabulary, capital and lower case letters...you get the idea! You can then print these cards and use them as flash cards, concentration game pieces (have students take turns trying to read the words...if they read the words CORRECTLY and it is a match, they put it into their pile), sentence starters, rhyming pairs, antonyms, synonyms, etc. The possibilities truly are endless!

4. Use Carl's Corner. http://www.carlscorner.us.com/ With all of the wonderful resources abound, the site can be somewhat difficult to maneuver through; but trust me, it is worth it! Carl's corner offers a plethora of FREE literacy materials that are wonderful resources for any teacher to have. She has pre-made games, phonemic awareness activities, phonics fun, literacy wheels, and so much more! You can use her clipart and ideas in your own game or you can use one of the pre-made activities she has already done for you! Take some time to explore the site and click on the various links. It might take a few minutes to find exactly what you are looking for but it is there! Plus once you find it, you can bookmark it and keep it!

5. Comprehension cube game - My students love this game and it is completely free to make! I simply used a cube template from a math resource book (the template that you fold and glue to make a cube) and wrote questions pertaining to story details. For kindergarten my cubes say - who?, where?, beginning, middle, end, problem/solution. My students get with a partner and take turns rolling the die. Then, they answer the question and their partner can add to their answer if needed. There is no "winner" in this game. My students just think this is a really fun way to recall story details! It takes the work out of comprehension! Pretty soon, the students strive to remember more details in order to have quality answers. The game is a win-win for students and teachers alike!
The cube can be used for just about any game! If you would like me to send you a copy of the template, just send me an email @ afrugalteacher@gmail.com

Why waste money on expensive games that don't suit the learning styles of our students? You can save HUNDREDS of dollars and even time by making these frugal easy games at home! Not only are you saving money, you are making learning fun and enjoyable for all of your students and really isn't that what teaching is all about?!