Teaching syllables is one of my favorite phonological awareness skills to teach! There are so many fun and engaging activities to practice syllables. You can read more about how to teach syllables in Kindergarten here. Today, I am sharing 3 simple hands-on syllable activity ideas you can try in your Kindergarten classroom.
Syllable Activity #1: Syllable Smash
Who doesn't love play dough?!? Any activity that kids get to use play dough is a total hit in my classroom. That's why I tried to use it with every phonics skill that I teach! This syllable smash game is one that your students will beg for more. It practices counting the syllables in a word. I've found this activity does best during your small group lesson, but your students can definitely do it during your center rotations too.
Here's how to play:
- Roll 4 play dough balls in front of each student.
- Say a word or show a picture.
- The students will count the syllables, smashing one play dough ball to represent each syllable.
- Check each student to see if they counted the syllables correctly.
You can find this Syllables Smash mat, along with additional play dough phonics mats here: Phonics and Phonological Awareness Play Dough Mats Activities
Syllable Activity #2: Syllables Scavenger Hunt
One of my favorite activities, when I was in school, was anytime we got to use magazines to create collages. Using scissors to cut is a great way to build fine motor skills, and this is more exciting than your usual cut and paste worksheet. Grab some old magazines and have students “hunt” for words that are 1, 2, 3, or 4 syllables long! They cut them out and glue them under each number, then share them with the class. You can also do the same thing, but with students finding objects around the classroom or drawing pictures.
You can find this Syllables Scavenger Hunt worksheet, along with additional phonics scavenger hunt worksheets here: Phonics Scavenger Hunt Activities
Syllable Activity #3: Counting Syllables with Movement
Another way to get students excited about learning is by making them get up and move their bodies! A simple way to practice syllables rather than just clapping them out is to add in different ways to count. For example, you can have students hop while counting syllables, or give high fives to a friend while counting. I made these cards for different ways to count syllables. You can have a student pick their favorite or pick out of a basket!
You can grab these syllable counting movement visuals for free here.
These movement cards are included in the Syllables Mini Phonics Unit.
Find more syllable activities here
Are you looking for “done-for-you” lessons, centers, worksheets, assessments, and more to help you teach syllables? You can find the Kindergarten Syllables Mini Phonics Unit in my Teachers Pay Teachers store here.
What hands-on syllable activity idea will you try in your classroom?
