Should you be using worksheets in Kindergarten? YES! Worksheets don't have to be just busy work or boring. There are plenty of ways to make them meaningful, hands-on, and fun. Here are a few simple ways to make phonics worksheets more engaging for your students.
Build fine motor skills with cut and paste worksheets
Students come into Kindergarten needing to build their fine motor skills, as their hand and finger muscles are still developing. One of the best ways to practice that is with cut and paste activities. Using scissors daily makes a big difference in helping build those fine motor skills. Cut and paste worksheets can practice spelling words, sorting sounds, or matching pictures.
Add exciting tools to use with your phonics worksheets
The easiest way to make a phonics worksheet more engaging? Add in some exciting tools!
Here are a few tools you can add:
- Use stamps to identify sounds or spell words
- Try bingo dabbers to mark sounds or letters
- Use markers or crayons instead of using a pencil
- Form letters using playdough
Practice phonemic awareness with picture sorts
Phonemic awareness is difficult to practice without direct instruction. However, once students start to understand specific phonemic awareness skills (like identifying the beginning sound of a word), you can use activities to help practice bridging that skill to phonics. Using picture sorts is a great way to practice those phonemic awareness skills of isolating or matching sounds. When students start blending and identifying phonics patterns, you can add in phonics word sorts to continue expanding this skill.
Create file folder games
If you want to get more use out of phonics worksheets, they are easy to create into file folder games! Print off which worksheet you would like to use and separate any pieces. Glue to a file folder and laminate. Then, using velcro add in the additional pieces on the other side, as well as on the actual worksheet. Label the edge with the activity name and now you've got a worksheet turned file folder game. It's easy to pull one of these file folder activities for small group instruction or a last-minute center activity. Thank you to Sabrinna from @teachinglittlemindss for sharing this idea!
Reusable worksheets using wipe-off sheet protectors
What is the simplest way to reuse these worksheets? Just add them into a sheet protector and pair them with a dry erase marker. It adds an exciting tool but also you can reuse it a few times and save some paper. I always liked to have extra worksheets in dry erase pockets when students finished their center work early. It also makes a great small group lesson activity that you can reuse with each group.
Use these engaging phonics worksheets in your classroom!
How do you plan on using phonics worksheets in your classroom? You can find all of these worksheets (and more!) inside the SFK Phonics Curriculum and Worksheet Bundle. It includes all the worksheets your students need to practice phonics independently. You can find them here.
Want to try out one of these ideas? You can sign up below to get a sample worksheet pack right to your email!