Learning word wall words is an important skill for kindergarten and first grade students. Word walls words are often called sight words, and are words that a child should be able to read quickly and automatically. Play "Around the World" with a small group of four to six children. In this game, you show the first two children a word wall word card. The child who calls out the word first gets the card and then plays against the third child for the next card. The child who earns the card gets to keep playing against the next child in order. At the end of the game, the children count up their cards to see who had the most cards.
Give the children cards to match up pairs that rhyme. Show your pupils how to do this activity first and then allow the children to play independently. In groups of two, children place each rhyming card in a set face down and take turns playing a matching game. When a child matches a pair, she gets to keep the pair. After a child has a turn, her partner takes his turn. The child who has the most matches after all the cards have been turned over is the winner.
Learning simple addition facts is a great skill for your pupils to commit to memory. When the children in your room learn how to add numbers together, such as near the end of kindergarten and any time in first grade, introduce addition games. Place two children in a group together with addition fact cards. The children take turns drawing cards and saying the answer quickly. A variation of this is to play "War" with the cards. The children each draw a card and need to determine if their sum is greater than their partner's sum. The child with the greater sum keeps both cards.
If you have access to computers in the classroom, online games are a valuable resource. If you do not have access within your classroom, create a list of online games that children can play at home. Online learning games give children a chance to practice skills you have taught within the classroom in a challenging environment. PBS Kids offers learning games that range from letters to science. Another website that offers reading games online is Starfall, which focuses on offering reading games and skills to develop reading abilities. Funbrain offers a variety of educational games online. Math games are available in the "Math Arcade," or a child can strengthen his grammar skills with "Grammar Gorilla's."