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Phonics Games Your Students Will Beg to Play Again

May 30, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers

We all know that phonics is a cornerstone of early reading instruction, but that doesn’t mean it has to be repetitive or dull! I have found that the key to building phonics skills in kindergarten and first grade is keeping learning playful, interactive, and engaging. Games are one of the best ways to help students practice letter sounds, blends, and word families in a way that actually sticks.

Here are five simple (and free!) phonics games your students will love—and keep asking to play again:

1. Sound Hopscotch

Draw a hopscotch grid on the floor using painter’s tape. Instead of numbers, write letters or word family chunks in each square. As students hop through, they say the letter sound or read the word they land on. This is a great way to blend movement with phonics practice!

2. Mystery Bag Sounds

Fill a small bag with objects or picture cards that start with different sounds. Students reach in, pull out one item, and say the beginning sound (or ending/middle sound for a challenge). You can play it as a group or in small centers. It’s easy, hands-on fun!

3. Swat the Sound

Write letter sounds or CVC words on sticky notes and place them on the wall or a table. Call out a sound or word, and have students use a flyswatter to “swat” the correct one. This quick-paced game gets everyone involved and is great for auditory learners.

4. Roll & Read

Use a die and create a simple chart with phonics words or letter sounds next to each number. Students roll the die and read the word or sound that matches the number. You can easily differentiate by using blends, digraphs, or vowel teams as students progress.

5. Reinforce with No-Prep Printables

While games are fun, structure and repetition also matter! These Phonics Worksheets and Activities are packed with ready-to-use activities that build fluency and confidence. It covers letter identification, letter sounds, building words, word family work, building sentences, and writing stories using a systematic approach to make it easy for you to differentiate your plans.They’re designed for busy teachers who need no-fuss phonics practice that still makes an impact.

By combining movement, games, and meaningful practice, you can create a phonics routine your students look forward to every day. These activities are not only fun, they also build the foundational reading skills your students need to thrive.

Looking for more reading activities? Check out my post here!

5 Fun End of the Year Activities for Elementary Students

May 16, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers

As the final days of school approach, it’s the perfect time to make lasting memories with your students! If you’re looking for fun end of year classroom ideas that keep students engaged and excited, themed days and easy-to-use resources are the way to go. Here are 5 of the best end of the year activities for elementary students that will help you wrap up the year with fun, learning, and celebration.

1. Bubble Lab Day – A Fun and Fizzy Science Celebration

Let your students explore the wonders of bubbles with a hands-on science twist! The Bubble Lab End of the Year Theme Day is one of my favorite end of year theme days. It includes everything you need for a bubbly blast—stations, activities, and outdoor fun that blend learning with play. Students love testing bubble mixtures, making bubble wands, and seeing who can create the biggest bubble!

2. Camping Day – Bring the Great Outdoors Inside

Ready for a classroom campout? With the Camping Day End of the Year Theme Day, you can recreate the magic of the woods—no bug spray required! Use flashlights, set up tents or blankets, and enjoy fun end of the year classroom ideas like s’mores crafts, campfire songs, and writing under the stars. It’s cozy, creative, and a classroom favorite.

3. Beach Day – A No-Sand Celebration for Students

Bring the sunshine into your room with a Beach Day End of the Year Theme Day! This resource makes planning your beach-themed classroom day a breeze. Students can wear sunglasses, read under beach umbrellas, and enjoy beach ball games and crafts. It’s one of the best end of the year activities for elementary students who are ready to celebrate summer.

4. Candy Bar Awards – Editable Awards for a Sweet Send-Off

If you’re looking for editable awards for students that are easy and fun, you’ll love the Candy Bar Awards. Each award highlights a student’s strength and pairs it with a matching candy. They’re editable, print-and-go, and sure to bring big smiles. It’s a simple way to make every student feel seen and celebrated!

5. Graduation Hats and Certificates – Celebrate with Style

End the year with a keepsake your students and their families will treasure! The Editable Graduation Hat Certificate is perfect for any grade level. Whether you’re having a full-on class graduation or a low-key goodbye, these certificates add a special touch to your final days.

With a few thoughtful touches, your end-of-year celebration can be fun, meaningful, and low-stress. Try one (or all!) of these end of the year activities for elementary students to wrap up your school year with joy and creativity! Looking for more end of the year activities? Check out this post here!

How to Make Guided Reading Easier and More Effective for K-2 Students

May 9, 2025 teachersbrain Reading, Teacher's Pay Teachers

If guided reading feels overwhelming, you’re not alone! Between different reading levels, small group management, and trying to plan meaningful activities, it can be a lot. You want your students to grow their reading skills, but prepping for every book and every group can quickly eat up your planning time.

The good news? It doesn’t have to be that way! With the right tools and routines, guided reading can become one of the most effective and enjoyable parts of your day for both you and your students!

Here are a few simple ways to make guided reading time easier to manage and more impactful for your learners:

1. Use activities that work with ANY book

One of the biggest time-savers is using flexible resources that can be used with whatever books you already have. That’s why I created the Guided Reading Activities for Any Book – Reading Blocks MEGA BUNDLE. It includes printable and digital reading activities that can be used with fiction or nonfiction books at any level. No more hunting for leveled worksheets or scrambling to find matching resources — just grab a book and go!

2. Keep your small group time structured and consistent

Our kiddos thrive on routines. When they know what to expect during small groups, they can focus better and grow more confident. The Reading Blocks system helps establish a clear structure for guided reading time. You can rotate through vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and more — all using the same easy-to-follow format. Once students get the hang of it, things run so much smoother.

3. Target multiple reading skills in guided reading without extra planning

With over 150 pages of reading activities, this bundle covers everything from making predictions to retelling, summarizing, comparing texts, vocabulary building, and more. Plus, many of the activities are open-ended, so you can use them again and again with different books. It’s perfect for differentiation and easy to adapt for your students’ needs.

Ready to make your guided reading time stress-free?

My Reading Blocks Bundle is your all-in-one solution for guided reading in kindergarten through second grade! Whether you’re working with beginning readers or more advanced students, this resource helps you make the most of your small group time, without hours of prep! Just choose a book, print (or pull up the digital version), and teach!

👉 Grab the Guided Reading Activities for Any Book – Reading Blocks Bundle here!

For more reading activity ideas, check out my post here!

10 Quick Writing Activities to Add to Your Daily Routine

May 2, 2025 teachersbrain Teacher's Pay Teachers, Writing

Finding time to fit meaningful writing into the school day can feel impossible with everything else on your plate. But the truth is, writing doesn’t have to be long or complicated to be effective! With a few consistent routines and engaging prompts, you can easily weave short writing activities into your daily schedule—and see big growth over time. If you’re looking for writing activities for kids or writing prompts that your elementary students will love, I have you covered!

Here are 10 quick writing activities that take just 5–15 minutes and help build strong, confident writers:

Morning Message Response
Post a short message on the board and have students write a sentence or two back to you. It’s a great warm-up and helps with sentence structure.
Would You Rather Prompts
Pose a silly “Would you rather…” question and ask students to write their choice and explain why. Kids love the creativity and opinion writing practice.
Daily Picture Prompt
Show a photo and have students write a short story or description. You can use real images or illustrations to spark their imagination.
Weekend Rewind
Every Monday, invite students to write a sentence or two about something they did over the weekend. It builds routine and personal narrative skills.
Finish the Story
Start a story and let students write the ending. You can make it funny, spooky, or themed to match the season or curriculum.
Gratitude Writing
Ask students to write one thing they’re thankful for and why. It’s a great SEL check-in and builds reflective thinking.
List Writing
Quick and low-pressure—have students make a list (e.g., favorite animals, things in their backpack, foods they dislike). It supports spelling and vocabulary.
Step-by-Step Writing
Great for procedural writing! Have students write how to do something simple like make a sandwich or tie a shoe.
Character of the Day
Introduce a character name and ask students to describe them or write a short scene. This encourages creativity and descriptive language.
Use a Prompt from the Writing Prompts K–3 Bundle
One of the easiest ways to get kids writing daily is with ready-made prompts! The Writing Prompts Kindergarten–3rd Grade BUNDLE includes a huge variety of seasonal, creative, and curriculum-aligned prompts. Each page includes a clear writing focus and space for students to draw and write—perfect for morning work, centers, or fast finisher tasks. It’s truly a grab-and-go resource you’ll use all year!

With just a few minutes a day and the right tools, writing time can become a meaningful and manageable part of your classroom routine.

Want more writing activity ideas? Check out my post here!