Valentine’s Day is a perfect holiday for encouraging literacy development. There are so many fun Valentine books and activities to read and do during the cold winter months.
Today, I have a fun activity to practice sight word recognition and it pairs well with one of our favorite Valentine books.
Valentine Read & Play
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READ
The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond is a sweet little story about a girl named Cornelia Augusta who collects falling hearts. She carefully inspects each one and chooses a “just right” heart for each of her friends to create Valentine’s Day cards. You may remember this book with a different title. It used to be called Four Valentines in a Rainstorm.
PLAY
It’s time to let it rain sight word hearts!
Materials needed: 20 paper hearts, marker, 5 envelopes, tape, and a small basket
1. Pick 5 sight words that your child needs to practice reading. On each paper heart you will write a sight word. You want to end up with four hearts for each sight word. You could even let your child do this step to practice their spelling and handwriting skills.
2. On the back of each envelope you will write on of these same sight words. Write the word on the bottom below the flap.
3. Tape each envelope to a door in your house. You want the back side of the envelope with the sight word on it facing out so the “mail carrier” can see it.
4. Scatter the hearts on the floor to make it appear that it has just rained hearts.
5. Give your little one a basket.
Time to play!
Have your children collect the hearts that fell from the sky into their basket. Each time they pick up a heart have them read the sight word.
After all the hearts have been collected, it’s time to deliver them to the right homes. Your little mail carriers should deliver all the hearts to the right envelopes.
Variation: For older children, you could use your child’s spelling list to label the hearts. Use letters of the alphabet for younger children.
Enjoy this fun and playful Valentine sight word activity!
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I’m excited to be joining with The Pleasantest Thing and other great bloggers for the Valentine Read & Play. For more great book and activity ideas just head to the main Valentine’s Read & Play post. You should also check out the Read & Play Pinterest Board!
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This is a really fun spin on learning sight words!
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What a cute idea! I’m going to try this with my daughter!
Hi Jodie! I’m visiting from the After School Link Up! You always have such great ideas! I’ll be doing this creative Valentine idea during Valentine’s week. Thanks so much for sharing!
Christa @littlelogcottageschool.com
Thanks so much Christa!
I think this is such a fab idea!
Love it! Such a fun way to learn sight words.
What a fun and active way to practice sight words!