Beginning blends card games with digraphs included for your literacy centers! This set gives you 2 fun card games, a Matching Game and Slap It!, that use picture, blend and word cards.

Blends are two or more consonants that keep their own sounds when read together, such as the bl in blue. Digraphs are two letters that make one new sound, such as the sh in ship. Children match pictures with the same beginning sound, match pictures to blends and digraphs and match blends and digraphs to words. You can also use the cards to play Go Fish!

With these beginning blends card games, you get

• 2 card games: a Matching Game and Slap It!
• Blend, word and picture cards, plus digraph cards
• Two sets of picture cards for more ways to play
• Black and white cards included

Print, shuffle and let the phonics fun begin!

What's Included

• Page 5: Instructions for Slap It!
• Pages 6-7: Blends
• Pages 8-9: Simple words beginning with blends
• Pages 10-11: Set 1 of pictures
• Pages 12-13: Set 2 of pictures
• Pages 14-15: Digraphs, words and pictures for digraphs
• Black and white cards

For the PH digraph, clip art is limited, so words with a medial PH sound are included.

Take a Closer Look

• Matching Game: Children match the pictures. Match two pictures with the same beginning sound, a picture to a blend or digraph or a blend or digraph to a word. Make the game simple or more difficult by changing the number of cards you use.
• Slap It!: A Slap-Jack style game. Any format of cards can go in the center pile. For example, if a "bl" card is flipped over in the center pile, players try to slap the "bl," "blue" or the pictures of the blender or blueberries.
• Go Fish!: Use the same cards to play Go Fish!

Why Teachers Love It

• Two games, one set of cards: Print once and play the Matching Game, Slap It! or Go Fish!
• Easy to customize: Choose a few blends and digraphs at a time and set out only those cards.
• Builds connections: Putting the format students struggle with most in the Slap It! center pile helps them connect it to formats that are easier for them.
• Black and white cards: Save ink with the black and white cards.
• Durable: Print on card stock and laminate the cards to use them again and again.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Beginning blends: Children hear and match the blended sounds at the start of words.
• Digraphs: Children connect digraphs with the sound they make.
• Phonemic awareness: Matching pictures by beginning sound asks children to listen closely to the start of each word.
• Reading simple words: Word cards give children practice reading words that begin with blends.
• Vocabulary: Picture cards build the words children use to name each picture.

Secondary Life & Learning Skills

• Taking turns
• Listening to classmates
• Remembering previous guesses
• Maintaining attention
• Waiting during group play
• Following directions

How to Use It

Step 1: Print the cards on card stock and/or laminate them for durability. Choose a few blends or digraphs to use in each game.

Step 2: Go through the cards with students before playing, so they become familiar with the words used to describe the pictures. Many terms can describe some of the pictures, so this helps avoid disagreements between players.

Step 3: Play the Matching Game, Slap It! or Go Fish! in literacy centers or small groups. See the instructions page for detailed Slap It! directions.

Easy Differentiation

Every class has students at different stages of phonics learning. These card games are easy to adjust for each group.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Start with a few blends at a time
• Match two pictures with the same beginning sound
• Say each picture name aloud together before playing
• Use fewer cards for a shorter game

For On-Level Practice

• Match pictures to blends and digraphs
• Play Slap It! with the picture and blend cards
• Add new blends to the game each week

For an Extra Challenge

• Match blends and digraphs to words
• Put the format students find hardest in the Slap It! center pile
• Add different formats to the playing pile as students become more familiar with the game

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Practice target blends and digraphs with the picture cards
• Introduce Slap It! with only two formats by making more copies of the playing cards
• Let students point to the match when speaking is hard
• Give extra processing time and model each game first

Perfect For

• Literacy centers
• Small groups
• Partner games
• Phonics intervention
• Speech therapy sessions
• Special education classrooms
• Homeschool

Standards

These beginning blends card games support kindergarten and 1st grade literacy standards in Common Core, the TEKS (ELAR) and the Virginia English SOL (2024):

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS RF.1.3.a: Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
• CCSS RF.K.3.a: Connect consonants with their most common sounds.

Texas TEKS

• TEKS ELAR K.2.A.ii: Recognize groups of words that begin with the same spoken onset or initial sound.
• TEKS ELAR 1.2.A.ii: Recognize groups of words that begin with the same spoken onset, such as matching pictures by beginning blend.

Virginia SOL

• VA SOL English 1.FFR.3.A: Decode short vowel words with blends and digraphs, such as the word cards.

Add the Beginning Blends Card Games to your cart and give your students two fun ways to match, slap and learn their blends and digraphs. Print, shuffle and watch phonics skills grow with every round!

These card games are also included in the Beginning Blends & Digraphs Mega Pack: Check out the Beginning Blends & Digraphs Mega Pack here

Download Details

Please note: This is a digital download that will be available to you directly after purchase. Nothing will be mailed to you.

You will receive a link to the download in three places

1. On the 'thank you' page after checkout
2. In your email
3. Login on the site here: https://lifeovercsstore.com/account