Use this activity as a fun way to practice decoding words with initial blends and digraphs.

How to play SPLAT!

1. Print out the task cards on cardstock and cut them out on the dotted line. Store in a resealable bag to be used again and again.
2. Shuffle the cards and place them in a pile face down in the middle of the playing area.
3. Have one player draw a card and read the word.
4. If the player reads the word correctly, they get to keep the card. If they do not read it correctly, they place the card on the bottom of the pile.
5. If a SPLAT! card is drawn, the player must put all of their cards back in the pile.
6. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins!

This resource is great when used as a guided reading activity to reinforce decoding words.

How to Extend Student Learning 

Looking for ways to extend your students’ learning with this activity? At the end of the game, why not have them put the words they have collected in alphabetical order. Or why not have each student create a list of rhyming words for each card they collected throughout the game! Then, they can share their lists with a partner to read.

Are your students working on sentence writing? Why not have them choose a card and write a sentence using that word. The activity ideas for this resource are endless!

This resource was created by Lauren Piper, a teacher from Illinois and a Teach Starter Collaborator.