Once kids learn stand alone letter sounds, they’re ready to tackle digraphs – two letter combinations that make just one sound like the pairs CH, SH and TH. Just like our digraph cards, this simple sort and find digraph activity is a motivating, hands-on way to make learning them fun for kids.
When you’re done with some digraph fun, hop over to snag our Emergent Reader Bundle!Â
Digraph Sort Activity
I decided to start with the digraph sort because it gave me the chance to easily check kids’ understanding before letting them move on to the digraph hunt that was more of an independent activity.
To prep, I printed the cards on cardstock and cut them apart. (You could laminate them for extra durability too.)
Working with a small group of students, I laid out the headings and placed the pictures in a pile. The children looked at each picture, named the digraph sound and then placed it near the heading that matched. Super straightforward.
If you happen to have a literacy dice, these headings fit on the faces perfectly so you could have kids roll the cube and read the word that lands on top. They also make great flashcards, too.
Digraph Word Hunt Activity
Once students were able to confidently sort the digraph cards into their correct spots, I pulled out the word hunt.
The word hunt worked a bit like “write-around-the-room.” I simply hid one picture from each digraph in a semi-obvious spot in the classroom. Then, I gave every child a word hunt sheet, a clipboard and a pencil for writing.
The mini investigators eagerly searched around looking for the digraph cards. Each time they found one, they wrote it in the correct spot on their sheet.
Download your free copy of the Digraph Sort and Hunt activities and then hop over and check out our awesome Emergent Reader Bundle!
