A group of two or three consonant letters that preserve their sound when spoken are known as consonant blends or consonant clusters. Blends can be found at the start or the end of a word. Blends help children analyze the sound of words before actually writing them. It enables them to understand how 2 letters can be used to create a sound and then form a word out of it. However, it can be tough to teach blends as students are more likely to be confused between blends and digraphs.
To ease the process, teachers and parents can always opt for creative games and activities to help understand blends from a unique perspective. The controlled learning environment provided by games and activities helps students engage with the material through graphics, letter sounds, teamwork, and focus. Students learn about word mixing while enhancing their vocabulary and keeping them interested in the idea.
Explore below the helpful games and activities that require no heavy preparations. They are easy to play with and help modify the learning environment.
Interesting online games to learn blending words
Have you been looking for creative ways to teach the concept of blends? Learning while playing games can be the ideal option to help you ease the struggle. Games are filled with visually appealing illustrations, and sensible questions and some also have a scoreboard to keep students engaged in the learning process.
1. Fuzz Bug Farm Consonant Blends
As the name suggests, the game revolves around the theme of a farm. Different animals try to compete to reach their homes.
- To play this game, click on the start button.
- You will now be asked to choose the number of players involved in the game.
- Now, half the pair of puzzles will be displayed on the screen.
- The pair will have words and you need to select the blending words for the same.
- The other pair will be presented below in 3 different options.
- You need to select the right option to move ahead towards the destination of the farm animal.
This playtime helps students understand the blending words while keeping it engaging with creative illustrations.
2. Blends Spelling
This game helps students in understanding the usage of correct consonant blends. It has a simple interface with easy-to-understand instructions.
- To play this game, click on the right button.
- You will be displayed different words that are incomplete.
- You need to select the right consonant blend that appears next to the given word to complete it.
- Each correct answer enhances knowledge about consonant blends.
It helps students understand spelling and a plethora of consonant blends. Students also get to understand the basic difference between digraphs and blends.
3. Blends Race
This game is all about racing and winning the word with the right blend. The game is set in a maze-like format to keep students interested in finding the blends.
- To play this game, click on the start button.
- You shall be taken to the main screen of the game.
- Here, a different question will be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
- Different options will be displayed in different corners of the maze.
- You need to navigate your way through the maze to reach the correct answer.
- The enemies are all around to stop and make you lose a life.
- As you reach the correct answer, you shall go ahead and score points.
This is an engaging game to keep students active with different blends. Since the game can make them lose a life on the screen, it creates a challenging learning interface.
4. Consonant Blends
As the name suggests, the game focuses on brushing skills on the subject of consonant blends. It also allows students to understand the sound and choose a relevant blend of it.
- To play this game, click on the start button.
- Now, you shall be taken to the main screen of the game.
- Here, different incomplete words will be displayed
- You need to select the right blend to complete the word.
This game enables students to learn the sound of the blend. It also helps them understand the application and usage of each blend.
5. Blends at Both Ends Quiz
Presenting an entertaining game where students get exposure to different images that carry blends in the words. The game follows a quiz-like format to keep it challenging for students.
- To play this game, click on the start button.
- You shall now be taken to the quiz area where you need to be quick about choosing the answer.
- Here, a picture will be displayed on the screen.
- You need to select the right answer to the picture that is a blend.
- The right blend gets you a point. If you are quick at it, you also get a time bonus added to the final score.
This game allows children to strengthen their vocabulary. It also helps them understand how different blends can be recognized simply by looking at the pictures.
Engaging activities to teach and practice blending words
While online games boost the learning process, it is always a good way to include diversity in learning. Students tend to get bored after playing the same game once their knowledge about the concept is thorough. Hence, classroom activities help you create a balance by offering different learning platforms. Check out different activities that help change the classroom environment while also involving students in learning blends.
1. Write it Quick
Presenting an entertaining activity that helps students be quick in guessing the words that contain blends. You need to ask students to get a blank paper for the activity.
- To conduct this activity, ask students to keep their blank paper and pens ready.
- Now, give them a blending sound for the activity.
- Ask students to write as many words as possible in a time limit of 40 seconds.
- Once done, you may ask them to read the words.
- For example, if you say the blend CL, they may write – clay, clip, clap, etc.
This activity enables critical thinking while thinking of different words that fit into blends. The time limit makes it challenging yet fun to be quick.
2. Memory Game
This is a fun activity that can be conducted with big groups of students. In this activity, you need to arrange placards. One set of placards shall have pictures and the other set of placards shall have the names that depict the pictures along with the blend.
- To conduct this activity, make students stand in a circle.
- Give placards to all students and ask them to hide it from their classmates.
- Now, play the music and ask students to find their pair.
- The twist here is that the students need to find their pair while the music is playing and stop once the music is stopped.
- For example, if one student has the picture of a flag he/she is supposed to find another student who has the placard with the blend FL.
- The activity ends when all students have found the correct pair of the blend.
Such an engaging activity enables students to connect different pictures with their respective blends. It also encourages them to enhance their motor skills and be a part of a challenging activity.
3. Draw and Learn
As the name suggests, it is a simple activity that enables students to understand blends in a thorough manner. In this activity, all you need is a whiteboard and a marker.
- To conduct this activity, write a blend on the whiteboard.
- Ask students to take a minute to think and call any student randomly for the activity.
- Now, ask the student to draw a picture on the whiteboard that depicts the respective blend.
- For example, if the blend is DR, they may draw a drum or a dress.
- If they cannot think of a drawing, you may ask them to write a word with the blend instead.
The activity helps students go creative with their understanding of blends. Drawing makes the activity interesting and fun to conduct. It is indeed a good way to drive their motor skills while keeping them connected to the concept of blends.
4. Un-jumble the Words
This is a unique activity where students can either play individually or be paired in teams. It allows them to think critically about different words while unjumbling.
- To conduct this activity, write jumbled words on the whiteboard that consist of blends.
- Now, divide the students into pairs of 4 team members each.
- Present them 8 to 10 words on the whiteboard.
- Now, give them a minute to unjumble and find the right word and make them write it on the board.
- The teams can either brainstorm and one person may write or they may make their own strategies.
- Once they’ve written the correct words, ask them to identify the blending word in it.
Such an interesting game teaches team building and collaborating. It also enhances their vocabulary while learning blends.
5. Who Has the Most?
This is an interesting yet challenging activity where students are paired in teams. With this activity, they learn to recognize multiple blending words through team building.
- To conduct this activity, divide the students into teams of 3 members each.
- Now, present a blending word to all the teams.
- The teams are now supposed to be spontaneous in presenting their answers.
- They should try to speak the maximum possible words aloud with the respective blend.
- For example, if you say the blend TR, all teams have an equal opportunity to randomly say the words with blends.
- Here, any team that repeats the word already said by another team will lose their points
- The teams may say – truck, tree, trunk, etc.
- The team that says the highest number of blending words tops the activity.
This activity can also be played with a timer to make it challenging. Such an activity helps them make good teams, collaborate with classmates, and compete in a healthy environment.
Wrapping up,
Blends play an important role in developing complete phonemic awareness during the language development period. It is crucial for parents and teachers to clarify various misconceptions related to the sound and spelling of different words. Blending words help them build bigger words after analyzing the correct letter sounds for each.
While it can be tricky, online games and activities come to your rescue! They can be fun, and interesting, and also help students develop a sense of learning. Students might also have their own questions and doubts about letter sounds or spelling leading to a successful learning experience.
I am Shweta Sharma. I am a final year Masters student of Clinical Psychology and have been working closely in the field of psycho-education and child development. I have served in various organisations and NGOs with the purpose of helping children with disabilities learn and adapt better to both, academic and social challenges. I am keen on writing about learning difficulties, the science behind them and potential strategies to deal with them. My areas of expertise include putting forward the cognitive and behavioural aspects of disabilities for better awareness, as well as efficient intervention. Follow me on LinkedIn