Reading fluency is a crucial component of literacy development, allowing students to read smoothly, accurately, and with expression. After learning a new phonics pattern, students—especially struggling readers—need multiple opportunities to practice reading words with that pattern. Research shows that fluency is built through repeated encounters with words, with the average student requiring 4-14 repetitions for automaticity, while struggling readers may need more than 20. Phonics games provide an engaging, multisensory way for students to get this essential practice, reinforcing phonics skills through visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile activities. These interactive games help make fluency practice fun while ensuring students get the repetition needed for mastery.
Here are some tried-and-true activities that you can use in your classroom to build fluency.
1. Dots and Boxes: Phonics Edition
Why It’s Effective: This engaging game turns phonics practice into a competitive challenge. Students take turns reading and connecting words with the targeted phonics pattern. The more words they read, the more they build fluency!
Try This: For advanced students, have them use the words in sentences to deepen their understanding.
Phonics Dots and Boxes Click HERE
2. Phonics Crafts
Why It’s Effective: Hands-on activities like phonics crafts provide students with a multi-sensory way to reinforce phonics patterns. When students engage in cutting, coloring, and assembling, they create a visual and tactile connection to the words they’re learning.
Try This: Have students complete a phonics craft focusing on a newly introduced phonics pattern. Then, have them present their craft by reading the words aloud to a partner or small group.
3. Partner Reading
Why It’s Effective: Reading with a partner increases accountability, builds confidence, and provides immediate feedback. Struggling readers benefit from hearing fluent reading models and practicing together.
Try This: Have both students read the passage or story twice—so that each student reads both parts. Then, have them work together to answer some comprehension questions. Students love collaborating, and this approach reinforces fluency and comprehension skills.
Decodable Partner Reads Click HERE
4. Read and Write the Room Phonics Games
Why It’s Effective: This movement-based activity keeps students engaged while reinforcing fluency. As students search for and read words around the room, they repeatedly encounter the phonics pattern.
Try This: Post words related to the phonics pattern around the room. Have students walk around, read each word aloud, and then write it down in a notebook or on a recording sheet. Students can read words and/or sentences.
Phonics Write the Room Click HERE
5. Word Mapping with Pop Toys
Why It’s Effective: This hands-on approach to phonics helps students break words into phonemes and blend them back together, reinforcing both decoding and fluency.
Try This: Give students pop toys and words containing the target phonics pattern. Have them press a bubble for each sound, then read the full word aloud. This is great in a literacy center!
Orthographic Mapping Click HERE
6. Mix and Match Phonics Games
Why It’s Effective: These versatile games help students build fluency in multiple ways—whether as a center activity, partner work, or a memory game.
Try This: Provide students with word cards containing the phonics pattern. Let them play memory match, matching words with the same pattern, or use them in a fluency race.
Phonics Mix and Match Centers Click HERE
7. Phonics Interactive Notebook
Why It’s Effective: Keeping all phonics practice in one place makes review easy! Students can refer back to past activities to reinforce learning and fluency over time.
Try This: Have students create a page for each phonics pattern, writing words, drawing pictures, and practicing sentences. Use it as a reference during fluency practice. You can read more about using a Phonics Interactive Notebook HERE!
Phonics and Fluency Notebook Click HERE
Fluency takes time to develop, and struggling readers need extra support. By integrating these phonics games and activities into your daily instruction, you can give your students the repeated practice they need in a fun and engaging way! Try these activities in your classroom and watch your students build confidence as fluent readers with reading fluency with phonics games!
Click on the pictures to try out some of these free games and activities in your classroom!
Have the best day!
-Hollie
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