Fall is here, and I wanted to offer my readers an awesome free printable for your young students! These emotions and five senses-themed word strips are great for hanging in the classroom or using for copying and handwriting practice.
These word strips are perfect for little ones because they’re easy to read, and most importantly, they come with images that represent each word, connecting the word to a sensory experience or emotion.
Having an image alongside the word is incredibly helpful because it allows children to connect the picture with how they might feel or sense it, which helps them begin to recognize and sound out the word. The visual and sensory connection makes the learning process more intuitive for young minds.
At the bottom of this article, you’ll be able to give your email address to get these emotion and 5 senses word strips sent directly to your inbox!
These word strips are perfect for little ones because they are easy to read and most importantly, they have an image to go along with the word.
Having the image is very helpful for these weather word strips because the student should be able to read them better on their own. They can look at the image and know the beginning sound which helps them start to sound out the word as well.
At the bottom of this article you’ll be able to give your email address to get the word strips sent right to your email.
Benefits of Word Strips
These word strips are fantastic for helping your preschooler, pre-k student, or kindergartener practice recognizing letters, writing them, and understanding the connection between words and sensory experiences.
You might think a preschooler can’t read a word like giggle or rough, but with repeated exposure and the help of sensory images, their minds will quickly start to recognize these as sight words.
Sight words, especially those that are tied to emotions or the senses, become easier for children to identify and understand through frequent practice and association. For example, they might not phonetically sound out soft, but seeing an image of a fluffy pillow helps them connect the word to the sense of touch. These words become part of their vocabulary simply through exposure and repetition.
It may be helpful to tape the word strip down on their desk or table so it doesn’t move around. This could cause them to lose track of what letter they were writing.
Practice Letter Writing
Once you print and cut these word strips, your students can use them to copy each letter onto their own sheet. Give your student lined paper, and have them place the word strip directly above it.
They can use markers, crayons, pencils, or whatever writing tool feels comfortable to them as they practice copying each letter below the word strip. Some strips even have pre-drawn lines underneath to make it easier for your child to write and trace the letters.
To help them stay focused, tape the word strip to the table or desk so it doesn’t shift around, which can be especially helpful for little hands still mastering fine motor skills.
Recognize Sight Words
By hanging these word strips in your classroom, playroom, or anywhere your child spends time, you’ll create an environment that naturally encourages word recognition.
The more they see words connected to emotions or sensory experiences, the better they’ll learn to recognize and understand those frequently used words, fostering both literacy and emotional awareness.
Other Ways to Use These Weather Wordstrips
Looking for even more things to use these word strips for? Try some of these!
Word Scavenger Hunt
Engage your child in an exciting word hunt around the room or outdoors. Encourage them to search for the word strips, read the words aloud, and discuss their meanings. This activity promotes active learning and word recognition skills.
How to Complete:
- Print and cut out two sets of word strips.
- Lay all the word strips facedown in a grid pattern.
- Take turns flipping over two cards at a time.
- If the cards match (i.e., they have the same word), the player keeps them and gets another turn.
- If the cards don’t match, they are flipped face down again, and it’s the next player’s turn.
- The game continues until all the matches have been found.
- The player with the most matched pairs at the end wins the game.
Word Puzzles
Transform the word strips into engaging puzzles. Cut the strips into letters and challenge your child to reconstruct the words by arranging the letters in the correct order. This activity promotes letter recognition, spelling, and problem-solving skills.
How to Complete:
- Cut each word strip into individual letters.
- Mix up the letters and place them in a pile facedown.
- Choose a word strip and turn it face up.
- Encourage your child to pick one letter at a time from the pile and try to build the word strip by placing the letters in the correct order.
- Once the word strip is complete, have your child read the word aloud and discuss its meaning.
- Repeat the process with different word strips, increasing the difficulty as your child progresses.
Word Memory Game
Play a classic memory game with the word strips. Flip the cards and try to match pairs of word strips. This fun game enhances memory, concentration, and word recognition abilities in an interactive way.
How to Complete:
- Print and cut out two sets of word strips.
- Lay all the word strips facedown in a grid pattern.
- Take turns flipping over two cards at a time.
- If the cards match (i.e., they have the same word), the player keeps them and gets another turn.
- If the cards don’t match, they are flipped face down again, and it’s the next player’s turn.
- The game continues until all the matches have been found.
- The player with the most matched pairs at the end wins the game.
Word Building Relay
Create a thrilling relay race where teams compete to find and bring back the correct word strips. This activity encourages teamwork, speed, and word recognition. It’s a fantastic way to combine physical activity with learning.
How to Complete:
- Divide the word strips into several sets.
- Create two or more teams with an equal number of players.
- Set up a starting line and a designated area for each team.
- When you say a word aloud, one player from each team races to find the corresponding word strip and bring it back to their team’s designated area.
- The next player in line continues the relay by finding the next word strip called out.
- The team that completes the relay first wins the game.
Word Storytime
Unleash your child’s storytelling skills by using the word strips to create sentences or short stories. Read the sentence/story aloud, prompting your child to point to the corresponding word strips. This activity sparks imagination, language development, and story comprehension. Enjoy the endless possibilities of storytelling with word strips.
How to Complete:
- Select a few word strips and arrange them in a sequence to create a simple sentence or short story.
- Sit down with your child and read the sentence/story aloud, emphasizing each word as you go.
- Encourage your child to point to the corresponding word strip as you read it.
- After reading, ask your child to retell the sentence/story using the word strips as visual aids.
- Have fun creating different sentences/stories using various combinations of word strips.
By incorporating these fun, emotion, and 5 senses-themed word strips into your daily activities, you’re not just teaching literacy but also helping children explore their emotions and the world around them through the five senses.
Check out my Teaching Littles Shop for more activities like this one.
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