A Note to Parents
We all struggle to incorporate reading and literacy building activities into our children’s day-to-day. Between sports practice, music lessons, dinner, and bedtime, it can seem impossible to squeeze in something else.
In our home, when we are in between chapter books or haven’t picked up a new stash of picture books from the library, we switch up bedtime reading and play a family game in lieu of a story. This game had been forming in my mind for years because I had struggled to find a game that was fun and had a literacy or story-telling component. My daughters named it for me, calling it “Wondrous Rainbow Words” and they love that they can beat me at the game.
Wondrous Rainbow Words is a quick, educational game, designed to develop critical thinking and literacy skills by facing strategic challenges using words. I created this game with established readers in mind, but we include our budding reader by placing her on a team with an adult so she can get the support she needs.
Keep in mind…to play this game you will need a little advanced planning.
Encourage all your readers (young and old) to help create the game after you have printed the game pieces. Kids can help cut out the Rainbow Words, Changer Chips, search for dice to use, containers for playing, or reusable plastic bags to store the game.
I hope your kids enjoy winning against you (you’re clearly a worthy opponent) and that as you play this game around your kitchen table, you find enjoyment in the creativity of your child’s mind.
Happy Reading,
Elizabeth
PS. If this doesn’t strike a chord right away with your reader, set it aside for a few months as you observe your child (and their reading progress and challenges) and bring it back out again when they might be ready for a new challenge.
You can download Wondrous Rainbow Cards by clicking the button below. Your download will include game instructions, changer chips, and rainbow words. Enjoy! And if you end up playing, share a photo and tag us @hellohootreading on Instagram and @hootreading on Facebook and Twitter. We’d love to see you playing the game!
Notes:
This game uses word lists.
1) Created by and purchased from Elizabeth O’Brien at:
https://www.english-grammar-revolution.com/list-of-interjections.html
2) Offered for free access at: https://www.linguasorb.com/english/verbs/most-common-verbs/
