CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) words are the magical building blocks that transform curious children into confident readers, bridging the gap between recognizing letters and understanding how they come together to create meaning.
We’ve curated a collection of CVC word activities and games that will turn learning into an adventure children will beg to continue. These aren’t your ordinary educational exercises, they’re carefully crafted experiences designed to make early reading skills irresistible.
These activities and games promote not just memorization but also a deeper understanding of how letters form words, words form sentences, and sentences convey ideas.
1. Block Bridges
Use LEGO-like bricks to build bridges while practicing CVC words. Write different CVC words on small labels or tape and write them on the bricks. Provide students with matching lettered bricks so they can construct the words by stacking the correct letters. As they build, encourage them to read each word aloud.
Learn more: 123 Homeschool 4me
2. CVC Cup Stacking
This activity involves stacking styrofoam cups with CVC words written on them, creating a fun way for students to practice reading and building words. Start by writing simple CVC words (like “box,” “fox,” and “pig”) on separate cups. Students will then stack the cups, placing them in order to form words or match words with pictures.
Learn more: Forward with Fun
3. CVC Roll and Color
Prepare a paper dice with different CVC words or pictures on each side. Provide an activity sheet with corresponding words or images. Students will roll the dice, read the word or identify the picture, and then find and color the matching word or image on their activity paper.
Learn more: Miss Giraffe’s Blogspots
4. CVC Word Puzzles
Create CVC word puzzles by writing simple three-letter words on sturdy cardboard or laminated paper. Cut each word into three separate pieces, one for each letter. Students will match the letters to form the correct word, reinforcing their phonics skills. For added engagement, use colorful designs or pictures related to the words to provide visual clues.
Learn more: Playdough to Plato
5. Write and Wipe CVC Word
Prepare an activity sheet with various CVC words and blank spaces for students to write the missing letters. Cover the sheet with a transparent plastic sleeve or laminate it for repeated use. Provide dry-erase markers so students can write and wipe as they practice forming words.
Learn more: The Primary Brain
6. Bottle Cap CVC Word Building
Gather bottle caps and write individual letters on them to create a set for building CVC words. Prepare an activity sheet with word outlines or picture prompts to guide students in forming the correct words. Students will arrange the bottle caps to match the given words, reinforcing letter-sound relationships and spelling skill
Learn more: Miss Giraffe’s Class Blogspot
7. CVC Missing Vowel Cards
Prepare a set of CVC word cards with the middle vowel missing. Each card should display the beginning and ending consonants along with a blank space for the vowel. Provide students with vowel letter cutouts or write-in spaces to complete the words. They will identify the correct vowel sound and place or write it in the blank.
Learn more: Totschooling
8. CVC Word Match
Create a set of CVC word cards and matching picture cards. Each word card should display a simple three-letter CVC word, while the picture cards should illustrate the corresponding object or animal. Students will read the words and find the matching pictures, reinforcing word recognition and vocabulary.
Learn more: The Kindergarten Connection
9. Building Cookie CVC Words
Prepare paper or foam cookies with individual letters written on them. Provide a set of CVC word cards as guides. Students will arrange the letter cookies to form the correct CVC words based on the given cards
Learn more: Modern Preschool
10. CVC Flip Books
Create simple flip books with three sections, each containing a letter. The first section has beginning consonants, the middle section has vowels, and the last section has ending consonants. Students flip through the sections to form different CVC words and read them aloud.
Learn more: Teacher Pay Teachers
11. CVC Clown Toss
Prepare a large clown face with an open mouth on a cardboard box. Write different CVC words on small bean bags or balls. Students take turns reading the word aloud before tossing the matching ball into the clown’s mouth. This interactive activity reinforces reading skills while making learning fun.
Learn more: Mrs. Learning Bee
12. CVC Board Games
Players will roll a dice, move their game piece, and read the word they land on. To advance, they must correctly pronounce or use the word in a sentence. Some spaces may include challenges like “name a rhyming word” or “spell the word aloud.”
Learn more: Playdough Potato
13. Snowman CVC Word Match
Prepare snowman cutouts with two sections: the hat displaying a CVC word and the bottom part showing a corresponding picture. Mix up the pieces and have students match the correct hat to the snowman’s body based on the word and image.
Learn more: The Kindergarten Connection
14. CVC Bingo Game
Create bingo cards with different CVC words in each square. Prepare calling cards with corresponding pictures representing the words. Call out the pictures, and students will find and mark the matching word on their bingo cards. The first to complete a row, column, or diagonal wins
Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers
15. CVC Connect 4
Create a CVC Connect 4 game using a grid with CVC words in each slot. Prepare two sets of colored tokens, each labeled with matching pictures. Students take turns placing their tokens on the corresponding word spaces, aiming to connect four in a row.
Learn more: Mrs. Learning Bee
16. Drive and Decode
Set up an activity where students use small plastic cars to “drive” over letter cards placed on a track or road mat. Each card contains a letter, forming a CVC word when driven in order. Once students decode the word, they write it on an activity sheet.
Learn more: Mrs. Learning Bee
17. Roll, Build and Write CVC Word
Prepare an activity where students roll some dice to determine the beginning, middle, or ending sound of a CVC word. Provide letter tiles or magnetic letters for them to build the word on a mat. Then, they write the complete word on an activity sheet.
Learn more: Natalie Lyn Kindergarten
18. Hot Cocoa CVC Words Activity
Prepare paper hot cocoa mugs with a CVC word written on each. Cut out matching whipped cream-shaped pieces with corresponding pictures. Students will read the word on the mug, find the matching picture whipped cream, and place it above the mug.
Learn more: ABC’s of Literacy
19. CVC Words Clip Cards
Prepare cards with a CVC word printed on them and three picture choices underneath. Attach clothespins for students to clip onto the correct picture that matches the word.
Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids
20. Fish and Build CVC Word
Prepare fish-shaped cutouts with individual letters written on them. Provide a fishing rod with a magnet or clip. Students will “fish” for letters and arrange them to build a complete CVC word. This activity enhances word formation and letter recognition skills.
Learn more: Planning Play Time