Making Words Activities for a Reptile Theme

My preschoolers are learning more about reptiles this month. With most of my preschool themes, I like to create thematic words for the kids. Here are the word cards I put together for the kiddos this month. They’re great for learning about letters and words, as well as just for reference.

making words activities with picture-word cards

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Materials
Homemade reptile word cards (free download – be sure to read my terms of use)
Letter tiles (magnetic letters or Scrabble tiles would work well, too)

Making words activities with picture word cards
There really are a variety of ways to use these word cards in the classroom. Here are just some ideas for using them with preschoolers:

• Introduce the word cards by letting the children observe the pictures. Ask them which reptile is represented and discuss what they already know about that reptile. Delve into the letters in the animals’ name, pointing out how the sounds match up to the letters.
• Set the word cards out in the classroom writing center, along with letter tiles. Some children like to find all of the letters themselves, while others might need some extra help. For those who might be overwhelmed searching for letters, lay out the tiles they need near the word card.
• Keep the word cards out in the writing center as a reference for the children. If the children want to write about the reptiles, they can reference the cards and copy what they see. Some children might not be ready for this, of course, and that’s okay. They’re still being exposed to the print! Plus, they can always draw their own pictures of the reptiles found on the cards.
• Leave the word cards up and play a game of “make the man” with the children. They can use the words on the cards as references as they’re guessing letters and trying to figure out the word.

Related: Reptile Books for Preschoolers

The learning
Using these word cards touches on so many early literacy concepts. Here are just a few:

• Print carries a message
• Pictures act as cues for print
• We read and write from left to right
• Visual discrimination
• Letter names and letter sounds
• Fine motor skills

Have you ever used picture word cards in your classroom or homeschool? Do you have any making words activities to share?