St. Patrick’s Day Activity for Kids: Making Words (Free Printable)

Print out this rainbow themed making words activity free printable! Kids can use this spelling activity to practice letter sounds and word building.

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If you’re not familiar with making words, it’s basically a hands-on activity for kids to make various words by moving letters around. Instead of children having every letter of the alphabet in front of them, kids are given a smaller set of letters to choose from. Allowing children the freedom to create words helps them focus on how moving letters changes the sound and meaning of words. It’s a great way to reinforce letter sounds and spelling in a fun way! (This post contains affiliate links.)

 ‘Rainbows’ Making Words Printable

This free printable is a very basic making words activity. You can use it in either an open-ended or structured way. I’ll show you both methods in the directions below.

Materials for Rainbow Activity

• Scissors
• Pencil
• Crayon or colored pencil
• Free printable

Directions for Rainbow Word Activity

In this activity you’ll be creating as many words as you can using the letters from the word ‘rainbows’.

1. Lightly color in the vowels in the word ‘rainbows’ at the bottom of the paper. This serves as a visual reminder to children that each word created in the activity needs at least one vowel. We usually use red, but you can use any color you’d like.

2. Cut off the bottom portion of the paper. Then cut each letter apart so you have eight letters. (Throw your scraps away so you have plenty of room to work.)

3. Use the letters you cut out to make words. Write each word you create in the correct column based on how many letters are used to form the word.

Open-ended Method for Making Words

Allow children to come up with all the words they can on their own.

Structured Method for Making Words

In this method you’ll be calling out words for your child to build and then write. Words will progress in difficulty as you work through the list.

When I use this method with Lucy, I first say the word. Then she helps me segment the word orally (break it apart into sounds). She then builds the word and checks it by saying the sounds aloud as she touches each letter. Once she’s successfully built the word, she writes it in the correct column on her paper.

Below is a list of words you can use for the structured method. Be sure to do them in order. Remember, your child is not looking at this list. You are saying the word aloud to him/her.

1. on

2. in

3. bin

4. win

5. wins

6. row

7. bow

8. bows

9. rain

10. rainbows

You can even help your child along with little clues. For example, imagine your child has already built the first word ‘on’ and still has the letters in front of him/her. To help your child with the second word you might say, “What is the beginning sound of the word ‘in’? Yes, /i/. We’re going to remove the /o/ sound and replace it with another sound to make the word ‘in’.”

For longer words, break the word into syllables and work on one syllable at a time. For example in the word ‘rainbows’, first spell ‘rain’ and then ‘bows’.

Keep an eye on your child’s frustration level. Once it becomes too difficult, help them along. You can work on it together!

Tips

• If your child is not yet comfortable writing, then just eliminate that part of the activity. They can simply build the words.
• Watch your child’s frustration level. This activity is meant to be fun and a little challenging, but not frustrating. Modify it based on your child’s comfort level.

Check out our ebook ABCs and 123s! You’ll find 40+ ways to encourage children to explore letters and numbers through play!