A fun way to end or start the term. The game is based on Catch Phrase where children guess what the popular phrase or word is based on the pictures they see. This involves thinking and speaking and listening. Children enjoy this game in groups. There are 35 picture cards which can be cut up and laminated(for reuse) or pages can be used as they are with 4 cards to a page. There is a suggested answer sheet at the end, that children or the teacher, can use to mark off answers. (Some pictures could have an equally feasible alternate catch phrase or word). As a follow up, children could make up their own pictures based on familiar sayings or those on a theme such as football or animals. Children can research any sayings they are not familiar with. Links to language learning also.

Set two in this Dingbat Visual Word Game series. Let’s cheer up Fridays (or any days), with this Dingbats Visual Word Puzzle for Kids or the whole family. 28 Picture clues for children to solve, complete with a blank answer template and an answer sheet. Works well on Zoom too!

A Catch Phrase game for KS1 and 2. A fun activity at Christmas. 40 pictorial popular catch phrases or sayings with a Christmas theme. The game encourages thinking skills and speaking and listening skills. There are 4 catch phrases on each page. Either show on the white board or cut out and show as individual cards or sets of 4. It is fun to work against the clock! Children can work in pairs or teams to try to work out the answers. An answer sheet is provided for them to mark off with suggested answers but there may be more than one acceptable answer. Cut out the cards and laminate for a game you can keep and re use. As an extra activity children can research and write the meanings or origins of the phrases. Examples of phrases are The first Noel, A Christmas Carol and Santa’s little helper. Children will enjoy making up their own Christmas phrases or sayings. Cards may also be cut out and used for matching games or making cards or tags for Christmas.

A phonics resource for children learning about ‘ck’ at the end of words. There are 2 worksheets where children use the words provided to label the pictures. There is a sheet with 16 sentences where children add the missing words that end in ck. (S may be added for plurals). They can write these out in their workbooks or just add the missing words onto the sheet. There is a wordsearch and wordsearch answer sheet provided.

A poster showing 30 things beginning with the letter M. Children can write out the words on a list. There are also word cards that can be cut out and pasted to make the list. Play a game where children can time each other to see who can find all the pictures first. Another idea is to choose 5 pictures to write a sentence about or to make into a story. Order the words into alphabetical order.

5 examples of writing frames that children can use to write their resolutions for the new year, hopes, dreams and wishes. The 6th sheet has no writing or picture so that children can make it personal to themselves. Suitable for KS1.

3 worksheets for children learning to write a sentence. Themes are Friends, Travel and Shopping. There are a selection of words on each page for children to use to write their sentences along with punctuation marks.

Introducing List Poetry which need not rhyme or have the same metre. The picture borders will help children when deciding what to include in their list poems. Encourage the children to come up with a starter sentence to improve their lists such as - I love sports, any sport will do… Celebrate World Poetry Day and have fun with these List Poetry ideas. There are 5 templates each with a different theme: Transport Shoes Hats Fruit Sports Children can make notes either in the borders or on the lined grid. Similarly, they could make their list poem in the border or on the lined grid.

4 memory games to play with your children improving their concentration and memory. There are 2 black and white and 2 colour. The games are differentiated so that children can start with 8 items to recall and then move on to 10. Children will use their spelling skills also to write the word or for younger children they can dictate their answers. Extend with more objects and/or real objects covered with a cloth as in Kim’s game.

4 worksheets where children use the words and pictures to write rhyming words. The first 2 pages are all CVC words. Pages 3 and 4 have a few words such as frog and boat that may be a bit more challenging depending what level the children are at. Good for your Letters and Sounds work, Phonics, Reading and writing and a good homework resource too.

A PPT showing 32 samples of materials. Children can describe what they see and develop their describing vocabulary such as rough, smooth, bumpy, soft etc. They can also discuss what each material might be used for and if it is natural in origin or man made.

Here is a good way to introduce children to Limericks as part of World Poetry Day or any poetry topic. There is an example of a completed limerick showing visual images. There are 2 other limericks where the rhyming words need filling in. Children use the visual images and words to help them. Once the children are familiar with the structure of a limerick, they can use the template page to start to make up their own limericks. Notes: Limericks are traditionally 5 lines and often with a funny final line or a twist. The first, second and last line usually have the same rhyme and the third and fourth often share a different rhyme.

A fun speaking and listening game, for back to school, or any time, to get children into the swing of learning and concentrating again. A bumper pack of 120 flash cards showing catch phrases or sayings. Some children will be familiar with and others they may need to research or try to work out. There are 2 colour flashcards to a page. There is an answer grid that covers all the pictures and a blank grid for children to write in. There are also a set of worksheets where the cards are split up into sets of A to J, with 12 pictures per page and space underneath for them to write the answers in. A great speaking and listening activity where children can discuss with their partners or small groups and come up with likely answers. There may be more than one answer that is appropriate. May be useful, too for those learning English.

There are 4 pages of colour pictures where the middle sounds / vowels are missing. The sheets can be laminated for re-use. Links to Phonics, Spelling and Letters and Sounds work.

A set of phonics and writing assessment sheets for children. Resources: Sheets 1 and 2 - Pictures for children to say and write the initial sounds underneath. Sheets 3 and 4 - Lower case letters of the alphabet. Can children say the letter and name an object beginning with each letter? Teacher could write the words for the children or the children could draw a picture themselves. Sheets 5 and 6 - Lower case letter for children to name and write over to assess their handwriting. Sheet 7 is a blank template to be used any way you want for e.g. for children to write letters as you say them or write a word/draw a picture for a given sound.

Here is an example of an acrostic Christmas poem to give your class the idea. I use a wordbank of Christmas words or pictures to inspire my children. There are 4 examples of writing frames so children can choose their favourites.

A poster showing 30 things beginning with the letter B. Children can write out the words on a list. There are also word cards that can be cut out and pasted to make the list. Play a game where children can time each other to see who can find all the pictures first. Another idea is to choose 5 pictures to write a sentence about or to make into a story. Order the words into alphabetical order.

6 prepositions worksheets for KS1. Each sheet has a theme on and off over and under inside and outside behind and in front up and down above and below There are 10 pictures on each page for children to discuss with a partner or group. Each picture is numbered. Children decide e.g if the umbrella picture shows up or down. If up, they can put the number or write the word in the up box. Children may decide an umbrella could be up or down and write in the up or down box. This resource encourages speaking and listening and thinking skills with minimal writing.

This is a writing frame that children can use to inspire them to write about anything. Here the focus is on the months of the year - there is a blank frame that children can use to fill out the months of the year. They can add in how many days are in each month. The second sheet already has the months filled in for differentiation. Children can write in the shapes, add relevant words or pictures to denote each month. They could also add in celebrations such as Easter and Birthdays. There is also a worked example where pictures have been filled in for each month. Discuss this with the children before they start to give them some ideas. These posters make a lovely months of the year display when completed.

Activities suitable for English Language learners, SEND and KS1 pupils. Instructions and ideas included. Verbs Resources A set of 64 cards showing picture symbols of verbs, regular and some irregular. Word grids showing each verb and past tense. Activity ideas Say or write two sentence for each verb E.g. The children were having a quarrel. The children quarrelled this morning. E.g. I wash my hair each week. I washed my hair on Friday. Cut out some of the picture symbols and paste into your workbook. Write 2 sentences next to each one. E.G. Opening window picture symbol I open my window in the summer. Dad opened my window this morning. Choose 5 cards and work in pairs to make up a verbal or written story. Share with the group or class. *PCS Licenced - Boardmaker symbols.