No-Tech Learning Games You Can Make at Home

Here are three no-tech learning games that I use in my practice that you can easily make at home. A nice component of all these games is that you can scaffold them to meet your child where they are in the learning process. Instead of giving your child all of the spoons, clips, or Lego, reduce their choice to 2, 5, 10. If you're building CVC words, use only one vowel and remove the other vowels. If you're building numbers, you can line up the unit/white spoons 1-9 then use the clear tens spoon to place on each one while they count (11, 12, 13...).

First, Spoons. For this game you need solid (white) spoons and clear spoons that fit on top of each other. You can use this to practice matching upper and lower case letters, matching cursive to print letter, and creating number. For each of these areas, you can practice identification by having your child pick up a spoon and tell you the letter name, sound, or number that is on it. You can have them arrange the letters/numbers in order, find which letter or number is missing in a sequence, match capital and lower case letters, or create CVC words for children to practice reading. Children love games so having them race to beat their last time is always a good motivator.

Second, is the Clip Game which uses clothespins with letter or numbers on them. Similar to Spoons, you can use these clothes pins with letters to match letters (find the clip that has the same letter that is on the paper), match letters and read CVC words, or create CVC words. With numbers, you can do the same- find the clothespin that has the same number that is on the paper, match numbers on the paper and read that number (1,2,5 = one hundred and twenty five), say numbers for children to make (thirteen = 1,3), or have children make a number using clothespins and read and write what that number is.

The last game, Lego Learning Build, is exactly like the Clip Game, but instead of clothespins, you use Lego bricks. Make sure the stud (bumpy part that connect Lego together) are facing the same way when you write your letters and numbers.