Grab these free games for ending blends!
Have you seen my Roll-a-games? I’ve shared a ton of these no-prep games that are great for helping kids hear and identify sounds in words. You can download any of these sets for free:
Recently a reader requested a set of Roll-a-games for ending blends.
What are ending blends, anyway?
Great question! An ending blend consists of two adjoining consonants at the end of a word that each make their own sound. So, for example, ck would NOT be an ending blend since it makes a single sound: /k/. Rather, it would be an ending digraph – since a digraph consists of two letters that make ONE sound.
On the other hand, the following are examples of ending blends:
- sk – as in mask
- mp – as in lamp
- nd – as in sand
- ld – as in cold
- lf – as in golf
- nt – as in tent
- st – as in nest
- rd – as in bird
- rk – as in park
- lt – as in salt
- nk* – as in ring
*Some people argue that that nk isn’t technically an ending blend, since the n doesn’t make its typical sound. But I chose to include it anyway.
To play, simply take turns rolling a die. Check the key at the top of the page. Then move to the nearest picture whose name ends with that blend.
For example, since my son rolled the number one, he needed to move along the board until he found a picture that ended with sk.
You’ll get four different games in the download!
Teaching tips:
- Name all the pictures together before you begin a game. Some are tricky. I have a picture key at the beginning of the download to help you out.
- As your learner plays, make sure s/he names each picture aloud while moving along the board. It’s so important that kids articulate the words and really listen for those ending blends.
- If the game is too hard for your learner, back up. Try my simpler Roll-an-Ending-Sound games.
- This is a great game to pull out if your learners are having difficulty with ending blends in their spelling. It you’re seeing BUP for bump, for example, your learners aren’t hearing both letters in the ending blend. Playing this game – and helping them pay close attention to the two sounds at the end of each word – should help!
We hope you have a chance to use these!
P.S. Looking for more phonics printables?
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Get your free roll an ending blend!
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Sharon
You are amazing! All the materials you create are good quality teaching materials! They are colorful activities that directly target a skill without the “fluff or cutesy” and they are fun for the kids. I teach students who are having difficulty with reading or math skills and they love your activities. Thank you for making my job easier and fun!
Anna G
This is SO wonderful to hear, Sharon! Thank you for your comment!