Level 3 Codebreakers Alternative Multisensory Practise Activities Level 3

If your children would benefit from more active or multisensory ‘Practise’ activities, these alternatives can be substituted for any of the
games in the ‘Practise’ part of the Codebreakers session plans. The games are suited to practising both tricky words and decodable
words and instructions are provided for each.

After the ‘Teach’ part of the session, spend 5 minutes on one of these activities before completing the ‘Apply’ section in the session
plan. If any additional resources are required, they are listed next to each game.

Balloon Toss (6 minutes) Resources: one or more balloon, permanent marker to write on balloon.

‘We are going to practise our new grapheme(s)/tricky words Set the timer for this part of the session. Keep to time, rather than
and play Balloon Toss.’ reading all of the words on the balloon(s).

Inflate a balloon (or several balloons depending on the size of

the group). Write the words from the decodable word cards or
today’s tricky words onto the balloon(s). The children throw the
balloon(s) to each other.

If you are reading decodable words, when a child catches a

balloon they sound-talk the word that one of their hands lands
on for the other children to blend. The child then tells them if they
were correct by reading the word to the group. Encourage the
children to sound out the graphemes and blend to read the words.

If you are learning to spell a tricky word, then the child who
catches the balloon spells out the word (using the letter names)
and the other children identify which word they are spelling out.

Further support? Encourage the children to look for the new

grapheme and model sounding out the word by pressing
imaginary sound buttons. For tricky words, children could refer
to their log books for their colour-coded version.

Playdough Printing (5 minutes) Resources: playdough, magnetic letters.

‘We are going to practise our new grapheme(s)/tricky words Set the timer for this part of the session. Keep to time, rather than
and make words in the playdough.’ getting through all of the words and completing the activity.

If you are learning decodable words, say a word containing the

focus grapheme for the children to segment, e.g. ‘zip’. Count the
number of phonemes. Choose the magnetic letters to represent
the sounds, e.g. ‘z’, ‘i’ and ‘p’. Either push the magnetic letters
into the playdough to leave a print of the letter or stand the letter
upright in the playdough.

If you are learning to spell tricky words, say one of today’s words.
Ask the children to spell out the word, count the letters and say
the names of the letters as they print it with the magnetic letters.

Further support? Encourage the children to segment the sounds

and refer to their sound mat or their colour-coded version of
the tricky word. You could also provide the letters needed for
each word in a pot so the children only have a limited number to
choose from.

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Magnetic Spelling (5 minutes) Resources: magnetic letters, magnetic boards or baking trays.

‘We are going to practise our new grapheme(s)/tricky words Set the timer for this part of the session. Keep to time, rather than
and make words using the magnetic letters.’ getting through all of the words and completing the activity.

If you are learning decodable words, say a word containing the

focus grapheme for the children to segment, e.g. ‘zip’. Count the
number of phonemes. Choose the magnetic letters to represent
the sounds, e.g. ‘z’, ‘i’ and ‘p’. The children make the word with the
magnetic letters on a magnetic board or baking tray.

If you are learning to spell tricky words, say one of today’s words.
Ask children to spell out the word, count the letters and say the
names of the letters as they spell it using the magnetic letters.

Further support? Encourage the children to segment the sounds

and refer to their sound mat or their colour-coded version of
the tricky word. You could also provide the letters needed for
each word in a pot so the children only have a limited number to
choose from.

Star Jump Spell (5 minutes)

‘We are going to practise our new grapheme(s)/tricky words Use a timer to keep to time rather than completing the activity.
and play ‘Star Jump Spell’. Ensure you have enough space for the activity.

‘I will say a word. You will do a star jump as you sound-talk the
word. Can you find the matching word card?’
If you are learning decodable words, lay out six decodable word
cards on the table. Say one of the words. Children sound-talk the
word, they do a jumping jack as they say each sound. Can they
choose the matching card from the 6 on the table? Repeat for all
the other words.

If you are learning tricky words, lay out today’s tricky word cards.
Say one of the words. Children spell out each word, doing a star
jump as they name each letter. Can they choose the matching
card from the ones on the table?

Further support? Encourage the children to sound-talk or spell

out the word clearly. Use the sound buttons on the decodable
word cards or their colour-coded tricky word to help them find
the matching word card. Support them with this if necessary.

Sensory Trays (5 minutes) Resources: trays with sand or shaving foam or Sensory Bags.

‘We are going to practise writing words containing our new Set the timer for this part of the session. Keep to time, rather than
grapheme(s)/our tricky words.’ getting through all of the words.

Give each child a shallow tray with a thin layer of dry sand or
shaving foam. (You could also use Sensory Bags that could be
used again and again.)

Use the words from the decodable word cards or today’s tricky
words. If you are learning decodable words, say one word at
a time for the children to sound out and trace into the sand or
foam. Encourage them to count the phonemes first. Use the
sound mats for support.

If you are learning tricky words, children count the letters and
name the letters as they trace them in the trays.

Further support? Support the children to sound-talk or spell

out the word. Refer to the sound mat to recall the graphemes
for writing.

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