Word families are words that have the same endings, and therefore rhyme. With beginning readers, practice with word families that have a short vowel, and introduce word families with more advanced vowel patterns as they are learned. Free clip strips are a great way to do this.
WATCH videos and PLAY online games at a Word Families tutorial at Wakelet. Some online games require flash, which is no longer supported after 12/31/2020. Learn more at The End of Flash. Youtube playlists for word families by Little Fox and ChorsiMedia (many short vowels, some others)
Word Family Cards are modified from margedteachingposters for easier printing. (22 cards, 6 pages) Cut the end off of an envelope and slide the clue picture out. Students can make as many words with the same ending as they can think of, then slide the words out to see if they thought of all of them.
The Word Family Picture sorts from flyingintolearning.com can be used to provide pictures with clues. I like to use these with the Word Family Treasure game below.
PLAY Printables: Word Family Treasure game (free!) and Roll a Word Family from the Super Tutor Tools Store at Teachers Pay Teachers
More Word Family Resources:
- Printable CVC word lists from k12reader.com
- Word Family Sliders from Make, Take & Teach, Word Sliders from Little Bunny
- Word Family Bookmarks from 3dinosaurs
- Word Family Pictures for A E I O U from themeasuredmom
- Word Family Ladders from confessionsofahomeschooler (22 pages, both long & short)
The word families below have more advanced phonics patterns. As these patterns are learned while following the logical sequence of the Phonics Pow Toolkit, it can be helpful to intoduce them with word families that illustrate the pattern.
Phonics Pow 