Engaging Digraph Activities for Kindergarten

After working hard to identify letter sounds and read CVC words, students can start practicing consonant digraphs! Mastering digraphs can take a lot of time and repetition, so itโ€™s helpful to keep this practice fresh and engaging whenever possible! Here are some of my favorite Digraph Activities for Kindergarten that will keep your students engaged in learning to read digraphs.

Digraph Activities

7 Digraph Activities for Kindergarten

Learning how to read words with consonant digraphs is an exciting milestone in phonics instruction! Students have worked hard to identify the sounds that individual letters make, and now it’s time to learn that two sounds can pair up to create a new sound!

1. Digraph Sorting

A great way to help students practice the sounds that each digraph makes is with a sorting activity. This pocket chart activity gives students the chance to listen for digraphs in words. (This activity can also be used on the table or carpet instead of a pocket chart.)

Pocket chart digraph sorting activity

They can choose a picture card, identify the word, and then place it with the correct digraph in the pocket chart. You can easily switch out the digraphs and pictures to target specific sounds during literacy practice.

2. Tap, Build, and Write 

Once students have a good understanding of the different letter combinations of digraphs, itโ€™s important for them to practice identifying digraphs as one sound. This will help them so much as they continue to learn to read and write!

A tap, build, and write task card for the word "shop"

This activity is perfect for practicing this concept! Students will identify the picture and split up the word into the individual sounds. The three dots are a visual cue that there are three sounds in the word. When students go to build the word, they will place the digraph letters in one box. Finally, they will practice writing the word with the digraph.

3. Digraph Game

This digraph game has been a hit in so many different kindergarten classrooms! This is another great way for students to practice identifying and building words with digraphs. Students will take turns choosing a sound card out of a bag or basket.

Digraph Pop! Game

They will look at the pictures on their game mat and decide where that sound can go. Play continues as they try to build four words with digraphs without drawing a โ€œPOP!โ€ card.

4. Linking Digraphs

This activity is a fun way to combine literacy and fine motor practice! Students can use plastic links to build words with digraphs. One half of the letters are shown on a card, along with a picture that represents the word students will be building. Students will then look for the card containing the other half of the word.

Word building with task cards and plastic links

Sometimes the digraph is at the beginning of the word and will be included on the picture card. Other times the digraph is at the end of the word and students will have to listen for it as they say the word. Once they know which digraph theyโ€™re looking for, they can find the correct card to add to the link.

5. Digraph Task Cards

Task cards are a flexible activity that you can use for digraph practice throughout your literacy routine. These task cards start with a word containing a digraph. Students will practice reading and building the word, adding letter magnets or tiles to the task card. After reading the word, students will then choose the picture that matches the word. Students can place a token or small manipulative on the correct picture. 

A digraph task card for the word "chop"

You could also make this a self-correcting activity by adding a sticker on the back of the task card, directly behind the correct answer. Students can then place a clothespin on the picture that matches the word and flip over the card to check their work. (If you do it this way, students might need to write the word with dry erase marker on the laminated card instead of building it with letter tiles.)

6. Digraph Sentences

After reading words with digraphs in isolation, itโ€™s time to practice reading sentences with digraphs! Students can choose a card, read the sentence, and then match it with the correct picture card. This can be used as a pocket chart activity or even as a matching activity!ย 

Reading sentences with digraphs

To play it as a matching activity, students can place the sentence cards in one column, face down on the carpet. They can do the same with the picture cards. Students can then turn over one sentence card and one picture card to see if they match. If not, they can turn them back over and try again.ย 

7. Digraph Printables

Printable activities can give students the chance to practice digraphs in many different ways! Digraph worksheets can also incorporate other important skill practice, like handwriting and scissor skills. 

Digraph sorting worksheet

There are a variety of print-and-go digraph sorts and word building activities that you can incorporate throughout your daily routine. The different tasks can keep digraph practice fresh for your kindergarteners! You can use the printables as individual activities as needed, or you could print them off and assemble them into packets that students can keep in their desks or cubbies.

Printable Blend and Digraph Activities for Kindergarten

All of the activities shared in this post (and more!) are included in one time-saving set of Blends and Digraphs Centers and Worksheets. This resource includes over 400 pages of interactive, hands-on activities to help your students practice those critical phonics skills that will help them become confident readers.ย 

These activities are perfect for morning work, literacy centers, early finishers, or small group instruction. Having all of these engaging activities in your toolbox will enhance your instruction and keep students engaged in phonics practice.

If youโ€™d like to take a closer look at all of the activities included in this resource, you can click below to find it in my shop.

Save These Kindergarten Digraph Activities

Be sure to save this post so you can come back to it later! Just add the pin below to your favorite kindergarten board on Pinterest. Youโ€™ll be able to quickly find these digraph activities when youโ€™re working on your literacy lesson plans.

Hands-On and Engaging Digraph Activities for Kindergarten