Help your students build confidence and fluency with tricky words through engaging, hands-on games!

This resource has been created to provide Prep/Foundation students with meaningful opportunities to practise and consolidate their tricky words in a fun and interactive way. While the activities are aligned with the InitiaLit® tricky word sequence, this resource is independently created and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by InitiaLit®. It has simply been designed to complement the order in which tricky words are introduced in the program, making it easy to incorporate into classrooms already using InitiaLit®.

What's Included

Each tricky word group includes two engaging dice games, with 8 different game boards for each activity. The words appear in a different order on every page, providing students with repeated practice while keeping each game fresh and motivating.

🎲 Roll & Read

Students:

• Roll a dice.
• Match the number rolled to the corresponding row of tricky words.
• Read one the words in that row aloud and place a counter on it.

or

• Read all of the words in that row aloud.

This simple game encourages repeated reading, helping students develop automatic recognition and fluency with high-frequency tricky words.

✏️ Roll, Read & Write

Students:

• Roll a dice.
• Find the matching row of tricky words.
• Read the words aloud.
• Write the selected tricky word in the space provided.

This activity reinforces reading, spelling and handwriting while providing additional opportunities for students to consolidate their tricky word knowledge.

Perfect For

• Literacy rotations
• Small group instruction
• Independent practice
• Partner games
• Early finishers
• Intervention groups
• Homework
• Revision

Features

• Aligned with the InitiaLit® tricky word sequence.
• Colour-coded to match the InitiaLit® groups for easy classroom organisation.
• 8 different game boards for each activity in every tricky word group.
• Encourages repeated reading and writing without students completing the same page each time.
• Low-prep—simply print and use, or laminate for repeated classroom use.

Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 – Foundation (English)

This resource supports the development of foundational literacy skills and aligns with the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 Foundation English, particularly within the Literacy – Phonic and Word Knowledge strand.

Relevant content descriptions include:

AC9EFLY14 – Read and write some high-frequency words and other familiar words. This resource provides repeated opportunities for students to recognise, read and write high-frequency (tricky) words, building automaticity and confidence.

AC9EFLY13 – Use knowledge of letters and sounds to spell words. Students reinforce their understanding of familiar words as they read and record tricky words during the writing activity.

AC9EFLY08 – Form most lower-case and upper-case letters using learnt letter formations. The Roll, Read & Write activity provides purposeful handwriting practice while reinforcing high-frequency word recognition.

These activities also support the Foundation Achievement Standard by helping students develop automatic recognition of high-frequency words, an essential component of becoming fluent and confident readers.

I love creating hands-on resources that bring fun back into learning while giving young learners the repeated practice they need to become successful readers and writers. I hope this resource becomes a favourite in your classroom!