Word Bingo helps Y2 kids learn to read

Many parents use Word Bingo games to help their children to learn everything from colours and shapes to the names of animals and vehicles; but new guidance from Sheffield City Council can help you to make sure you’re taking the right approach to your child’s education, in preparation for their Year 2 Standard Assessment Tests, which are taken between January and May.

The end of Year 2 represents Key Stage 1 on the National Curriculum, and is the first stage at which pupils take SATs, which cover the core subjects of maths, English and science.

Word Bingo is just one of the suggested games you might want to incorporate into your efforts to help your child to prepare for the English element of their testing, which Sheffield City Council say should come during week six of you helping them at home.

“Our Countdown to Success campaign is a week-by-week guide for parents whose children will be sitting their Year 2, Key Stage 1 SATs this year,” the council say.

“As we count down the weeks to SATs, you can follow our six-week programme to help you make sure your child is fully prepared.”

Earlier weeks in the process saw parents given general guidance on the SAT process, tips for helping to make reading fun, to help children with reading in general, and weeks focusing on fiction and non-fiction texts.

Games come in week six of the programme, and Word Bingo is just one of the suggestions – simply draw up a grid of words for each player, and then call them at random until somebody completes a full house.

Sheffield City Council point out that one of the benefits of this kind of approach is that you can substitute more difficult words in place of some of the easier ones, as your child becomes more confident in their reading ability.

However, they also recommend bringing back those easier words from time to time, just to make sure your child doesn’t forget them.

“Take turns to be the ‘caller’ and read out the words,” parents are told. “Each player ticks off the word, if they have it, as it is read out. The winner is the player who has ticked off all of their words.”

By making reading fun for your child through games like Word Bingo, you can help them to learn while enjoying themselves too – and can spend some time with them at home as well.