I was given a free product from Thinkfun in exchange for my honest review. I was not required by Thinkfun to give a positive review. Please read my full disclosure policy for more info.
Our family has owned Thinkfun’s Zingo! for a few years now. It is definitely a family favorite. As a home educator, I had my eyes set on quite a few of Thinkfun’s games to supplement what we are learning at home, especially Zingo! Sight Words. I was honored that Thinkfun sent our family a copy of it to try out and review. {There’s a giveaway for you, too! Yay!}
The Importance of Sight Words
If you’ve been a reader of my blog for very long, you know that I am a firm believer that kids need to learn phonics AND sight words in order to become a more confident and fluent reader. Sight words are so important that the first 100 frequently used sight words alone make up over 50% of what we read. I’d say that’s important! Sight words can be drilled through boring flash cards and worksheets, but why do that when you can make it fun and hands-on? That’s where Zingo! Sight Words steps in.
Learning and Reviewing Sight Words
Thinkfun did a wonderful job choosing the sight words for the game because they line up nicely with the Dolch word lists for younger children. No matter what curriculum you’re using to teach reading, the sight words included in this game will line up nicely. For example, NJoy {currently 4 years old} learned 26 sight words last year with Reading the Alphabet. While Zingo! Sight Words includes more than just the 26 he has learned, he’s been reviewing the familiar ones in such a fun way.
Helpful for Struggling Readers
I LOVE how Thinkfun included pictures and patterns to go with the various words. This is PERFECT for preschoolers and struggling readers because it provides visual clues.
Some of the sight words included are also very similar in visual appearance {such as went/want or three/there}. If the game is played at slower pace and in a less competitive mode, struggling readers can take the time to compare these words, like NJoy did with there and three.
Several Variations with One Learning Game
- Zingo! Sight Words has two levels built in for their game boards {one side is less competitive and the other side is more competitive}. NJoy likes playing the less competitive side and I’ve been known to let him win a few times. 😉
- While the game is for PreK through 1st grade, ALuv {just started 2nd grade} likes to play a faster-paced and more competitive side. It also works well to review the sight words he learned in PreK through 1st grade.
- Sometimes, NJoy plays the game by himself. We read each word on his game board “together”. {While he can’t truly read all of the words, the visual cues help a lot!} Then, he goes to work playing and finding the words on his board.
- MBug {currently 3 years old} usually wants in on the action. Instead of focusing on the sight words, we look at the letters in the words on her game board and the tiles. She plays by herself and usually by her own rules! 😉
Who Should Play Zingo! Sight Words?
- Preschoolers who know their letters and letter sounds. While sight words can’t always totally be sounded out, most letters in sight words can; so knowledge of those two skills helps make the game easier.
- Children learning the basic sight words
- Children who have mastered their basic sight words, but want a fun way to review them
- Struggling readers- What a fun way to learn and review the basic sight words! The visual pictures, calling out of words, and physical movement makes the game multi-sensory– a perfect match for struggling readers!
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~Becky
We like to see how many places we can find the word while we’re out and about.
I haven’t mastered one certain way to teach sight words. I’d love this game to try!
Tara H
So far just flashcards but I love this idea
We use fun worksheets and a new sight word book for each word we are working on. We do 1- a week for now. After she has mastered it she gets to put the word onto her “word wall” in her bedroom, her favorite part!
My 5 year old would love this! Thanks for the chance to win it.
We practice, practice and practice sight words some more! Usually I have a sheet printed out, say the word and they have to find that word, kind of like bingo without the bingo!
We currently just read flash cards that I have written on paper printed in the shape of popcorn.
I had no idea they made this! I have a struggling reader who loves playing Zingo. This would be a wonderful addition to his curriculum. 🙂
I don’t have one yet….
trying to figure out how best to do this.
This game looks so fun! My son loves bingo and I think he would love this!
I use sight word poems by Scholastic.
this is so great! I love incorporating as many games/activities as possible when teaching my little ones.
I teach them as we read. Each book introduces 2 to 3 new ones. Then we review those books.
I love to write the sight words on small paper drinking cups, have each child read them one at a time, build a tower with them, and knock the tower over when the game is done!! Learning fun!!
My son would love this! Thank you for the idea. 🙂
Hoping this will help my struggling 1 st grader.
My son is just learning sight words, so I don’t have a favorite way to teach them yet, but this looks like a fun way to do it!
I don’t know a great way to teach sight words yet, but this looks fun!
I like to teach and reinforce sight words by using fun games and activities!
Fun worksheets and Bingo.
Tis would be perfect for my game loving kindergartener!
We love zingo at our house! Would love to have the sight word version! 🙂
I like matching card games like memory.
I’ll often play Snowman Slap with sight words. We’ll place all the cards face down on the table, spread out (like you’re playing memory). Roll the die to see how many you read. Turn the cards over one at a time and read them. If you get them all, you keep the cards. If you get a freeze card, your turn is over and you get to keep what cards you have. If you get a snowman, you turn your cards face down and don’t get to keep any.
I use everyday items – store signs, clothes, food, whatever is out in the world and make that a lesson everyday. This game looks great!
Looks like fun! Thanks for the chance to win!
Don’t have a fun way as of yet. Mostly we just look at them and review them every day.
We have two other zingo games and my kids love them! This would definitely be a fun way to learn sight words
We are just starting Sight Words this week! My daughter learned well with Sight Word Sticky Notes on the wall and drill drill drill! My son is special needs and learns very differently, so a more multi-sensory approach sounds perfect! Thank you for bringing this one to light!
Word wall, chanting, daily review, worksheets….this would be a great addition!
I like teaching sight words with emergent readers.
I’m just now really starting to teach my son how to read. I’ve read to him every day for years. I love games as they make learning fun!
We just started sight words- are using boring notecards- would love a funner way!
I love teaching sight words! Hands on fun is the best way. Writing with different things is fun too. Scented markers, chalk, color pens, etc. I didn’t know about the new game have the zingo and 3 letter word zingo. Would love this for my classroom!
I don’t really have one yet. We use flashcards, but would love to try this game!
We play sight word bingo.
We are just starting down the journey of learning sight words, but we’re doing well so far. It would be great to have this game in our home to practice our sight words once we get a few more under our belts.
My oldest is a struggling reader & this would be perfect for him! And then for my 2 younger who are preschool & SK to use as well! Would definitely love to win this!
My favorite way is short sight word stories with multiple practices, and fun little home made games!
We have used flash cards and some iPad apps specifically for sight words. This looks like fun!
My boys and I love playing games and this would be perfect for them!
This looks like a terrific way to teach or practice. I use several methods including a ZAP it! game in small groups (go around the group and they have to identify and collect cards, if they get zapped they have to return all of them–winner has most cards and is the Word Wizard of the day!), sight word bingo, and a spin and graph sight word game.
I really enjoy your blog posts. They are full of lots of insight and great ideas.
This is our second year homeschooling I have a kinder and first grader and both love games so this would be a great addition to our home ,
Zingo has come up twice this week, so I am thinking it is a game to try!
this game sounds like fun can’t wait to play it!
I haven’t found a way for my boy to master sight words yet. This game looks great!
through games.
I don’t have one favorite, but my son learned his kinder sight words prior to entering kinder by using sight word cards (that I made) and a bingo game (I also made). I only put nine squares with words, to not overwhelm with too many words. Besides the Sight Words Bingo games began and ended pretty quickly for the short attention span five year olds have.
Putting the name of things on them, like the word door on door
This looks fun. I’ve always just used flashcards.
love teaching thru games! Thanks!
We just started sight words this year so I don’t have a favorite yet. However, my daughter is very hands on and she loves games so this would be great to win!
I’ve had this game in my Amazon cart forever!
My little girl is only 4 and we are just starting out but she loves games and I think this would be great for her.
I have not had the chance to yet…. my oldest is just now getting to the age to get started with sight words. I intend to make it as hands on and fun as possible. This looks like a great way to do that!
I don’t have a favorite way to teach sight words. I would rhink that something hands on, like this game, would be more fun and reinforce learning sight words better than using worksheets.
I have other products by this company that I love. I would really like to try this one out. It looks great!
I’m just starting to teach my son to read, so this is new for me. Looking for fun and easy ways for him to learn. 🙂
Dianne Craft’s sight word cards – They are great!
Not really sure what a favorite way is… primarily I would think through interactive reading over and over. My kids love the dick and jane books.
Hiding sight words around the house and hunting them down.
I am not sure what my favorite way would be, except just exposure, exposure, exposure. I did a lot with Pat Cunningham stuff when I taught school, and I still use the word wall at home too, but I love to use whatever keeps the child engaged with them. If it is a child who likes to color, then sight words-by-number. If it is a child who likes tactile, then play dough mats to build the words. My four year old son is just beginning to learn some sight words right now and one thing he really likes is to “build” the words with lots of different letter. I collect all the letters from our sets for a certain word, put them in a bucket, and let him go to town. He likes to see how many of that word he can make. (Of course, he loves to put the magnetic ones on the refrigerator 🙂
Just getting ready to do sight words and this looks like a fun supplement!
We love games! This would be great for my little Kinder. Thanks for the review and giveaway!
This is awesome! Good tool to have!
We read easy picture books. The when the little guy “reads” from the pictures, we point to the words on the page that he also said…
For example, if there is a cow playing with a ball, as soon as he says “cow” I point to the word and say, you just read “cow.” When he says “ball,” we do the same thing.
The next time he “reads” he points to the words. We also spell them out and so on.
I don’t really have a favorite way as we are just now really navigating this new ground. We’ve used some videos and iPad games so far. This game looks awesome.
I try to use as many games as possible to keep it fun
I love to use interactive sight word readers along with pointing out the words in our environment. Games of any sort to make it more exciting for the kids.
I use flashcards, games, reading them in easy readers, and practice, practice, practice.
We just started your Reading the Alphabet curriculum to work on our sight words!
Looks like a great way to learn & practice sight words!!
I have not ever taught sight words. This is our first year at home schooling.
If they are phonetic, that’s how (I don’t consider sound out words sight words, though it seems some people do). If not, we drill with flash cards, read together, use reading apps.
We’ve been using the BOB books but would love to incorporate this fun game! Thank you for the chance to win!
Jenny
I like using different implements, like a pointing stick, a clean fly swatter with a rectangle cut out (could be tailored to a particular topic… wooden spoon for cooking/kitchen words) and word cards placed around the house, yard, etc.
I got so excited I expanded on my idea too far lol. SIght words can have nothing to do with what area they are in or the pointing item. Different settings alone can be stimulating and engaging.
This is definitely a fun way to reinforce sight words. Another cute thing I’ve seen is to write the words on a large poster, provide a fly swatter, and let kids SWAT the words that you call out.
Thanks for the chance to win a great game! 🙂
I haven’t found a favorite way. I use flashcards, worksheets, apps… This looks like it would be a great addition!
Found your blog while preparing for our first year homeschooling. Love all the ideas here for sight words, and this game sounds awesome for my PK, gr 1 & 2!
We’re still early in the process, so right now I’m just spelling words out, like “Who wants to go O-U-T?” lol. But I can see this game coming in handy soon for us!
Thank you for introducing us to Zingo!
I hadn’t heard of this game before but it would be perfect for my game loving 4 year old.
For my kindergartner, I find books that are interesting to him (super hero, star wars, etc) and read to him while letting him read the sight words they use. It keeps him interested and engaged
I like to write out silly sentences that use words we’re working on, and leave them around the house (on fridge, mirror in bathroom, taped to Lego tote, etc) where my son will find them and want to read them.
My four year old would love this game!
Wow! I think my son would really benefit from this game!
We use flashcards and color by number. My daughter would love this!
Looks like an awesome review tool (and fun game)!
Creating pictures about the word and flash cards.
I am just getting started as my oldest is only 3, but this really sounds like a neat way to teach sight words.
Looks fabulous. I have a 5 year old who could learn from this.
I suck at teaching sight words. Just kidding, I used mostly flash cards with my oldest. But my little guy LOVES Zingo so this would be fun for him.
Love using familiar songs and pulling our sight words to use in games.
Looks like fun! My 6 year-old would love this to practice her sight words.:)
I love the idea of labeling things with sticky notes to teach sight words. This wouldn’t work for some of the words, but it wold help get the idea down. Also, pointing out sight words when reading to your child.
Thank you for the opportunity to win!
Have not gotten to that yet.
Would love this for my 6 year olds!
Honestly, I’m not a fan of sight words. We mix our sight words in with our phonics.
We have just started sight words, so this would really help!
Making a game out of it..
We’re loving sight words right now! My son especially like learning new sight words each week on his “good morning chart.”
Thanks for the giveaway!
I usually use homemade flash cards with my son.
We use Bob books.
I was reticent to start homeschooling yet with a 4.5, 2.5 and 1 year old…but my 4.5 is voraciously devouring everything I get and print and do with her….so I NEED extra things like games like this to add variety to her homeschooling! Plus I can donate it to my favorite homeschool tutoring center in Pensacola when we are done using it with our kids!
We use flashcards, Bob books & free Kindle sight word programs
We use flash cards and we like to either act out what the word is or how we can use it in a sentence.
We are just beginning with sight words and just have flashcards. Would love this game to use as another fun way!
Since we have just begun our journey into the land of sight words, I would say fun worksheets (do a dots and color by word) are the best way for learning them so far. We absolutely love games and Zingo Sight Words would be a great addition to our collection. Thank you for the amazing review and the chance to win.
I put sight words up all over my house.
We don’t really have one yet…just review review review.
So far my favorite way to through DVD, which as a former teacher I never thought I’d do. But I don’t really let my little ones watch tv or movies, so it’s a “reward” I feel ok about!
This is my first time teaching reading so still trying to figure that out. My son loves the original Zingo though so I am sure this would be a very fun way to do it!
We have just started on sight words. We use books & signs we see outside. We also use sight cards. It’s all a work in progress to see what works best for my son.
This looks like a great resource! Flash cards, tablet games, felt boards are all great ways to build a site word vocabulary. My three year old would love the cards and tiles in Zingo!
I like teaching sight words with a memory game (each sight word written on two cards and turned over to find the match) and silly sight word books (using the sight words to make silly sentences and illustrate a picture).
We just started homeschooling. My son is 5 and he is
interested in games of any kind. All day he wants to only play legos and superheroes. This game sounds like it would be right up our alley of games he’d enjoy.
love to win.
looks like this could help my struggling reader
I haven’t found a good way yet; this game seems perfect!
I use flashcards and hands on activities to teach sight words!
I once read to make a poster filled with parking spots and use hot wheels to test students!
Thanks for allof your fun ideas. My son struggles with reading.
We began teaching sight words by using flash cards but now we have a bunch on cut up flash cards and they match them to words when we are reading.
I use your reading the alphabet lessons
I don’t do a lot of sight words yet, but I have a game we play when we do work on them.
We like to swat the correct word with a flyswatter.
I teach by using memory games
I love taping sight words to Lego duplos since they seem to be the only thing to keep my 6 year olds attention. Works great! He can continue building if he knows the word.
We use books that are interactive with wheels that turn and flaps. We have this game in the number bingo, we love it. This game looks great.
I’ve tried a number of things but I have a strong willed child that just wants to do her own thing and will almost always reject an idea multiple times. We’ve read the first three sets of Bob Books over a three month period and she picked up tons of words that way. Unfortunately I made the mistake of taking a break over Christmas last year and she wouldn’t pick them up again. She loves games but she’s caught on to my tricks and now will ask for a “no reading” game. So today we played Parcheesi… she hasn’t figured out that I’m teaching her to add too. 😉 I’d love to try this game… maybe it would do the trick.
I love to use flash cards for sight word teaching.
I love all sorts of games for sight words. Activities like Skunk, Bang, and Swat the Word.
So far I’ve mostly used flash cards. Sometimes when we read we play a game where the kids get to say the words that they recognize while I read the rest. It keeps them interested and paying attention as well. I’d love to try this game out!
we love games!
We use sight words magnets on our fridge. My daughter loves to rearrange them so she’s learning to read them at the same time.
Right now I am using All About Reading and my son and I “play” at building words and reading them.
Perfect and fun way to practice sight words! LOVE the visual cues!
We use movies and flash cards. I love that it is good for a visual learner and kinesthetic. Both of my kids learn this way it will be great to try this game it is perfect for teaching sight words
my 1st grader would love to play this!
My older son learned to read with the “100 Easy Lessons” book, which is phonics-based. His twin sister has no interest in phonics and is teaching herself to read whole words. This game would be great to help reinforce sight words with both of them!
We actually focus more on phonics and don’t do a lot of sight words. But the girls enjoy the Rock N Learn Sight Words DVDs, plus my daughter is now using Time4Learning and is learning to recognize them on there. Now that they are reading more I would like to do more with sight words. Love the look of this game
We have been having a hard time with sight words for a yr..we are starting to make slow progress finally!
The old boring way with flash cards, I would love to try something more exciting 🙂
We like to mix things up when learning sight words. We introduce them with flashcards, but use cut/paste, songs, read/trace/write, graphing search-a-words, and also lots of games – bingo, slap a word with a flyswatter, etc. We try to make it fun!
My 3 year old son just started learning how to read. This would be awesome to help him with learning his sight words!!!!
Go fish!
I love Zingo sight words. I do tutoring for children with learning differences. We have to drill a lot of concepts over and over. Being able to do the drilling in this fun way makes life so much better for the children I tutor.