Preschoolers love to act like big kids and are able to rise up to the challenge when learning activities are created to set them up for success. The watermelon word building mats are a great addition to your literacy centers for the preschoolers who are headed to kindergarten, as well as those preschoolers who can identify their letters and understand that words are built from left to right. Add this letter and word activity to your summer plans at home or in the classroom!
Affiliate links included in this post.
Watermelon Word Building Mats
The watermelon word building mats include watermelon cards, seed cards, and a watermelon mat. The watermelon cards have the first 50 of the Fry 100 word list, blank cards to write your own words on, and alphabet cards. The seed cards include a set of uppercase and lowercase letters.
To prep the word building literacy center, print the file from the pink button below.
Print the watermelon and seed cards that you will use. Cut them apart on the gray dotted lines. Laminate the cards for added durability.
Laminate the watermelon mat or place it in a plastic page protector.
Place the watermelon cards in a pile and spread the seed cards out to be able to see them and find the specific letters easily. Consider printing more than one set of the seed cards to make sure there are enough letters to build words.
Pick a watermelon card and identify the word or the letters on it.
Find the seed cards that have the matching letters in the word. Build the watermelon word by placing each seed letter card on the watermelon mat in order from left to right.
Double check the the letters are correct by pointing to each letter in the word.
Pick another card and play again!
Use the blank watermelon cards to write words on them that are not included in the printable activity.
Ideas for additional words:
- first names
- last names
- color words
- CVC words
- holiday or themed words
You can also challenge your preschoolers and write letters on the watermelon cards that are not actual words! This would be to practice visual discrimination skills, letter identification, and early reading and writing skills. Following and copying the letters in the pretend word from left to right is a great way to get ready to spell words and read!
If you want to change up the letters that are used to build the words, consider using letter magnets, lacing letters, dry erase markers (definitely laminate the watermelon mat!), or sticky notes. Sometimes adding a tactile element to a more challenging activity is the perfect way to make it more engaging and inviting to all leveled learners.
Download the watermelon word building activity now!