Learning Compound Words with Blocks

If your child can read short words now, it is time to move on to longer words. Compound words are easy to read since it is just two(or more) short words combined. Learning about compound words is fun with this game using blocks! This is such a fun educational activity to make learning fun with first grade and 2nd graders.

Compound Words activity

Compound words are two (or more) root words combined to make a new word with a new meaning. It usually is two (or more) words that does not have anything in common, but put together it makes a new word that means something.

This is a great hands on activity for kindergarteners, grade 1, and second grade students.

using unifex cubes to learn compounds words

Learning Compound Words with Blocks

For this activity I used Unifix blocks and a white board marker:

using a sharpie write words on unifix cubes

I wrote words on different color blocks, like “play” on purple and “room” on white blocks to illustrate that they are both complete word son their own (root words).

BUT, you can combine the two and make a new word: “playroom”. This you call a compound word.

HINT: You can find a list of compound words here and you can write words on all the sides of the blocks too!

compounds words learning activity for kids in kindergarten first grade, second grade

How to play:

Add all the same color blocks together. Does this make any sense?
Are these real words? “Cakeprint?”, “Homeship”? No, it is a bit silly.
Fix it up to make compound words that DO make sense! For example: “Cupcake” and “friendship” are words that make sense.

Extension

Use every compound word in an oral or written sentence.
Draw pictures of the newly formed compound words.
Make up silly stories to explain meanings of words. For example: The cup and the cake went to school. It was time to play in the room, but the cake wanted to go home to do work…

learning compounds words through play with this hands on educational activity

Do you have any other clever ways of introducing compound words to children?

Compound Word Activities

For more practice learning compound words for kids, try these fun compound word ideas for early learners!

Learning Compound Words with Block – a fun compound words activities
Compound Word Puzzles – print the free set in color or black and white (self-checking)
Apple Compound Words for kids Worksheets
Clip it Free Compound Word Cards
5 Free Compound Word Activities – including picture cards, worksheets, puzzles, and more!
Winter Compound Word Activities – free printable set includes compound word worksheets and snowflake puzzles
Free printable Compound Words for Kids printable readers