Bugs on Parade {Printable Game to Practice Color Words}

Before the summer began, I jotted down a number of themes to explore while the boys were off school. Bugs was at the top of the list.

This fun little game helps kids begin to associate actual colors with the color words, and can either help familiarize kids or practice color sight words for those that are already learning phonics and have some early reading skills.

Bugs on Parade was a blast to make and just as much fun to play.

What You Need

PDF of the game board and die (download it here)

4 pieces of heavyweight cardstock, onto which you'll print the game board and die

Scissors, tape, and glue for assembly

Game pieces (we used different colored buttons for each player)

Prep

Pages 1-3 are the game board and because your home printer won't print full bleed (to the edge of the paper), you'll need to trim a little white strip so the board's space touch. Tape the three pages together. (For storage, fold the board in a z-shape.)

Cut apart the die. Score the lines with a butter knife and fold. Glue with a low-temp glue gun.

Note: The printable provides two die - beginner and advanced. For young children who are not reading, exploring phonics, etc. it's best to use the colorful die. No reading is required to play. Simply seeing the sight words over and over again will help reinforce learning. The other die does not contain colored sides; players must use their color words familiarity or phonics knowledge to read the die.

Play

All players must put their game pieces on the START lettering. They'll take turns rolling the die, reading the color word, and moving their game piece to the first occurring bug on the board of that color. If the player rolls "Lose a Turn" then play continues for the next player. If the player rolls "roll and move 2" they will roll the die and whatever color word is on top of the die, they must move TWO of those colored bugs forward on the board.

The player to reach the final yellow bug first wins!

Read

Want a perfect book to pair with this activity? Check out Jerry Pallotta's Icky Bug Colors book. Not only did it teach us about bugs, but it showed bugs in each color!