Students correctly answer questions to reach the top of the mountain. How far will they make it up the mountain? As they progress higher up the mountain, the scenery will change. At the end, a polaroid is taken of how far they made it up the mountain with a score. In Let’s Hike – Match the Rhymes: CVC Words, students develop phonics skills in a playful, team-based format that celebrates progress and persistence.

This is a cooperative game where if there is more than one player, they must work together to answer the questions correctly to make it to the top of the mountain as a team. With each correct response, their hiker moves further up the trail - making the journey as rewarding as the destination.

Students will practise identifying rhyming words based on CVC patterns, building early reading fluency through repetition and sound recognition. Each climb becomes a new opportunity to grow phonemic awareness in a supportive and engaging setting.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Identify rhyming words based on CVC patterns
• ✅ Strengthen phonemic awareness and short vowel recognition
• ✅ Develop early reading and decoding fluency
• ✅ Reinforce phonics knowledge through visual and audio cues
• ✅ Encourage teamwork and persistence through collaborative play

How to Play:

1. Students are shown a CVC word (e.g. “dog”) and asked to choose the rhyming word from multiple-choice options.
2. Each correct answer helps their character hike higher up the mountain.
3. As they progress, the background scenery changes to reflect their journey.
4. All players share the same goal and climb together as a team.
5. Once all questions are complete, a polaroid shows how far they made it as a team.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use in phonics rotations or small groups to practise rhyming skills with support
• 💡 Play as a whole class to reinforce sound recognition and encourage discussion
• 💡 Follow up with a writing task where students list other rhyming words from the game
• 💡 Use for early finishers needing extra literacy fluency practise

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Let students personalise their experience by choosing from six characters before the game begins
• 💛 Select the number of players or teams at the start to support whole class, small group, or individual use
• 💛 Send the QR code home for fun and familiar phonics practise

Let’s Hike – Match the Rhymes: CVC Words blends phonics with visual adventure, giving students repeated opportunities to build fluency while working toward a common, motivating goal.