Roll, Read & Cover: Short O is a hands-on, interactive phonics game designed to help early readers build confidence and fluency with short o CVC words. Students roll two dice – one for the onset (beginning sound) and one for the rime (word ending) – and blend the two parts together to form a word. If the word matches a picture on their game board, they cover it. This fast-paced activity helps reinforce blending, segmenting, decoding, and word recognition skills through engaging play.

Designed for use during literacy rotations, small group instruction, or as a warm-up activity, this resource supports early reading development by helping students practise short o sounds in common CVC words such as dog, mop, log, and pot. With repeated practise and visual prompts, students will gain confidence in decoding and blending skills while having fun.

Whether played independently, in pairs, or in small groups, this low-prep game keeps students motivated and learning with each roll. It’s ideal for reinforcing phonemic awareness and short vowel sounds in Foundation and Year 1 classrooms.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Blend onset and rime to form and read short o CVC words
• ✅ Develop decoding and segmenting skills for early reading
• ✅ Improve word recognition and phonemic fluency
• ✅ Strengthen understanding of short vowel sounds
• ✅ Practise reading through collaborative and independent play

What’s Included:

• Printable onset and rime dice templates
• Game boards with matching CVC short o word images
• Instructions for printing, assembly, and use

Materials Needed:

• Printed dice and game boards (on cardstock for durability)
• Scissors to cut out and assemble dice
• Counters or tokens for marking the game board

How to Use:

1. Print and prepare the dice and game boards. Use different colours for onset and rime dice to help distinguish them.
2. Assemble the dice and provide each student or pair with a board and counters.
3. Students roll both dice and blend the onset and rime to form a word.
4. If the word matches a picture on their game board, they cover it. The first to cover all wins!

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use in daily phonics rotations to reinforce short vowel sounds
• 💡 Play in pairs to encourage turn-taking and peer support
• 💡 Laminate for long-lasting use across literacy groups
• 💡 Add to early finisher tasks for independent reading practise

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Review the onset and rime options before gameplay to scaffold beginners
• 💛 Provide a sound mat or anchor chart for students needing visual support
• 💛 Encourage students to write down the words they make as an extension task
• 💛 Laminate all components and store in small containers or zip-lock bags for easy classroom management

Roll, Read & Cover: Short O is a fun and flexible way to develop phonics and reading fluency. With each roll, students gain confidence in blending and decoding, making this a valuable tool for early years literacy learning.

Available in our basic fun font and all Australian state fonts.