Swim to the Reef - Short Vowel Sounds Game Pack - Print & Play Learning Games - With THREE Levels of Play

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah

Swim to the Reef Short Vowel Sounds Game Pack is a print-and-play set of low-prep learning games designed for practicing short vowel sounds. The pack provides three levels: focusing on one short vowel per game, distinguishing between two vowels, and progressing to CVC word spelling while discriminating between two vowels. Clear directions explain gameplay with markers, dice or objects, win conditions, player variation, and a picture key for short a/e/i/o/u.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Picture Key

Short vowel lists (a, e, i, o, u)

Gameplay Levels

Level 1: Single short vowel focus

Level 2: Distinguish two vowel sounds

Level 3: Distinguish two vowels and spell CVC words

Game Directions and Variations

Markers, start position, tossing objects

1-player and 2-player rules

| Swim to the Reef
Short Vowel Sounds Game Pack
Print & Play: Low-Prep Learning Games
With THREE Levels of Play!
Level 1: Only one short vowel sound is focused on for each game. Great for kids just learning the short vowel sounds.
Level 2: Distinguishing between two different vowel sounds. Great for kids who need more review.
Level 3: Distinguishing between two different vowel sounds and spelling the CVC words. Great for kids who are comfortable with short vowel sounds and are ready for a challenge!
Variation: This game can be played with 1 OR 2 players. If there is only 1 player, that player moves both markers for each fish towards the reef. If there are 2 players, each player picks a fish/vowel. He moves his marker only if he lands on a square with a picture that has that vowel sound. | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | See this game in action HERE.
Read more about this low-prep series and view all the games HERE.
©2015 All Rights Reserved.
[www.thisreadingmama.co](www.thisreadingmama.com)[m](www.thisreadingmama.com) | | | | Terms of Use: This free printable pack was created for you to use at home with your child/students or with multiple children in a classroom/tutoring setting. Please do not sell, host, reproduce, giveaway, or store on any other site (including a blog, Facebook, 4Shared, Dropbox, etc. ) . Thank you! | | | Swim to the Reef
Short Vowel Sounds Game Pack
Picture Key
Short a: bat, cab, cat, dad, mad, map, nap, wag, wax Short e: bed, hen, jet, leg, net, peg, ten, vet, web
Short i: bib, dig, lip, pig, rip, six, wig, win, zip
Short o: dog, dot, fox, hop, hot, log, mop, pop, pot Short u: bug, bus, cup, cut, gum, rug, sub, sun, tub | | | --- | --- | | | Find more middle vowel sounds activities in Level 3 of our app, Alphabet Sounds.
Available on iTunes & Google Play.
©2015 All Rights Reserved.
[www.thisreadingmama.co](www.thisreadingmama.com)[m](www.thisreadingmama.com) | | Swim to the Reef Level 1 Games
Only one short vowel sound is focused on for each game. Great for kids just learning the short vowel sounds.

©2015 All Rights Reserved.
[www.thisreadingmama.com](www.thisreadingmama.com) | | --- | | | Swim to the Reef Short a Game Board Directions: Grab two small markers and place one on each fish (at the Start position). Toss a small object onto game board. When it lands on a picture, name the picture and identify the middle vowel sound. If it has a short a sound, move a marker on the short a side closer to the reef. If it does not, move the marker on the blank side (not short a). The first fish to swim all the way to the reef wins! | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | ©[www.thisreadingmama.com](www.thisreadingmama.com)[ ](www.thisreadingmama.com)[Print & Play Learning Series](Print & Play Learning Series) Swim to the Reef Short e Game Board Directions: Grab two small markers and place one on each fish (at the Start position). Toss a small object onto game board. When it lands on a picture, name the picture and identify the middle vowel sound. If it has a short e sound, move a marker on the short e side closer to the reef. If it does not, move the marker on the blank side (not short e). The first fish to swim all the way to the reef wins! | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | ©[www.thisreadingmama.com](www.thisreadingmama.com)[ ](www.thisreadingmama.com)[Print & Play Learning Series](Print & Play Learning Series) Swim to the Reef Short i Game Board Directions: Grab two small markers and place one on each fish (at the Start position). Toss a small object onto game board. When it lands on a picture, name the picture and identify the middle vowel sound. If it has a short i sound, move a marker on the short i side closer to the reef. If it does not, move the marker on the blank side (not short i). The first fish to swim all the way to the reef wins! | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- |

FAQs

How do you play the game board?

Place one marker on each fish at the Start position, then toss a small object onto the board. When it lands on a picture, name the picture and identify the middle vowel sound, then move the correct marker. The first fish to swim to the reef wins.

What is the difference between Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3?

Level 1 focuses on only one short vowel sound per game. Level 2 asks kids to distinguish between two different vowel sounds. Level 3 adds distinguishing between two vowels and spelling the CVC words.

How can the variation be played with one or two players?

With 1 player, the player moves both markers for each fish toward the reef. With 2 players, each player selects a fish/vowel and moves only their marker when the landing picture matches that vowel sound.

Oct 22, 2026

Uploaded by Sarah