Description

Download and print this deck of child-sized (5 X 6.5cm) playing cards for fun reading practice. Contain one and two-syllable words with the vowel digraph “ow” as in “cow”. Words are printed facing both up and down so they can be read from either side of a table. Many words look similar (e.g. prow-prowl, towel-trowel), so learners must pay attention to every letter to read them accurately.

As well as the vowel digraph “ow”, sound-letter relationships in this deck are as follows:

• b as in but
• c as in can
• d as in dog
• f as in fun
• g as in got
• h as in hat
• j as in jam
• k as in kid
• l as in let
• m as in man
• n as in not
• p as in pat
• r as in run
• s as in sit, ss as in prowess
• t as in top
• v as in vet
• w as in win
• x as in box
• y as in yes
• z as in zip
• sh as in shop
• ch as in chin
• th as in thin, th as in this
• qu as in quick
• wh as in when
• a as in allow
• e as in towel
• i as in cowlick
• er as in tower
• y as in drowsy

These cards can be used to play any card game that uses a typical deck of playing cards, but with the extra requirement that each card’s word must be read when it is played. We’ve made some videos of example games to get you started:

• California Speed
• Spit
• Snip Snap Snorum
• War
• Beggar Thy Neighbour
• Slapjack
• Snap
• Mancala, for which you’ll also need to download our Mancala board.

We hope you enjoy using them!