Valentine’s Day Real and Nonsense CVC Word Sort

Valentine’s Day will be here before we know it. I cannot wait to pull out all of our Valentine’s Day themed activities. One of the things I look forward to every February is leaving little love notes for my kids each day. I write something I love about each kid on a heart and place it inside a cute little mailbox I picked up from Walmart. The look of pure joy on my kid’s faces every morning when they open their mailbox is what inspired this Valentine’s Day Real and Nonsense CVC word Sort Activity.

*Pair this with our February Kindergarten Printables Bundle!

Real and Nonsense CVC Word Sort

Who doesn’t love sending and receiving mail right? This activity is a fun way to combine “mailing letters” and working on isolating and blending sounds in CVC words.

Materials You Will Need

• Laminator & Laminating Sheets
• Scissors or Paper Cutter
• Box or boxes (depends on the size)
• Exacto Knife
• Tape

Setting Up the Activity

First, you will print and laminate the real and nonsense word mailboxes and envelope word cards.

Next, you will use scissors or an Exacto knife to cut out the hole on each of the mailboxes. Use an Exacto knife to cut out the slits on the box you are using.

For this activity, I used the side of one open back cardboard box, but you can use any type of box(es) or container that you have on hand. Using open back boxes makes it easier to retrieve the envelope cards and repeat the activity as many times as desired.

Once all of the slits are cut in the box, use tape to attach the mailbox cards to the box.

How to Use This Activity

Place the real and nonsense word cards in a pile. You can also spread them out in front of the box if you prefer.

Students will pick a card and read the word on the card.

They will determine if the CVC word is a real or nonsense word and place it in the correct mailbox slot.

Continue until all of the CVC words have been read and sorted.

Helpful Tip 1: In a classroom setting, use one container per mailbox so that checking the student’s work is easier. If you only have access to one box, you can place some small containers inside the box to collect the word cards as they are pushed through.

Helpful Tip 2: If you would like students to check their own work, add colored dots or shapes to the back of each set of cards before laminating.

RELATED RESOURCE: CVC Words Centers & Activities

Extension Activities

• Write a list of real and nonsense CVC words.
• Go on “CVC word walk” in some picture books. Look for CVC words and create a list on a piece of paper.

Grab Your Copy

Ready to do some CVC word sorting? Grab your copy of this Valentine’s Day Real and Nonsense CVC Word Sort by clicking on the large, blue button below.

Then, hop on over to see our Box of Chocolates Valentine Alphabet Match for more Valentine fun!