Compound Words Clip Cards

Understanding how compound words are broken down and built up helps kids grasp the importance of looking within a word for sound and meaning. Besides that, it’s fun, and each card in this set contains not just one, but two compound-type words. One is obvious, but the other is for the kids to discover!

What you need

Print off the Compound Secret Words Clip Cards (below) onto card and laminate if you wish before cutting to separate. Grab some small clothespins or paperclips and you’re ready to go.

Compound words

We often think of compound words as two words added together to make a new word, written as one word such as grandmother. However there are actually three types of compound words.

Closed form

These are the traditional joined together words such as butterfly, countdown or softball.

Hyphenated form

Obviously, the ones with hyphens such as mother-in-law or six-year-old. These also may include suspended compounds, for example ‘…all the six-, seven- and eight-year-olds.’ In these cases the hyphen is acting as a place holder for the final word.

Open form

These are written as two words but are considered to be a compound word, such as post office and blood pressure.

Using these clip cards

Children look at the main picture and say the word, then divide that word into its two parts. They then check the small pictures underneath, choose which two picture words can be joined together to make that compound word, and clip them with clothespins or paperclips.

When they’re confident they have those correct they look back at the smaller pictures to try and find the second compound word represented by those pictures.

Extension

Can they think of other words that might be able to be created using any one of the three smaller pictures? For example, in the second picture above we might think of firehouse. Actually, in the left card a third compound word is created with ‘handball.’

All the words are listed in the printable so children can use that as a reference sheet if needed.

Download here!

Click on the following highlighted text, Compound Secret Words Clip Cards, and it will be sent straight to your downloads folder or other device equivalent.

I hope your kids enjoy this activity!