Epic Speed Memory Match turns the familiar matching game into a lively whole-group phonics activity. It works best with two AGO Phonics decks, so that every selected phoneme card has a matching partner.
What you need
- Two matching AGO Phonics decks
- A large table, or two or three smaller tables
- Pairs or groups of three players
Put the action cards aside and select either 12 or 18 matching pairs. Shuffle the cards and spread them face down across the playing area. If you have a larger class, divide the cards between several tables.
How to play
All groups play Memory Match at the same time. A player turns over one card, reads its words and target phoneme, and then turns over a second card in an attempt to find the match. If the cards match, the player keeps the pair. If they do not, both cards are turned face down again.
Play continues until all the pairs have been collected. The player or team with the most pairs wins.
Because everyone plays simultaneously, this version is much faster and noisier than standard Memory Match. With younger or particularly energetic groups, establish clear rules about taking turns, reading every card and leaving cards in their original positions.