35 Easy-to-Use Multisensory Activities – Free Download!

Multisensory literacy instruction isn’t just a strategy—it’s a game-changer, helping all students build strong reading skills that last. Cognitive science research shows that engaging multiple senses strengthens neural connections, enhancing memory and comprehension.

This free resource includes 35 hands-on multisensory activities designed to support foundational literacy skills in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. Each activity is easy to implement and helps create meaningful learning experiences that enhance student understanding, participation, and retention. Download the free guide to bring multisensory learning to life in your classroom!

See It. Hear It. Touch It. Move It.

By engaging multiple senses, students make deeper connections with literacy concepts.

• Increases comprehension & retention – Activating multiple senses strengthens understanding.
• Supports diverse learners – Helps all students, particularly striving readers.
• Brings learning to life – When kids see, hear, touch, and move, reading sticks!

Get a Sneak Peek: Try the “Squish the Syllables” Activity (PLUS 3 more!)

Material(s): Squish or Stress Ball

How to Use: Students use a squishy ball or stress ball to represent syllables. For each syllable they hear in a word, they squish the ball. For example, for the word butterfly, students would squish the ball three times (once for each syllable: but-ter-fly). This physical action helps reinforce the concept of syllables as students associate the squishing motion with breaking the word into parts.

Swat It

Material(s): Fly Swatter + Picture or Letter Cards

How to Use: Lay out several picture or letter cards on a table or wall that represent words with different initial and final sounds. For example, pictures of “cat,” “dog,” and “fish” for initial sounds or “bat,” “cup, and “log” for final sounds.

For initial sounds: Say a sound (e.g., /k/) and have the student swat the picture card that begins with the sound (e.g., “cat”).

For final sounds: Say a sound (e.g., /t/) and have the student swat the picture card that ends with that sound (e.g., “bat”).

Bonus Tip: For an added challenge, call out words with more than one syllable and have students identify the initial or final sound in those words.

Spin the Word

Material(s): Fidget Spinner (spinning tool)

How to Use: The teacher displays a word with the word broken into individual sound boxes (e.g., “c-a-t” for “cat” or “r-e-d” for “red”). Students say each sound of the word aloud. After saying each sound, students spin the fidget spinner while saying the whole word aloud as it’s blended together (e.g., “cat”). The spinning adds a dynamic, engaging element to the process. Continue with different words, allowing students to practice with multiple words and different phonetic patterns. If desired, students can work in pairs or small groups, taking turns to say the sounds, spin the spinner, and blend the words together.

Bonus Tip: For advanced learners, increase the challenge by using multisyllabic words or words with digraphs and blends (e.g., “straw,” “charm,” “plaid”). Encourage students to say each sound clearly then spin and blend the sounds more quickly as they get comfortable. You can also turn it into a timed challenge where students try to beat their previous spinning time while still saying the word correctly.

Rhyming Feud

Material(s): Push Light or Buzzer

How to Use: In small groups or as a whole class, have a “Rhyming Feud” game where students use a buzzer or push light to signal when they have a word that rhymes with a given word. For example, if the word is “dog,” students might buzz in with “log,” “frog,” or “hog.” The first student to correctly come up with a rhyme wins the round. Keep the game fast-paced to build excitement and reinforce rhyming skills.

Bonus Tip: To make the game even more engaging, assign points for correct answers and keep a leaderboard. Consider creating a “Rhyming Champion” for the week who can lead the next round.

Ready for more? Download all 35 Activities

Be sure to complete the form at the top of this page to get your free copy of all 35 activities designed for grades K-5! Make literacy learning active, engaging, and effective in your classroom.

You can find even more multisensory activities in our comprehensive Science of Reading curriculum myView Literacy®. Head over to virtual sampling to check it out!

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