Who remembers playing BOGGLE as a child? To this day, I still remember the obnoxious sound shaking that plastic box caused. While I couldn’t imagine letting my students play actual boggle (ow, my head!) I still LOVE incorporating it into my classroom. Of course, I’ve had to put my teacher spin on it!

We’ve all seen the bulletin board boggle games on Pinterest - giant paper replicas of the original game. My version of boggle is a little different. It still has all 26 letters of the alphabet, but the difference is that I’ve also included letter tiles that have diphthongs and digraphs! Each week, I switch out the letters on the board, and I ONLY use the diphthongs or digraphs that we have learned as a class! This forces my students to experiment with sounds and letters, allows them to discover new words, and reinforces those phonics skills we’ve been working so hard on - and it has made a world of difference in their reading and writing!

One of the coolest things about Phonics Boggle? It’s not just educational, it’s fun! I swear every word my first graders find is a victory dance waiting to happen - especially when it's a word we’ve learned in another subject (what a coincidence!). Seeing their faces light up when they find that word? It’s pure magic! Every word discovered is a confidence boost that tells them, “Hey, you’ve got this!” It’s incredible how this game helps build their self-assurance and makes them more eager to dive into challenges headfirst.

Boggle challenges my little learners to think fast, analyze patterns, and strategize how to connect those letters to form words. It’s a time for them to flex those critical thinking muscles, setting them up for tackling puzzles not just in language but in life, too.

Oh, did I mention it doesn’t have to be a solo mission? In my class, Boggle thrives on teamwork. It’s all about group huddles, discussions, and sharing those ‘aha’ moments when they find a word together. It’s a fantastic way to teach them the beauty of working as a team and valuing everyone’s input. Of course, you could use it as an independent activity as well. I often have early finishers or students who just want some quiet time playing it all on their own!

As a first grade teacher, Boggle has become my trusty sidekick. It’s not just a game; it’s a catalyst for a lifelong love affair with language, exploration, and learning. And as their teacher, watching them light up as they unravel a new word or laugh together during a play session—well, that’s the kind of magic that reminds me why I love being in this classroom every day.

How Does It Work Though?

It’s simple!

1. Download Phonics Boggle from my store!

2. Print the colour scheme that suits you, your class, or your vibe that day!

3. Set it up! I like to set mine up on a whiteboard - so I put magnet stickers on the back of each letter. This lets me quickly switch out the letters each day or week. If you don’t have a whiteboard, a wall, door, or bulletin board work great too! You can use stick on velcro dots to make changing out letters easier, or you can tack or staple them to your surface.

Arrange the letters in ways that make obvious words - remember the goal is to create words from letters that are touching vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. In real boggle, the letters have to go in order of the words. Depending on my group of students, I will sometimes let them build the words in any order they can find them.
Use the diphthong and digraph tiles to force your students to practice with those sounds!

Phonics boggle directly aligns with the science of reading. It enhances phonemic awareness, visual scanning, and vocabulary skills. Players search for words, reinforcing letter-sound relationships and decoding abilities. It fosters recognition of patterns, improving word recognition and spelling proficiency. Additionally, playing collaboratively encourages discussions about word meanings and structures, promoting comprehension strategies. Integrating Boggle into reading activities cultivates crucial foundational skills essential for literacy development.