Mad Libs for Emergent Readers

Kindergartners thrive on being silly. They love creating ridiculous words and sentences. You can use this love of a good joke to get them writing! This fill-in-the-blanks game is a little like Mad Libs, but for emerging writers. Get ready for some silly sentences!

What You Need:

  • pencil
  • crayons
  • clear tape
  • 2 pieces of construction paper (one red, one yellow)
  • safety scissors
  • 2 bowls
  • printed activity sheet

What to Do:

  1. Fold each piece of construction paper into 8 sections (fold the paper in half, then fold in half again, and then fold the remainder in half). Unfold, and ask your students to draw a picture on each of the sections, to illustrate the following word lists: Red (nouns): Car House Cat Girl Boy Yellow (verbs): Walk Swim Eat Throw Read
  2. Once they have drawn illustrations for all of the words, ask your students to cut along the folds to create picture cards. (NOTE: They will have five picture cards for each sheet, plus 3 blanks.) Put all the red cards in one bowl, and all the yellow cards in the other.
  3. It’s time for some fill-in-the-blank silliness! Using the template below as a “sentence frame”, your students will choose cards at random to fill in the gaps. Each time they see the words “red card” underneath a blank, they should pick a card from the red bowl, and write the word in the blank. When they see the words “yellow card”, they should pick a card from the yellow bowl, and write it in the blank. Repeat until all spaces are full. The result? Absolutely ridiculous sentences, that they’ll get a kick out of repeating.
  4. This activity gets things started, with four super silly sentences. But you can extend the fun, by creating some more of your own. Add new picture cards, or add more fill-in-the-blanks, it’s up to you. Either way, this game is sure to get your students giggling, and practicing their new writing skills, too!

"Frame It" Activity Sheet

Red Cards (nouns)Yellow Cards (verbs)

carwalk

houseswim

cateat

girlthrow

boyread

1. We will go to her ______to ______.

(red card) (yellow card)

2. The ______likes to ______mice!

(red card) (yellow card)

3. The ______will ______me the ball.

(red card) (yellow card)

4. A ______went to the library to ______

(red card) (yellow card)

a book.