A complete pack of 25 first digraph Word Ladder Games and Activities designed to build early reading, spelling, and sentence construction skills.
 
Perfect for early years classrooms, these ladders go beyond simple worksheets. Each word ladder is part of a structured progression that supports students as they move from the initial code through to first digraphs ch, tch, ck, sh, th, ng, double letters ff, ll, ss, zz and the spelling qu. 
 
A teacher guide is included to show you how to play the game.
 
The guide shows you clear, practical strategies to turn these activities into engaging, effective learning routines. It includes how to extend the game to use as a scaffold for partner reading, word building, and sentence instruction.
 
What’s included:
 
25 word ladders for repeated practice of the first digraphs.
 
Clear progression to support early phonics and spelling development. Uses the same sequence as all our early reading activities and resources. 
 
2 qu words
5 double letters ff, ll, ss, zz
2 ng and nk
4 ck
4 ch
2 tch
4 sh
2 th
 
The teacher guide shows you how to:

Play and introduce the word ladder games with confidence

Use the ladders as part of partner reading routines

Scaffold word-building activities

Support early sentence construction in a structured, meaningful way
 
 
Why teachers love it:
 
Easy to implement
 
No prep required
 
Flexible for whole class, small group, or partner work
 
Designed for repeated practice to build mastery

Ideal for sending home to reinforce previous letter–sound knowledge instruction

Engaging, purposeful, and easy to integrate into daily literacy lessons