CVC Mystery Word Mats for Word Families

CVC Mystery Word Mats Word Families make word building fun and engaging for young learners. Students build four picture words from the same word family and then use the leftover letters to discover the mystery word. This simple routine gives children repeated practice with blending, segmenting, and short vowel phonics patterns in a hands on way.

🧩 What’s Included in the CVC Mystery Word Mats for Word Families

• 28 Mystery Word mats featuring short vowel word families
• Letter boards with all letters needed for each set
• Answer cards for quick self checking
• Recording sheets for writing and illustrating the mystery word

✏️ How to Use the CVC Mystery Word Mats for Word Families

• Invite students to look at the four picture prompts on the Mystery Word mat.
• Students build each CVC word using magnetic or scrabble letter tiles.
• Several letters will remain after the four picture words are complete.
• Students rearrange the remaining letters to solve the mystery word.
• They complete the recording sheet by writing the words and drawing a picture to match.

🎯 Educational Benefits

• Strengthens blending and segmenting skills
• Builds automaticity with CVC word families
• Supports short vowel recognition and decoding
• Encourages independent problem solving
• Provides meaningful hands on phonics practice

🖍️ Classroom Tips

• Store letter tiles in small containers so students can access them quickly.
• Model one mat together before introducing them to centers.
• Use color trays to keep the mat, letter board, and tiles organized.
• Add completed recording sheets to phonics notebooks for ongoing review.

📚 Word Families and Words Included

ab: cab, lab, dab, tab, JAB
ad: pad, bad, mad, dad, SAD
ag: tag, rag, wag, sag, BAG
am: ram, dam, jam, yam, HAM
an: pan, can, man, fan, VAN
ap: map, cap, lap, tap, GAP
at: hat, cat, mat, rat, BAT
ax: sax, tax, Max, fax, WAX

ed: red, fed, led, wed, BED
eg: Meg, beg, keg, peg, LEG
en: pen, hen, den, men, TEN
et: pet, jet, vet, wet, NET

ib: jib, bib, nib, fib, RIB
id: hid, bid, rid, kid, LID
ig: pig, wig, fig, big, DIG
in: fin, pin, bin, tin, WIN
ip: tip, dip, lip, sip, ZIP
it: sit, kit, lit, bit, HIT

ob: rob, sob, cob, mob, JOB
od: nod, cod, sod, pod, ROD
og: jog, log, cog, fog, DOG
op: pop, top, cop, mop, HOP
ot: cot, rot, hot, dot, POT

ub: cub, sub, hub, rub, TUB
ug: hug, mug, rug, jug, BUG
um: gum, hum, sum, mum, YUM (two mats included for two picture options for “mum”)
un: sun, run, nun, bun, FUN
ut: cut, hut, gut, rut, NUT

The CVC Mystery Word Mats for Word Families makes CVC practice purposeful, predictable, and fun for young learners.

Happy Teaching! 😊