CVCC and R-Controlled Puzzlers – Free Onset and Rime Self-Checking Phonics Puzzles
Guided Phonics + Beyond
Free CVCC and R-controlled puzzlers. Students connect onset and rime pieces into a self-checking puzzle for phonics and decoding practice.
These CVCC and R-controlled puzzlers make decoding interactive and self-checking while staying aligned to the science of reading. Each puzzle comes in three parts: an onset piece, a rime piece, and a top piece with the full word that completes the puzzle.
Example CVCC words: help → /h/ onset piece + elp rime piece → top piece help
Example R-controlled words: park → /p/ onset piece + ark rime piece → top piece park
Students practice segmenting onset and rime before blending into the full word
The top piece provides a built-in self-check feature for independent practice
Great for small-groups, literacy centers, or independent word work
These puzzles offer hands-on decoding practice with immediate feedback, making them engaging for students and easy to manage for teachers.
Submit any requests/questions to littlemindsatworkLLC@gmail.com
Tara West
Teacher-Author
Tara West is a dedicated educator and the founder of Little Minds at Work, an educational platform designed to provide teachers with creative and engaging resources for early childhood education. With a focus on developing innovative lesson plans, classroom strategies, and activities, Tara brings her passion for teaching to life, empowering teachers to foster meaningful learning experiences for their students.
