Safari Quest Gameboard
Phonics Quest Series
SAFARI PHONICS QUEST
Team:
Players:
Roll the die, travel through the deep word-jungle, and escape the traps! Land on an animal to draw a phonics card. Can you reach the Golden Treasure?
1
START
2
🦁
Sound Check
3
🐒
Sight Safari
4
🔍
Word Jungle
5
⏳
Quicksand!
skip next turn
10
🦛
Sound Check
9
❓
Wild Card
8
🔍
Word Jungle
7
🐘
Sight Safari
6
🦓
Sound Check
11
🦒
Sight Safari
12
🔍
Word Jungle
13
🐍
Snake Slither!
go back 2 spaces
14
🦜
Sound Check
15
🐊
Sight Safari
20
GOLDEN TREASURE!
FINISH
19
🐸
Sight Safari
18
🐆
Sound Check
17
🧭
Compass Guide!
roll & go again
16
🔍
Word Jungle
Row 1: Go Right ➡️ Row 2: Go Left ⬅️ Row 3: Go Right ➡️ Row 4: Go Left ⬅️ to Finish!
SAFARI CHALLENGE LEGEND
🦁
Sound Check: Pick Sound Card. Make sound!
🐒
Sight Safari: Pick Sight Card. Read instantly!
🔍
Word Jungle: Pick Word Card. Blend & read!
❓
Wild Card: Pick Wild Card. Follow rule!
Sound Deck Place Sound Cards Here
Sight Deck Place Sight Cards Here
Word Deck Place Word Cards Here
Wild Deck Place Wild Cards Here
Safari Quest Play Cards
SAFARI PHONICS QUEST • DECK PART 1
Page 1 of 2: Cut along the dotted outer boxes
Sound Card
Sound 1
m
as in "monkey" 🐒
Challenge: Say the sound 3 times like a chewing monkey! "/m/ /m/ /m/"
Sound Card
Sound 2
s
as in "snake" 🐍
Challenge: Hiss the sound while waving your arm like a snake! "/ssssss/"
Sound Card
Sound 3
t
as in "tiger" 🐅
Challenge: Tap your tongue and say the quick sound! "/t/ /t/ /t/"
Sound Card
Sound 4
ch
as in "cheetah" 🐆
Challenge: Run in place for 3 seconds and whisper: "/ch/ /ch/ /ch/"
Sight Card
Sight 1
the
Read instantly without spelling!
Challenge: Spell it aloud using high safari voices: "T - H - E!"
Sight Card
Sight 2
look
Read instantly without spelling!
Challenge: Cup your hands around your eyes like goggles and read!
Sight Card
Sight 3
said
Read instantly without spelling!
Challenge: Use the word in a fun sentence: "The lion said roar!"
Sight Card
Sight 4
into
Read instantly without spelling!
Challenge: Jump forward and say: "We jumped into the cave!"
SAFARI PHONICS GAME ASSET READY FOR STUDENT USE
SAFARI PHONICS QUEST • DECK PART 2
Page 2 of 2: Cut along the dotted outer boxes
Word Card
Word 1
cat
Challenge: Tap each dot on the table, make the sound, then blend! "/k/ - /a/ - /t/ = CAT"
Word Card
Word 2
hen
Challenge: Tap your arm, make the sounds, then blend: "/h/ - /e/ - /n/ = HEN"
Word Card
Word 3
pig
Challenge: Stomp your feet for each sound, then blend: "/p/ - /i/ - /g/ = PIG"
Word Card
Word 4
sun
Challenge: Reach your hands high to the sky for each sound, then blend: "SUN!"
Wild Card
Action
🌴 VINE SWING!
You grabbed a heavy vine and swung across a swampy river!
Move ahead 2 spaces!
Wild Card
Action
🐒 MONKEY MISCHIEF
A playful monkey took your safari hat and threw it backward!
Move back 1 space!
Wild Card
Action
🔦 HIDDEN CAVE
You found a glowing secret cave with old drawings on the walls!
Get 1 Extra Turn!
Wild Card
Action
🐘 TRUNK RIDE!
A tall elephant picked you up and gave you a ride forward!
Move ahead 3 spaces!
SAFARI PHONICS GAME ASSET READY FOR STUDENT USE
Safari Quest Play Guide
Educator Resource
Safari Quest Play Guide
DOC_ID: SQ-T-01
A comprehensive guide to printing, assembling, and facilitating the Safari Phonics Quest board game in small groups or literacy centers. Target age: Pre-K to 1st Grade (Ages 4-7).
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Produce high-frequency letter sounds.
- Recognize common kindergarten sight words instantly.
- Segment and blend simple CVC words phonetically.
- Build reading confidence and turn-taking skills.
PREPARATION & SETUP
- Print: Print the Safari Quest Gameboard on heavy cardstock.
- Cut: Print the Play Cards double-sided or single-sided, and cut along dotted lines.
- Gather: You will need 1 die (or a spinner) and 1 colored token/mover for each child (e.g., mini animal figures, colored cubes, or buttons).
- Place: Separate cards into 4 color-coded decks. Place them facedown on matching sections of the gameboard.
GAMEPLAY RULES
- 1. Roll & Move: Players roll a 6-sided die and move that number of spaces along the serpentine path.
- 2. Challenge: Look at the space landed on:
- 🦁 Lion / Zebra: Draw a Sound Card. Say the letter's sound.
- 🐒 Monkey / Frog: Draw a Sight Card. Read it immediately.
- 🔍 Word Space: Draw a Word Card. Decode and read it.
- ❓ Wild Space: Draw a Wild Card and follow the directions.
- 3. Accuracy Check: Friends listen and say "A-Ok!" if correct. If incorrect, read together, then stay on the space.
- 4. Winning: The first explorer to reach Space 20 wins!
THE PEER REVIEW LOOP
Turn early reading into a team victory! Instruct other students to act as "Safari Guides":
📣 "Thumbs Up Safari": All players listen. If the active player blends the word successfully, everyone gives a thumbs-up and moves their token to mimic a tiny jump.
🤝 "Rescue Crew": If a student gets stuck on a word, the group helps by showing the hand signals or tapping out the sounds together. No child is left behind!
DIFFERENTIATION OPTIONS
For Emerging Readers (Scaffolding):
Remove the CVC Word cards. Allow students to use the physical illustrations (on cards) or draw letters in sand/salt before moving.