Go Search is an excellent game to reinforce automaticity in decoding, visual discrimination, and to build memory skills. It is played like “Go Fish”. Sometimes it has been called “I Have, Do You Have?”

The games can be played by 2-5 people. 4-7 cards are shuffled and dealt out clockwise (a great way to teach card-playing skills). I’ve found it faster to just mix the cards face down on the table and each child draw the 4-7 cards for their hand. The rest of the cards are the ‘draw pile’. Game directions are included in most of the game packs.

Cards should be made on cardstock. They will last longer if laminated (and laminating each card works better). Words will show through less on a little darker cardstock.

Other games can also be played with the cards. Most of the decks include a blank card to which a sticker may be placed. Then the game can be played like ‘Old Maid’. Cards can also be placed face down in rows on the table and played like ‘Concentration’ or just match them.

Use your imagination. A blank game template is included. Letters, consonant blends, sight words, vocabulary words, etc. can be made. Go Search games included are listed below. Check this site occasionally for more. If you make new games and want to share them, send them back to me and we’ll include them for others to use too.

Go Search! (Go Fish!)
DIRECTIONS: Deal 4 or more cards to each player and to the draw pile. Students try to make pairs with the____________ rule by asking, “I have _______. Do you have ______?” If student receives the requested card, he puts down the pair and asks again. If the other player does not have the requested card, he picks from the pile. If he picks his wish, he may go again. If player does not receive his card, the play continues with the next player. If a player runs out of cards, he picks a card. The game ends when ALL cards have been picked and played. The player with the most pairs wins.

Concentration: All card packs used in Go Search can be used to play Concentration as well. Cards are shuffled and placed face down in rows on the table. Students take turns turning up 2 cards, trying to find a match. The game ends when all cards are turned over and removed. Students may also enjoy playing Concentration with “logo” signs and words (ie. Dairy Queen, Arby’s, Taco Bell—these can often be found in phone books or flyers. Two sets are needed. They are especially useful with pre-readers as they help to establish that words have meaning, and they provide an element of success for the student.)

Ice Cream Cone; Bug Out: Any name can be given to the game which is played like the “Old Maid” Game. Cards from the Go Search packs can be used. Add another card with an Ice Cream Cone sticker, Bug, or any other kind of sticker. Deal out all cards. Students match pairs, then proceed to draw from the next player clockwise around the table, matching pairs. An extra turn is taken if the match is made. The game can be played with the one with the Ice Cream Cone being the winner or the one with the Bug Card the loser.

Choose the game below and download the PDF file for each game.