Phonics, Spelling, & Grammar Resources

Are you looking for engaging ways to teach your students about compound words? Look no further! We’ve compiled a collection of fun and interactive Compound Word Printables and activities that will help your students understand compound words in no time. Plus, we have some great printable resources to make teaching compound words a breeze.

What Are Compound Words?

Compound words are made by joining two or more words to create a new word. These types of words build on exciting knowledge so kids love learning them. They are more successful with compound words because they already know one or both of the small words within the new compound word. Which makes them more successful and feel good about their learning.  

Compound Words In The Curriculum

Teaching Compound Words is part of the Language Strand under the Phonics and word knowledge substrand. 

To teach compound words students need to learn how digraphs, long vowels, blends and silent letters can be used to spell one and two-syllable words including compound words. 

Teaching Compound Words

A Compound word is made when two or more words are joined to form a new word and subsequently, a new meaning.

So watch out for kids who cannot see that the new words change the meaning. e.g black bird has a different meaning to the word blackbird.

Compound words can be written with or without a hyphen, in fact, they can be written in three ways:

1. as open compounds (spelt as two words, e.g., ice cream),
2. closed compounds (joined to form a single word, e.g., doorknob)
3. hyphenated compounds (two words joined by a hyphen, e.g., long-term).

Sometimes, more than two words can form a compound (e.g., mother-in-law).

Teaching compound words can be challenging for some students. Here are some common difficulties that students may face:

1. Identifying the two or more words that make up a compound word.
2. Understanding how the meaning of the compound word is different from the individual words that make it up.
3. Recognising the spelling pattern of compound words.
4. Knowing which words can be combined to create a compound word.

Teaching compound words is an important part of building a strong foundation in language arts. Use our fun and engaging activities below to help your students develop a better understanding of compound words.