phonics activity mat

Beach Letter Sound Isolation Mats Free Printable

Students will practice phoneme isolation in a hands-on way when you use these beach theme letter sound mats for phonics instruction.

Free printable beach theme letter sound isolation mats for learning to isolate sounds in simple CVC words. Perfect for phonics centers and Science of Reading lessons.

Free Printable Beach Letter Sound Isolation Mats

Grab these beach theme letter sound mats for engaging practice with phoneme isolation. Students will use the mats to practice isolating  beginning sounds , middle sounds and ending sounds while matching the letter that makes that sound.

Learning to isolate and identify letter sounds is a crucial phonetic skill that students need to know to move on to the next reading phase.

This phonics activity comes with 5 color mats – 3 for beginning sounds, 1 for middle sounds and 1 for ending sounds. Students will practice short vowel  CVC words  on the middle sounds mats.

Each mat features a fun beach theme and 9 pictures to practice isolating sounds. The pictures are kid-friendly and can easily be identified by young students.

These summer letter sound mats give students a hands-on, fun way to practice phoneme isolation. They will develop critical phonemic awareness skills and phonics skills as they match the correct letter to the picture that matches the letter sound.

Summer theme letter sound isolation phonics activity for phonics lessons in kindergarten and first grade. Great for Science of Reading instruction.

Simple Phonics Activity!

These summer letter sound isolation mats are very easy to prep and utilize.

Simply print, laminate, and go! Instead of laminating, you can also slide the mats into a write-and-wipe pocket for added durability.

There are three different beginning sound mats with nine pictures each. Then one mat for middle sounds and another for final sounds. All 26 letters of the alphabet are present.

All you need for this activity are a set of letter tiles, magnetic letters, letter beads, or any other alphabet manipulative you have.

For easy storage, put the letter sound mats in a large baggie, file folder, or storage tray for easy grab-and-go access. When you are done with the mats for the season, simply store them with your seasonal activities.

A free printable letter sound isolation phonics activity for kids in kindergarten and first grade.

Setting Up the Beach Phoneme Isolation Mats

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Supplies needed:

  • Beach letter sound matching mats (button to access them at the bottom of the post)
  • Letter tiles or another letter manipulative
  • Write and wipe pockets (optional)

Instructions:

  • Print the mats.
  • Laminate or slide into  write and wipe pockets .
  • Gather letter tiles or letter manipulative of your choice.
  • Store the entire activity in a large baggie, file folder, or storage tray.

A beach theme letter sound isolation phonemic awareness phonics activity for kindergarten and first grade.

Practice with Phonemic Awareness and Phonics

For this activity, students will look at a picture on the mats. They will then isolate the beginning sound, middle or ending sound of the word and determine what letter makes that sound.

Next, they will take the correct letter manipulative and cover the picture with the manipulative, matching the letter and the sound.

Students can take these beach letter sounds mats a step further by saying the word aloud, stating the beginning sound, and which letter makes that sound.

You could even provide students with a recording sheet and have them write both the uppercase letter and lowercase letter represented by each sound.

A hands-on phonemic awareness letter sound isolation resource for kids who are learning to read.

Differentiated Phonics Instruction

Your students should begin working with beginning sounds letter recognition and isolation. There are 3 different mats to help them master this skill. Once they are showing signs of mastery with beginning sounds, they can move onto middle and ending sounds.

You can differentiate instruction by giving students only beginning sound, middle sound, or ending sounds mats. As they progress, they can work on all of the mats. There are 5 mats in all.

Students will be applying phonemic awareness skills to determine the letter sounds and phonics skills to find the matching letter.

One way you can differentiate this activity for students ready for a challenge is by laying all of the mats out. Students can draw a mat and complete it OR they can draw a letter tile and find a picture that has that letter sound, either on the beginning, middle, or ending sounds mats.

This is a fun way to add a twist to the activity and make students’ brains work in a different way. Students can use this as a partner activity, working as a team to complete the mats.

An additional way you can use this activity to teach letters and sounds is to have students practice letter formation by writing the letters they use or forming them with play dough.

They could even write the word of the picture on a recording sheet and use it in a sentence. The opportunities with these phoneme isolation mats are endless!

A free printable letter sound isolation phonemic awareness activity for kids.

I hope these summer alphabet activity mats are just what you need to engage your students and help them master phoneme isolation.

Click the button below to get the Beach Letter Sound Isolation Mats! Happy Learning!

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Here are some more summer theme printable activities!

Editable Summer Four in a Row Games Pack

Palm Tree Find and Cover the Letter Mats

Sun CVC Clip Cards

Sun Number Composition Mats Ocean CVC Word Cards

Ocean CVC Word Mats

Ocean Rhyming Clip Strips

Summer Pattern Block Mats

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Phonics Activity Mats

Phase 2 Set 1 Phonics Activity Mats

A selection of phonics activity mats for phase 2, phase 3, phase 4 and phase 5.

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39 Fantastic Phonics Activities for Kids

August 28, 2023 //  by  Lauren Du Plessis

Build your collection of phonics resources with these 39 fantastic activities! Rather than attempting to explain confusing language rules to your students, expose them to the concepts through fun and dynamic learning experiences. These activities are designed to improve your students’ phonemic awareness and reading skills in a playful and enjoyable manner. Check out our exciting ideas to jazz up your phonics lessons! 

1. Phonetic Spelling Activity

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Spelling words phonetically, better known as spelling them out as they sound, is an important developmental milestone. Encourage your kiddos to sound out and pronounce words without worrying about conventional spelling rules. In doing so, you will improve their phonics recognition and overall reading fluency. 

Learn more: Very Well Family

2. Playdough Phonics Mats

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If you’re looking for a hands-on activity, why not use playdough? Provide your students with a mat depicting the outlines of letters, and guide them to use their play dough to craft 3D letters on it. Have them sound out each letter to improve their sound-letter association.

Learn more: Education to the Core

3. Rainbow Hop

Rainbow-Hop-Letter-Sounds-Alphabet-Game-5.jpg

Looking for a way to get your kids warmed up and ready to learn? Lay out colored paper circles, with each circle containing a letter. Have your kids start at one end of the rainbow and roll a die to see how many places they should move. As they hop from one letter to the next, ask them to shout out the sound of the letter that they land on. 

Learn more: Fun Learning for Kids

4. Sound Cups

To help your kids with letter and sound recognition, try sound cups! Label 26 cups, each with a different letter of the alphabet. Then, give your kids an assortment of small objects and ask them to sort the objects by placing them into the correct cups.

Learn more: Pre-Kinders

5. Spin and Rhyme

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This spin and rhyme game is a wonderful way to teach your kids how to sound out phonics and combine them to form words. To make it more interesting, challenge them to create silly rhymes and come up with similar-sounding words.

Learn more: No Time For Flash Cards

6. Four In a Row

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This is a great activity for pairs! Group your learners and give each team a set of different colored markers.  Have the pairs then take turns naming the object in a picture before coloring it in. The first to find four in a row that begin with the same letter sound wins!

Learn more: The Measured Mom

7. Alphabet Ball

Do your kids like to play ball? Incorporate it into your phonics lesson with this game! Call out a letter and have your students pass the ball around as they say words that begin with that letter. 

Learn more: Hands-On As We Grow

8. Stretch It Out

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To help your learners better pronounce a word, encourage them to stretch it out. This activity helps you do just that – literally! Tape letters on an elastic band and have your kids stretch them apart to sound out the letters individually.  Then, guide them to move their hands closer together, eventually blending the sounds until they finally say the word.  

Letter-Sounds-KABOOM-Alphabet-Game-3.png

Kaboom is a simple activity that is useful in solidifying your learners’ phonics knowledge and increasing their vocabulary. Place ice cream sticks with letters written on one end inside a cup. Have your little ones then pull them out one by one and think of a word beginning with that letter.

10. Which One Doesn’t Belong

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Build phonological awareness in your students by asking them to look at the card and the specified letter. Give them cards that each display a letter and a few images. Then, ask them to pick out one picture that doesn’t belong and explain what letter the wrong item begins with.

Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers

11. Phonics Hopscotch

Take learning out onto the playground or even into your driveway at home! Have your students correctly sound out the letters or phonics combinations in the squares they land on before hopping onto the others.

Learn more: Instagram

12. Letter Sound Race

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If you’re looking to stoke your learners’ competitive spirits, try this race activity! Sort your kiddos into teams and have them race to select the letter or phonics combination that you call out.

Learn more: Inspiration Laboratories

13. I Spy Phonics

phonics activity mat

Spice things up with a game of I Spy! Instead of colors or shapes, instruct your kiddos to look for items based on their initial sounds. For example, “I spy something that starts with ‘m’.”

Learn More: Twinkl

14. Phonics Discovery Bottle

Phonics-I-spy-game-objects-658x1000.jpg

For a playful phonics activity, try making a Discovery Bottle! Find little objects that begin with each letter of the alphabet and add them to a bottle with some colorful rice. Have your kids then sound out each letter of the alphabet and find a corresponding item hidden in the bottle.  

Learn more: The Imagination Tree

15. Write the Room

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These write-the-room activities are the perfect print resource for you! They contain picture cards that you can hang around the room and a recording sheet for your little ones. Ask them to utter the sound that a picture starts with, and then proceed to mark it off on their activity sheet.

Learn more: ABCs of Literacy

16. Mystery Mitten Matching

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This simple matching activity neatly incorporates phonics learning. Hide a foam or magnetic letter under a mitten and call out four words that start with the letter. Ask your students to listen carefully and then say the sound repeated in those words. Then, ask them to guess the letter you’ve hidden!

Learn more: Growing Book By Book

17. Play in Pairs Phonics Activity

Looking for a slightly advanced phonics activity for your older learners? This one fits the bill!  Have your students work together in pairs to play games that’ll help them read multisyllabic words.

Learn more: What I Have Learned Teaching

18. Sound Matching Popsicles

popsicle-beginning-sound-match-1.jpg

This is another fantastic matching game to make phonics more interesting! Create A-Z alphabet popsicles and laminate them so that they remain in good shape for years to come. Each popsicle has two halves: one with the letter and the other with a corresponding picture. Scramble the letters and pictures on a table, and then instruct your students to match them up to create popsicles.

Learn more: Play Dough To Potato

19. Counting Syllables

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Why not use technology to assist you in building phonics recognition in your little ones? This simple counting syllables game will soon become one of their favorites!

Learn more: education.com

20. Draw the Sound

phonics activity mat

Try this activity to add an arty element to your lessons! Simply have your pupils draw pictures of objects that start or end with a specific sound. This will not only help you strengthen their ability to recognize sounds, but it’ll also inspire creativity.

Learn More: Read With Phonics

21. Invest In A Phonics Box Set

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This box set works very well for your little Peppa Pig fans! It contains ten stories designed to help reinforce short vowel sounds and two workbooks to practice.  

Learn more: Amazon

22. Phonics Flower Garden Problem Solving Game

This problem-solving game is an excellent resource to add some suspense and excitement to your lessons! It will engage your little ones in a mystery; allowing them to improve many phonics skills such as blending sounds and creating word clusters and suffixes.

Learn more: Twinkl

23. Phonics Crosswords

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Who doesn’t love a good puzzle? Crosswords are a fantastic follow-up activity to your phonics lesson. They will help you expose your students to example words that contain the specific sound that you’re currently working on. 

Learn more: Monster Phonics

24. Blending Sounds

Blending sounds is a fundamental skill in phonics and early literacy. With this simple game, you can improve your learners’ word-picture association and prompt them to identify consonant sounds and practice consonant blends. 

Learn more: Youtube

25. Use Phonics Sheet Activities

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These activity sheets are a wonderful addition to your lessons! They will help your little ones learn new sounds and practice letter formation, thus fostering their emergent writing skills.

Learn more: Jolly Learning

26. Phonics Bingo

phonics activity mat

To make it more enjoyable for your students to learn and practice sounds, try Phonics Bingo! Create Bingo cards with words that contain different sounds. Then, to play, clearly call out the phonemes and ask your little ones to mark off the matching squares on their cards.

Learn More: Word Mint

27. Alphabet Soup

phonics activity mat

Liven up your phonics lesson with this interactive activity! Fill a bowl with magnetic or foam letters and have your learners take turns to fish them out. Make your kiddos pronounce the phonetic sound of each letter and think of words that start with it.

Learn More: Coffee Cups and Crayons

28. Syllable Clap Game

phonics activity mat

Recognizing syllables is a fundamental phonics skill. Help your students master this with a simple game whereby they say a word and then clap for each syllable they hear. This lively activity will help you better their ability to break words into smaller parts. 

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

29. Phonics Hide and Seek

phonics activity mat

Looking for ways to transform learning into an adventure? This phonics exercise does just that!  Hide cards containing letters or words around the room, and task your little ones with seeking them out. As they find each card, have them sound out what is written on it.

Learn More: Empowering Parents To Teach  

30. Phonics Flip Book

phonics activity mat

Flip books are fantastic learning tools because of how interactive they are! Create a phonics version that features different beginning and ending sounds. By flipping through the pages, your students can create and read different words. This will help them explore different phonetic patterns and understand how sounds blend.

Learn More: Kids Activities Blog

31. Sand Writing

phonics activity mat

Incorporate sensory play into your lessons with this hands-on activity! Allow your pupils to write letters or words in a tray of sand or salt. To reinforce letter-sound relationships, encourage them to say each sound as they write!

Learn More: Learn With Play At Home

32. Letter Jump Game

phonics activity mat

If you’re keen to get your students moving, this activity is an excellent choice.  Draw letters of the alphabet on the ground with chalk, spacing them out evenly. Have your kiddos jump from one letter to the next, shouting out the sound of the letter they land on. Or, you can call out different sounds and instruct them to land on the corresponding squares.  Vary the instructions to keep them on their toes!

Learn More: The Imagination Tree

33. Phonics Charades

phonics activity mat

This versatile parlor game is a fantastic way to infuse liveliness into your lessons! Create a bunch of cards that each display a word. One at a time, have your students pick a card and then act out the word for the other students to guess. 

Learn More: Polka Dots Please

34. Picture Sort

phonics activity mat

Transform learning into a creative exploration with this sorting activity! Provide your students with a collection of pictures and have them sort the images based on the initial or ending sound. What a fun way to practice sound recognition!

Learn More: This Reading Mama

35. Phonics Bean Bag Toss

phonics activity mat

For an action-packed lesson, try this entertaining game that involves throwing bean bags! Label different baskets with phonics sounds. Then, instruct your learners to toss a bean bag into a basket and come up with a word that contains the sound associated with that basket. Or, give them a word and have them throw bean bags into the basket for each sound in that word.

Learn More: Pride Reading Program

36. Word Chains

phonics activity mat

Word chains are excellent teaching tools for young children just starting to read. Have your little ones create chains by changing a word one letter at a time to form a new word (for example, cat – mat – map). This activity will help you build their blending and segmentation skills.

Learn More: The Six Shifts

37. Phonics Checkers

phonics activity mat

Give this classic game a phonics twist! Create a custom checkers game where each square is assigned a letter. As your students move their pieces, ask them to make the sound of the letter they land on.

Learn More: Meaningful Mama  

38. Chalkboard Phonics

phonics activity mat

Why not take learning outside for a change?  Have your kiddos practice writing different letters or words with chalk, saying the sounds out loud as they write. If they aren’t old enough to write just yet, you can draw the outlines of the letters and have your learners color them in.

Learn More: Rainy Day Mum

39. Sound Detective

This game is sure to add excitement to your class and challenge your little ones! Play a sound and have them identify the letter or letters that make up that sound. 

Learn More: YouTube

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33 Fun Phonics Activities and Games for Early Readers

Phonics is the foundation for reading success.

Phonics activities including rolling wooden phonics dice on the grass and hacking pool noodles into phonics tools

Phonics is one of the five essential components of the science of reading , along with phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Phonics activities help young learners break words into their constituent sounds so they build their literacy skills, bit by bit. Here are some of our favorite ways to teach these key skills.

1. Sing a phonics song

Still shot from a phonics song video for kids

Singing songs is such a fun and effective way to learn! Kids will love to watch and sing along, and might not even realize they’re learning along the way.

Learn more: 15 Phonics Songs for Kids at We Are Teachers

2. Color in the beginning sounds

Coloring pages for the letters A and B with pictures of things that start with those letters

Most kids start learning phonics by mastering the beginning sounds of words. Have kids color in the words that start with the matching sound on these cute and free worksheets.

Learn more: Beginning Sounds Coloring Pages at The Measured Mom

3. Use Google Slides

Google slides activity to help kids learn diagraphs like br and sh (Phonics Activities)

Google Slides has tons of fun phonics activities kids can use in the classroom or at home.

Learn more: 18 Interactive Google Slides for Teaching Phonics and Sight Words at We Are Teachers

4. Hang phonics anchor charts

Anchor chart showing vowel pairs (Phonics Activities)

When it comes to phonics, there’s a lot to learn. Post anchor charts around the room to help kids remember important rules like silent E , vowel blends, and hard and soft C and G . 

Learn more: 20 Perfect Anchor Charts for Teaching Phonics and Blends at We Are Teachers

5. Build words with a chart of beginning sounds

Colorful chart showing beginning sounds of words, with pictures of items starting with those sounds (Phonics Activities)

Grab this free printable chart and print out copies for your students to use with their phonics activities. There’s a version for rimes too.

Learn more: Beginning Sounds Chart at This Reading Mama

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6. Learn digraphs with clip wheels

Child using clothespins to mark words that include the

Combine fine motor skills practice with phonics work with these free beginning digraph wheels. Tip: Add small dots on the back to mark the right answers so kids can self-correct their work.

Learn more: Digraph Wheels at Playdough to Plato

7. Slap the letter sounds

Alphabet magnets and a flyswatter laid out on a carpet (Phonics Activities)

Sounding out words letter by letter is a lot more fun when you slap each letter with a flyswatter! This is a great idea for active learners.

Learn more: Letter Sound Slap at Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

8. Walk the word

Student walking along the letters of the word SPLIT spelled out with sidewalk chalk

This one will also keep active learners moving and happy! Write words in sidewalk chalk, then walk (or hop or skip) along them, sounding the word out along the way. Simple but fun!

Learn more: Gross Motor Phonics Game: Walk the Word at Coffee Cups and Crayons

9. Fill in the missing letters

Elementary student using sticky notes to fill in the missing letters in CVC words (Phonics Activities)

This active game combines a scavenger hunt with phonics! Hide sticky notes around the room with various vowels. Then, write CVC words with the vowels missing. Have kids hunt for the missing sounds and fill them in. Fun!

Learn more: Missing Sounds Reading Activity at Busy Toddler

10. Just swap one letter

Child using letter tiles to spell out words on a pictorial worksheet (Phonics Activities)

As students move from box to box, they change one letter to make the new word represented by the picture. They might need to change the first, middle, or last letter, so it’s a real challenge!

Learn more: Just Swap One at This Reading Mama

11. Make magic spoons

Child holding a spoon with ending letters written on the back next to beginning letters to spell words

Pick up a pack of plastic spoons at the dollar store, then use them to practice building words by combining beginning sounds with word endings.

Learn more: Activities To Teach Phonics and Math at Education to the Core

12. Toss and blend with plastic cups

Blue plastic cups with letter blends written on the inside rim

Grab a stack of plastic cups and some Ping-Pong balls for this fun phonics game. Label the cups with different letter blends and set them out (tape them down if they tend to fall over). Kids toss a ball into a cup, then come up with a word that uses that letter blend to earn a point.

Learn more: Toss and Blend at Education.com

13. Flip the pages

Notecard book with pages divided into thirds, with letters written on each to make CVC flipbooks

Divide the pages of a small notebook into thirds, then write letters on each page. Flip them to form new words.

Learn more: Phoneme Substitution Activities at Tickled Pink in Primary

14. Mix and match cups to make words

Child using red plastic cups labeled with letters to spell out simple words

If you’ve still got some cups left over, label them with more letters or letter blends, then use them to mix and match words. This is an especially fun way to work on CVC and sight words.

Learn more: CVC Cups at Inspired Elementary

15. Hack pool noodles into phonics tools

Pool noodles cut into letters

This has got to be one of our favorite phonics activities. Cut a pool noodle into pieces and label it with letters. Then stack and spin for learning fun!

Learn more: Pool Noodle Phonics at We Are Teachers

16. Spin and rhyme

The word fan broken up into first sound (f) and ending chunk (an)

Here’s a different spin (pun intended!) on Pool Noodle Phonics. All you need is a cardboard tube, a wire pants hanger, scissors, and a marker to make this fun DIY rhyming activity.

Learn more: Spin and Rhyme at No Time for Flash Cards

17. Make some phonics cubes

Large fabric cubes with phonics sounds and images on each side (Phonics Activities)

Slide the free printable inserts into a set of photo cubes, then roll until you get the correct combination of letter and word ending.

Learn more: Phonics Cubes at This Reading Mama

18. Use paint stirrers to make word pull-outs

Paint stirring sticks labeled with letters, tucked into paper sleeves with word endings on them

These clever phonics tools are easy to make using paint stirrer sticks and paper towel tubes. Simply slide the stick in and out to make new words!

Learn more: Word Family Pull-Out Activity at I Can Teach My Child

19. Play a flip-top phonics game

Flip top lids from baby wipes packages attached to cardboard to help kids learn their letter sounds

If you go through packages of wipes like most parents do, you’ll appreciate this idea. Save the flip tops and use them for DIY phonics activities.

Learn more: Flip Top Phonics Games for Kids at No Time for Flash Cards

20. Use a pocket chart for phonics activities

Blue pocket chart with phonics sounds and corresponding word cards (Phonics Activities)

Here’s another reason teachers love pocket charts: They’re great for phonics centers. Sort and match cards to practice beginning sounds, blends, short and long vowels, and so much more.

Learn more: Short A Activities and Resources at Miss Giraffe’s Class

21. Compete at Blends and Digraphs Bingo

Blends and Digraphs Bingo cards with blue plastic markers

Every kid loves a good game of bingo! Snag these free printable bingo cards and use them to practice blends and digraphs.

Learn more: Blends and Digraph Bingo at The Measured Mom

22. Toss some phonics water balloons

Child holding a pink water balloon labeled with the letters UG next to a paper target labeled B

This one almost seems too fun to count as learning! Tape up beginning sounds, then toss water balloons to complete the words.

Learn more: Water Balloon Phonics at Mess for Less

23. Race to the Top with blends and digraphs

Printable Race to the Top phonics game on a metal cookie sheet (Phonics Activities)

Play this free printable game to practice consonant blends. Toss a chip onto the board and say that word out loud. Then move the counter for the correct blend up one space. First to the top wins!

Learn more: Blends and Digraphs Games at This Reading Mama

24. Try locks and keys to learn phonics

Simple lock and key, each with a plastic tag labeled with letter blends

This self-correcting phonics activity is also a good way to practice fine motor skills … and a lot of fun to boot! Label keys with beginning sounds and locks with word endings, then match them up and try the key to see if you’re right.

Learn more: Unlock and Learn Game at We Are Teachers

25. Play Phonogram Connect 4

Printable phonogram Connect Four game

Draw a word card and find an open phonogram slot on the board. Your goal is to get four in a row!

Learn more: Phonogram Connect Four at Mrs. T’s First Grade Class

26. Teach them the Soft C & G Chant

Printable Soft C & G Chant worksheet (Phonics Activities)

Simple little chants like this will help kids remember some of those confusing language rules. Pair it with other favorites like “ I before E , except after C .”

Learn more: Soft C and G at This Reading Mama

27. Mix, color, and spell

pictures, crayons, and a worksheet with a few squares colored in and magnetic letters on a whiteboard in the background

We can’t get enough of games that reinforce CVC words with short vowels—it’s such an important early literacy skill! Practice identifying and distinguishing between vowels by coloring in the middle sound from pictures of CVC words.

Learn more: Teaching CVC Words at Susan Jones Teaching

28. Write the Room: Digraphs

Worksheet with digraphs ch, sh, and th, and green dots showing how to complete the activity, and three small pictures

Use this fun little letter scavenger hunt to move around the room to search for pictures with digraphs. First, mark the ones you find with a dot marker and then use another sheet to write the digraphs.

Learn more: Beginning Digraphs Write the Room at ABC’s of Literacy

29. Use disappearing ink for letter formation

Letter M drawn with water on white paper with a jar of water next to it

One of the first keys to early reading success is letter identification and formation. Keep it fresh by using “disappearing ink” (aka water) so students have to trace letters multiple times to prevent them from disappearing too fast. With so few materials and such high engagement, what’s not to love?

Learn more: 3 Simple Play-Based Phonics Activities at Research and Play

30. Do word sorts

word sort with patterns with vowel teams ai and ay, with scissors and two color pencils

Word sorts are great for comparing word patterns that make the same sound, like vowel teams. They can also help reinforce so many different phonics skills, making them the perfect activity that can be easy differentiated for learners of all stages.

Learn more: Using Word Sorts for Phonics Instruction at Mrs. Winter’s Bliss

31. Roll and Read

Game with six rows of words with dice numbers 1-6

Roll a die and read the word from the corresponding column. Play with a partner or do it solo by coloring in the words as you read them.

Learn more: Lesson 79 Roll and Read at UFLI. While you’re there, check out the UFLI free lesson resources , which include decodable passages and games for almost every phonics skill!

32. Roll letter dice

three cube blocks with letters written on them lying on the grass

A perfect DIY idea for old blocks! Use three blocks and write consonants on two of them and vowels on the other. Have some fun rolling and blending CVC words.

Learn more: DIY Phonics Games at Early Impact Learning

33. Sort syllable types

stack of words with arrow showing how the words can be sorted into categories

If you are teaching the different syllable types, this word sort helps students practice their knowledge of the six types and shows you what they know.

Learn more: Six-Way Syllable Sort at Florida Center for Reading Research. Also, check out the many other phonics resources available by grade level: Kindergarten and First Grade or Second and Third Grades .

Looking for more phonics activities? Learn What Makes a Good Decodable Text here.

Get all the latest teaching tips and ideas straight to your inbox when you sign up for our free newsletters .

Help kids learn to read with phonics activities that break words into their basic sounds, like phonemes, digraphs, diphthongs, and more.

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Moscow Facts & Worksheets

Moscow, russian moskva, is the capital and most populated city of russia, situated in the westward part of the country., search for worksheets.

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Table of Contents

Moscow , Russian Moskva, is the capital and most populated city of Russia , situated in the westward part of the country. Moscow is not just the political capital city of Russia but also the industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years, Moscow also has been the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church.

See the fact file below for more information on the Moscow or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Moscow worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Description.

  • The city area is about 30 km in diameter and the population reaches to almost 10 million people.
  • Moscow was first mentioned in the chronicles of 1147, where it played an important role in Russian history.
  • The people of Moscow are known as Muscovites.
  • Moscow is famous for its architecture, especially its historical buildings such as Saint Basil’s Cathedral .
  • Moscow is a city with the most money in Russia and the third biggest budget in the world.
  • Moscow began as a medieval city and developed into what was known as the Grand Duchy of Moscow, an administrative region ruled by a prince.
  • Moscow is where all Russia’s tensions and inequalities meet to coexist, producing a unique feeling of a city that looks European but feels somewhat Asian in its mood and intensity.
  • In 1147 Moscow was called Moskov, which sounds closer to its current name. Moscow was derived from the Moskva river, on which the city is located. The Finno-Ugric tribes, who originally inhabited the territory, named the river Mustajoki, in English: Black River, which was presumably how the name of the city originated.
  • Several theories were proposed on the origin of the name of the river however linguists cannot come to any agreement and those theories haven’t been proven yet.
  • The first known reference to Moscow dates from 1147 as a meeting place of Yuri Dolgoruky and Sviatoslav Olgovich. Muscovites today consider Prince Yury Dolgoruky their city’s founding father, but it was only recorded that he dined with friends in the town.
  • In 1156, led by Knjaz Yury Dolgoruky, the town was barricaded with a timber fence and a moat. In the course of the Mongol invasion of Rus, the Mongols under Batu Khan burned the city to the ground and killed its inhabitants.
  • Nevertheless, Moscow was restored and became more important. Yet the Mongols came back in 1382 and burned Moscow City again.
  • Still, Moscow shortly recovered and In the 15th century, it probably gained a population of about 50,000. But, unfortunately, in 1571 the Crimean Tatars burned Moscow again.
  • By 1712, Tsar Peter the Great decided to move his capital to St. Petersburg from Moscow. With this, Moscow began a period of dissolution. In the 1770s Moscow suffered an outbreak of the bubonic plague. But still, Moscow University was successfully founded in 1755 and at the beginning of the 19th century, Moscow was prospering again.
  • Arbat Street at that time was also established. But then, Napoleon invaded Russia. The Muscovites, the retreating party, set their own city on fire by 1812 and it was rebuilt completely at the beginning of the 19th century.
  • During 1917 the Communists started a revolution in which they imposed a totalitarian government in Russia. By 1918, Lenin transferred his administration to Moscow.
  • After Lenin, the tyrant Josef Stalin governed the city. Under his regime, several historic buildings in the city were destroyed. Nevertheless, the first line of the Metro opened in 1935.
  • By June 1941, the Germans had invaded Russia and had arrived on the outskirts of Moscow by December. As they arrived, they suddenly  turned back.
  • After the Second World War , Moscow continued prospering even though many nations boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980.
  • Fortunately, Communism collapsed in Russia in 1991 and in 1997 Moscow celebrated its 850th anniversary.
  • Moscow is situated on the banks of the Moskva River, which flows through the East European Plain in central Russia. Teplostanskaya highland is the city’s highest point at 255 meters (837 feet). The width of Moscow city (not limiting MKAD) from west to east is 39.7 km (24.7 mi), and the length from north to south is 51.8 km (32.2 mi).
  • Moscow has a humid continental climate with long, cold winters usually lasting from mid-November through the end of March, and warm summers .
  • Moscow is the financial center of Russia and home to the country’s largest banks and many of its largest companies, such as natural gas giant Gazprom.
  • The Cherkizovsky marketplace was the largest marketplace in Europe , with a daily turnover of about thirty million dollars and about ten thousand venders from different countries including China and India .
  • Many new business centers and office buildings have been built in recent years, but Moscow still experiences shortages in office space.
  • With this, many former industrial and research facilities are being reconstructed to become suitable for office use.
  • In totality, economic stability has developed in recent years. But, crime and corruption still hinder business growth.
  • Saint Basil’s Cathedral is famed as the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed amongst the locals. It served as one of the crucial landmarks of Moscow.
  • Location: Krasnaya Square, 2, Moscow 109012, Russia
  • Moscow Kremlin serves as the home in which all these tourist sites reside. It encompasses almost all the famous sightseeing attractions such as the royal residence of the President of Russia.
  • Location: Moscow, Russia
  • Red Square separates the royal citadel of Kremlin from the ancient merchant quarter of Kitai-gorod, one of the most interesting places in Moscow. Bearing the weight of Russia’s history to a great extent, Red Square serves not just as an attraction but as the heart, soul, and symbol of the whole country.
  • Location: Krasnaya Ploshchad, Moscow, Russia

Moscow Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Moscow across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Moscow worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Moscow, Russian Moskva, which is the capital and most populated city of Russia, situated in the westward part of the country. Moscow is not just the political capital city of Russia but also the industrial, cultural, scientific, and educational capital. For more than 600 years, Moscow also has been the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Moscow Facts
  • Moscow Breaking News
  • Moscow Basic Info
  • Moscow’s Significant Events
  • Moscow Characteristics
  • Populous Cities
  • Sports Facts
  • Moscow Landmarks
  • Symbolization
  • Moscow Slogan

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The Complete Moscow Startup City Guide

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January 10, 2019, the complete moscow startup city guide, by: anastasia borisova, published on: march 21, 2017.

Russia's capital Moscow is, despite stereotypes, a city developing its entrepreneurial identity. Find out what this city has to offer & what it takes to make it as a startup founder:

Moscow is a charming city that carries the image of several epochs of Russian history and surprises with the number of cultural events taking place during one single day. However, the recent years have made Moscow even more attractive as innovative projects have become the center of business attention and the ecosystem for startups began to grow.

Why Choose Moscow To Found Your Startup?

Being the capital, Moscow always had intensified business life. Now, it is even more saturated as young projects got new opportunities to develop. Let’s see how it happens and where to find support if you are one of those dreamers.

Advantages Of Building A Startup In Moscow:

  • Moscow is the economic center of Russia: forums and meetings take place here, people from different regions and companies can be found.
  • The Russian capital is proud of the saturation of its international connections – from a growing tourist flow to foreign companies departments.
  • It is a modern megacity with proper infrastructure (for instance, free WiFi is available in the streets and on public transport) and a large population (more than 12 million in 2016).
  • Moscow is an educational center. There are a lot of young people with a strong background and passion for changing the world. Sometimes they are ready to wfork for experience only. What’s more, the universities of Moscow create business incubators and offer special business courses.
  • The determination to develop highly innovative industries in Russia is shared by the government and businesses.
  • In general, prospective (or cool) business ideas are the matter of great public interest. Business is the major topic for a lot of media outlets.

What Founders Have To Consider:

  • Networking events are mostly in Russian. It doesn’t mean members of the community don’t speak English (most likely, they do), but the majority of services is in Russian.
  • The attitude towards new projects is rather cautious, though it is really changing now. But still, they often choose a less risky project as a partner (“They don’t believe in startups in Russia!”, entrepreneurs often say).
  • Many founders only rely on their own resources, connections, and skills instead of using special services for new projects.

Though there is a strong belief that founding a startup in Moscow would be very challenging, this perception is changing now. Capital owners learn to work with new small projects, founders learn to communicate with each other and to use available opportunities more efficiently. What is more, there will be no lack of innovations in Moscow as the availability of scientific centers makes the city very potent in constantly providing business with new technologies and ideas for products.

Dive Into Moscow’s Startup Community

The Complete Moscow Startup City Guide

Moscow startup community is represented by young scientists and entrepreneurs on the one side and professional businessmen, coaches, consultants, and experts on the other side. The life of the community is rather rich, it is hardly possible to attend all the meetings and events, but they are really worth visiting. Try the following pages to find them.

Find Info About Upcoming Events, Meetups & Other Occasions:

  • Moscow State University Business Incubator has a very useful news page. Follow them on Facebook or on Vkontakte (which is a Russian social network) to find local events and competitions.
  • Rusbase Media has an online calendar with events of innovations industry taking place across Russia.
  • The state web-portal ‘ Moscow Small Business ’ collects information about upcoming lectures, conferences, and workshops in one calendar.
  • Digital October has an interesting event-list as the place holds educational courses and events for innovative projects. They sometimes have series of weekend educational events devoted to a field of development (e.g. Blockchain Weekend , BioTech Weekend )
  • DI Telegraph is a space for educational and business forums, conferences and lectures.

Media Outlets For Startups:

  • Vc.ru media (created on basis of popular Russian media about IT ‘Zuckerberg will call’) publishes startup news in a separated section, covering interesting (or successful) ideas for projects and business events.
  • Firrma is a media outlet for technological and venture business. There you’ll find announcements of upcoming events and opinions or comments from leading people of different industries.
  • Inc.Russia has special sections for business ideas (‘To invent’) and successful startup stories (‘To take up’).
  • Spark is an online platform for small business communication and exchanging experience. This is where one can find advice or even partners.

Major Events, Festivals Or Conferences:

  • Open Innovations Startup Tour is organized every year to find promising projects in different cities of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Participants attend workshops, make appointments with mentors and investors and compete for receiving an invitation to Startup Village.
  • Startup Village is an international yearly technological conference for investors, startups, and innovators taking place in Skolkovo . In 2017 the event is planning to attract more than 20,000 participants with 4,000 startups and 1,500 investors.
  • Open Innovations Forum takes place every autumn and is aimed at promoting technological development, enhancing collaboration in innovative business and exchanging experience.
  • Russian Internet Forum and the Conference of the Internet and Business is the major event in the sphere of digital communications in Russia. It is traditionally held as a three-day activity taking place in a holiday residence near Moscow where participants share their views on the development of the Russian digital industry and the Russian Internet.
  • Startup Cup Russia is a part of the global Startup Cup Competition. Projects participate to get feedback from mentors, consulting assistance and financial support.
  • The Startup Of The Year Award from RosBusinesConsulting (RBC) is given to the best projects chosen by both, open public vote and experts’ opinion.
  • The Higher School of Economics holds its’ own Startup Of The Year Award ceremony. They elect best companies in 4 categories: FinTech, hardware, socially important project and global project.

Volunteering Possibilities:

  • Mosvolunteer is an organization connecting managers for meetings, conferences, etc., and those willing to participate in preparation and holding of the events. Mosvolunteer sometimes needs volunteers for business events (Startup Village in 2015 was held with their help ).
  • Check the official pages of the events if you want to attend, they often seek volunteers and publish all the information for possible participation.

Volunteering is quite a common type of collaboration in Moscow so never hesitate and offer your help to event managers or startup founders (even if they don’t look for volunteers, try writing them a letter). People of the sphere will appreciate your determination and interest in their activity.

Choose One Of Moscow’s Coworking Spaces

The Complete Moscow Startup City Guide

As renting an office can turn out to be expensive for small companies (frankly speaking, Moscow is an expensive city not for small companies only), coworking spaces are very popular with startup founders. Residents appreciate the variety of services, round-the-clock access, pleasant atmosphere and the community of creative people that can be found in coworking spaces.

  • #tceh is not simply coworking – it is a place for business courses and useful contacts as well. Founders sometimes meet their investors there or use it as ‘feedback’ facility to discuss their projects with experts. What is more, #tceh enjoys the collaboration with Fund for Internet Initiatives Development .
  • StartHub is a coworking center located in one of the creative centers of Moscow – ‘Flacon’ design-factory. The venue is very popular with artists, designers, and filmmakers because of its’ unusual atmosphere of a former factory. ‘Flacon’ is a symbol of creativity and new approaches towards a common process. A swimming pool, a canteen, and a fitness center are located close to StartHub.
  • Coworking 2.0 was created for both freelancers and young projects. Depending on each resident’s needs, this place offers different sets of services (for instance, a resident can rent a working space for 24/7 access during a whole month or make several reservations for the meeting room only) which allows to be economical and not to pay for unneeded facilities.
  • Work Station has several venues in Moscow. The most famous of them is located at Gorky Park and in summer they open terrace for residents. Another center of Work Station, the biggest of all, is located on the Dmitrovskaya metro station and has a capsular hotel and free breakfasts.
  • Arma Coworking holds business meetings and lectures. Residents can choose to rent a mini-office or simply use the coworking space. Arma is proud of the atmosphere of the place created by the local architecture, residents, and staff.
  • DI Telegraph Coworking is located in the very center of Moscow on Tverskaya Street and has many successful VC, media, IT, and educational projects among its residents.

Get Investment In Moscow

The Complete Moscow Startup City Guide

Moscow enjoys the role of the financial center so many companies and private investors do business here. Besides, government and commercial organizations are interested in innovative projects and create special supporting programs. There are many possibilities to get investment at any stage of the project development.

Incubators:

  • The Higher School of Economics Business Incubator provides two types of programs for startups. Residential program HSE{pro} offers working space and assistance from tax advisory to PR-support. It has been the starting point for successful Russian startups (for instance, TimePad ). The educational program HSE{goods} was designed for those planning to open a social business project. It can help even if the idea of the project is not yet clearly articulated. The fees for incubator services can be delayed in case the resident is a HSE employee or student. HSE itself is known for reinforcing the collaboration between the scientific community, business and government.
  • The Plekhanov Russian University of Economics Incubator supports business teams at early stages or helps realize elaborated ideas in IT, new materials, gadgets, smart house systems and robotics. University students and graduates should represent at least 50% of the team to enter the incubator.
  • Strogino TechnoPark is the venue for innovative projects at any stage. It has coworking, pre-incubator and incubator programs and a prototyping center. Companies at the stage of expansion or growth can become residents of TechnoPark to construct laboratories or production. The major advantage of being a member of Strogino TechnoPark is gaining access to governmental support as the center is working in strong partnership with Business departments of Moscow authorities .
  • Branch Agricultural Business Incubator in Timiryazev Russian State Agrarian University provides agrarian innovative projects with laboratories, science research equipment and coworking spaces. It also attracts investment and expertise. By the end of 2016, there were many interesting projects among the residents of the center, for instance, an online shop delivering weekly sets of local farm products by subscription .
  • MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations) created completely free incubator for students and graduates. The program has already helped several companies to successfully enter the local market; one of them is Octa Smart Food, the products of which are now sold online and in several stores in Moscow.

Accelerators:

  • SKOLKOVO Startup Academy is an educational facility for founders at any stage. There will be lectures, meetings with business coaches and opportunities to find investment. Entering the community of Skolkovo can be very beneficial as funds, laboratories, consulting services, educational centers and many other business facilities are located there.
  • Future Fintech offers an acceleration program for startups in financial and blockchain technologies, information security, payment instruments, banking and insurance services. They are looking for projects introducing software, marketing, technical or analytical products. Future Fintech attracts practicing specialists in the field to collaborate with residents’ projects and helps to find financial support.
  • Internet Initiatives Development Fund offers an accelerator program for IT-companies that already have created a product and started sales. Each team will come through individually focused consulting services working full-day in the accelerator space. After the program is done, the best companies will have an opportunity to participate in a Demoday and present their products before potential investors and partners. Participants can choose to pay for the program or to give a share in their company as payment.
  • GenerationS is an accelerator program containing several stages from online pre-accelerator to final competition of all participating projects. The results of the pitch session at the competition define the best companies, which then share Grand Prix fund (the fund is said to constitute 15 million rubles or about 242.000 EUR). GenerationS welcomes participants from many fields of innovations: smart city, creative industries, life science, finance and banking technologies, etc.
  • Disruptive has been created by MetaBeta founder and ex-CEO, Dmitry Maslennikov after MetaData founders decided to work separately in 2016. The new program is considered to be more than an accelerator. Though Disruptive doesn’t provide investment, it offers startups help with finding the needed specialists, a marketing strategy or anything the project misses. The company also hires people willing to bring powerful startups to life.
  • Territory is accelerating program in the sphere of production which gives access to an ecosystem consisting of an accelerator, a design center and an investment company. The goal of Territory’s activity is to help implement manufacturing innovative ideas in prototypes and small-scale production, with an eye to further large-scale production and sales.

Grants & Subventions:

  • Innovation Assistance Fund provides investment for research and implementation of innovations. Their Umnik program offers the opportunity to get grants (up to 500.000 RUB or about 8000 EUR) for young scientists developing ideas for projects in IT, medicine of the future, materials, apparatus and bio. The Start program supports startups at early stages. New innovative companies can obtain up to 5 million rubles (80.000 EUR). The supporting plan consists of two parts and two years: during the first year, a team completes research in their field and then, during the second step, the project can receive part of needed investment from the Innovation Assistant Fund (in case the team manages to find some other sources as well).
  • The Skolkovo Fund Granting Program offers many investment opportunities. The preferred fields of projects are energy preservation and efficiency, nuclear technology, space technology and telecommunication, biomedical technology, strategic computer technology and software.
  • The Moscow State Department of Science, Industrial Policy, and Entrepreneurship has created a lot of possibilities for small business development by providing subventions. Besides, there is a chance of getting a low-interest loan from the Venture Investment Development Fund for startups that already get finance help from a private investor. The amount of the loan can be up to two times the amount of the received private investment.
  • Innovative Entrepreneurship Support Fund of the Higher School of Economics holds yearly competitions for startup projects. There can be up to five winners and each can get up to 700.000 rubles (about 11.000 EUR) to implement their ideas or be given consulting assistance from invited experts.

Crowd Investing Platforms:

  • Planeta.ru , by its’ own estimation, has helped to collect more than 589 million rubles (or more than 9.500.000 EUR) by March 2017 (the project started in June 2012). It is one of the earliest and most successful crowd funding platforms in Russia. The project now also provides PR, promotion and education services. Planeta.ru withholds from 10% to 15% of the successfully collected sum (except for charity projects when the fee is not taken).
  • BoomStarter is the crowd funding platform which helps to attract investment for new projects. According to BoomStarter’s rules, the goal of the money collection should be clearly defined and fit one of the 15 set categories created by the platform founders. The fee for the use of the service constitutes 5% of collected sum and is only charged if the needed sum was gained. Apart from the fee, payment systems would withdraw another 5% of the sum and the tax would be collected.

Angel Investors:

  • The National Business Angels Association unites Russian regional angels’ communities connecting startups with investors and helping to develop the venture investment industry in Russia.
  • The Private Capital National Business Angel Network helps to find finance and to organize the presentation of the projects for potential investors withholding 5% of the successfully invested sum.

Venture Capital Investors:

  • Internet Initiatives Development Fund selects best companies completing its accelerating program and provides an opportunity to get up to 25 million rubles (400.000 EUR) for project development.
  • Altair Fund invests in projects at early stages in mobile and IT spheres.
  • Moscow Seed Fund – a co-investment fund of Moscow, is providing additional finance for technology innovation projects in case they obtain support from other investors.
  • Starta Capital was founded in 2011 in Moscow and now also has a department and an accelerating program in New York. The company provides investment for technological projects.
  • The Untitled Ventures collaborate with cloud technology startups with an already elaborated product. The company has also created The Untitled club of private investors for co-financing projects.
  • Bright Capital is a venture capital company with the main focus on CleanTech, BioTech, IT, and telecom projects. Bright Capital supports projects from all over the world and invests at any stage of a company’s development.
  • Addventure Fund is the former holder of Delivery Club – a successful Russian startup project that introduced a platform for food delivery.

Other Investment Opportunities:

  • The Russian Venture Company does not invest itself but unites many venture investment providers from different spheres. A special form will help projects to find a fund among investors of RVC depending on the project’s field, goals and needs.
  • RusNano works as a co-investor, financing in high-tech production chains or technologies at early stages. The projects applying for support should be nanotech-related and Russia based.
  • StartTrack is a platform that helps investors in finding startups and helps projects in finding investment. The platform was created with the support of Internet Initiatives Development Fund . Using StartTrack is beneficial for both investors and startups as each new member of the platform is carefully checked. Entering projects should provide business development indicators and update them each month.
  • Pipeline is an online service of Rusbase that allows entering a network and finding an investor from the partners of Rusbase. The company also organizes meetings with investors in Speed Dating format which lets investors get to know several projects during one evening and gives startups a chance to be presented to many potential investors.
  • ToWave is one more online platform for investors and startups with many successful venture funds on the list of investors.
  • Start2Up is an advertising service bringing together those who need investment and those who look for a project or look for partners to start a new business. There are a lot of advertisements from different regions of Russia.

As one of Moscow startup founders said, “Despite the wide-spread prejudice, a project with a good idea would be able to find investment in Moscow”.

Seek Further Advice In Moscow

The Complete Moscow Startup City Guide

  • MSU Science Park provides assistance and consulting at any stage and lends spaces for technology innovations companies.
  • The Innovative Navigator around Moscow can help to find an incubator or learn about the support a new project can get from authorities.
  • Moscow Small Business web-portal can be useful for checking tax regime, possibilities for getting subventions and working spaces in Moscow. Moreover, the organization provides advisory for entrepreneurs concerning starting and running a business in the city.

So be brave and join the community of people breaking stereotypes. Moscow is a city that challenges you to make the world better and, as you see, the chance of improving the world is real!

_______________________

The guides are like startup communities – they constantly change and grow. Make sure to check for updates and if you have something to add to one of them or want to publish one for your city, get in touch right away ! And don’t forget to enrich the startup ecosystem by creating your company profile at StartUs!

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Liechtenstein, the world’s 6th smallest state, is big when it comes to startups! Our Startup City Guide will walk you through Liechtenstein’s startup community, funding opportunities & coworking spaces:

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The Definite Minsk Startup City Guide

Minsk is the capital of the Republic of Belarus. It is a political, economic, scientific, and cultural center. For entrepreneurs looking to build their startup, Minsk has plenty to offer:

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The Complete Frankfurt Startup City Guide

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Decodable Readers BUNDLE Phonics Activity Mats Science of Reading

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Phonics Mats are phonics-based decodable text for students to decode and practice targeted phonics skills . Students take the skills they learned in phonics and apply them using phonics mats. Phonics Mats allow students to practice segmenting, blending, encoding, decoding, and reading comprehension.

This resource contains ALL Phonics Mats for short vowel cvc words, digraphs, blends, glued sounds, r-controlled vowels, diphthongs, and cvce silent e - bossy e words. That's 166 different phonics mats for the year!

This bundle is 32% off the original price. In addition, when you buy this bundle, you will also receive Decodable Reading Comprehension Passages CVC and Digraphs for FREE. That's 10 free decodable passages and comprehension questions!

This resource is for you if you are:

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  • Need something for your paraprofessional or classroom volunteers to use when working with students
  • Need a resource that parents can use to help their kids with phonics skills
  • A homeschool parent or parent who wants to help their child with reading at home

Phonics mats have so many uses. You can use them as part of your phonics lessons. You may have the students work on them when you are pulling reading groups. They work well as early finisher work if you use them after students are taught the targeted skill. Phonics mats can be used as an intervention and even as homework.

Please download the preview of each resource to see what is included. As always, please ask questions before purchasing. Thank you so much!♥

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72 Fun & Unusual Things to Do in Moscow

fun things to do in Moscow

Sure, Moscow is the Russian political capital and the nation’s most populous city, but describing it as such couldn’t be any further from the truth. More accurately, Moscow is a city of contrasts.

It exudes history — its Kremlin dates back centuries, nodding to royalty and leadership old and now, while the famed Red Square, the poster child of the city, blends striking color with ancient tradition and religion.

On the other hand, it’s a city of modern pop culture and towering skyscrapers; a place where you’ll come across new-age museums, arts centers, manmade parks, and an efficient transportation system that’s one of the most beautiful in Europe.

It’s a city of longstanding culture — the Bolshoi Theater is an international symbol for excellence in classical dance, while Russia’s National Ballet Company remains renowned worldwide — as well as upbeat nightlife, with some of the world’s most celebrated rooftop bars and nightclubs.

While it’s a city filled with opposites, there remains no shortage of things to do in Moscow for all types of travelers — from those who want cultural immersion to those looking for an epic night out, you’ll be spoiled for choice. And if you’re not sure where to start, here’s a list of suggestions!

The Moscow Kremlin

If there’s any particular district begging to be the first place you visit on your trip, it’s the Kremlin.

Built in the 16th century by Ivan the Terrible, the UNESCO-listed area has since become the heart of Russia’s capital city, where you’ll find several churches, palaces, and other noteworthy buildings.

We’ll dive into each of its main attractions in a second, but regardless of what you visit, try to make it to the Kremlin in time for sunset — because seeing its golden domes glinting in the late-afternoon light makes for one spectacular tourist photo!

Click here to learn about Kremlin tickets prices .

1 – Admire the abundance of Kremlin towers | the Kremlin

Kremlin towers, Moscow

As your eyes dart down the towering red-brick Kremlin wall, the first thing you’ll notice is its large towers of all different styles and sizes.

With a whopping 20 separate minarets towering above the historic area, each with its own name, colors, features and history, a guided tour to learn each of their fascinating stories is a must.

To give you a little taste, the Konstantin-Yeleninskaya Tower once housed a torture chamber. Saviour’s Tower at the main entrance boasts a famous chiming clock, the Secret Tower houses a secret escape tunnel, and the Trinity Tower is the tallest of them all.

  • Moscow Kremlin tours

2 – Visit the enormous Grand Kremlin Palace | the Kremlin

Grand Kremlin Palace, Moscow

A remarkable attraction in terms of both beauty and history, the Grand Kremlin Palace is an ornate rococo-style building that was commissioned during the reign of Nicholas I, and today acts as the official residence of none other than the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

Perched atop Borovitsky Hill, its 125-meter-long facade is unmissable, making for impressive photos.

Take note: guided tours are few and far between, so you’ll have to book a few weeks in advance if you want to check out the decorated inner sanctum.

Directions in Google Maps

3 – People-watch in Cathedral Square | the Kremlin

Cathedral Square, Moscow

One of the most popular areas in all of Moscow (sometimes called Sobornaya Square), with multiple massive churches at its heart, Cathedral Square is flanked by several historic buildings and is never shy of a tourist crowd.

The three main churches — each spectacular works of architecture in their own right — are the Cathedral of the Assumption (the oldest and the biggest of all Kremlin churches), the 16th-century Cathedral of the Archangel Michael (known for its beautiful Corinthian gables and turrets), and the golden-domed Cathedral of the Annunciation (which connects to the Grand Kremlin Palace’s main building).

Throw in the 60-meter-high Ivan the Great Bell Tower, the lesser-known Church of the Twelve Apostles , the Church of the Deposition of the Virgin’s Robe (underrated yet famous for its marvelous stained-glass windows), and the medieval residence-turned-museum that is The Patriarch’s Palace, and you can see why this square is regularly number one on any visitor’s list of things to do in Moscow.

4 – See a show at the State Kremlin Palace | the Kremlin

State Kremlin Palace, Moscow

Just like the Grand Kremlin Palace , this theater and prestigious concert hall — with its grandiose facade and multiple sculptures — is another ornate building that’s worth admiring.

A popular place to hold conferences, the State Kremlin Palace was originally built as part of a larger complex for Communist Party meetings, but today hosts some of the biggest events in Moscow — we’re talkin’ sold-old ballet performances, world-famous concerts, opera shows, and festivals.

Check the website to see what’s on the calendar for your visit!

5 – See centuries worth of national treasures at the Armoury Chamber | the Kremlin

Armoury Chamber, Moscow

For anyone with an interest in historical weaponry and armor, this museum — which dates back to the early 1500s when it was created as the royal armory — is a must-see.

The Armoury Chamber (as well as the Diamond Fund Exhibition) is home to some of the most valuable objects that were originally owned by Russian monarchs — from jeweled heirlooms and intricate boxes to ornately decorated pistols and swords — many of which are centuries old.

Within the armoury chamber, you’ll also find the Russian historical regalia, a collection of artifacts that belonged to Russian tsars and emperors between the 13th and 20th centuries, highlighted by the Ivory Throne and the Monomakh’s Cap.

  • Armoury Chamber tours

6 – Step inside the Palace of the Facets | the Kremlin

Palace of the Facets, Moscow

The Palace of the Facets is one of the most underrated buildings in all of Moscow, largely because it’s not as widely promoted or photographed even though its exterior adorns some postcards.

From the outside, it blends in with the crowd. But step inside and you’ll discover a world of beauty and wonder — its frescoes, golden columns and enormous rooms are a sight to behold

The Palace of the Facets is not only a piece of art (literally, with painted walls), dating back over 500 years, but also acted as the dining hall for the Tsars.

7 – Feel small next to the Tsar Bell | the Kremlin

Tsar Bell, Moscow

Making Philadelphia’s famous Liberty Bell look diminutive in size, this monument , which never actually functioned as a bell due to its immense size (at 205 tons and standing 20.1 feet high!), has found fame in recent years for being the heaviest attraction inside The Kremlin.

With the bronze landmark’s claim to fame of being the biggest bell in the world, it presents as a great, quick photo op when roaming through the Kremlin.

8 – Check out the Senate Palace | the Kremlin

Senate Palace, Moscow

Another architectural masterpiece that’s tucked away within the Kremlin, this palace is famous for being one of Moscow’s most beautiful buildings — its yellow façade curves around to face inward and truly engulf anyone who stands near it.

Built back in the late 1700s, today it houses the Russian presidential administration and, unfortunately for us, is off limits to the general public.

Still, admiring it from outside, with the nearby Tsar Cannon, is certainly good enough.

9 – Grab a photo in front of the Tsar Cannon | the Kremlin

Tsar Cannon, Moscow

One of Moscow’s most iconic symbols, Tsar Cannon (or Royal Cannon) is a cannon that was manufactured in 1586 and resides — yep, you guessed it — within The Kremlin.

Following the theme of the enormous Tsar Bell, it weighs a whopping 39 tons — making it one of the world’s largest cannons even though it has never been shot.

And while its size may be impressive on its own, what makes this cannon so special is that it’s adorned with intricate carvings, ornaments, inscriptions, and a figure of a horse-riding Tsar Feodor the Bellringer.

  • walking tours in Moscow

10 – Join a tour of the Terem Palace | the Kremlin

Terem Palace, Moscow

A stunning, fairytale-like palace that’s steeped in history and detail, the five-story Terem Palace is one of the most underrated attractions within The Kremlin. However, as part of the official residence of the Russian President, much of it is off-limits to snap-happy tourists.

That said, there’s still plenty to be seen in the accessible areas by joining a group tour: a beautiful white-stone carved staircase; curved, decorated, and painted ceilings; and an enchanting low-vaulted Antechamber with lancet windows.

The Red Square

As we move away from the Kremlin, our next stop is the most photographed, picturesque public area in the country.

Flanked by gorgeous, colorful towers and buildings, the Red Square is the most famous square in all of Russia — and one that’s steeped in history, patriotism, and communist symbolism.

Home to some of Moscow’s greatest landmarks including St Basil’s Cathedral (featuring its iconic onion domes), Lenin Mausoleum, GUM department store (an architectural masterpiece that is the most famous shopping mall in Russia), The State History Museum, and more, it’s not just a sight to see in Moscow but also one that has been seen by hundreds of millions from around the world.

11 – Make your way inside St. Basil’s Cathedral | Red Square

St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow

Built back in the early 1500s, this quirky-looking, 65-meter-tall Orthodox church is so unique and detailed that it’s earned its place as one of 16 UNESCO cultural sites in Russia — and, thanks to many Hollywood productions like Bond: Skyfall (2012), has only continued to increase in fame.

Its exterior boasts multi-colored domes crowned with golden onion top spires. Meanwhile, inside, you’ll find nine small, separate chapels, and plenty of decorated walls and windows — all best viewed as part of a walking tour of Red Square.

  • Red Square tours in Moscow

12 – Visit the State Historical Museum | Red Square

State Historical Museum, Moscow

One of seven museums that can be found around the expansive Red Square, the State Historical Museum is one of Moscow’s most revered.

Housed in a neoclassical building (the same as GUM), it features more than 4 million items relating to Russian history — making it so vast and incredible that you’ll need at least two hours inside to see just a fraction.

While you’re in the area, be sure to check out the Marshal Georgy Zhukov Monument, a towering horse-riding statue of arguably the most famous and heroic Soviet military commander of WWII, which can be found in front of the museum.

13 – Shop till you drop at GUM | Red Square

GUM department store, Moscow

The official state department store of Russia, having opened in 1893 and become one of Moscow’s most iconic attractions for shopaholics over the years, is known for its gorgeous architecture that looks more like a palace than anything else.

Entering through its massive golden doors, you’ll be surprised to find an extensive shopping center with more than 100 luxury and world-renowned brands of clothing and accessories for men, women, and youngsters.

Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, stop into the Gastronom №1 for a bite to eat or take a stroll through its corridors to appreciate the building’s history and beauty.

14 – Visit Lenin’s Mausoleum | Red Square

Lenin's Mausoleum, Moscow

Another iconic Red Square attraction is Lenin’s Mausoleum, a small yet foreboding building that houses the embalmed corpse of Communist leader Vladimir Lenin (who led Russia through the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917).

Opened in 1930 after his death and standing at more than 12 meters tall, it presents as both a unique and macabre site — and, considering the life-like nature of the body, certainly isn’t for the faint of heart.

Note: Entrance is free of charge, but expect to be searched by security before being allowed in.

15 – Ride the Moscow Metro, enjoying the beautiful stations along the way

Moscow Metro, Russia

As we leave the Red Square, the next cab off the rank is Moscow’s unbelievable artistic Metro network (rivaled only in beauty by that of Stockholm). Constructed between the 1930s and 1950s, its stations were built by hand with a wide range of artistic themes — from socialist realist to Slavic pagan.

Tips: The best way to experience them is as part of a Moscow Metro tour, which can be booked online. However, if you prefer exploring solo, then make sure to visit the Mayakovskaya Metro Station which is known for its seemingly endless archways.

You may also check out Dostoyevskaya, named after a famous writer with murals depicting his stories. The Ploshchad Revolutsii Metro Station is another option where a handful of Socialist statues provide a wonderful contrast to the red marble arches.

  • metro tours in Moscow

16 – Spend the afternoon exploring the State Tretyakov Gallery

State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Boasting the reputation of being one of the world’s leading art museums, the State Tretyakov Gallery is home to a stunning collection that features well over 100,000 works from Russia and around the globe.

Featuring everything from ancient Russian icons to Soviet-era artifacts and contemporary pieces, the museum also houses a charming green garden perfect for recharging.

Visitors are advised to allocate at least three hours inside to properly appreciate everything on show — or consider booking a private VIP tour to skip the lines and focus on the best sections.

  • Tretyakov Gallery tickets

Click here to find out the best Moscow tours .

17 – Get out of town to the Tsaritsyno Museum & Nature Reserve

Tsaritsyno Museum & Nature Reserve, Moscow

Located a short drive from the hustle and bustle of the Red Square, this incredible attraction is both a palatial museum and cultural center, with an enchanting open-air garden to boot — spread across 405 hectares altogether.

Boasting beautiful 18th-century baroque architecture, it was originally built as a country retreat for Catherine the Great. However, it has since been transformed into an outdoor museum with several museums inside — including exhibits dedicated to Russian history and culture.

18 – Tick off the main haunts with a hop-on hop-off bus ride

bus tours in Moscow

Short on time or just can’t be bothered walking around anymore? Then make sure to check out the double-decker Hop-on-Hop-off Bus, a convenient and cheap way of seeing all the main attractions in one go.

With unlimited-ride tickets lasting between 24 and 72 hours, there’s plenty of flexibility to soak in must-see areas like Red Square, the Kremlin, Arbatskaya Square, Theatre Square, and the Red October neighborhood — and with a free audio tour (in English) throughout the ride, you’re sure to learn a thing or two as well.

Busses usually run every 15 minutes, with the full city loop taking roughly an hour — of course, you can disembark and reboard to your heart’s content.

  • bus tours in Moscow

19 – Learn about military history on Poklonnaya Hill

Poklonnaya Hill, Moscow

For an up-close and personal experience with the past, make sure to check out Poklonnaya Hill — a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 20 minutes out from the city center that’s home to several relics from Russia’s pre-revolutionary era.

It has everything from Great Patriotic War memorials dedicated to fallen soldiers of the Russian military forces, to the Eternal Flame and the Museum of Great Patriotic War. This is an unmissable opportunity for history buffs.

Hot tip: While you’re in the area, be sure to stop into the Victory Museum (the nation’s biggest military history museum) and check out the gold-tipped Church of St. George the Victorious .

20 – Get artsy at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

Home to one of the finest and most significant art collections in Russia, the highly-regarded Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts showcases everything from medieval icons and paintings. With over 500,000 pieces of works by renowned artists like Rembrandt, Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Karl Bryullov and Rubens, the museum is undeniably one of the best things to do in Moscow for art lovers.

The museum also houses impressive exhibits dedicated to ancient Greece, archaeological collections, decorative arts and a 200,000-item Numismatic library.

21 – Take a charming stroll down Arbat Street

Arbat Street, Moscow

Boasting everything from galleries and craft stores to souvenir shops, cafes, and some of Russia’s finest restaurants and hotels — as well as top-notch street performers (like jugglers and caricaturists) — Arbat Street is one of Moscow’s most famous pedestrian hubs for good reason.

The entire walkway, flanked by colorful buildings, stretches about a kilometer through the historic district, making it the perfect start to any day of inner-city exploring.

22 – Lounge around at the Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure, Moscow

One of Moscow’s biggest and most beloved green spaces, Gorky Central Park is a must-visit for anyone looking to soak in some fresh air.

The park boasts 45 hectares of picturesque grassland, forests, Golitsinsky Ponds (home to squirrels and ducks), walking trails, fountains and the Neskuchny Garden. This place is also home to the wooden Olivkovy beach, a hot spot for photographers looking to appreciate the Moskva river.

Plenty of cafes line the well-manicured park, likewise public art projects and picnic spots and an open-air cinema in the summertime!

While a relaxing day in the gardens is never a bad idea, if you’re looking for something a little more interactive, there’s the 18-meter-tall Observation Platform and a handful of museums on site. The Gorky Park Museum , Muzeon Park of Arts , Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and New Tretyakov Gallery are all noteworthy stops within walking distance.

23 – Stare at the ceiling of the Christ the Savior Cathedral

Christ the Savior Cathedral, Moscow

On an easy stroll from the southwest side of the Kremlin, you’ll find a majestic memorial cathedral doused in history: the 5-golden-domed Christ the Savior Cathedral .

With a beautiful color-contrasting exterior that still falls short of the intricately painted inner walls and ceiling, this underrated (due to not being in Red Square with the other main cathedrals) attraction is a must for the bucket list.

24 – Zoom around town in a Soviet van

Soviet van tours in Moscow

If a hop-on-hop-off bus screams of cliche tourism, why not get a little more cultured by skirting around the city’s main haunts in a real, war-era soviet van?

Undeniably one of Russia’s most emblematic vehicles as both a symbol of a Soviet past and a comical cultural nod to its boring exterior (dubbed the “loaf of bread”), the UAZ-452 vans are iconic.

So whether you opt for a pub crawl, landmark sightseeing tour, or day of adventure with wintertime off-roading, be sure to ride shotgun in one of the loaves of bread at some stage!

  • soviet tours

25 – See sharks up close at the Moskvarium

Moskvarium, Moscow

The mightiest aquarium in Europe (by size), the Moskvarium is an impressive modern space dedicated to the beauty and diversity of aquatic life.

Located right on the outskirts of Moscow’s city center (about 20 minutes drive from Red Square), this huge complex encompasses over 70 interactive exhibits. These include live shows, and the chance to go swimming with dolphins — that are sure to impress the whole family.

26 – Go underground at the Bunker 42 Cold War Museum

Bunker 42 Cold War Museum, Moscow

In the depths of Moscow’s shadow-strewn streets, hidden 65 meters beneath the tourist crowds are a Cold War-era bunker and former secret communications center.

Bunker 42 was built in 1955 as a nuclear-proof hideaway, but today you can book tours that reveal its secrets and stories — a must for the common history buff.

  • Bunker 42 tickets

27 – Immserve yourself in the soviet culture at the VDNKh theme park and exhibition space

VDNKh, Moscow

Sprawling across the Ostankinsky District, VDNKh is a massive open-air museum and theme park paying homage to Russian industry and Soviet values.

The enormous complex is decked out with several gold-clad statues and palatial pavilions, each uniquely designed to represent different Soviet interests and endeavors, such as geology and the space race.

Hot tip: For a wonderful view of the Moscow skyline, be sure to jump on the Ferris wheel after riding the small roller coasters and merry-go-round.

28 – Take a trip to the Kolomenskoye Palace

Kolomenskoye Palace, Moscow

Overlooking the sparkling Moskva River about 20 kiometers south of central Moscow, the postcard-worthy Kolomenskoye Palace is a former royal estate. It’s now open to the public as an extensive park with carefully-kept gardens, including one of Russia’s oldest white stone churches (the tent-looking UNESCO-listed Ascension Church ).

It has walking trails through peaceful wooded areas and gorgeous views out over the region from its high hilltop location. The park has long been considered one of the hidden gems when it comes to things to do in Moscow.

29 – Enjoy the view from the Ostankino TV Tower

Ostankino TV Tower. Moscow

With the coveted claim to fame of being the tallest free-standing structure in Europe (and 11th tallest in the world) — standing above the Empire State Building, for reference — the 540.1-meter-tall Ostankino Tower is picturesquely located next to Park Dubovaya Roshcha, not too far from VDNH, the Moskvarium, and the widespread Park Ostankind.

So long as you’re not left lighthearted by heights, the 337-meter-high observation deck is the go-to spot for panoramic views.

30 – Blast off at the Museum of Cosmonautics

Museum of Cosmonautics, Moscow

One for the space nerds and future astronauts, the Museum of Cosmonautics is dedicated to the history, present-day relevance, and future possibilities of space exploration. It provides a spectacular insight into the Soviet perspective of the 1960s space race.

Located on a lovely green site in one corner of VDNKh, the museum features an outdoor planetarium, interactive displays for children, as well as inside exhibits that showcase original spacecraft parts.

For the best experience, consider a pre-arranged tour that includes access to both the Museum and VDNKh.

31 – Complete your Moscow culinary experience with a food tour

food tours in Moscow

Foodies, listen up! Moscow has gained a reputation for being one of the finest cities in Europe for foodies, with an excellent range of restaurants and bars.

For those looking for a complete Moscow culinary experience that includes some of the best hidden gems and experiences, food tours are an ideal way to go.

Depending on your tour of choice, expect to sample a few Pelmeni (dumplings), Blini (wafer-thin pancakes), and world-famous Ponchiki doughnuts. Then wash it all down with some locally-distilled vodka or Nalivka (a sweet berry-infused liquor).

  • food tours in Moscow

32 – Smell the flowers at the Main Botanical Garden — the largest botanical garden in Europe

Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow

Constructed in 1945, the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a 340-hectare space of plant collections and lakeside walkways to explore.

It’s one of those places that gets better as you make your way around it on foot (or even rollerblades). There are many well-kept gardens, beautiful ponds filled with turtles and waterfowl, a charming Japanese Garden and some very rare trees.

33 – Wander around the Novodevichy Monastery

Novodevichy Monastery, Moscow

The Novodevichy Convent and surrounding Kremlin-style walls combine to be one of Moscow’s most picturesque sites — a UNESCO-listed complex that was founded in the 1500s and includes an interweaving of churches, cathedrals, bell towers and a cemetery.

After admiring the buildings, check out the monastery which is surrounded by green spaces perfect for a stroll and a snack.

To learn all about its architecture and history, opt for a guided tour as recommended by most travelers.

34 – Ride the coasters at Family Park SKAZKA

Family Park SKAZKA, Moscow

If you’re traveling with youngsters who seem to never be able to burn off their energy then make a beeline for the Krylatskoye District neighborhood, home to the popular SKAZKA adventure park.

Kids can enjoy everything from bumper cars to the petting zoo, while parents might want to pop into one of the cafes or restaurants.

Even if you don’t have kids in tow, the adrenaline-pumping roller coasters invite thrill-seekers of all ages.

35 – Understand the deeper meanings of “Soviet Jew” at the Jewish Museum & Centre of Tolerance

Jewish Museum & Centre of Tolerance, Moscow

Opened in 2012, the Jewish Museum and Centre of Tolerance is a fascinating institution dedicated to exploring and honoring the diverse complex Russian-Jewish history and culture.

Explore every facet of the role of Russian Jewry throughout the centuries — including food, artifacts, religious beliefs and cultural traditions. Visitors can also see an array of exhibits made from testimonial footage, as well as a large collection of works of Jewish artists.

For history buffs, the museum dives into the intriguing role that Jewish soldiers played during World War II.

36 – Cruise down the Moscow River!

boat tours in Moscow

For those looking for a unique perspective on the city, there are stacks of tours (romantic, sightseeing, luxury-themed or party-vibed) that explore Moscow from its riverfront.

Take in some of the most iconic landmarks around the Kremlin and Gorky Park on a boat. Cruises can also take you underneath bridges, entertain you with live music and offer insights into the landmarks that pass by with live audio narration.

  • boat tours in Moscow

37 – Grab a table at Café Pushkin

Café Pushkin, Moscow

A favorite of many Muscovites, Cafe Pushkin on Tverskoy Boulevard is an intimate spot to enjoy some authentic Russian dishes.

It’s hand-picked by locals for its traditional décor resembling a nobleman’s house and charming atmosphere (thanks largely to the rustic bookshelves). You’ll find that the menu consists mainly of classic European cuisine mixed with a few local favorites. It’s complemented by a wooden bar with a fine collection of vintage wines and regular live music.

38 – Spend the day at the Karibiya Aquapark

Karibiya Aquapark, Moscow

After a hard day exploring the city, why not spend some time out to relax and unwind at one of Moscow’s largest water parks?

Karibiya has a handful of pools (including a heated salt-water spa) and fun but not too wild slides, plus a bowling alley for the kids, a fitness center and bar for the adults. There’s something to keep everyone entertained.

39 – Take a day trip to Sergiev Posad

Sergiev Posad day trips from Moscow

A photographer’s dream with blue-and-gold cupolas contrasted by snow-white walls, the ancient town of Sergiev Posad (just over an hour’s drive from Moscow) is a quaint tourist favorite. It’s famous for being home to one of Russia’s most important and sacred monasteries — the free-to-visit Trinity Lavra St. Sergius monastery complex.

Founded in 1340 AD by Saint Sergius, today it serves as an active monastery where visitors are free to attend daily services. Admire its truly remarkable artworks and historic museum collections.

  • Sergiev Posad day trip

40 – Spot starfish (and monkeys?) at the Crocus City Oceanarium

Crocus City Oceanarium, Moscow

One of the latest attractions in Moscow, Crocus City Mall’s iceberg-shaped  Oceanarium is a vast three-floor aquarium. It has more than 5,000 species swimming gracefully under one roof — not to mention the reptiles, birds, and monkeys that also call this place home.

Since the mall also boasts shopping centers, a pair of concert halls and a skating rink, there’s no shortage of activities on offer to whisk away a rainy day.

41 – Button-mash at the Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines

Museum of Soviet Arcade Machines, Moscow

Where are the gamers at?

For anyone curious about the video games and technology of Russia’s yesteryear, there’s no better place to visit than this retro museum (complete with Soviet-era soda).

Filled with an impressive collection of more than 100 vintage arcade machines dating back as far as the late 1970s (like ”Pull the Turnip”), it’s sure to take you on a trip down memory lane.

42 – Take a walk through the Alexander Garden

Alexander Garden, Moscow

While the majority of Moscow’s other top attractions require a ticket or entry fee, there is at least one gem that doesn’t. It happens to be right on your doorstep if you’re staying anywhere near the Kremlin.

Alexander Garden (also known as Alexandrovsky Sad) is an expansive park that stretches the entire western wall of the Kremlin (nearly 1km in length). It’s filled to the brim with colorful flower beds, winding walkways and calming fountains.

Don’t miss the tomb of the Unknown Soldier while you’re there.

43 – Sign up for a dog sledding adventure!

dog sledding in Moscow

Cliche? Sure, maybe a little. Seriously fun? You better believe it!

Winter is coming, and that means it’s time to get out there and experience Russia the way only locals can — by dog sledding.

Typically lasting seven or eight hours, these outdoor adventures (which include hotel pick up and drop off) are a wonderful way to experience nature and immerse yourself in ancient Russian traditions — and hang out with a handful of adorable huskies, of course!

Seriously though, this is one of those things you’re going to want photos (and videos) for when you get back home because, really, words just wouldn’t do it justice.

44 – Walk beneath the Iberian Gate and Chapel

Iberian Gate and Chapel, Moscow

Facing away from the Red Square and linking Manezhnaya Square, the Iberian Gate and Chapel (sometimes called the Resurrection Gate) is overflowing with history. It acts as the spiritual entrance to the Red Square and the home of the wooden chapel that houses icons of the Iberian Virgin.

Many believe it is customary to kiss the Iberian icon before entering the gate and for boys to take off their hats. For an insight into the local culture, join a walking tour and learn more about the gate’s significance to religion and history.

To add to the importance, the gate is also the location of ‘Kilometer Zero’ — the official central point of Moscow.

45 – Play all day at the Dream Island theme park

Dream Island, Moscow

After opening its gates early in 2020, Dream Island earned itself the coveted title of being the largest indoor theme park in Europe (yep, that means it’s even open in the harsh winter).

It’s a delight for kids and adults alike. Throughout the park you’ll find an array of rides themed around classic cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pinocchio, the Smurfs, Hotel Transylvania and Hello Kitty. It also has charming and well-arranged streets that transport you to bustling cities like London and Barcelona!

Throw in live performances, plenty of eateries, a cinema and a hotel, and you can see why it’s become all the rage recently.

46 – Race against the clock in an escape room

escape rooms in Moscow

An unmissable and quick activity for any budding Sherlock Holmes out there, escape rooms challenge your mind and require wit, teamwork, and logic. Figure out the puzzles and escape from each room before time runs up.

Moscow’s escape room games usually last around 60 minutes and cover a range of themes (like a USSR Nuclear Bunker or even an outdoor, app-led scavenger game) — perfect for the whole family.

47 – Chill out by the Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch's Ponds, Moscow

Surrounded by residential buildings in the fancy downtown Presnensky District, the enormous (9,900 square meters, to be exact) the Patriarshiye Prudy is a beautiful oasis. It’s frequented by dog walkers, picnickers, artists and musicians alike.

In summertime, you’ll find people picnicking on the grassy banks or sunbathing by the ponds. In the winter, it transforms into a magical wonderland of snow and ice, morphing into a popular public skating rink.

Directions on Google Maps

48 – Go behind the scenes at Luzhniki Stadium

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

Moscow’s Lujniki Stadium is one of Europe’s biggest soccer complexes, capable of hosting some 80,000 fans with an electric-like atmosphere — as we saw during its phase as the main stadium of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Besides being the current home ground of Russia’s National Football Team, it also hosts concerts by some of the biggest international acts and was also the focal point of the 1980 Olympic Games.

If your trip doesn’t line up with any sellout matches, you can still join a backstage stadium tour that explores the dressing rooms, press conference room and the field.

49 – Head to Suzdal and Vladimir for a day

Suzdal and Vladimir day trips from Moscow

A fantastic option for anyone who wants to get out of the chaos of Moscow for a minute, these two towns are parts of the Golden Ring of ancient Russian cities. They present as perfect day trips, thanks to their rich history, diverse culture and white-drenched architecture.

In Suzdal , the Kremlin fortress is the main event, with the Cathedral of the Nativity (and its 13th-century Golden Doors) captivating visitors year after year. In Vladimir , the awe-inspiring Assumption Cathedral (Dormition Cathedral) teaks center stage, with its five golden domes making for a wonderful photo backdrop

Don’t feel like hiring a car? Take the hassle out of your getaway and book a pre-arranged tour that visits both ancient towns on the same day.

50 – Escape the crowds at the Botanic Gardens of Moscow State University

Botanic Gardens of Moscow State University, Moscow

Wielding the title of Russia’s oldest botanic garden, the Botanic Gardens of Moscow State University (founded in 1706) is a fantastic place to escape the city and learn about Russia’s rich flora.

The beautifully arranged garden boasts more than 6,000 plant species that span various climates across the world, allowing visitors to see everything from roses and tulips to cacti and bamboo trees!

51 – Climb inside a tank at the Kubinka Tank Museum

Kubinka Tank Museum, Moscow

A must-see for any military history buff, the Kubinka Tank Museum showcases dozens of tanks and armored vehicles from across the globe, with a particularly heavy focus on Soviet Union models (to be expected, right?).

The collection includes everything from Polish TKS tankettes to the only remaining Panzer VIII Maus, a captured WWI British Mark V and the Object 172 — as well as plenty of cannons, weapons and missiles.

Serving traditional Russian military meals and national staples, even the cafe-restaurant is military-themed!

52 – Sit front row at the Moscow International House of Music

Moscow International House of Music

A world-renowned performance complex on the picturesque Kosmodamianskaya Embankment, this state-of-the-art venue is best known for hosting Vladimir Spivakov’s Virtuosi of Moscow Chamber Orchestra. It showcases everything from classical concerts to jazz, folk music and more!

The venue’s three magnificent concert halls welcome an array of local and international performers. Check the website to see who’s taking center stage during your visit!

53 – Drift through fresh powder on a snowmobile!

snowmobiling in Moscow

While it’s not always winter (though if you want to make the most of your snowy trip, come between December and March), as soon as that first snowfall hits, it’s time for snowmobile tours. Make for a fantastic way to explore the out-of-the-way locations and magical forests beyond Moscow’s city limits.

Even if you’ve never ridden a ski-doo or snowmobile before, the friendly expert instructors will be with you every step of the way, with safety and enjoyment always priorities.

54 – Crank your head skywards in Moscow City

Moscow International Business Center, Moscow

A stark contrast to the ancient and colorful onion domes in the Red Square, Moscow City’s skyscape (aka the Moscow International Business Center ) is full of towering, modern glass-heavy (even twisting) skyscrapers. Many of which are vying at the top of the list of Europe’s tallest buildings.

At 374 meters tall and with 95 floors — and a wonderful restaurant on its 60th floor — the Moscow Federation Tower is a popular choice for tourists. Meanwhile, the 85th and 86th floor of the OKO Towers play host to a Russian restaurant and skating rink respectively.

Be sure to walk through the modern Bagration Bridge and, for the shopaholics, check out the stores and IMAX theater inside AFIMALL City.

55 – Check out Zaryadye Park

Zaryadye Park, Moscow

Within arm’s reach of the famed Red Square, the peaceful slice of greenery that is Zaryadye Park is a breath of beautiful and natural air amidst the concrete jungle. It’s the first new city park to be opened in Moscow for more than half a century.

At various points around the 10-hectare park, you’ll find a few restaurant pavilions, a media center, a museum and a botanical collection housing over a million plants. It also houses the two-stage Zaryadye Concert Hall where thousands of passersby take a seat on the steps every day.

While you’re there, don’t miss the Chambers of the Romanov Boyars, an unusual museum above the northern side of the park.

56 – Stroll around the cozy Hermitage Garden

Hermitage Garden, Moscow

Small yet incredibly charming and found conveniently smack-bang in the middle of the city, the Hermitage Garden is a perfect spot to relax and unwind after a day of learning about Russia’s vast history.

Surrounded by the Sfera Theatre and The Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow , this lovely, leafy garden can be both a relaxing oasis or the prelude to an entertaining evening out.

57 – Treat yourself to a ballet show at the Bolshoi Theatre

Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow

With a reputation that precedes it, the impressive and world-famous Bolshoi Theatre is a must for any theater lover. Its rich history is making it one of the most iconic theaters in Europe.

While there are several performances to choose from throughout the year — from ballet to opera, classic dramas and even acrobatic shows — you can also get your own private backstage tour.

58 – Get artsy, then party at ArtPlay

ArtPlay, Moscow

This old tea factory turned cultural hub of Moscow’s creative arts is heaven on earth for rotating exhibitions by local artists.

Depending on what piques your interest, you can join in on everything from live music to dance classes, art studio workshops, flea markets and film screenings here. However, after the sun goes down, its alter-ego comes out to play.

So, if you’re feeling peckish, stop into the Domozhilov restaurant nearby for a shashlik. Then wash it down at the English pub with a beer before partying it up at Rodnya, a pumping techno club.

59 – Head to the PANORAMA360 Observation Deck

PANORAMA360 Observation Deck, Moscow

A surefire hit for the social media feed, the observation deck at the top of Moscow’s Federation Tower skyscraper — PANORAMA360 — is a must-see selfie stop for its killer views and … ice cream factory.

From the 89th floor, you can soak in the wonder of Moscow old and new from above. It has floor-to-ceiling windows providing 360-degree vistas, a rotating restaurant and mini-cinema to boot.

60 – Throw down a picnic blanket in Sokolniki Park

Sokolniki Park, Moscow

One of the largest green spaces in Moscow, Sokolniki Park is a very popular gathering place for locals and visitors alike.

Spread across the northeastern Sokolniki District, it’s the perfect distance from the city’s main haunts where the crowds remain small but the accessibility stays high.

With its many activities — from sports to live music to festivals — not much beats this park when it comes to outdoor fun!

61 – Catch a traditional Russian dance show

Russian dance shows in Moscow

To get a true sense of the rich and diverse culture in Moscow, you can’t go past one of its many folk dance shows.

While there are several to choose from, “Kostroma” and “The Golden Ring” are two crowd favorite choices. Each is thoroughly unique with traditional music and costumes sure to make for a once-in-a-lifetime night of entertainment.

Of course, due to high popularity, be sure to book in advance.

62 – Book a table at the White Rabbit restaurant bar

White Rabbit restaurant bar, Moscow

Perched above the historical center of Moscow on the 16th floor of the Smolensky Passage building, this lavish restaurant is a must-visit for any foodie-obsessed traveler. Why? Because it continually ranks as one of the top 50 restaurants in the world.

The drool-worthy menu made by fifth-generation chef Vladimir Mukhin consists of creative, beautiful plated meals. The coveted eaterie also boasts 360-degree panoramic views of the city and a fine collection of wines and cocktails.

63 – Have dinner inside the Vysoko-Petrovskiy Monastery

Vysoko-Petrovskiy Monastery, Moscow

Whether you’re an architecture or history buff, while visiting Moscow, it would be a shame to miss out on the rare chance to eat in an actual monastery.

This one is particularly special as it dates back some 700 years. Not only will you get to dig into an authentic Russian menu, but learn about the history of the building and (depending on your booking package) get a guided tour too.

64 – Pass by the ‘Children Are the Victims of Adult Vices’ sculpture

Children Are the Victims of Adult Vices sculpture, Moscow

This free public art installation in Bolotnaya square was created by Mihail Chemaikin in 2001. A somewhat controversial landmark, it depicts how children are influenced by vices — alcohol, theft, ignorance, violence, addiction, poverty and war, to name a few.

The sculpture’s uniqueness and thought-provoking nature makes it an essential stop on any day of wandering around.

65 – Get wild on a pub crawl!

pub crawls in Moscow

You’re on vacation, so it’s time to let your hair down, mingle with some fellow thirsty travelers and party it up Moscow-style!

High-energy pub crawls are a great way to get acquainted with new friends while seeing Moscow’s unique nightlife scene first-hand. Let the locals lead you to hidden gems, tourist hot spots and quirky dive bars.

If you don’t feel like walking, why not join a Soviet minivan crawl instead (where you can drink Soviet champagne onboard!)?

66 – Roll up for the Nikulin Circus!

Nikulin Circus, Moscow

If you haven’t had the chance to see a live circus before — and especially if you’re traveling with kids — why not head over to the Nikulin Circus on Tsvetnoy Boulevard?

It blends traditional Russian acrobatics with modern-day technology, animals, and the classic circular circus stage. This beloved local entertainment is also considered one of the most enjoyable things to do in Moscow!

67 – Get romantic on a Moskva River dinner cruise

dinner cruises in Moscow

What better way to take in the city’s skyline than from a luxury yacht as you enjoy entertainment, fine dining, and (strong) specialty drinks?

Whether you’re looking for something large that can accommodate groups of friends or something smaller with a bit more VIP style, there are several dinner cruises available to suit any taste and budget.

68 – Explore the wonderful Izmailovo District

Izmailovo District, Moscow

One of the city’s best-kept secrets, Izmailovo ‘s focal point is its Kremlin, a colorful wooden complex. Built in 2007, it has had unique museums and flea markets pop up nearby in the years since.

Throughout the area, you’ll uncover museums dedicated to vodka, break and Russian folk art. The district’s charming open-air flea market has all kinds of crafts and souvenirs are haggled on the daily.

Don’t miss Izmailovo Park , which is an enormous 300-hectare space that plays host to souvenir vendors, forest walking paths and even an ice rink in winter.

With so much to see in the district, savvy travelers typically opt for a guided tour.

  • Izmailovo tours

69 – Sip on a cocktail at the award-winning City Space Bar and Lounge

City Space Bar and Lounge, Moscow

Self-dubbed as one of the world’s top 10 bars, with accolades like Luxury Travel Guide’s Bar of the Year 2018, this iconic and luxurious watering hole doesn’t need much of an introduction.

Perched sky-high on the 34th floor of Swissotel Krasnye Holmy, the circular lounge bar slings signature cocktails and dishes up truly stunning views of the city.

Hot tip: While there’s never a poor time to visit, aim to arrive an hour or so before sunset, that’s when the city will truly sparkle below.

70 – Pamper yourself at the Sanduny Baths

Sanduny Baths, Moscow

If you’re looking for something to ease that throbbing headache after a night of pub crawling, why not try the famous Sanduny Baths , a quintessentially Russian experience?

Famed as one of the world’s most beautiful public bathhouses, Sanduny’s steam rooms and pools are said to be some of the best in Moscow. But for something totally unique, you can’t go past the birch twigs massage (read: beating).

71 – Spruce up your social media feed at some Insta-worthy restaurants

insta-worthy restaurants in Moscow

While a good meal is always part of the restaurant experience, getting a good pic for Instagram is half the fun!

Luckily, there are tons of excellent eateries that combine great food with gorgeous aesthetics.

Big Wine Freaks has a fantastic drink selection (naturally), and its dark, classy rooms full of elegant light fixtures and plush furniture bring to mind a spy’s hideout.

Meanwhile, Sempre adopts more of a naturalistic approach, surrounding diners with ferns and greenery.

And at Black Market Moscow , you can choose between indoor and outdoor spaces, each featuring their own unique designs and dining experiences.

Take a bite and snap some pics!

72 – Unleash your inner party animal at the Night clubs

nightlife in Moscow

When the sun goes down, you’ll get to see a whole new side of Moscow: its amazing nightlife!

Head to Propaganda for a bite or a beverage, then dance to some quality club tunes.

Or get a little wild at Chesterfield , where you can pay a flat fee and drink as much as you want – the perfect recipe for fun!

And at Rock’N’ Roll , there’s a new form of excitement every day, from DJ sets to live bands, all playing a lively mix of rock music from across the decades.

With all this excitement, you won’t want to book anything early the next day!

How to get to Moscow?

Unless you’re feeling up to the challenge of a long train journey, you’ll most likely be flying into Moscow.

Luckily, it has three international airports to choose from: Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, and Domodedovo.

Once you’ve arrived, you’ll be able to easily reach the city via the Aeroexpress train.

Where to stay in Moscow?

Golden Ring Hotel  will make you feel like you’re on top of the world, whether you’re getting pampered at the beauty salon or enjoying a meal in the rooftop restaurants.

Or check in to Radisson Slavyanskaya Hotel & Business Center , which boasts everything from riverside views and a gym to nearby shopping areas and relaxing Turkish baths.

At AZIMUT Hotel Olympic Moscow , the massages, international cuisine, sauna, and swimming pool will keep you happily occupied in between excursions.

And at sister property AZIMUT Hotel Smolenskaya Moscow , you can savor a nice meal or admire the scenery from the lounge, or stroll over to Gorky Park or roam along Stary Arbat Street.

Meanwhile, Oblaka Hotel blends simple charm and a convenient location, with charming red brick exteriors and easy access to historic sites and a metro station.

  • best hotels in Moscow

Visiting Moscow on a budget?

There’s nothing like seeing a city on foot… especially on a free walking tour !

These excursions aren’t just a way to save money while still learning a lot; they also offer a wonderful opportunity to gain local perspectives, courtesy of your guides.

But despite the name, they do accept tips for a job well done, so bring a bit of money with you!

Where to go next?

If you’re short on time but still want to see the best of Moscow, try some multi-day tours ; they’ll provide all of the coolest sights and experiences in an efficient format.

After that, it’s time to start exploring further afield!

Though it’s a bit of a trek, St. Petersburg is well worth the journey!

With its famously decadent buildings to its lively arts scene, this is the perfect place to soak up some culture; but there are also some more offbeat options, like folk shows, vodka tastings, and even an amusement park!

And from the jaw-dropping designs of the metro stations (yes, you read that correctly) to the glimmer of Faberge eggs, it showcases beauty at every turn.

Ready to go beyond Russia?

Dive into the best places to visit in Europe , a smorgasbord of art and history, nature and architecture, showcasing some of the most beloved cities and countries in the world.

Final thoughts

While Russia’s capital may seem imposing, its dynamic culture, live-wire entertainment scene, and remarkable history make it an unbeatable destination, with unique adventures that will linger in your memory long after you’ve returned home.

You may feel a little overwhelmed by all of the incredible things to do in Moscow… but that’s all the more reason to come back!

If you have any other must-see suggestions, noteworthy day trips or quintessential tours worth booking, feel free to write in the comments!

As always, happy travels!

IMAGES

  1. Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 3 (Phases 2-5)

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COMMENTS

  1. Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 1 (Phases 2-5)

    Use this great pack in the run-up to the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check to consolidate and secure knowledge of all Phase 2-5 concepts. With six interactive mats for children to complete with support or independently, it is the perfect morning work, guided reading or daily challenge to prepare children for the check. Show more. Hello Mia1996.,

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    I CAN SPELL CVC WORD ACTIVITY MATS FOR INITIAL, MEDIAL, AND FINAL SOUNDS (MAGNETIC LETTER CENTER)This resource pack is a great tool to practice spelling cvc words in a fun way! Included are 23 word family mats containing clear and attractive pictures with boxes for letters! An additional black and white version is also included.To prepare, print on cardstock paper and laminate for durability.

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    Phonics Mats allow students to practice segmenting, blending, encoding, decoding, and reading comprehension.This resource contains 20 Phonics Mats for the short vowel sounds /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, and /u/. There are 4 mats for each vowel sound. Mats come in two different formats so there are 2 mats of each format for a.

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    Description. Phonics Mats are phonics-based decodable text for students to decode and practice targeted phonics skills. Students take the skills they learned in phonics and apply them using phonics mats. Phonics Mats allow students to practice segmenting, blending, encoding, decoding, and reading comprehension.

  5. Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 2 (teacher made)

    Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 2 (Phases 2-5) 16 reviews Phonics Phonics Screening Check Revision Materials Use this great read write inc resources pack in the run-up to the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check to consolidate and secure knowledge of all Phase 2-5 graphemes. Show more

  6. Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 3 (Phases 2-5)

    Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 3 (Phases 2-5) 7 reviews English Phonics Phonics Screening Check Free Account Includes: Thousands of FREE teaching resources to download Pick your own FREE resource every week with our newsletter Suggest a Resource! You want it? We'll make it 24/7 customer support (with real people!) Sign Up Now to Download

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  8. Beach Letter Sound Isolation Mats Free Printable

    This phonics activity comes with 5 color mats - 3 for beginning sounds, 1 for middle sounds and 1 for ending sounds. Students will practice short vowel CVC words on the middle sounds mats. Each mat features a fun beach theme and 9 pictures to practice isolating sounds. The pictures are kid-friendly and can easily be identified by young students.

  9. Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 1 (Phases 2-5)

    Use this great pack in the run-up to the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check to consolidate and secure knowledge of all Phase 2-5 concepts. With six interactive mats for children to complete with support or independently, it is the perfect morning work, guided reading or daily challenge to prepare children for the check. year 1 phonics. Hello Mia1996.,

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    A selection of phonics activity mats for phase 2, phase 3, phase 4 and phase 5.

  11. 39 Fantastic Phonics Activities for Kids

    Learn more: Pre-Kinders. 5. Spin and Rhyme. This spin and rhyme game is a wonderful way to teach your kids how to sound out phonics and combine them to form words. To make it more interesting, challenge them to create silly rhymes and come up with similar-sounding words. Learn more: No Time For Flash Cards. 6.

  12. Phase 2 Phonics Activity Mat Pack (Teacher-Made)

    4 reviews Phonics Phases Phase 2 Phase 2 Worksheets How can I embed knowledge of Phase 2 graphemes? Support your class with rehearsing the reading and spelling of Phase 2 words using these fabulous activity mats.

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    Phonics Mats can be used as a whole group, small group, or individual activity. Phonics Mats are fun to use for choral reading! Each mat includes a short text featuring the spelling pattern, and directions to read the passage three times.

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    5. Build words with a chart of beginning sounds. This Reading Mama/Beginning Sounds Chart via thisreadingmama.com. Grab this free printable chart and print out copies for your students to use with their phonics activities. There's a version for rimes too. Learn more: Beginning Sounds Chart at This Reading Mama.

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    Download this activity. Have you tried our phonics mats yet? Each phonics mat features a brief, decodable reading passage, along with fluency and other reading skills practice on each page. Phonics Day by Day Download this week of Phonics Day by Day. Phonics Day by Day is a spiral review that reinforces previously taught phonics patterns.

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    Moscow Worksheets. This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Moscow across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Moscow worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Moscow, Russian Moskva, which is the capital and most populated city of Russia, situated in the westward part of the country ...

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    It is traditionally held as a three-day activity taking place in a holiday residence near Moscow where participants share their views on the development of the Russian digital industry and the Russian Internet. Startup Cup Russia is a part of the global Startup Cup Competition. Projects participate to get feedback from mentors, consulting ...

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  20. Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 2 (Phases 2-5)

    Phonics Activity Mat Resource Pack 2 (Phases 2-5) 16 reviews English Phonics Phonics Screening Check How does this resource excite and engage children's learning? Use this great pack in the run-up to the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check to consolidate and secure knowledge of all Phase 2-5 graphemes.

  21. Phase 2 Phonics Activity Mat Pack (teacher made)

    Helpful Twinkl Key Stage 1 - Year 1, Year 2 English Phonics Phonics Phases Phase 2 Phase 2 Worksheets This pack contains five mats which cover all Phase 2 sounds. They include speedy and fun phonics activities are perfect for early morning skills practice.

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  23. 72 Fun & Unusual Things to Do in Moscow

    33 - Wander around the Novodevichy Monastery. The Novodevichy Convent and surrounding Kremlin-style walls combine to be one of Moscow's most picturesque sites — a UNESCO-listed complex that was founded in the 1500s and includes an interweaving of churches, cathedrals, bell towers and a cemetery.