Here is a great way to help children practice segmenting and blending in a fun way. Give students a stretchable item such as silly putty or a slinky. Give them a word to “stretch out” into it’s segmented parts. As they stretch out the word slowly, tell them to stretch the item they are holding. Then, as they blend the word back into it’s more condensed “short form,” tell students to snap the item back together as they say the word fast. Students can also practice by stretching their hands wide apart and then bringing them together in a clap for blending the word back together. These are fun as well as visual reminders of how to stretch words into their appropriate word parts and then “snap” them back together.