One of the kids favorite Guided Reading activities is using the magnetic wand and Stretchy the Word Snake mat to segment and blend the sounds in words.
First, we push a chip in each box as we say the sound.
Then, we wave the wand over the boxes as we say the word.
There is a short video on my Facebook page that shows this in action.
You can read more about elkonin boxes HERE
You can order magnetic wands on Amazon by clicking on the picture below.
To differentiate this activity I use magnetic letters for the kids who are ready to take it to the next step.
You can download the Stretch Snake mat by clicking on the picture.