Reading Readiness: "Find the _____" Game

Inspired by my sister-in-law whose daughter knows all her letters and sounds and is ready to read, but just doesn't understand what it means to "put the sounds together to make a word".

"Find The ________."

This is a game you can play with your child once they have learned all their letters and sounds. It's a fun game that helps them recognize the sounds in a word and will help them as they begin to read CVC words (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant).

Choose a CVC word, such as cat, dog, hat, cup, etc. It needs to be a word that has a distinct beginning, middle and ending sound. (The word "cow" wouldn't be a good choice because the o and w sounds come together to make the "ow" sound.) I'll use the word "cat" to explain the game.

Find blocks that spell the word or make three cards with one letter written on each card. Hide them in a room.

Tell your child you are going to play a game called find the "cat". Show them the letters that make up the word "cat", emphasizing each sound. "This is the cat: (make the sounds as you point to the letters) C, Aaaa, T. These letters make the sounds we hear in "cat". Your job is to find the letters and put them together."

Have your child go on a "cat" hunt. When they find a letter, ask them what part of "cat" that letter is. "Is it the beginning of cat? C? The middle of "cat"? Aaaa? Or the ending of "cat"? T?" Make sure you make the sounds of the letter instead of saying it's name.

Put three pieces of paper in a row for them to place their letters on once they have found them. You can even explain what the papers are for. "These are where we're going to put the letters once you find (or catch!) them. Help them put the letter in the right place on the table when they find it.

After they find all three letters, help them point to each letter and make it's sound to say the whole word: "C-aaaaaa-T".

You can add more to the game by having them draw a picture of a cat, color a picture of a cat, or find a picture of a cat once they've found all the letters.

This is just something I thought of yesterday while I was driving around running "errands", so if it's dumb or doesn't make sense.....tough.