We're going on a word search – make a quick word game

What you need 

• Post-it notes or smallish pieces of paper 
• A pen 
• Two bowls or baskets 

The steps

• Write words or letters on half the post it notes. For the first few times you play, you can write the same word (or letter) on every note.  
• Draw pictures on the other half. They can be as simple (or as artistic) as you like!  
• Stick the post-it notes at random around the room (or house) in places your child will be able to find and reach them without help. 
• Show your child the two bowls. Stick a post-it note saying ‘words’ on one, and a post-it note with a picture on it on the other bowl. Place the bowls in the middle of the room. 
• Explain that they need to find all the post-it notes in the room, and each time they find one they need to bring it over and put it in the correct bowl. 
• Encourage them to keep searching until they find all of the notes you hid.  

Benefits for your child

• It’s important to remember that you’re not expecting your child to recognise the words at this stage. The game will help them learn to recognise the difference between letters/words and images on a basic level – they need to build this foundation before they can begin understanding how to decode the marks to read letters and words in the years to come.  

Building on

• Play again and again by getting your child to hide the notes for you to find (and then help you decide which bowl each goes in).
• Extend their learning by helping them to count how many post-its are in each bowl at the end of the search.