Summer
Activity:
Word Detective Game
Got a kid who’s learning to read? Looking for a new game to add to the bunch? No need to go to the store. With a little help from your child you can make a game of your own! Young children love to play guessing games, and they can never get enough trivia. This game delivers, and throws in practice with the alphabet and letter sounds, too.
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What You Need:
- 52 index cards
- Word Detectives activity sheets: page 1 and page 2
- Crayons
- Markers
- Shoebox
- Construction paper
- Tape
What You Do:
- Ask your child to draw pictures on index cards for each letter of the alphabet, following the word list below. This will include beginning, middle, and ending sounds. While middle and ending sounds can be difficult for new readers to hear at first, this game is a fun, and low-pressure way to practice.
Beginning sounds list:
- apple
- banana
- cat
- dog
- egg
- fire
- goose
- queen
- van
- yellow
- zipper
Middle sounds list:
- grapes
- feet
- bug
- hit
- rope
Ending sounds list:
- clap
- stick
- hill
- ham
- pan
- jar
- grass
- hat
- wig
- box
- While your child is drawing the picture cards, take the other 26 cards and write “clues” on them, such as "Which letter comes at the beginning of a yellow fruit?" If you like, write the answers on the back of each card.
- Once all 52 cards are finished (the picture cards and the clue cards), put the clue cards in a single pile. Ask your child to mix up the picture cards and lay them in rows on the table.
- Pick the first clue card from the pile. As you read it, have your child find the matching picture card. For example, if the first clue is “Which letter comes at the beginning of a red fruit?” The answer is letter A, for apple.
- Each time she gets a correct match, have your child put the set aside, until all of the clues have been solved. If she gets stuck, be sure to remind her that some letters make more than one sound when spoken (for example, c and k, or short and long vowels).
- When play is over, put everything in your handy dandy shoebox, and put it on the game shelf for next time. If your child's feeling crafty, she can decorate the box and give her game a fancy title. If not, a plain old shoe box works just fine.
Happy gaming!
You can extend this activity by having your child make up his own clues and matching picture cards. Or involve an older sibling and have him read and write clues. This is a great way for your child to practice letters and sounds. Plus, it's just plain fun!
Guided Lessons are a sequence of interactive digital games, worksheets, and other activities
that guide learners through different concepts and skills.
They keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step.
Guided Lessons are digital games and exercises that keep track of your progress and help you study smarter, step by step.
In this lesson, preschoolers focus on the alphabet by learning the letters L, R, and K. Kids are guided through the classic children's story of The Lion and the Rat, with an accompanying curriculum that targets each child's understanding of the unique sounds these letters make. Seeing the letters in a fun, engaging environment also reinforces the letter recognition skills crucial for early readers.
In this lesson, preschoolers focus on the alphabet by learning the letters L, R, and K.
This lesson includes printable activities:
Download All (5)
Song: Animals ABC Song
Story: The Lion and the Rat
Story: The Lion and the Rat Comprehension
Game: Penelope Drums
Game: Alphabet Hopper: L, M, N, R
Game: Lion and the Rat Puzzle
Game: Match the Opposites
