Montessori at Home: Reading Games
The I Spy game can be introduced as children learn their sounds. Once your child has learned 3 or more sounds and can identify objects or pictures of objects that begin with the sound you can try this game. Try with 2 sounds as a time, more than this may confuse the child and cause frustration. Remember we want to keep learning engaging and light, this should be a game children look forward to playing.
Purpose: to identify initial sounds
Materials: small objects or photos from two (2) sounds pouches
Place a few items on a shelf, table or windowsill from 2 sound pouches. Ask the child to name all the items before you begin the game. Go across the room from the items and then ask you child the following. (The reason we move away from the objects is so the child is able to incorporate movement into this work). The parent will say “ I spy…” and the child will bring you an item that begins with that sound. Once your child really gets a hang of this, let them be the teacher and ask you to bring them an “I Spy” object, you can even make a mistake and see if they catch it.
Parent: I spy something that begins with /s/
Parent: Thank you for bringing me a star.
Parent: I spy something that begins with /j/
Parent: Thank you for bringing me a jar.
What to do when your child makes a mistake or is confused?
Read the following example.
Parent: I spy something that begins with /r/.
Your child brings you a pig.
Parent: Thank them for the pig by saying, “Thank you for this pig, will you please return the pig to the table and bring me an object that begins with /g/?
I Spy something that begins with /u/…Yes it is an umbrella!
Play this game often! The more you play the more confident your child will become with identify sounds and how they are used. We offer a beautiful set of cards that support the “I Spy” game. Download below!
