2.5y–4.2y9 minFree playFamily timeReading
Name Spotter Word Hunt
A playful name-and-word recognition game using familiar names and everyday printed words to support noticing, recalling, and talking about frequently seen words.
What you'll need
Essentials
- small pieces of paper or sticky notes
- a pen/marker
- 2-5 familiar names to write (child, parent, siblings, friends)
Nice to have
- family photos (printed or on phone screen)
- a few everyday items with labels (book cover, cereal box, toy packaging)
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What it practices
- Beginning to be aware of the way stories are structured.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Joins in with repeated refrains and anticipates key events and phrases in rhymes and stories.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Listens to and joins in with stories and poems, one-to-one and also in small groups.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Encourage children to recall words they see frequently, such as their own and friends’ names.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)