2.5y–4.2y10 minDevelopmental playQuiet time
Sound Detective: Touch, Trace, and Spot
A short, repeatable, multisensory phonics mini-session using household objects to notice a target sound, connect it to a letter/mark, and notice meaningful print around the home.
What you'll need
Essentials
- paper or a small notepad
- a chunky crayon/marker or pencil
- 2 bowls or containers (for sorting)
- 3 small household items (e.g., sock, spoon, toy car)
- a plate or tray with a sprinkle of flour, salt, or rice (for tracing)
Nice to have
- sticky notes or masking tape (for quick labels)
- a phone timer
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 this develops
- MilestoneGives meaning to own drawings or marksMind· 2.8y–3.8y· core· Step 3
- MilestoneSorts Objects by AttributeMind· 2.3y–3.2y· stretch· Step 2
- MilestoneNames lettersMind· 3.3y–5y· core
- MilestoneCoordinates gesture with another signalMind· 9mo–2.5y· core· Step 4
- MilestoneAttends to book contentMind· 18mo–2.6y· core· Step 4
- MilestoneExpresses ownership verballyHeart· 2y–3y· core· Step 4
What it practices
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “When children are ready (usually, but not always, by the age of five) provide regular systematic synthetic phonics sessions. These should be multisensory in order to capture their interests, sustain motivation and reinforce learning.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)