2.5y–4.2y10 minDevelopmental playFamily timeReading

Sound Stretch & Letter Match

A playful early phonics routine where you demonstrate stretching and segmenting sounds in simple words and show how sounds can be represented by letters, without pressure for correct spelling.

What you'll need

Essentials

paper or a small whiteboard
a pen for you (adult writing)
2–4 small familiar items (e.g., cup, pen, sock, toy car)

Nice to have

letter magnets or letter cards (optional)
sticky notes for labeling items
a small tray or table space for laying items out

Movement level: false

What you'll do

The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.

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What this develops

What it practices

Sometimes gives meaning to marks as they draw and paint.
Observable behaviour from Development Matters

Where it comes from

Framework: Early Years Foundation Stage (England)
Source: Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
Original guidance: “Demonstrate how to segment the sounds (phonemes) in simple words and how the sounds are represented by letters (graphemes).”
License: Open Government Licence v3.0