2.5y–4.2y10 minReadingFamily timeFree play
Tiny Text Treasure Hunt
A confidence-boosting decoding game using very short, simple homemade texts (labels and mini-sentences) paired with familiar objects, with quick sound-play scaffolds.
What you'll need
Essentials
- paper and pen (or sticky notes)
- 3–6 familiar household objects (e.g., cup, sock, toy car, hat)
Nice to have
- tape (to stick labels on objects)
- magnetic letters or letter tiles (if you already have them)
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 5-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
- MilestoneNames lettersMind· 3.3y–5y· core
- MilestoneAttends to book contentMind· 18mo–2.6y· stretch· Step 1
- MilestoneCompletes Familiar Story or Rhyme PhrasesMind· 20mo–2.7y· stretch· Step 5
- MilestoneRecognizes rhymesMind· 3.3y–5y· stretch· Step 5
- MilestoneProduces rhyming wordsMind· 4y–5y· stretch· Step 5
What it practices
- Hears and says the initial sound in words.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Can segment the sounds in simple words and blend them together and knows which letters represent some of them.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Shows awareness of rhyme and alliteration.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Continues a rhyming string.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Enjoys rhyming and rhythmic activities.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Provide some simple texts which children can decode to give them confidence and to practise their developing skills.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)