2.5y–4.2y12 minDevelopmental playReadingFamily time
Word Spotters: Names, Labels, and Print Hunt
Use quick, playful labelling (names, object labels, and words in books) to help your child notice that print represents spoken words, while building early sound-to-letter awareness through pointing, saying, and matching.
What you'll need
Essentials
- paper strips or sticky notes
- a pen/marker
- 1–2 familiar picture books
Nice to have
- magnetic letters or letter tiles (optional)
- tape (if you don’t have sticky notes)
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
- MilestoneAttends to book contentMind· 18mo–2.6y· core· Step 3
- MilestoneIdentifies named picturesMind· 2y–3y· stretch· Step 1
- MilestoneNames lettersMind· 3.3y–5y· stretch
- MilestoneExtends vocabulary, especially by grouping and naming, exploring the meaning and sounds of new words.Mind· 3.3y–5y· stretch· Step 3
What it practices
- Hears and says the initial sound in words.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Links sounds to letters, naming and sounding the letters of the alphabet.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
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Help children to understand what a word is by using names and labels and by pointing out words in the environment and in books.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)