{"product_id":"wooden-spelling-game","title":"Montessori Spelling Game — 28 Picture Cards \u0026 Wooden Letters, Ages 3–6","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA spelling game a child can play without an adult sitting next to them.\u003c\/strong\u003e Twenty-eight picture cards and a pile of chunky wooden letters — the card shows what the word is and exactly where each letter goes, so your child can check their own answer instead of asking you whether it's right.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eHow it works\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eEach card is a long strip with a \u003cstrong\u003epicture printed at one end\u003c\/strong\u003e — a fox, a sock, a tent, a bus — and the word beside it printed as \u003cstrong\u003edotted letter outlines\u003c\/strong\u003e. The child names the picture, sounds it out, and lays a wooden letter onto each outline.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat design does the correcting. A letter either matches its outline or it doesn't, and a word either fills all its outlines or leaves one empty. \u003cstrong\u003eNobody has to say \"not quite\".\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat it teaches\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe important thing this does is teach \u003cstrong\u003eletter sounds rather than letter names\u003c\/strong\u003e. A child who knows \"buh\" starts reading sooner than a child who knows \"bee\" — name-first is the most common early-literacy mistake and it has to be unlearned later. Matching a sound to a picture, then building the word, is the sequence that actually leads to reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAge guidance\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuits roughly \u003cstrong\u003e3 to 6\u003c\/strong\u003e. At three it's letter recognition and matching shapes to outlines. At four to five it's sounding out and blending three-letter words. At six most children are building the words unaided and using it as a quiet independent activity. If your child knows their letters but can't yet blend them, this is the right stage — blending is the skill that unlocks reading, and it's separate from recognition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhat's in the box\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e28 double-sided picture cards\u003c\/strong\u003e — 56 words in total, each with a printed picture and dotted letter outlines\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA set of \u003cstrong\u003echunky wooden lowercase letters\u003c\/strong\u003e in six bright colours, with duplicates of the common ones so words with repeated letters still work\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrinted storage box, 23 × 11 × 6 cm — small enough for a bag\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMaterials\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eSolid wood letters, sanded smooth with rounded edges and non-toxic paint. The cards are printed card stock. Wipe clean with a damp cloth. As with any set containing small pieces, supervise children under three.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eFrequently asked questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat age is this spelling game for?\u003c\/strong\u003e Around 3 to 6. Younger children use it for letter recognition; older ones for blending and building words.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow many words does it cover?\u003c\/strong\u003e 56 — the 28 cards are printed on both sides.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it teach letter names or sounds?\u003c\/strong\u003e Sounds — which is the order that leads to reading fastest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan my child play with it alone?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes. The dotted outlines show exactly how many letters a word needs and what shape each one is, so the child self-corrects without an adult confirming answers.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs it useful for homeschooling?\u003c\/strong\u003e Particularly — it's designed for independent practice, which is exactly the gap when you're teaching more than one child at once.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Little Cubs","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47895135355057,"sku":"CJYZ201638601AZ","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0528\/8476\/6897\/files\/spell-01-hero-v2.webp?v=1789555312","url":"https:\/\/little-cubs.com\/products\/wooden-spelling-game","provider":"Little Cubs","version":"1.0","type":"link"}