Matching and Posting Letters Game

 

This is a super simple game you can make up yourself using items you must likely already have that your children will LOVE!

 

Children love role playing and posting things and this game combines the two with a whole bunch of learning opportunities your child won't even notice because they are having too much FUN!

 

SUITABLE AGES

2-6 years 

YOU WILL NEED

• some envelopes
• some coloured card
• some images you have two of. I simply printing some off from the computer but you could use stickers or images from magazines. I specifically choose images or words that had our target sounds. For more advanced matching you could try mother and baby animals or similar items that are not identical like two boats, two cars, two buses etc.
• Glue and Scissors
• Laminator *optional but will make your game more durable

 

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE OUTCOMES

 

• Use pictures that will allow your child to practice target sounds.
• Introduce new vocabulary
• Joint Attention
• Concentration
• Turn taking
• Power Words: Same, In, Push, I did it

Other Learning

• Identifying same and different and being able to picture match.
• Role play writing, mark making for a purpose.
• Introduction to the postal service.
• Fine motor skills and using two hands together to complete a task.



HOW TO MAKE

1. To make this game cut out all your images.
2. Glue one of each pair onto an envelope where the stamp would go and the other onto a piece of card for the letter. Do this for all your images. I made six letters and envelopes for matching.
3. I then added text to the letters and envelopes by adding addressing and letter introduction.
4. Laminating the letters serves two purposes, a) it makes them more durable and easier to insert into the envelopes and b) means we can write on them with non permanent markers adding extra element to the game if you so wish.
5. Create a box for posting. We just used an old shoe box which my children have posted red. We use this box a lot for posting each other special messages and drawings. It's our family post box but it worked perfectly for this game.

 

HOW TO PLAY

I am going to let the pictures do the talking here.

 

This is a one on one game I created with a set focus however you could play with two children taking turns. I set out all the letters and presented Hman with one envelope at a time and asked him to "find the same". 

 

 

He selected the matching letter and we'd put the letter next to the envelope to see if it was a match, 'the same'.

 

 

Hman can't yet say 'same' but he can sign it!!

He can also sign different and enjoyed this aspect of the game.

 

 

Once he had established that he had found a matching letter for the envelope he slid the letter inside the envelope. This is quite a tricky task and perfect for practicing using those two hands together.

 

If you were wanting too you could get your child to write or draw on the letter before 'posting' it.

 Then to finish off the most exciting bit. The bit they all look forward to!! They can post the letter.

 

After doing this for all six letters, Hman had well and truly satisfied my expectations on his concentration and he was done. He did come back later in the day however, and open up the post box and pull all the letters out.

 

 

To Extend on This

 

If your child still was eager to participate or even at a later time you could then deliver the letters to soft toys that match the pictures. I know Hman would enjoy doing this and on another day I will do this with him.

 

Picture Books on Posting Letters

 

Click, Clack Moo: Cows That Type

 

The Jolly Postman

 

Dear Fairy Godmother

 

Dear Mother Goose

Other links you may also like

Sticker Matching

 

Wishing you all the power of communication

 

Enjoy

 

Katey

 

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