The letter S is everywhere: sun, sock, snake, and every kid’s favorite, snack. But big S is a tricky shape to spot, because it curves one way and then the other, and little s looks just like it, only smaller. Young kids also mix it up with Z, which has corners instead of curves. The Letter S Game turns all of that practice into a sweet trip to the ice cream shop.
Meet Lexy! She runs the ice cream shop, and she needs help. Kids find the big S to put a scoop on every empty cone at Scoop Station, then find the little s to add sprinkles to every sundae on Sprinkle Street. Then silly Bomzy grabs all the ice cream, and on Freezer Hill kids find big S, little s and pictures that start with S, like sun and snake, to win it back.
Before you play, draw a big S in the air together like a snake: curve this way, curve that way. Then make it hiss: sss!
Watch Lexy play the Letter S Game
How to play the Letter S Game
- Press Play. Lexy reads every direction out loud, so even kids who aren’t reading yet can play on their own.
- Round 1, Scoop Station: tap an empty ice cream cone. Three letter cards pop up. Tap the big S, and a scoop lands on the cone.
- Round 2, Sprinkle Street: walk to each sundae and find the little s to add the sprinkles. Rewards like a rainbow lollipop, a cherry on top and a gold star drop into Lexy’s backpack along the way.
- Round 3, Freezer Hill: Bomzy has taken all the ice cream! Find a big S, a little s, or a picture that starts with S (like sun, sock, seal or snake) to get it back.
- Pick a wrong card? Lexy gives a kind hint and kids try again. String right answers together for 3 in a Row!, 5 in a Row! and 10 in a Row!, beat your High Score!, and go for a Perfect Game! Every game ends with up to five stars.
What kids learn
The Letter S Game helps preschool and kindergarten kids recognize the uppercase and lowercase letter S and connect it to the /s/ sound at the start of words (Common Core RF.K.1d: recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters; RF.K.3a: the most common sound for each consonant).
- Big S curves this way, and curves that way, like a snake (not a Z, which has straight lines and sharp corners).
- Little s is the same curvy shape, just smaller.
- Sun, sock, seal and snake all start with the /s/ sound.
- Lexy names every answer after it’s found, using the words teachers use: big S, little s, and starts with the letter S.
Try this at home or in class: go on an S hunt! Look for things that start with S, like a sock, a spoon, a sandwich or a star. Each time you find one, say its name slowly and stretch the first sound: ssssock!
Teachers and members can assign the Letter S Game in HFT Classroom: students open the class link and play right away, on any phone, tablet, Chromebook or computer.
