Pirates and sailors
A fast-paced matching game. The sailors match graphemes to objects whilst the pirates try to scupper their plans.
Educational aim: to rehearse matching graphemes to initial phonemes of words
Location: Hall or playground
Players: 10-30 children
Playing time: flexible (see note at end of instructions about short rounds)
Resources:
- Hoops (10-15) to make islands
- Instructions (PDF)
- Images flashcards (A4) that begin with target graphemes (one per hoop)
- Grapheme playing cards (at least three per child)
I was stunned to see how much they enjoyed this. It blew me away.
Matt Lovegrove, Cippenham Primary School
Why Play?
- • Covers letters and sounds to reading full sentences.
- • Designed in collaboration with leading academics.
Why is the computer version free?
The game has been funded by the Usborne Foundation, a charity set up to support initiatives to develop early literacy.
Our mission is to help as many children learn to read as possible. The computer version is 100% free and we put profits from the app back into the Usborne Foundation, to continue to create new and exciting ways for children to learn.
The charity was founded by Peter Usborne MBE and his children, Nicola and Martin, one of the world’s leading children’s book publishing companies and Children’s Publisher of the Year 2012. He was previously one of the founders of the magazine Private Eye.
What age is it for?
The game is for children in the first stages of learning to read, or for older children who need a bit more practice. Read more details about the three games.
How do children learn from the game?
The game takes children on a magical journey, meeting colourful characters along the way and collecting fantastic rewards. When children are engaged, they’re motivated to learn.
As they progress, they rehearse a range of essential reading skills; matching letters to sounds, blending, segmenting, tricky words and reading full sentences.
Find out exactly what the game covers.
Will it work on my device?
The game runs on any normal laptop or desktop computer (including Apple Macs) and the app works on iPhone, iPad, Android and Kindle tablets.
Who are The Usborne Foundation?
Peter Usborne is the founder and Managing Director of Usborne Publishing, one of the world’s leading children’s book publishing companies and Children’s Publisher of the Year 2012. He was previously one of the founders of the magazine Private Eye, and was recently awarded an MBE for services to publishing.
Testimonials
"I was stunned to see how much they enjoyed this. It blew me away."
"The kids absolutely love this game - and they're learning!"
"This is a fun and engaging way to help your child learn to read. My son warmed to the game quickly and didn't want to stop playing it!"
This is a fun and engaging way to help your child learn to read. My son warmed to the game quickly and didn't want to stop playing it!
Sarah Fox, mum to Leon aged 5
