Goal
Strengthen blending and spelling by showing how changing one letter changes everything — builds both phonics skills and a feel for how words work.
You'll need
Letter tiles, fridge magnets, or letters written on scraps of paper — whatever you have.
How to do it
Start with a simple word — "cat" is a classic. Lay it out with your tiles or magnets. Now change one letter: swap the c for an h and you have "hat". Swap the a for an o and you have "hot".
Say each word together as you make it. Blend out loud, then say it naturally. Take turns — you make a change, they read the new word; they make a change, you read it.
See how long a chain you can make before you get stuck. "Cat → hat → hot → hop → shop → ship" is a satisfying run. The physical act of swapping letters makes the phonics very visible — you can see exactly what changed and why the word sounds different.
Grab our resources
Print off our simple alphabet letter flashcards to have a quick way to build your own words.
