Spell Cat is a game specifically for literacy and is useful for children from 6 – 9 years of age. It helps them to practise letter & word recognition while stimulating their spelling and writing skills.

The more words young players get right in this fun and interactive game, the more treats they can feed the cat, hence the name of the game: Spell Cat.

How to play

• The 90 picture word cards enable children to recognise words that correspond to the picture. They range from three letter words to seven letter words, and look how the consonants are in green and the vowels are in orange.
• Players then find the corresponding letters in the pile of alphabet tiles – this teaches children how to make up and break up words into individual sounds/letters. The skill they are acquiring is called analysis and synthesis.
• Let me explain how important this is: the word cat is made up of three letters that mean nothing on their own. But when put together in the right order, they make up the word cat.
• Next, children place the alphabet tiles in the correct sequence into the windows of the spelling tray.
• Once children can write, get them to look at the letters in the windows to memorise them.
• Then close their eyes and try and visualise the word
• Say it out aloud
• Write the word in the air
• And then write the word on the white board using the whiteboard marker
• They can then open the windows to see if they are correct.

All these different processes help a child to integrate the layers of learning in a meaningful and memorable way whether a child is at home, in the classroom or with a learning support therapist.

Spell Cat can be played by one or more players and it comes with good instructions and a wonderful list of extension activities.

The Chalk & Chuckles range has educational products that cover a wide variety of skills. It has been developed by two sisters. They are creative play professionals with a vision to enable children to develop skills for tomorrow by playing and having fun today!

Spell Cat was reviewed by Nikki Bush for Toy Talk.

Age category:              6 – 9 years

Price:                             Approx.  R349.00

Brand:                           Chalk & Chuckles

Distributor:                  Ideal Toy Wholesalers

Retail outlets:             ToyZone, Toy Kingdom and online at www.takealot.com