Match and Spell encourages letter recognition, teaches phonetic word building and promotes matching of pictures and words, from simple words like 'cat' to more complex four-letter words. There are two ways to play, and the game is designed for both guided and independent word building. In the first version of the game, players must match the letter cards to the letters shown on their board in the correct order to build a word. This is a simple matching game, which is a great way to introduce letter shapes and sounds. As children get more familiar with the letter sounds, they will progress to reading the words out loud. In the more challenging version of the game, players use the blank side of their boards and use the letter cards to build the word of the picture shown. These must be placed in the correct order. With friendly illustrations and simple gameplay that progresses as children learn, it's no surprise that Match and Spell is our bestselling language and literacy game! Match and Spell Next Steps is an excellent follow-on from this game for children aged 5 and over.