Activity
LanguageUse what you own
I spy with my little ear
Teaches the child to hear the separate sounds inside a word — the single strongest predictor of easy reading.
- Ages
- 3–4, 4–5 years
- Prep
- No setup
Put this to work this week
A week gives you what to gather, one change at home and one thing to observe. It starts with four short questions.
Readiness signs
Signs to look for, not a checklist to pass.
- Speaks in full sentences
- Enjoys rhymes and silly words
- Can name common objects
What to gather
Nothing. Three or four objects already in the room
How to present it
Show it slowly and in silence. Your hands are the lesson.
- 1Choose three objects with clearly different first sounds and put them in front of your child.
- 2Say: I spy with my little ear something beginning with mmm.
- 3Use the sound the letter makes, never its name.
- 4When it becomes easy, ask for the last sound, then the middle.
What to say — and what to avoid
Say
- Something beginning with sss.
- What sound does it start with?
Avoid
- The letter S
- Spell it
Control of error
There are only three objects, so the child can test each one aloud.
What to observe
Take these into the next cycle rather than judging the session.
- Can your child isolate the first sound?
- Do they start playing it with you unprompted?
- Do they hear final sounds yet?
Simplify or extend
If it's too hard
Use two objects with very different sounds.
Once it's mastered
Move to final sounds, then to segmenting a whole short word.
Sources and review
Nothing publishes here without a named reviewer and the sources it rests on.
Reviewed by Nicole · August 2026
- Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius — Angeline Stoll Lillard. Chapter on literacy and phonemic awareness