Mystery Box - oo

Helping students become confident readers means giving them plenty of opportunities to explore sounds and spelling patterns in meaningful ways. At Smart Boarding School, we know that engaging activities are key to building strong phonics foundations. That’s why we created the /oo/ Mystery Box Game—a free phonics resource designed to make practising the long /oo/ sound both effective and enjoyable.

Whether you're working with students in Year 1 or Year 2, this game offers a hands-on way to explore four common spellings of the /oo/ sound:

oo (as in moon)
ew (as in chew)
ue (as in blue)
ui (as in fruit)

What Makes the /oo/ Mystery Box Game Special?

The game invites two players to go head-to-head in a friendly competition to spell and read /oo/ words. But it’s more than just a spelling challenge—it's also a chance to think critically, make strategic decisions, and reinforce sound-letter connections through play.

As they take turns guessing words, checking spellings, and collecting points, students practise phonics in a way that feels like a game, not a worksheet.

Game Components

To play, you'll need:

Scoreboards (Page 2): One for each player. These can be laminated for reuse with dry-erase markers.
/oo/ Word Cards (Pages 3–10): These double-sided cards feature colourful pictures and /oo/ words. Print them back-to-back and cut them out.

How to Play

Shuffle and lay all /oo/ cards face down.
Player 1 points to a card. Player 2 picks it up and reads the word aloud.
Player 1 writes the word on their scoreboard.
If spelled correctly, they earn 1 point.
The player then decides:
- Keep the card and add/subtract bonus points shown on it.
- Discard it for no extra points.
Players switch roles and repeat until all cards are used.
The player with the highest total score wins.

Why Teachers Love It

Targeted phonics practice with a specific focus on the /oo/ sound and multiple graphemes.
Built-in motivation through game-based learning and point scoring.
Peer collaboration encourages listening, spelling, and turn-taking.
Easy to print and prep—perfect for literacy centres, small groups, or home learning.

This game helps students recognise that the same sound can be spelled in different ways—a key concept in mastering English spelling.

Download and Print the Game for Free

If you’re looking for a low-prep, high-engagement way to support your students’ phonics learning, the /oo/ Mystery Box Game is the perfect fit. It brings variety to your lessons while reinforcing important reading and writing skills.

Click the button below to download the full game set for free. You’ll be adding a powerful tool to your phonics teaching toolkit—one that your students will ask to play again and again!

At Smart Boarding School, all our resources are free to download and designed with real classrooms in mind. Start playing today and watch your students grow in confidence as they master the /oo/ sound.

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