Mystery Box - s

Learning to read and spell isn’t just about memorising words—it’s about recognising patterns, understanding sounds, and building confidence through hands-on experiences. That’s why we created the /s/ Mystery Box Game—a free, printable phonics game that’s perfect for Year 1 and Year 2 students learning the many ways to spell the /s/ sound.With so many spelling variations for the same sound—s, ss, and even c—this game offers an engaging way to explore these differences

and reinforce phonics knowledge in a playful setting.

What’s the /s/ Mystery Box Game?

The Mystery Box Game is a two-player phonics challenge where students practise identifying, reading, and writing /s/ sound words while making decisions that affect their score. It's perfect for small group work, classroom centres, or even at-home learning.

This version focuses specifically on the /s/ sound and the graphemes used to represent it—making it a valuable tool for targeted phonics instruction.

What’s Included?

Page 2: A reusable scoreboard for each player (laminate for dry-erase use).
Pages 3–10: A set of printable, double-sided word cards. Each card includes a word with the /s/ sound and a hidden score modifier. Words use s, ss, or c to represent the /s/ sound.

How to Play

Shuffle the cards and place them face down, picture side up.
Player 1 points to a card.
Player 2 flips the card and reads the /s/ sound word aloud.
Player 1 writes the word in the first column of their scoreboard.
Player 2 checks the spelling. If it’s correct, Player 1 earns 1 point.
Player 1 can either:
- Keep the card and apply the hidden score change.
- Discard the card with no score change.
Switch turns and repeat.
When all cards are used, the player with the highest score wins.

Why This Game Works

Targets Specific Spelling Patterns: Students see and spell words with s, ss, and c as /s/, reinforcing pattern recognition.
Hands-On Learning: Writing, reading, and decision-making come together in one engaging activity.
Game-Based Motivation: The element of chance and competition keeps students motivated and eager to participate.
Phonics in Context: Rather than learning in isolation, students interact with real words in a meaningful way.

Sample Words You’ll Find

s: sun, sit, soup
ss: dress, kiss, mess
c (as /s/): city, pencil, ice

Each word has been carefully selected to help students build an understanding of when and how different graphemes are used to represent the /s/ sound.

Get Your Free Phonics Game

This game is free to download and easy to set up—just print, cut, and play. Whether you're a teacher, parent, or homeschooler, the /s/ Mystery Box Game is a fun and focused way to support early literacy.

Click below to download your free game and make phonics learning a little more magical!

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