Get ready for a phonics-packed adventure with Does It Start With G? Let's Defend! In this exciting interactive game, early readers will practise identifying initial sounds as they defend their town from robot invaders. With a focus on the letter G, students will work together to make decisions, reinforce their phonemic awareness and protect their community through teamwork and sound knowledge.

Work together to build and protect a town that is under attack by giant robots. Choose to upgrade the homes within the town and grow the population, strengthen the town walls or actively attack the robots. With every correct answer, the town becomes stronger - and the robots weaker!

Students will need to identify the object or animal in each image. Then, they will decide if the image starts with the letter G by segmenting the word to find its initial sound. This game is ideal for supporting early phonics skills and helping students tune in to beginning sounds in a fun and dynamic setting.

Key Learning Outcomes

• ✅ Identify the initial sound in spoken words
• ✅ Recognise and isolate the /g/ phoneme at the beginning of words
• ✅ Strengthen phonemic awareness through visual and auditory matching

How to Play

1. Students are shown an image of an object or animal
2. They say the word aloud and segment it to identify the initial sound
3. If the word starts with the /g/ sound, they select “yes”
4. Correct answers allow players to take an action to defend the town
5. The game ends when the town is fully protected or overrun

Ideas for Classroom Use

• 💡 Use as a phonics warm-up during morning literacy sessions
• 💡 Add to your letter-of-the-week activities when focusing on G
• 💡 Reinforce auditory discrimination in small group intervention sessions

Top Teacher Tips

• 💛 Let students personalise their experience by choosing from six characters before the game begins
• 💛 Select the number of players or teams at the start of the game to suit individual, paired, or group play
• 💛 Send the QR code home for students to play as a homework or revision task

Does It Start With G? Let's Defend turns phonics practice into a high-energy mission. With clear visuals, strategic teamwork, and repeated exposure to the target sound, this game is an ideal way to strengthen early literacy in a way that young learners will love.