You’ve reached the tomb, and it’s time to get the treasure! With every correct answer, students unlock another prize—but will they choose to bank their treasure or risk it all for a bigger score? One mistake could trigger the trapdoor and send it all tumbling away!

In this version, students are shown an image and asked to identify the object or animal. They then segment the word to decide whether it begins with the /k/ sound and starts with the letter K. This supports early phonemic awareness and builds confidence in sound-symbol recognition through an engaging treasure-themed challenge.

Let’s Steal – Does It Start With K? is ideal for Foundation and Year 1 students working on letter-sound correspondence. It can be used during phonics rotations, early finishers, or played independently via QR code for sound review at home or in class.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Identify initial sounds in words
• ✅ Recognise whether a word begins with the letter K
• ✅ Build phonemic awareness and sound segmentation skills
• ✅ Strengthen letter-sound correspondence for the /k/ sound
• ✅ Engage in phonics practise through interactive, risk-based gameplay

How to Play:

1. Students are shown an image and asked to identify what it is.
2. They segment the word and decide whether it begins with the letter K.
3. Each correct answer earns treasure, which students can choose to bank or risk.
4. If they answer incorrectly after choosing to risk, the trapdoor opens and they lose their unbanked treasure.
5. The game continues until all questions are completed. The player with the most banked treasure wins!

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use during phonics units focused on letter K and initial sound discrimination
• 💡 Great for Foundation to Year 1 students developing early phonological awareness
• 💡 Add to rotations with a follow-up activity sorting K vs non-K words or objects
• 💡 Pair with hands-on games like sound tubs or flashcard matching to extend learning

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

Let’s Steal – Does It Start With K? brings phonics to life through treasure-hunting excitement—helping students tune into initial sounds while dodging trapdoors and scoring big!