Play "I Caught You!" An Early Reading Game

What You Need:

• Variety of books

What You Do:

1. Tell your children that you are going to play a reading game together called “I Caught You.” Instruct your children to call out “I caught you!” when you read the wrong word.
2. Start reading the book as quickly as you can, with your children sitting next to you looking at the words.
3. Randomly say a different word instead of the one in the story. This first time, choose an obvious word if possible. For example, you might say, “The first bowl of porridge was too hot. The second bowl of porridge was too cucumber.” Do not stress the incorrect word.
4. When your children say “I caught you!” congratulate her. Then explain that it’s her turn to read, and that she should eventually read the wrong word on purpose so that you can try to catch her.
5. Repeat this game several times, switching roles each time one of you “catches” the other.
6. Challenge your children by adding the rule that you can only say “I caught you” before the other person reads the next word. If the person reading has already read the next word, you have to wait until the next incorrect word to say “I caught you” and get your turn.

Your children may even enjoy playing this game with friends who are on a similar reading level. Make sure to emphasize that the goal is to have fun, not just to “catch” the other person’s mistakes!