Football phonics is a simple game that involves making word trails from pictures based on initial letter sounds and consonant vowel consonant words related to football.

It is played with round playing cards packaged in a neat, pocket-sized tin.

The first card gives you a clue sound (for example, ‘b’), which you match to the appropriate picture (‘ball’). Turn that picture over and you get the next letter clue (‘l’), and so on. The final card you turn shows a child holding a trophy aloft in triumph.

Lewis and Ryan (10) liked the fact that “it gets a bit harder each time with different levels”, while Hannah (9) liked the way the last card in the trail has a picture of a cup winner on it.

All the children liked the football theme and the bright circular designs.

I like the fact that the game is simple to play, good fun and comes in a nifty tin rather than a tatty box - it won’t fall apart and you can carry it round in your pocket.

It could even start a new playground craze.

Kevin Harcombe