Six Italian Christmas words to ring in pencil: RENNA, CANDELA, CHIESA

Six Italian Christmas words wait in the grid, with pictures to point the way: a reindeer, a ribbon, a candle, a sack, a garland and a church. Your child looks for RENNA, NASTRO, CANDELA, SACCO, GHIRLANDA and CHIESA, ringing each one. GHIRLANDA is the longest at nine letters, and usually the most satisfying of the six to run to ground. Six words in all, and the pictures do the explaining.

CHIESA is the word worth pausing on. In Italian, chi is said kee, so the church is kyeh-sah rather than chee-sah, and that rule will serve your child in dozens of other words. GHIRLANDA works the same way with ghi. RENNA and SACCO both carry doubled consonants, which Italian holds a little longer in speech than English ever does. Say them aloud once each and the pattern starts to show itself.

December is the obvious moment, though it works whenever a child wants a soft, seasonal way in. Do it with the tree in the room and the words have something to attach to: point at the real CANDELA, the real NASTRO. Free to print, so a whole class or family can each have a copy. There is no score at the bottom and no time to beat. Print a fresh one each December.