In this activity, children will use listening skills to determine whether two objects have the same beginning sound.
Learning Area(s): Reading and Writing
MATERIALS
- basket or bin
- 10 household objects (5 pairs of objects with the same beginning sound), such as:
- cup/key
- sunglasses/socks
- fork/funnel
- rock/ring
- jar/jacket
- hat/hanger
- pen/pot
- tie/tablecloth
- box/book
- magazine/mirror
LET'S PLAY
Sit with your child on the floor and take the items out of the basket. Together, name each one so that your child is aware what each is called. Say, “We are going to play a game to find pairs of objects that start with the same sound. Listen carefully to see which of these objects has the same beginning sound.”
Spread the objects out and select two objects that start with the same sound, for example, a cup and a car. Emphasize the /k/ sound of each word. Ask your child to repeat the words. Say, “Do these start with the same sound?”
Next, select two items that do not start with the same sound, for example, a boat and a flower. Emphasize the beginning sound of each word. Ask your child to repeat the words. Say, “Do these start with the same sound?”
Continue to encourage your child to match the objects that have the same beginning sound.
TIPS
If your child does not seem to recognize the beginning sounds of words or is unable to isolate those sounds, you will need to emphasize them as you name each object (e.g., “c-c-cup,” “mmm-magazine,” “fff-fork”).