PHONOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES

Following Directions: Give your child 2 -3 simple step directions to follow such as get up, turn on the light and shut the door. If 3 commands are too many shorten it to 2 then practice until 3 can be followed.

Word Counting: Read a storybook to your child. Count the number of words in the title and choose a page and count the words on the page.

Rhyme Recognition: Play a game of doubles- say two rhyming words, ask your child if the words rhyme or not. Continue playing. This is a great game while riding in the car.

Rhyming Games: Play rhyming games. (This is difficult for younger children.) You say a word and have your child say a rhyming word.

Nursery Rhymes: Pull out your nursery rhyme books. Start to read the nursery rhymes and help your child memorize them. If you have the older versions of the rhymes, talk about safety issues such as "Jack should not be jumping over a candlestick" and "Humpty Dumpty should not have climbed up a tall wall".

Nature Sound Walk: Take a nature walk but use your sense of hearing to gather data. Listen then talk about what was heard.

Word Beats: Explain that each word will have a beat. Have your child hop to each word of a sentence you speak.

Name Syllables: Clap out the syllables in your child's name and his/her friends' names.

Clapping Patterns: Clap out patterns and see if your child can repeat the patterns.

DIY Drum: Let your child build a drum from an empty oatmeal canister covering the can. Then have your child "beat" out the syllables.

Drum Patterns: Clap out a pattern and have your child beat the same pattern on the drum from above.

Syllable Lists: Make a list of two syllable words. (Next time write words with one or three syllables.)

Animal Hunt: Play Animal Hunt. Make animal sounds and have your child guess the animal by your sound. Have your child describe the animal.

Bean Drop Word Count: Take a glass and some dry beans. Say a sentence. Encourage your child to drop one bean in the cup for each word in the sentence. Repeat several times.

Rhyming Books: Read "Down By the Bay" by Raffi. Discuss which words rhyme.

Ball Bounce Syllables: Go outside and have your child bounce a ball to the syllables of a sentence. Repeat.

Musical Statues: Play musical statues. Play some music and dance around then when the music stops, become a statue.

Song Rhyming: Sing a common song (such as Happy Birthday) but change the words and see if your child can rhyme with your new words.

Educational BINGO: Play BINGO with colors, or shapes or letters or letter sounds.

Same or Different: Turn your child around and say 2 different words. Then say one word two times. Each time say, "Are they the same or different?" This is an excellent way to build up listening skills. Then let your child try to "test" your listening skills.