Receptive language, Expressive language, Awareness of differences in sounds
A toddler participates in a shared book reading focused on the sounds of familiar items.
Be Prepared: Become familiar with the book to identify sounds associated with items shown in the illustrations.
[Invite a toddler to join you in looking at a book together. Sit next to the toddler. Show the cover of the book. Point to the words and picture on the cover as you introduce the book. Point to your ears when you mention sounds we hear.]
This book is about sounds we hear. Please look at the picture of the dog. His mouth is open. The dog is barking! What kind of sound does a dog make when it barks?
[Make a dog barking noise if the toddler does not provide one. Join the toddler in making a barking noise, or invite the toddler to join you in making a barking noise.]
Do you see the picture of the boy? The boy hears the dog barking!
I wonder what sounds we might hear while reading our book. Let’s read our book to find out!
[Open the book and hold it close to the toddler. Ask the toddler what he/she sees and expand the response. Example: “You are waving your arms, Sebastian. You know that a bird has wings to fly with!”
Read the first page aloud. Make the sound described on the page and encourage the toddler to imitate you or to make a similar sound.
Continue to read and talk about the pictures and words in the book using strategies, such as the following, to engage the toddler in the story:
Our book was about different sounds. We looked at the pictures, and we made the sounds in the book! This was a fun book to read with you! What sound would you like to make again?
Toddlers are likely to vary in their knowledge of the animals/objects featured in the book and their familiarity with corresponding sounds. Some toddlers may be able to name the item in the picture but be unfamiliar with its sound. Other toddlers may not be familiar with some of the items in the book, such as the picture of a conventional telephone. Some toddlers will repeat the sounds with you, whereas others may prefer to watch and listen. Pay attention to the toddler’s interest in particular pictures in the book. Pause and talk with the toddler about what they see. Example: “You are looking closely at the baby in this picture, Malik. You have a new baby at your house! Does your baby sister cry like this baby is crying? What helps your baby feel better?” Support the toddler’s excitement about, or interest in, repeating some of the sounds.
Extra support
Enrichment
Receptive language, Expressive language, Awareness of differences in sounds
A toddler participates in a shared book reading focused on the sounds of familiar items and in a follow-up exploration of familiar sound-making objects.
Be Prepared: Collect familiar items that make sounds, such as a bell, keys, music shaker, item with Velcro® fastening, item with zipper. Place them in a basket for use in the second segment of the activity.
Invite a toddler to join you to read a book and have fun making different sounds. Read the book with the toddler and talk with him/her about people/objects featured in the pictures and their sounds. Encourage the toddler to name some of the items in the book and make the sounds with you.
At the conclusion of the book, introduce the basket of sound-making items. Invite the toddler to choose one item. Describe the item the toddler selects. Point to your ear and encourage the toddler to listen to the sound the item makes. Help the toddler activate the object to create a sound, such as jiggling the keys or zipping the zipper. Talk with the toddler about what he/she hears when he/she moves the object. Repeat this process with the other items as long as the toddler remains engaged. The toddler may wish to revisit some of the items in the basket.
Many toddlers will be curious about the items in the basket and will want to explore the sounds each one can make. Other toddlers may be interested in only one or two items and may want to manipulate those repeatedly rather than listening to new sounds. Encourage a toddler to explore the items of his/her choice in the way he/she prefers. To the extent possible, help a toddler connect an item selected from a basket to a similar item featured in the book.
Extra support
Enrichment
Receptive language, Expressive language, Awareness of differences in sounds
A toddler identifies the sound of a familiar item by listening to its sound.
Be Prepared: Collect items that make sounds, such as a bell, keys, music shaker, item with Velcro® fastening, item with zipper. Place the items in the box or tub and close the lid.
Invite a toddler to play a game with you. Introduce three sound items and invite the toddler to explore each one. Help the toddler activate the object to create a sound, such as ringing the bell or opening the Velcro® fastener. Encourage the toddler to listen closely to the sound each item makes. Talk with the toddler about what he/she hears.
After the toddler manipulates each item to make a sound, place the three items in the box. Explain that you are going to make a sound and invite the toddler to figure out which item is making the sound. With your hand inside the box, make the noise of one item. Point to your ear and invite the toddler to listen closely as you manipulate the object one more time. Place the three objects in front of the toddler and invite him/her to choose the item he/she heard. If the toddler is uncertain (or inaccurately identifies the object), encourage the toddler to manipulate each item and listen carefully to the sound it makes.
Provide another round, with different objects, if the toddler is interested and time permits.
Toddlers will enjoy exploring the different sounds the items make. Provide ample time for the toddler to explore and manipulate each selected item. This activity is a fun way for a toddler to listen and then remember what he/she heard. Promote talk with the toddler, especially descriptions of objects and their sounds. The activity is not intended to be a test of whether the toddler can remember correctly what he/she heard previously.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: I Hear by Helen Oxenbury; familiar items that make sounds, such as a bell, keys, music shaker, item with Velcro® fastening, item with zipper; basket; blanket
Place the basket of items on a blanket on the floor. Invite several toddlers to choose one item from the basket at a time to explore and listen to. Help the toddlers activate the object to create a sound when needed. Encourage the toddlers to manipulate and listen to the sounds of each item. Toddlers may want to try making different sounds with some of the items, such as loud and soft. Talk with the toddlers about their actions and what they hear when they move the objects.
Materials Needed: I Hear by Helen Oxenbury; familiar items that make sounds, such as a bell, keys, music shaker, item with Velcro® fastening, item with zipper; basket
Share the book I Hear with the children in your care. As you read, invite toddlers to name the items and to imitate the sounds that they make. Older children may enjoy helping you create a simple story for each of the pictures. After the book, invite the children to explore the items in the basket and talk with them about the sounds that they make. Some children may enjoy playing the game in Option 3 with the items.
© 2024 The Trustees of Purdue University | All Rights Reserved