Shopping for Sounds
Prep: 5 Minutes | Activity Time: 10-15 Minutes聽
Three-year-olds are fascinated by the simple things adults do every day, whether it be laundry, dishes or food shopping. Is your little one always eager to help you with these types of tasks? These routine activities provide a perfect way to introduce your child to the concept of beginning sounds while simultaneously checking a necessary item off your to-do list!
- Your hand-written or typed grocery shopping list
- Highlighter or marker (optional)
Step 1: The next time you go grocery shopping, bring your 3-year-old with you. Create a special shopping list that includes items that begin with the first sound of your child鈥檚 name. This activity is about listening for similar beginning sounds in words. It鈥檚 not necessary for the name of the grocery item and your child鈥檚 name to begin with the same letter. They just need to begin with the same sound.
For example, if your child鈥檚 name is Giselle, she could find the jelly. If your child鈥檚 name is Kate, she could find the c-c-carrots. Or if your child鈥檚 name is Charlie, he could find the cheese.
Step 2: Read the names of the grocery items aloud to your child. Tell your child that you are going to go 鈥淪hopping for Sounds.鈥
You might say:
鈥淭eagan, today at the store, we are going to look for a t-t-tomato, some t-t-toothpaste and some t-t-turkey. All of those things start with the /t/ sound, just like T-T-Teagan!鈥
Step 3: When you are at the store and find one of the target items from your list, hand it to your child. Tell her that Teagan and tomato both begin with the /t/ sound. Invite your child to repeat the word after you, emphasizing the beginning sound.
You might say:
鈥淭his is T-T-Teagan鈥檚 t-t-tomato!鈥澛犅
Step 1: Choose just one or two items and show your child examples. You might show her an empty tube of toothpaste that needs replacing or a store advertisement featuring a picture of the tangerines that are now in season.
You might say:
鈥淭eagan, today at the store, we are going to look for some t-t-toothpaste. Toothpaste begins with the /t/ sound, just like T-T-Teagan!鈥
Step 2: At the store, lead your child to the appropriate aisle, and allow her to locate the target item. Tell your child that Teagan and toothpaste both begin with the /t/ sound. Invite your child to repeat the word after you, emphasizing the beginning sound.
You might say:
鈥淭his is T-T-Teagan鈥檚 t-t-toothpaste! Teagan and toothpaste both begin with the sound /t/.鈥
Step 1: Read the names of the grocery items aloud to your child. Tell your child that you are going 鈥淪hopping for Sounds.鈥
You might say:
鈥淭eagan, today at the store, we are going to look for a t-t-tomato, some t-t-toothpaste and some t-t-turkey. All of those things start with the /t/ sound, just like T-T-Teagan!鈥
Step 2: Ask her to think of something else that might be found at the store that starts with the same sound as his name. Add your child鈥檚 suggested item to your list.聽聽
Step 3: For even more challenge, expand the activity. You can encourage your child to choose items that begin with the /mmm/ sound in Mommy or the /d/ /d/ /d/ sound in Daddy.
You might say:
鈥淲hat food can we find that begins with /d/ /d/ /d/ like D-D-Daddy? What food could we find that begins with /mmm/ like MMM-Mommy?鈥