Topic “Activities”  

Cards of simple actions

Action lotto boards

The children have a lotto board each. You pull out a card, or have them take turns to pull out a card. If they have that action, they must say it or act it out to claim the card.

The child who fills their board first wins.

pictures of simple actions, post box

Take a picture of an action, say or act out what it is, and post it

pictures with paper clips attached, magnetic fishing rods, 'pond' e.g. a flat box

Eight picture cards, small piece of paper with a fish drawn on it

Picture cards of actions

Symbols or pictures of four or six actions, such as 'jump', 'stand up', 'hand on your head', 'make a big smile'.

You can get picture symbols from the Commtap Symboliser.

Sing a welcome song or gently tap a drum and say the names of children as you welcome all the children to the group or use a puppet to welcome children with a wave etc.

A song choosing board with pictures to represent the songs you want to sing velcroed onto a board

Felt sheets (e.g. "Funky Foam") in basic colours.

Digital camera.

Examples of other materials you could use:

small coloured bricks in different shapes with some proportionately sized cars or animals;

small soft toys with plastic food items.

How to make the game:

1. Choose your subject e.g. house & setting; face; person with top, trousers & shoes.

2. Make a simple pattern and cut the main features from the felt in two or more different colours e.g. 2 walls, 2 roofs, etc. (with garden items too if required).

3. Set up one house on a neutral background and photograph from above.

4. Change one feature and photograph again. Carry on until you have a set with a variety of combinations (10 cards or more). It is much easier to take the photos with extra background and edit them to fit 4 per A4 page afterwards. Avoid flash if any of your items are shiny.

5. Do not make the pictures too complicated and have some really simple ones, for example one just consisting of a red car, or one containing a flower and a tree;

6. Print your pictures on lightweight card.

7. Keep pictures and the materials used in a box together!

1. This game is best played in pairs;

2. Introduce the game by turning over a picture so the child/children can also see it;

3. Show them how to copy the picture using the materials: describe the picture using two word phrases as you do it;

4. Turn over another picture for a child to have a go;

5. Once you are sure the children understand how to make their "picture", turn over another card but this time describe what's on the card (with two word phrases) for them to make a picture/scene;

6. Players take it in turns to take a card and say what is on it so the other person can make it with their materials;

7. Many pictures can be described with two-word phrases e.g. blue eyes/ smiley mouth; green house/ yellow door; big brick/ car

Miniature figures

List of target action words e.g. run, jump, sit, sleep, stand, walk

1. Model making a figure run. Say 'Look. The boy's running!' , 'Look. Daddy's jumping!' etc.

2. Give the child the figures. Can he/she make the figures do the actions?

3. Help him/her label the actions and form sentences by saying 'Daddy's jumping/ sleeping/ running' etc.

4. Ask the child 'What's daddy doing?' You want the answer 'Daddy's running' or 'Dad run' etc. If the child does not provide this response model the response for them.

No special equipment

e.g. cut, clap, eat, drink, brush etc

Digital camera

Play food, cutlery, brush, cup etc.

Start by playing with the cutlery and play food. Eat some food yourself and say ' eating banana/apple/bread' etc

Let the child play with the food. As he/she eats say 'Eating banana/apple/bread' etc

Take a photo of the child eating/You eating/soft toys eating etc. Look at the photo on the camera and say 'Look.......eating apple etc.'

Print the photo and put in a book. Show the child the book. Can he/she respond when you ask 'What's this?' You may need to model the answer for the child i.e. 'Eating apple/banana/bread' etc.

Miniature figures

List of target action words e.g. run, jump, sit, sleep, stand, walk

No special equipment

Plastic animals and a water/sand tray/pots/cups/etc

Watch the child playing with an animal in the sand or water and comment on the play at the two word level e.g. 'dog's swimming' or 'cat's hiding' or 'horse gone'

Copy the child's activity and comment on what you are doing e,g, child makes dog jump........you make dog jump and comment by saying 'Dog jump!'

Marble run

Cars and a car run

Spinning top

Jack-in-a-box

Cause and effect toys

Drum

Cups

Boxes

Anything to bang with a beater

Play equipment such as tea set, teddies, dolls; cars, bricks, play people etc.

Could also be done with outdoor play equipment or in any other play situation.

1. Allow the child to play with the toys freely with the minimum amount of help or intervention;
2. Using one or two keywords only comment on what the child is doing. For example teddy's got the apple; the bricks fell over; Fred's swinging.

(1) Sets of pictures and two places to sort them to e.g. clothes pictures, furniture pictures, picture of a house, picture of a wardrobe.

or (2) Sets of clothes pictures and outlines of a boy and a girl to stick them to

or (3) Sets of objects and two places to sort them to.

For example with the clothes and furniture pictures activity:

1. Introduce the pictures first. (The child should already know the names of the objects you use).
2. Mix up and turn the clothes and furniture pictures over.
3. Take it in turns to turn over the picture and say its name, and the place it goes, for example 'TV... House'.

A selection of about four to six objects, cloth to cover them.

Symbols for the objects if required

You can get communication symbols for objects with the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

(Small group)

Symbols for actions to support communication if required

You get communication symbols for actions with the Commtap Symboliser for PowerPoint.

No specific materials

Favourite story and some toy figures or toy plastic animals from the story

Plastic tea set and food and some soft toys

Hats and scarves and socks and shoes

1. Play a dressing up game;
2. Put a hat on your head and say 'look.... Mary's hat';
3. Then let the child choose a hat and (you) say 'look.... Mohammed's hat'.

Soft toys and clothing

As above and a tidy up bag

Favourite story and some toy figures or toy plastic animals from the story

Plastic tea set and food and some soft toys

e.g. a pop-up or a picture book

When the child is familiar with a book, point to pictures and ask questions using a short phrase e.g. 'Where's Spot?','Who's that?', What's that?'. You want a two word answer e.g. 'under bed' etc.

Digital camera

Book of photos taken at school

Dressing up cloths

Cooking toys

Dolls

Tea set

Bag

Familiar objects

1. Take it in turns to take an object out of the bag;
2. Name or sign the object.

Variation:

Sing a short phrase ( 'what's in the bag, what's in the bag, Harriet take a look, Harriet take a look') before each child's turn.

Pictures of everyday objects

You could use photos, or create using symbols

The child gets a picture which they say or sign the name of before showing the others.

Everyday objects

Shopping bag

Table

One child sits at the 'shop'. Another is asked to go and buy an object.

Pictures of everyday objects

Post box

For pictures of everyday objects, you could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of objects with paper clips attached

Magnetic fishing rods (e.g. each made out of a magnet, string and a pencil, or bought)

'Pond' e.g. a flat box

For the pictures of objects, you could use photos, drawings, or create using symbols

Use this with any activity

Eight picture cards;

Small piece of paper with a fish drawn on it

For the picture cards, you could use photos of objects, or create using symbols

Play equipment such as tea set, teddies, dolls; cars, bricks, play people etc.

Could also be done with outdoor play equipment or in any other play situation.

No specific materials. Activities could be: painting, walking around the school, play.

Pictures of common actions

You could use photos, or create using symbols

1. Put a range of pictures of actions in front of the child.

2. Check the child can pick up/point to the action you name.

3. Ask the child to have a really good look at the cards.

4. Ask the child to close their eyes or turn their back.

5. Take one card away.

6. Ask the child to uncover their eyes and say what's missing.

Action cards

You could use photos, drawings, or create using symbols

Picture books showing a range of actions.

Pictures of actions with paper clips attached.

You could use photos, or create using symbols

Magnetic fishing rod - you can make one yourself with a stick or pencil, piece of string and a magnet.

Box or blue sheet of paper to represent a fish tank or pond (optional).

Give a commentary on what the child is doing, for example "Dolly's drinking", "Mohammed is pushing the car", "the car crashed!".

The child listens and does the actions, then the child indicates what actions you or another child should do.

Children take it in turns to tell what others in the group should do, for example 'clap', 'jump', 'sit down'.

Pictures of actions

You could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of verbs, post box

For the verb pictures, you could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of verbs on a die

For the pictures, you could use photos, or create using symbols

Bag containing objects which you can do actions with.

Pictures of actions on cards

You could use photos, or create using symbols

Pictures of actions on cards

Beanbag

For the pictures of actions, you could use photos, or create using symbols

A selection of the following:

Large cardboard tube (e.g. used to send posters through the post), and small blocks, cars or toys.

Marble run and marbles (note, only use the marble run if you can be certain the child won't put the marbles in their mouth.)

Push and go toy.

Cars and ramp.

Pop up toy

Any other suitable cause and effect toy.

This activity is described as if it is using one of the first four toys, but you can adapt it to the toys you have available.

1. Set up the equipment for the activity (e.g. make the marble run).

2. Give the child one item (ball, car, marble etc.) only, and take one for yourself. Put the others away out of reach and out of sight.

3. Say, "it's [your own name]'s turn".

4. Demonstrate how to do the activity. Before you drop the item down the chute, say "Ready, steady GO!"

5. Say "it's [name of the child]'s turn".

6. Put your hands over the top of the chute to prevent the child dropping the item too soon.

7. Say, "ready, steady, GO!"

8. As you say the word "go", take your hand away from the top of the chute to allow the child to post the item.

9. Prompt the child to post if necessary.

10. Repeat the above.

11. After the child has carried out the activity several times, begin saying "ready, steady....." and encourage them to say the word "go!"

12. After the child has carried out the activity several more times, begin saying "ready, ..." and encourage them to say the words "steady, go!"

Any simple activity that the child enjoys for example:

- marble or car run

- rolling a ball

- rolling a ball at some skittles

- pushing the child in a swing

For example for the marble run:

1. Hold a marble at the top of the run;

2. Say "ready steady go" (using a sign for "go" at the same time) and let the marble go;

3. Repeat a few times;

4. Now: say "ready steady" (but don't say "go") and wait, if the child makes any noise (or sign), interpret that as "go" and say and sign "go" clearly letting the marble go at the same time;

5. If after a time the child has said or signed nothing, say and sign "go" clearly and let the marble go anyway;

6. Repeat as necessary.

Any simple activity that the child enjoys for example:

- bubbles

- balloon

- marble run

- rolling a ball

- rolling a ball at some skittles

- pushing the child in a swing

Pictures to represent the verses in a song (e.g. animals for "Old MacDonald" or "Down in the Jungle"; bus, wheels, driver, windscreen wipers etc. for "the Wheels on the Bus").

Song videos/audio - optional

1. Choose a suitable song, that is already familiar to the child, and prepare a range of suitable pictures to represent each verse. You need a different picture for each verse.

2. Choose two or three verses and select the correct pictures.

3. Spread the pictures out where the child can see them.

4. Pick up one of the pictures (e.g. a cow) and give it to the child.

5. Sing the corresponding verse (e.g. "Old MacDonald had a cow").

6. When the verse is finished, take the picture away from the child and put it out of sight, for example in a "finished" box.

7. Select another picture, give it to the child and sing the relevant verse.

8. For the first few times you carry out this activity, you choose the pictures. After that, you can start to encourage the child to select the pictures.

9. You can increase the number of pictures you ask the child to select from according to their abilities.