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Topic “Level 1”  

Activities to understand and use the concepts of big and little/small

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
Big/little treasure hunt

- 2 boxes or baskets

- a selection of objects

- Optional big/little symbols - click here to print

  1. Print and cut out the big/little symbols if you wish to use them. 
  2. Talk to your child about big/little objects and show them the symbols.
  3. Explain you are going to have a hunt and find obejcts that are big/little and sort them into boxes.
  4. Look around the area you are in - for the first few goes, you choose an object you can see and tell your child whether it is big/little and place it in approriate box.
  5. After a few turns, encourage your child to choose an object and and talk about whether it is big/little, and place it in the correct box.

If your child is understanding these concepts well, you may wish to try some key word activities that can be found here: (add link)

Big/little sorting

Activities to develop understanding of the concepts noisy and quiet

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
Musical Instruments

1. Each person chooses a musical instrument.

2. If you wish, you can use symbols alongside the words you use. Talk about noisy sounds and quiet sounds. Practice making these with your musical instrument.

3. Swap musical instruments and make noisy/quiet sounds again.

4. Play a game where you take turns at being the conductor and give the instructions of noisy or quiet for the others to follow.

If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between noisy and quiet. Choose one concept first, e.g. noisy, and use 'not noisy' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of quiet.

Listening Walk

- optional camera to take photographs

- piece of paper and pencil

- optional noisy/quiet symbols

 

If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between noisy and quiet. Choose one concept first, e.g. noisy, and use 'not noisy' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of quiet.

Noisy/quiet sorting game

If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between noisy and quiet. Choose one concept first, e.g. noisy, and use 'not noisy' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of quiet.

Activities to develop the use of prepositions 'in', 'on' and 'under' in a short phrase.

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
Hide the toy

- Animal pictures or toys

- Toy furniture: table, chair, bed.

1. Place the furniture in front of the child.

2. Ask the child to tell you what to do with an animal of their choosing if they are able to use three word phrases. If they can only use two word phrases, select the toy for them and ask them to tell you where to put it.

e.g. under table / on bed (two word level);

cat under table / sheep on bed (three word level)

 

 

Allow the child to explore materials and give time to respond to questions.

Respond to however the child manages to get their message across (for example if they just point): you may need to demonstrate what you want the child to do using the appropriate language (e.g. "under (the) table").

After the child is familiar with the objects - you can make the task more difficult (and communicative) by putting a screen between the objects and the child whilst they give you an instruction.

 

Activities to develop understanding of the concepts fast and slow.

Activity/strategy name and materials required How to do the activity Key principles for doing the activity and comments
Fast slow car game

1. Print and cut out the fast/slow symbols.

2. Explain to your child that they are going to pretend to be a car and move around the room. You will tell them to go slow or fast depending on which symbol you show.

3. Have a practice by showing the symbol and saying the word and encouraging your child to move slowly or fast around the room. 

4. Swap over and let your child tell you whether to go fast or slow.

If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between slow and fast. Choose one concept first, e.g. slow, and use 'not slow' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of fast.

Traffic Spot

If your child is finding it challenging to grasp the difference between slow and fast. Choose one concept first, e.g. slow, and use 'not slow' as the alternative. Once you are confident that your child understands this concept you can start to teach the concept of fast.

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