Topic “Early Years (0-5yrs)”  

- Click here for information on producing specific speech sounds

1. Before working on making sounds, make sure your child is able to hear the difference between sounds. The following pages cover this skill:

- What is auditory discrimination? Information sheet

- To be able to listen to the difference between sounds in words

2. Before you start, read the information sheet for the sound you are working on - see link in materials section.

3. Talk to your child about what you do with your mouth to make the sound. Ask them to watch you.

4. Give lots of praise for all attempts at making the sound.

5. Practice little and often. If your child is finding it challenging, stop and try again at another time.

6. Consult your speech and language therapist for further advice if your child is continuing to find it challenging to make your target sound.

- Printable rhyming pairs picture cards

1. Print and cut out the rhyming picture pairs cards.
2. Talk to your child about rhyming words - words that have a different sound at the begining sound the same at the end, e.g. 'bat' and 'cat'. Show your child an example from the picture cards.
3. Lay the picture cards face down in front of you. Each take a turn at choosing 2 picture cards - say the words - do they rhyme? 
4. If they do, you get to keep the pair and have another turn. If they do not rhyme, place them back and the next person takes a turn.
5. The game ends once all the pairs have gone - the winner is the person with the most pairs of cards.

- Printable rhyme sort pictures

- Printable subcategory dice templates

:Animals

:Food

:Household Items

- Printable subcategory cards

:Animals

:Food

:Household Items

1. Choose which subcategory you would like to focus on. Cut out and make up the dice. Cut out the matching subcategory cards.
2. Spread the subcategory cards on the surface in front of you and your child.
3. Explain to your child that you are going to take turns at rolling the dice, which ever side the dice lands on, you need to find a picture that fits into that category.
4. Name the item that you have found. If you child is finding it challenging to name items try using some of the strategies to support word finding - click here (add link)
5. Remember some items might fit in 2 or more subcategories dependent on the child's personal experience. You could use this as a discussion point.