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Games to Go: Match First Sounds

Say the First Sound

Ask: What do you hear first, when I say ‘s-s-s-sun’?
The child’s answer is "s-s-s."

What do you hear first when I say . . .
(Child says)
. . . m-m-m-oon ?
m-m-m-m
. . . r-r-r-ride ?
r-r-r-r
. . . pony?
/p/

You can stretch out sounds that are stretch-able.
You can exaggerate sounds that are short.


Remember:

The first sound of ‘shoe’ and ‘sugar’ is sh-h-h.
(Think sound, not how the word is spelled.)

The first sound of 'tickle' is /t/--whispered, not 'tuh.'
Learn to
pronounce the sounds correctly.

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Think of a Word

Name words that begin with the same sound as the child’s name (or other familiar names including favorite characters).

Say: “Richie is looking for things to put in his toy box. Can we help him?”

Take turns naming things to go into the toy box.
  • Richie put a rabbit in his toy box.
  • Richie put a rainbow in his toy box.
  • Richie put a wrinkle . . .
  • Richie put a refrigerator . . .

(Nonsense is fine--and fun!)

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You’re out of here!

Find the word that does not belong with the other first sounds:

[Parent]: rainbow, star, Richie

[Child]: Star! You’re out of here!

Which does not belong?
(Child says)
Funny, phone, toy
Toy!
You're out of here!

Pony, look, letter
Pony!
You're out of here!

Sugar, mom, shiny
Mom!
You're out of here!

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