T's Super Sound and Rhyme Adventure! / Learning Corner

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T's Super Sound and Rhyme Adventure!

Hi T! Get ready for a super fun adventure with sounds and words today!

A non-transparent bag (our 'Mystery Sound Bag')
3-5 small, familiar, and safe objects with distinct initial sounds (e.g., Ball, Car, Duck, Apple, Key). Please choose objects T knows well.
Picture cards (or small toys) of a 'cat' and a 'hat'.
Picture cards (or small toys/actions) for 'bat' and 'pat' (e.g., a toy baseball bat, and you can demonstrate 'patting' your hand or T's back gently).
Optional: A favorite puppet to help introduce activities.
Optional: An audio clip of "चन्दा मामा" or be ready to sing it.

Start with a simple hello song T enjoys. Get comfy and ready for some fun!

"Hello T, hello T, how are you, how are you?" (Sung to 'Frère Jacques')

"Today, we're going on a sound adventure! Are you ready?" (Use an excited tone! If you have a puppet, let the puppet say this.)

"Look, T! It's our Mystery Sound Bag! I wonder what's inside? It's full of things that make special starting sounds!"

Hold the bag enticingly. Shake it a little. "What could it be?"
Let T reach in (with help if needed) and pull out one object.
Name the object clearly: "Wow! You found a Ball!"
Emphasize the initial sound: "Ball starts with the sound /b/. Listen: /b/ /b/ ball. Can you try to make the /b/ sound?" (Exaggerate your mouth shape for the sound).
Praise any attempt! "Great try, T!"
Repeat with 2-3 more objects from the bag, focusing on the initial sound of each. Keep it quick and engaging. Don't worry about T mastering it, focus on exposure and fun. For example: "A Car! /k/ /k/ car!" or "A Duck! /d/ /d/ duck!"

"Now for some rhyming fun! Rhyming words sound the same at the end. Listen!"

Show the 'cat' picture/toy. "Look, T! It's a cat. Meow! What does the cat say?"
Show the 'hat' picture/toy. "And look! This is a hat. We can wear a hat on our head!"
Place them side-by-side. "Cat... hat. Listen: c-at, h-at. They rhyme! They sound the same at the end! Cat, hat!"
Make it sing-songy. You can clap as you say each word. "Cat! (clap) Hat! (clap)"
Encourage T to point or say the words. "Can you show me the cat? Can you find the hat? They rhyme!"

"Let's play a little sound game. These words sound almost the same, but they start a little differently. Listen carefully!"

Show the 'bat' picture/toy. "This is a b-b-bat. Like a baseball bat. Bat starts with /b/." (Make the /b/ sound clearly, lips together).
Demonstrate 'patting'. "Now watch, I can p-p-pat my hand. Pat, pat, pat. Pat starts with /p/." (Make the /p/ sound clearly, a little puff of air).
"Listen: bat (emphasize /b/), pat (emphasize /p/). They sound a bit different at the start, don't they?"
Playfully say them, maybe point to the bat toy for "bat" and pat T gently on the back for "pat" (if T is comfortable). "Bat! Pat!"
This is about exposure to the different mouth movements and sounds. Don't expect mastery, just playful interaction.

"Now for a special song in Hindi! It's called 'चन्दा मामा' (Chanda Mama). It's about the moon!"

Sing a few lines of "चन्दा मामा दूर के, पुए पकाएं बूर के" (Chanda mama door ke, poori pakaye boor ke - corrected common version) with enthusiasm and simple actions.
Actions: For 'चन्दा मामा' (moon), make a circle with your hands. For 'दूर के' (far away), point far. For 'पुए पकाएं' (cooking pooris), pretend to roll dough and fry.
"चन्दा मामा दूर के, (Chanda ma-ma door kay)"
"पुए पकाएं बूर के। (Poo-eh pa-ka-yen boor kay)"
Encourage T to clap, sway, or try the actions with you.
You can repeat it once or twice if T is enjoying it.

"Wow, T, you were a super sound explorer today! We found a /b/ ball, and we heard cat rhymes with hat! And we sang about चन्दा मामा!"

"Great job playing with sounds! Time for our goodbye sound song!" (Sing a short, familiar goodbye song).

Give T a high-five or a hug. "Well done, T!"