What is the practice?

Helping toddlers develop an early understanding of how sounds go together to form words is encouraged through playing sound and word games. These activities help toddlers “make the connections” between various sounds and the words they can form.

Mother reading to child

What does the practice look like?

Your toddler’s playing with sounds (such as ma-ma and da-da) to make “new” words or silly sounds helps him understand that letters rep- resent different sounds that can be combined into words. Your toddler learns that these sounds can be put together in various ways to create new words, which is an important early step in reading.

How do you do the practice?

There are many different opportunities for learning about sounds in words. These opportunities occur during ordinary activities like changing clothes or taking a bath.

How do you know the practice worked?

  • Is your toddler starting to “play” with individual sounds or words?
  • Does your toddler seem pleased when he is trying to make or copy your sounds?
  • Has your toddler shown interest in trying new sounds and words?
  • Start by thinking about what your child enjoys doing and saying. Often young children have a word or sound that they say repeatedly. For example, some toddlers really like to make animal sounds such as baa, meow, or woof. Other children may like to make up silly names for their animals, dolls, or family members. Get your toddler’s attention by repeating the sounds your toddler likes to make, then change the frst letter to make a new silly word: Baa-baa becomes ha-ha.
  • Word plays can be done with toddlers in lots of different situations and often happen spontaneously. For example, if while taking a bath or riding in the car your toddler begins to make a sound like ba-ba, you can repeat your toddler’s sound and encourage him to say it back to you. When it is your turn, change the sound to da-da and ask your toddler if he can say da-da. Encourage your toddler to repeat the same sound you made or a new one. Show your enjoyment as the game continues.
  • As your toddler’s skills strengthen, begin to put words together in short sentences with the same sound. For example, “Did the doggie dig?” Laugh about the funny sound of “doggie dig” and encourage your toddler to repeat the phrase.
  • Show your toddler that he did well by smiling and commenting on his efforts. A little encouragement will keep your toddler playing the game longer, but be sure to stop when he tires of the game.

Take a look at more fun with sound

Word Fun on Wheels

Riding in a car is often a great opportunity for Maya and her mother to play word games. While riding along, 18-month-old Maya will begin making sounds like ba-ba-ba. Her mom, following Maya’s lead, will repeat Maya’s ba-ba-ba and add her own da-da-da. She will ask Maya if she can do ba-ba-ba and da-da-da. Maya loves playing ba- ba-ba and will repeat the sounds to get her mom to do it some more.

Rhyming Game

Nathan’s dad plays a word game with him that includes lots of movement, because 28-month-old Nathan loves to move. They call their game Drop/Hop. First, Nathan’s dad taught him to hop up and down when he said “Hop,” to drop to the foor when he said “Drop,” to put his hand on his head when he said “Top,” and to clap his hands when he said “Pop.” When they play their Drop/Hop game, Nathan’s dad asks who should be the leader frst. Nathan usually wants to go frst and tells his dad to drop and they both fall on the ground. Then his dad tells him to hop and they do. They continue to play back and forth until they both get tired.

Word and Sound Play

Jenna, a toddler with a mild hearing impairment, loves to play a game with her dad while swinging in the back yard. Her dad picks a word Jenna says, and says it in different ways: loud, soft, slow (stretching the sounds out long), fast (putting the syllables together quickly), and singing. Each time, Jenna repeats the word the same way her dad said it. Often Jenna will say another word and they play with that word the same way with Jenna taking the lead. Jenna loves the word game on the swing, and it helps her listen to and tell the difference between sounds.