3-4 Years

1. Show the child the following picture:

2. Make environmental sounds by pointing at the pictures: dog ‘woof woof,’ bee ‘buzz buzz,’ car/motorbike ‘vroom vroom,’ aeroplane ‘neeyah,’ bird ‘tweet tweet.’

3. Say different environmental sounds to the child and ask the child to point to the correct picture.

• Increase the number of choices.
• Use less familiar objects.

• Use familiar objects that the child will be able to respond to.

1. Create musical instruments with your child. For example, shakers, drum, bells and triangle.  The ways that you could make these are: using a bottle and dried rice/pasta for a shaker; an old tin and wooden spoon for drum etc.
2. Show the child each of the instruments and demonstrate the sounds they make.
3. Put one set of instruments in front of you and the other set in front of the child.
4. You will need a barrier so the child can’t see which instrument you are playing

• Increase the number of instruments.
• Hit the drum or shake the shaker just once so the child has to listen very carefully.
• Try a sequence of two sounds, let the child watch and listen at first and then try with the barrier.

• Give the child less alternatives (e.g. use two musical instruments to start with).
• Start without the barrier until the child is confident to choose the right instrument.

1. Put out a wooden inset puzzle (one with six or more pieces) and just three of the pieces (e.g. cow, sheep, duck). For example, see picture below:

2. Ask the child to find two of the pieces at a time and put them in the puzzle, e.g. ‘Find sheep, duck.’ Make sure the child picks up both pieces before putting them in the puzzle.

3. Don’t let the child pick up the pieces until you’ve finished giving the instruction.

4. Repeat with different pieces.

• Ask for more pieces at a time (e.g. three or four).
• Ask for the pieces in a different order to how they are laid out.
• Don’t give any visual clues when saying the words (e.g. looking or pointing).
• Ask for items that are in a different room, so have to be found first.
• Try asking for an object by its function or attribute (e.g. ‘Find something red’ or ‘Find something you can eat’)

• Ask the child for one piece at a time.
• Give the child a choice of two pieces and ask for one of them.
• Put the pieces close together.

1. Gather together a selection of familiar objects such as a sock, Lego brick and toy car.
2. Make a post-box from a shoe box or cereal packet with a rectangular hole in it.
3. Put out three of the items/pictures and ask the child to post two: ‘Post brick, sock.’ Don’t let the child pick up the items until you’ve finished giving the instruction.
4. Repeat with different items.

• Ask for more things at a time (e.g. three or four).
• Choose less familiar items.
• Ask for things in a different order to how they are laid out.
• Don’t use any visual clues when saying the words (e.g. looking or pointing).
• Ask for items that are in a different room, so have to be found first.
• Try asking for an object by its function or attribute (e.g. ‘Find something red’ or ‘Find something you can eat’)

• Ask the child for one item.
• Ask for things that are close by and easy to see.
• Use gestures (e.g. looking or pointing) as you say the words.
• Encourage the child to repeat back the objects you’ve asked for.
• Get your siblings to work together to find the items.