Environmental Sounds

If you have shy children who won't participate in group events and may not recognize all the sounds - Cheat! Rehearse these kids on 4 or 5 sounds and pictures beforehand and then give them their moment of glory in front of the group.

Objectives

Children ages 5 and up will play in groups that are goal directed toward a product SE IV
Children ages 2 ½-3 years will be able to recognize gross sounds in environment and points to picture of object Lang. IA
All children participating will take turns SE IV

 
 
 

Materials

Tape recorder; tape with 20 environmental sounds (phone, running water, baby crying etc.) and corresponding pictures; tape can be made easily; pictures may be simple illustrations or pictures cut from magazine. (DLM sells a set with tape and pictures.)

Procedures

1. Have children sit in a group facing a large bulletin board or wall on which 10-20 pictures are arranged.

2. Choose a child to be the listener, play one sound on tape and have him/her identify the sound and find the matching picture.

3. Try to discourage prompting from group--give the listener a chance.

Variations

1. Using a tape recorder or mobile phone, make a tape of sounds and voices with the children.  The ape could be in story form, such as sounds and stry of "Three Bears."  Or let children make up and record a story -- e.g., "When I get up in the morning...." with sound effects. 

2.When children get familiar with the game, throw in some fantasy or nonsense (e.g., blank picture card, no sound on the tape -- which could be a recording of an invisible giraffe).

3. Make a recording and pictures (using magazines) as an activity an have the production team present the game to the rest of the children.

4. Instead of using a recording, let children make sounds (airplanes, cars, etc.) and have others try to guess.   Children must make sound of something represented by a picture card.

5. Instead of having 20 pictures on the board, have only three for each turn.

6. Here's an important variation: reverse process by putting one picture up and having children listen to three different sounds.  Which one goes with the picture?