On-the-Go Ideas
Have these ideas in mind to play whenever it's a good time for a few minutes of practice
Play "I Spy"
As you play "I spy," how many things can you spy or describe using your target sound?
Examples for "R":
I spy something Red! I spy something Really big. I spy something white (a Rabbit)
Sing Songs
Sing repetitive songs like Down by the Bay or Wheels on the Bus, or you can sing music you prefer and count how many words contain your target sound while you practice.
Example for "K": "The cats on the bus say meow meow," "The baby on the bus is cute cute cute"
Play "Let's go"
Together, think of silly places that contain your target sound. (See who can come up with the most, or come up with one each time you come to a stop sign or light.)
Examples for "K": "Let's go Kangaroo's House!" "Let's go to the Couch!"
Alliteration Game
Pick a category (e.g. animals, candy, etc.) and take turns thinking of words in that category that contain your target sound.
Example for animals that start with "K": cow, camel, koala, snake"
At-Home Ideas
Print one of the calendars below, or scroll down and just pick one idea you can do today :)
Sidewalk Chalk
(or coloring)
Draw/write words that contain your target sound then practice saying them.
Picture
Scavenger Hunt
Take pictures in/around your house of objects that contain your target sound and practice talking about them. (Another activity can be reviewing your pictures!)
Play-dough/ Pictionary
Draw or create with play-dough objects/words that contain your target sound. Take turns guessing what you make!
to spend 2-5 minutes trying the homework ideas from this site
Read Books!
Read books together! Talk about your target sound as you read ("Hey! That word starts with "J"!)
Snowball Fight
Write down (and say) words that have your sound on strips of paper. Then crumple them up and have a snowball fight!
Flashlight
Tape words/pictures of words with your target sound to the wall. Then turn off the lights, and practice saying the words you find with a flashlight.
Bury your sound!
Using laundry, or sand, (or whatever else is on hand), bury strips of paper with words/pictures that have your sound. As you find them, say them out loud! ("I found ___!")
Poetry
Read or write a poem that uses your sound at least 4 times. Practice saying it!
Water Exploration
Draw 5 pictures or gather 5 mini toys that contain your sound and put each in a plastic bag or container. Place them in a bowl or tray of water. Tell each other which object you're trying to fish for, then close your eyes and try to grab that one. If you get that one, keep it out! If you get a different one, put it back and try again on your next turn. Bonus: when you're down, practice making phrases like "wet___" or "I got ___."
Bookmark
Create a bookmark decorated with your sound! (You can make a pattern out of the letters that represent your sound, draw pictures of objects/ideas that contain your send, etc.) Use this bookmark when you read together as a reminder to focus on your sounds while reading.
Dress Up
Dress up as a person/character of your choice and practice your sound as you pretend to be them! (And/or write a script for a short story where this character says lines that contain your sound.)
Dance Party
Turn on some tunes. After each song, each of you say 1-3 words you heard in the song that have your sound.
Cooking
Pretend you are teaching a cooking show and make/bake/cook something together. Describe each step and ingredient to each other or your imaginary audience. Practice words that have your sound twice correctly as they arise.
Nature Walk
Go on a walk and find or describe five things using your sound.
Sing
Listen to a favorite song and write down all the words you hear that contain your sound. (Or, print the lyrics and highlight the words with your sound.) Practice those words then practice the song.
Park
Go to a local park and play together! As you play, describe objects or actions using your sound.
If you aren’t close to a park, design plans for an amazing park (draw it and describe it using your best sounds).
Shower
Pick 5 words with your sound to practice while in the shower or tub. (For more fun, practice the words in the way a mermaid, shark, seagull, or pirate might say them.)
Chores
Pick a chore you can tackle together and find a way to practice as you work (e.g. saying a word with your sound for each toy that gets put away, for each swipe of a rag, for each tile that you sweep; describe to a sibling or stuffed animal how to complete the chore using your best sounds; etc.)
Animal Research
Pick an animal of interest and read or book (or online article/video) to learn more about them. Practice teaching each other about the animal using your best sound.
OR
Make a list of how many animals have your sound in their name.
Imaginary Creature
Draw/write about an imaginary creature that you name (include your sound in the name!). Decide what the creature will say (have their words/noises include your sound!) and practice speaking like your creature.
What's the Password?
Agree upon a password for the day (pick one that contains your target sound) and you must use this password each time you enter a new room or area. If you don't say the password, you're stuck in your current spot!
(It can be a silly/made-up word!)
Imaginary Trip
Pick a place that sound interesting and learn more about it (through a library book or internet search). What do they eat/wear there? How do they speak? If you went there, what would you bring? Find at least 3 facts about this place that contain your sound.
OR
Make a list of places (cities, countries, roads, etc.) that have your sound in their name.
Toothpaste Factory!
Pretend you just got a job at a toothpaste factory! Your job is naming toothpaste! Come up with many new (even silly) toothpaste flavors (or colors) that contain your sound! Once you have a good list, practice presenting your list to your pretend boss, and pick which flavor is the winner.
Yoga
Pick 3-5 yoga poses and see how many repetitions of a word they can make correctly while holding each pose. Can they beat their record?
Block Tower
Every time you say a word with your sound correctly, add a block (or cup, or whatever building material you have on hand) to build a tower. How tall can you make the tower before it falls?
Crab Walk Race
Set a finish line. For every word you can think of (and correctly say) with your target sound, you get to take one crab step. See who wins!
High Points
Using a counter, tally marks on a page, or beads in a jar, see how many times you can say your target sound correctly in 2 minutes.
Play Catch
Play catch. For 2-5 minutes, say a word with your target sound every time you throw the ball (or stuffed animal, or whatever object you play with).
5 Minute Challenge
Set a timer for 5 minutes. Give points every time someone says the target sound correctly. Give double points when you catch someone making a mistake (adults must make mistakes too!).
Watch a Show
Watch a show together. During the commercials, try to repeat every word you hear that has your target sound. (Or watch a short youtube video about a topic of interest and do the same during the video!)
Work for the Adults!
For 3 minutes, every time you say your target sound, your adult homework helper has to do a predetermined task (e.g. jumping high, adding a penny to a bank, eating a silly food, etc.)
Headband Game
Write down (or draw) a few words with your target sound. Each player picks a word and shows it to the other (but cannot look at their own word!). Each player has to guess what their card has by asking “yes or no” questions.
Color
Pick a coloring page you have (or find one here to print) and color one section each time you say a word with your target sound 5 times.
Tell Stories
Help each other make up a story and see how many details you can add that contain your target sound!
Example for "R": "The red rabbit ran really fast to the racetrack." "Then he tripped on a rock."
Play a Game
Pick a game you have (or create your own!) where the turns move quickly and practice saying a word containing your target sound 5 times each turn you take.
Example games: Jenga, Trouble, Chutes & Ladders, Candyland, Uno, Go Fish