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July, 2005
Speech and Language Tip of
the Month
Learning animal sounds is a great
way to develop early speech and language skills.
Animal sounds are sometimes easier for a child to
learn and imitate because they are very fun and
motivating. These imitations can often be molded
into speech sounds which will combine to develop
words. Here are some examples of activities to
target farm animals and the fun sounds they make:
-
Reading animal books
(Examples: Animal Sounds by Aurelius Battaglia
and The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown)
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Singing songs about animals
(Examples: "Old McDonald", "The Farmer in the
Dell")
-
Watching animal movies
(Examples: Charlotte's Web, Babe, Animal Farm)
-
Playing with animal figurines
and a barn (Example: Little People Animal Sounds
Farm)
-
Playing with toys that make
animal sounds (Example: See N Say Farmer Says)
-
Putting together animal
puzzles
-
Playing animal games
(Examples: Fisher Price Barnyard Bingo, Baby
Farm Friends Bowling)
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Visiting a farm or petting zoo
Every activity should include
talking about the animal labels ("It's a cow."), the
sounds they make ("The cow says moo.") and how they
might interact in their environment ("The cow is
hungry, let's give him something to eat."). Most of
all, playing with your child should be a time of
sharing, listening and guiding their speech and
language skills. Good luck and have fun!
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