01/31/2022
❄️ Happy almost end of January! Whew that felt like a long cooped up month.🥶 Here's a simple home activity that my own kids are enjoying lately. I actually think I got the main idea from them! It naturally lends itself to some cozy language skills practice by making describing fun.
Describing the attributes of items on hand is a useful strategy for kids to get good at and start to enjoy because:
1) It helps them give a listener clues about the most important word when communication breaks down due to possible speech sound errors. It gives them practice trying to explain a target word in another way rather than just repeating themselves or acting out on frustration from maybe not being understood the first time, and
2) It helps them be able to define what words mean for themselves and for others, becoming a building block for mind mapping for new vocab learning and furthering literacy skills.
🎁 Guess the Gift 💝: Find some cloth lying around. You can use a sheet, towel, shawl, clothing or heck, a pillow case works even better--no need to get fancy here. Grab some twine, ribbon, yarn, long strip of cloth, headband, or even a rubber band that can fit around the mystery object that the Wrapper finds to hide, as the Guesser tries not to peek.
The Guesser will then be given the beautifully "wrapped" mystery "gift," which can be anything around you of appropriate size for the wrapping supplies you have available. The Guesser then independently, or in response to questions, or after "I wonder what..." statements, describes what the wrapped present:
- Looks Like (shape, straight or curvy lines, size),
- Feels Like (hard, soft), and what it
- Sounds Like when gently shaken.
Next, a guess or few are made before unwrapping the gift to uncover the mystery present! Now, switch roles and play again!
