Initial Sounds

Here we see two young children playing a game that allows them to practice initial sounds. They have a mat with all the letters of the alphabet, and a small basket with 26 objects (one that begins with each letter sound). They take turns selecting an object, and then placing it on a letter on the mat. Of course, this can lead to a lot of thought and discussion about placement. Is it a flower, or a plant? Would that be f or p? When selecting a pig, that could be p for pig, or m for mammal. In a small way, this experience shows us all that there are often more than one possible solution to a problem or situation.

 

Of course, when these children come home, and mom or dad asks "What did you do today?", they might answer something as simple as "I played with animals", or "I played bingo." These answers, while accurate, don't really reflect the subtleties or complexities of the materials they worked with and the mental processes they were using.