The King’s/Queen’s Successor
Materials Needed: Toy or paper crown
Directions: Make a crow for the designated king or queen to wear. At the beginning of the game, ask all the children to stand in a circle around you. Acting as the king or queen, issue an order (i.e., an action word), cleanly pausing between syllables. The children are then to do the action in time to the syllables (e.g,. march-ing, march-ing, march-ing). The words need to be said very rhythmically so that everyone is in time with each other. Once you have shown everyone how to play, ask the children to take turns wearing the crown and issuing orders. Here are some sample action words you may use:
boogy-woogyingleaningsewing
bowingmarchingstretching
clappingnoddingtiptoeing
curtsyingreadingwaddling
hammeringroller-skatingwaving
hippity-hoppingrotatingwiggling
hokey-pokeyingsaluting
Listening First, Looking After
Materials Needed: pictures of familiar objects
Directions: Select pictures of familiar objects but with a different number of syllables. Tell your students that you are going to say the name of the object for the picture you are holding (don’t show the picture to the students) in a strange way. Clearly say the name of the object pausing between syllables. Ask students if they can tell you the name of the picture. Show the picture to students.
Troll Talk 1 Syllables
Materials Needed: Box wrapped like a present
Directions: Call students to the carpet to sit in a circle. Tell students the following story:
Once there was a troll who lived under a bridge. Each time a child wanted to cross the bridge the troll would give them a present. The troll wanted the children to know what the present was but he had a funny way of telling them. If the troll wanted to give a bicycle to the child he would say, “I have a bi-cy-cle to give you.” The child would then have to tell the troll the name of the present.
Pretend to be the troll and go around the circle giving a present to each child. Say the word in syllables and have the children tell you the word. Some example “presents” could be:
Barbiecoconutsrhinoceroses
baseballcomputerroller skates
basketballfingerpaintsspaghetti
bicycleFrisbeetelevision
boomerangguitartrampoline
broccolihippopotamusukulele
bubble bathNintendowatermelon
camerapeppermintxylophone
chocolaterefrigeratorsyo-yo