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ACTIVITY #2

Help your child understand rhythm through the sound of words. This activity allows your child to discover the rhythmic effects of language in learning rhythmic musical patterns.

• Blank index cards
• 2 wooden kitchen spoons (Optional.)
  

Choose a story or a poem your child likes and read it out loud. Then, select 10 words of particular meaning to the story. Discuss these meanings with your child and sound the words out loud listening for their particular sounds or how certain parts of the words are stressed. Then, ask your child to write each word on one side of a card and on the reverse experiment notating the rhythm of the words. For example: won-der-ful (Note values: eighth, eighth, quarter)or big deal (quarter, quarter).

Encourage your child to perform each of the 10 words and their rhythmic effects by using a pair of wood claves. You can take turns in performing the different rhythmic combinations of words. Then, play a “guess the word” game by listening to its rhythmic sound alon