Along the way to becoming a reader, your child will be exposed to learning how to chunk works into syllables.
A fun and easy way to work on syllables is right in your kitchen!
Your beginning reader will love this simple Muffin Tin Syllable Counting learning activity.
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This activity has been reprinted with permission from the publisher from the book 100 FUN & EASY LEARNING GAMES FOR KIDS. I received a free copy of 100 FUN & EASY LEARNING GAMES FOR KIDS from the publisher to share a sneak peek of this new resource for parents, educators... anyone working with children!
100 Fun & Easy Learning Games for Kids 
was written by the co-founders and writers of children's activity site, The Educator's Spin On It.
was written by the co-founders and writers of children's activity site, The Educator's Spin On It.
Kim Vij and Amanda Boyarshinov are both certified teachers in early childhood education. Their experiences and love for hands-on activities led them to share this impressive collection of DIY games and activities done with everyday household items to be used with children ages 3-7.
Hands-on Learning Game
I was particularly impressed with the introduction to the book, 100 Fun & Easy Learning Games for Kids
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Amanda and Kim give some "Teacher Talk" Insights, but what I loved most was the "50 Things Kids Learn in an Early-Childhood Education Environment"-- number 50 is that they "know{s} that they are loved."
So, turn playtime into an opportunity for your children to learn skills like reading, writing, math, global awareness, music and art, and science in an safe, encouraging, and creative environment with you!
Muffin Tin Syllable Counting Activity is found on page 49 in section Fantastic Reading.
Say and count syllables in this self-checking muffin tin game. Sneak in a little fine motor practice and boost early literacy skills while picking up buttons. Let the kids help draw the game pieces and you tie in art and creativity too.
Focus Skill: counting syllables in spoken words
Materials
- 2" (5-cm) circle
- Cardstock
- Pencil
- Crayons or markers
- Scissors
- 12 cup muffin tin
- Buttons
Directions to Make
1. Trace around the 2-inch (5-cm) circle 12 times on the cardstock {or save yourself a bit of time and use a 2-inch circle hole punch
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2. Draw a picture of a person, place or thing inside each circle. Cutting pictures from magazines works too! Some examples are dog, caterpillar, fish, bicycle, shoe, car, banana, apple, book, table, circus and library.
3. Color and cut out each picture.
4. Turn the circles over and make a dot for each syllable in the word. The back of the circle with the dog picture would have one dot; caterpillar would have four.
Directions to Play
1. Place the pictures, image side up, in the muffin tin. The player names the picture out loud and counts the number of syllables in the word.
2. The player drops the same number of buttons as syllables in the tin.
3. Play continues until all compartments have been filled with buttons. When this happens, the player self-checks and corrects the number of syllables by turning the picture over and comparing the number of buttons in each compartment with the number of circles on the back of the image.
Game Variations
- Focus the pictures on a specific learning theme such as natural life, ocean or transportation.
- Select and read a story. Use vocabulary words and characters from the story to make the picture cards.
- Focus on number sense by changing the pictures to numbers. Have the player count out the buttons to match the written number.
If you are looking for some new ideas to inspire you to learn and play with your kiddos, check out 100 FUN & EASY LEARNING GAMES FOR KIDS
. Each activity also lists 3 other ways to play, so it is definitely a resource that you can enjoy more than once.
The layout and activities are engaging and eye-catching.... and of course EASY to put together for a busy momma, like myself!
Needless to say, I am loving my copy!
Check it out! I'd love to hear what you think!
Enjoy!