The Sound-Hungry Monster

1. 1

   Make a little monster from a paper bag or small box, with big eyes and a wide mouth. Set out food pictures or toy foods.

2. 2

   Play the monster and say, “I want a food that starts with /m/—mmm!” Stretch out the first sound.

3. 3

   Offer choices such as milk, mango, bread, and apple. Say each word together, listen to its first sound, and feed the monster only foods that start with /m/.

4. 4

   When your child chooses correctly, let the monster chew happily: “Mmm—mango! I like it!” If not, close its mouth and say, “Apple doesn’t start with /m/. Let’s try another one.”

5. 5

   Change the target sound: “Now I only eat foods that start with /b/.” Offer choices such as banana, bread, berries, and orange.

6. 6

   Then let your child be the monster and choose a beginning sound. Deliberately offer the wrong food once or twice so your child can catch the mistake and send it back.

What to notice

• Finds a food whose name begins with the target sound Phonological Awareness
• Shows enjoyment while playing the game with you Relationships with Adults

Tips

• If you do not want to make a monster, use a doll or stuffed animal as the sound-hungry character instead.

Developmental benefits

• Language: Listening for the first sound in food words helps your child notice that spoken words are made up of smaller sounds.
• Social/Emotional: Taking turns choosing sounds and feeding the pretend monster creates a playful back-and-forth exchange with you.