Words & communication

Listen to beginning sounds

Listen to the beginnings of two familiar names without turning early sound awareness into a test.

10 minutes

What you'll need

Two familiar large safe objects or pictures

Before you start

Child can share attention to a brief story, object or spoken game in their preferred way

Best fit: either · calm energy · low caregiver effort · low mess

How to play

  1. Say two familiar names slowly and wonder whether their beginnings sound alike.
  2. The adult supplies and repeats the beginning sounds.
  3. The child may listen, point, gesture, offer any word or stop.
Make it easier

Use one favourite name and let the child simply listen or watch your mouth.

Standard

Listen to the beginnings of two familiar names without turning early sound awareness into a test.

Extend it

For an interested older preschooler, add a second sound and sort a few objects by how their names begin.

What you might notice

Notice which sounds the child enjoys hearing or playing with, without testing correctness.

Keep it safe

Check that every material is intact, age-appropriate and non-toxic. Stay nearby, keep movement at floor level, and let the child stop, simplify or change the activity.

Why it may be useful

This activity creates an easy moment for back-and-forth communication, shared attention and hearing useful words in context.

strong

Applies to caregiver-led language opportunities; it does not predict an individual child's language trajectory.

Jeong et al. (2021) — Parenting interventions to promote early child development in the first three years of life: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Dowdall et al. (2025) — Home-based shared book reading and developmental outcomes in young children: a systematic review with meta-analyses

More moments like this

Find an idea that fits right now.

Little Now matches practical play ideas to your time, setup and your child’s current interests—without an account, advertising or tracking.

The iPhone and iPad app is awaiting App Store approval.

How it works
  • Retell a familiar story

    Use three pictures or familiar objects to retell a well-known story in the child's own words, actions or sounds.

  • Silly action-word swap

    Choose two playful action words, then agree on a silly meaning swap without requiring the child to comply.

  • Rhyme around the room

    Choose a familiar word and enjoy playful real or invented words that sound the same at the end.

Browse all play ideas