The Sound Boxes

Materials

  • Two boxes, each with six cylindrical identical containers containing objects making various sounds (For example: One may be filled with pieces of rubber, the next with grains,the next with nails etc). The cylindrical containers are sealed. The six cylinders of one box have red tops and the other box contains the matching cylinders but with blue tops.

Direct aim

To increase the child’s discrimination of sound.

Indirect aim

Experiencing of sequencing – training the child to listen more acutely.

Control of error

In the sound; in the grading exercises; in the matching pairs.

Age of interest

3½ years upwards.

Teacher’s presentation

  1. The teacher takes out one cylinder from one box and shakes it by her ear several times.
  2. She then takes one from the other box and shakes it. She repeats with another from the second box until she finds one that matches in sound.
  3. The pair are then placed to one side of the mat.
  4. She then repeats with a second ‘sound cylinder’ finding its pair from the second box. This pair are then put neatly behind the first pair.
  5. The teacher then invites the child to continue.

Additional game

The child grades each set from soft to loud.

Language

Loud, soft, quiet (comparatives and superlatives), noise, sound.