Notes for adults

Age 1 · 5 min · Easy

Look at a beach scene together and discover a sandcastle, a beach umbrella and more. A short activity for pointing and talking.

Learning objectives

• Point to or look at a picture of interest.
• Listen to and recognize words related to the beach.
• Join the conversation with gestures, sounds or words.

What you need

• Printed page with the beach scene and pictures
• A comfortable place to sit together

Safety notes

An adult should stay with the child throughout the activity. When playing with the bucket, use only objects too large to fit in the child’s mouth.

How to do it

1. Sit with your child and place the page where they can see it.
2. Show the scene and say, “Look, a beach!”
3. Point to one of the pictures and name it: “Look at the bucket!”
4. Invite your child to point to or look at something that interests them.
5. Name what they choose and add a short sentence.
6. When their interest fades, finish by looking at their favorite picture again.

Teaching suggestions

• Ask one question at a time and wait for your child to respond.
• Welcome looks, gestures, sounds and words as ways to participate.
• If choosing is difficult, point to a picture and name it.
• Connect the pictures to familiar objects, such as a bucket or an umbrella.

Variations

• Make it easier: Show just one picture at a time and say its name.
• Add a challenge: Invite your child to look for the chosen picture in the scene too, if it appears there.
• Keep playing: Play with a large bucket, putting large objects in and taking them out while you talk.

Talk about it

• What do you see?
• Where is the bucket?
• Which picture would you like to show me?
• What is at the beach?

What to look for

• Notice whether your child looks at or points to a picture.
• Notice whether they respond when they hear the name of a familiar picture.
• Look for participation through a look, gesture, sound or word.