Here is a fun activity you can make at home with your child to have them practice reading three letter to four letter phonetic words or what we call “pink” and “blue” scheme words.
The whisper box is a small decorative box that we have in the classroom that is aesthetically pleasing to the child’s eye. You can use anything that you may have in your home – a small box, a jewelry box, a basket, or even something your child can decorate for fun.
What you will need is pieces of paper (I used post it notes because they are already the same size and shape and easily ready for use). Print one word on each piece of paper. I have provided some words at the bottom to help assist you. They are words that are pronounced phonetically. You can even have your child print the words on the paper later on if you would like. Fold the paper after you have printed the word and place it into the box. Start off by having 6 to 10 words in your box so that your child isn’t overwhelmed with too many papers.
Ask your child to come and explore the whisper box. Here is the fun part. We speak in a whisper voice when exploring the box which you will model for your child. Take out a paper and whisper the word to your child and they can do the same back to you. Then your child can take out the next word and whisper it to you. This is a great activity which has them practice their reading skills and lowering their voice in their environment.
Each day, add one word to your box, making it part of your daily routine. Have your child find a special place in your home to place the box.
Here are some words to use:
pig cob ham top pen man fin tip map hat jet mop fan sit dog sat hen ram red mug cup jug can pin dot
land stop clam hand drop drum slam drip frog vent vest desk slim clap trip from smog spin clog soft plum lock tent mask lamp
Enjoy!
