Car Goes Home

What you need

• a few chunky toys on the floor
• a basket to tidy into

How to do it

1. At tidy-up time, ask for one toy at a time by name: "car in the basket."
2. Wait while they find it and pop it in.
3. Ask for the next one by name.
4. Finish off the rest together.

Why it matters

Tidying one named toy at a time turns clearing up into lots of small chances to find a thing from its name.

What they're learning

Finding by name

Each toy is one word to act on.

Tidying

The room gets tidy along the way.

Listening

One thing at a time keeps it simple enough to follow.

What to look for

Watch for them looking around the floor for the one you named.

A tip

Say the name without pointing or looking at it; that's what makes it about the word. If they're stuck, point to help and try again another time.

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