Coat Off, Light Off

What you need

• their coat and shoes

How to do it

1. Say the little words out loud as they happen: 'coat off', 'shoes off'.
2. Do the same with switches: 'light off', 'telly off'.
3. And going out: 'in the car', 'in the bag'.
4. Pause after each one and add a word to anything they say.

Why it matters

Off and in turn up dozens of times a day attached to different things, so they're the words most likely to end up paired with something new.

What they're learning

Two words together

Small function words like off and in pair with almost anything, which is exactly why they're useful.

Words while doing

Hearing the words at the moment the thing happens is what ties them together.

A steady routine

Coats, shoes, lights: the same words come round every single day.

What to look for

Watch for them using 'off' on something you've never said it about.

A tip

Say it as you do it, not before or after. The words and the action landing together is the whole trick.

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