Farm Song With Toys

What you need

• a few soft toy animals

How to do it

1. Line up a few soft toy animals.
2. Sing a farm song and hold up each animal as its verse comes: "on that farm he had a cow."
3. Sing it again and stop just before the animal's name.
4. Let them pick which animal comes next.

Why it matters

A song they know has a gap where the animal's name goes, and filling that gap is an easy first go at naming.

What they're learning

Animal names

Each verse names one animal, again and again.

Filling the gap

The pause in the song is made for a word.

Music

Songs make words easier to remember.

What to look for

Watch for them holding up an animal before you get to its verse.

A tip

If a word comes out, however unclear, say it back clearly and add one more: "ball" becomes "big ball". Never ask them to repeat it.

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