Shaker Pairs

What you need

• six small plastic tubs with lids, all the same
• rice, dried pasta and lentils
• masking tape
• a spoon

How to do it

1. Help your child spoon rice into two tubs, pasta into two and lentils into two, then tape every lid on firmly.
2. Mix the tubs up on the floor so nobody can tell which is which.
3. Let them shake each one and find its pair by sound alone: the rattle, the swish and the shush.
4. Peek inside to check, then mix them up again for you to try.

Why it matters

Finding the pair means holding one sound in mind while they listen to the next, and the tubs all look the same, so their ears do all the work.

What they're learning

Listening for the same

Two tubs that sound alike are a pair.

Spooning

Carrying rice on a spoon into a small tub.

Remembering a sound

Keeping the first shake in mind while trying the next.

What to look for

Notice them shaking two tubs one after the other, close to their ear.

A tip

Tape the lids on firmly and add more tape if one comes loose, so the rice and lentils stay inside the tubs.

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