Whether children are hearing pop songs, flies buzzing, or echos, they benefit from the sensory experience. Sound helps children listen to and understand their surroundings. Children can make awesome sounds too!
EYLF learning outcomes
Sounds connect children to their world, which aligns with The Early Years Learning Framework. Different sounds make children curious (4.1) and help them investigate (4.2) different materials (4.4).
Learning experiences
Listen to radio
Help children improve their listening. ABC Kids listen is a 24/7 free radio station provided by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The content is just for children (and their grown-ups). Dance music, stories, podcasts and sleep music can be played on demand.
Play quiet and still
In a group, children sit as quietly and still as possible. One child is the judge, who watches the children for a while and decides who is the quietest and most still. The winner becomes the new judge and the game starts again.
Listen for sounds
Go outside and quietly listen. Using pen and paper on a clipboard, draw little pictures of all the things you can hear making sounds.
What words can you use to describe these sounds?
Bash, bang, buzz, clang, clash, clatter, ding, drip, hiss, hum, jingle, knock, pound, plink, plunk, rattle, scratch, scrape, splash, sizzle, swoosh, ting, thud, trickle, whack, whirr, whine, whoosh, whizz.
Experiment with materials
Children can explore their environment to find materials that make sounds, such as:
- Kitchen items like pots, pans, and utensils.
- Recycled materials like cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and tin cans.
- Natural materials like sticks, rocks, and leaves.
- Musical instruments and sensory toys.
- Body percussion, like clapping and stomping.