This activity has been revised and was originally created by Charlotte Cushman and published in the Perkins Activity and Resource Guide (1st edition, 1992). The second edition is available for purchase.
This activity helps students become aware of body parts, as well as to identify and imitate sounds that can be made with one’s body. Lessons include Early Cognitive Skills/Concept Development and English Language Arts.
Digital recorder, if desired.
Try this with or without a digital recorder. The teacher makes a sound and the student guesses what it is. Then the student makes the same sound. For example, the teacher says, “Kathy, listen…” (teacher makes a sound). “What’s that? It’s a sneeze. I sneezed. Kathy, can you sneeze?” (model as needed). Here is a partial list of body sounds:
- Sneeze
- Yawn
- Hum
- Sing
- Tongue click
- Snore
- Sniff
- Kiss
- Hands clapping
- Cough
- Laugh
- Hiccup
- Whistle
- Sigh
- Whisper
- Shout
- Snap fingers
- Tap feet
- Some students may not be able to verbally identify familiar sounds but may be able to imitate those sounds.
- Students can make sounds for each other to guess.
- Broaden the types of sounds that can be made by using props such as musical instruments, toys, etc.
Hint: Talk about these sounds as they occur naturally during the day, for example: “Chris, it sounds like you have a cough.”
