Want to support and track your child’s understanding of labeling high-frequency vocabulary words? High-frequency words are words that toddlers and preschoolers are commonly exposed to at an early age! Help support your child with this FREE house and yard activity!
The contents of this activity, such as text, graphics, images, information, as well as other material and content contained in this activity are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your child’s development.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children will look at a named picture (child will look at a cat when adult says the word cat during a reading activity) by one year of age, children have knowledge of familiar objects, produce many single words, and follow simple, single step directions by 18 months old. Additionally, children will point to pictures named, point to pictures in books, and will name familiar pictures in a book by two years old. “Developmental milestone content and artwork provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program (www.cdc.gov/ActEarly; accessed 1/22/2022).
How will this activity support your 1 year old? This activity includes high-frequency words so when looking at the pictures and saying them aloud can help your child look for the picture named to show understanding.
How will this activity support your 18-month-old-child? This activity includes high-frequency vocabulary words including. ball, ladybug, tree, cat, plane, house, flowers, bird, ball, fish, and sun. These are familiar objects for children as they have frequent exposure to these words from books, school, environment, etc.
How will this activity support your two year old? This activity includes high-frequency vocabulary so that your child can point to pictures named, point to pictures in books, and label words for the picture in the book (ex: saying cat for a picture of a cat.).
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First, let’s print and laminate the Yard Activity background scene and picture cutouts for matching and labeling.
Next, cut out the Yard Picture Cutouts.
Then, attach either dot adhesives (soft side) for use in your child’s interactive binder book or magnets for use on a magnet board to the back of the picture cutouts. Additionally, place dot adhesives (rough side) on the Yard Activity background scene. Note: Adult Supervision is required. Use caution with the magnets, dot adhesives, and small pieces as they are not intended for use with children under the age of 3. Please use caution and supervise your child with the dot adhesives, magnets and small pieces when working on this activity. Only work on activities that you feel are safe for your child. Warning: Choking Hazard. Children under 3 should not participate in any activities that involve small pieces.
Is your child under 3? The Activity Garden includes a modified version of this activity available in bigger print for younger toddlers. Small pieces, magnets, and dot adhesives are not intended for use with the bigger print activities. Please remember that adult supervision is required with all activities shared on Simplicity Happens. Just a kind reminder to stay safe and have fun while learning with your little ones!
I put adhesive dots (soft side) on the back of the yard picture cutouts.
I placed adhesive dots (rough side) on the picture to picture background scene for matching. I also recommend hole punching the background scene for later storage in your child’s interactive binder book.
Matching
This activity can be used for matching yard vocabulary (picture to picture).
First, my son matches the yard pictures to the pictures on the background scene. You’ll notice I cut one dot (rough side) into smaller pieces (for visibility) and placed them on each yard picture on the background scene.
He matches the cat. Great job!
He matches the pond.
He matches the baseball.
He continues matching the flowers, sun, plane, and bird. Last, he matches the ladybug. Very good! I tell him what a great job he did matching all of the yard pictures!
I keep a record of his matching skills with this activity in my “Activity Garden Tracking Sheets” booklet.
This booklet includes over 30 tracking sheets for use with the activities in the Activity Garden. The booklet is available in the Simplicity Happens store.
Example of Matching Tracking Sheet
Receptive Labeling
This activity can be used for receptively labeling the yard vocabulary.
First, my son and I go through the pictures together. I want to determine his ability to identify the yard vocabulary pictures when I name them. This demonstrates his ability to receptively label yard vocabulary.
First, we work on receptive labeling:
Then, I keep a record of his receptive labeling knowledge during this activity for future play activities in my “Activity Garden: Goal Tracking Sheets” booklet.
Expressive Labeling
This activity can be used for expressively labeling the yard vocabulary.
First, my son and I go through the pictures together. I want to determine his ability to identify and name the yard vocabulary pictures when I point to a picture and ask, “What is this?”. This demonstrates his ability to expressively label yard vocabulary.
First, we work on expressive labeling:
Then, I keep a record of his expressive labeling progress on the “yard expressive labeling” tracking sheet in the Activity Garden: Goal Tracking Sheets booklet.
I noticed while working on the original activity with my son that I was missing the tree. So the updated downloadable activity is pictured below:
Once we are finished with this activity, we clean up by putting all of the yard vocabulary pictures in a zip pouch.
What did you and little ones enjoy most about this activity! I’d love to hear about it in the comments section below!