This activity requires children to sort words based on the amount of syllables they contain. Write words on index cards that contain either one, two or three syllable sounds. Write one word per card. On individual pieces of construction paper, write the numbers one, two and three, and spread the papers on a flat surface. Hold up an index card and pronounce the word written on it. Upon hearing the word, children must segment the syllable sounds and place the card on the numbered piece of paper that corresponds to the number of syllables they heard within the word. For instance, if the word is "cat," the card should be placed on the paper with the number one written on it and if the word is "yellow," the card should be placed on the number-two paper.
Practice syllable blending with a game of baseball. Clear an area in a room, and place pieces of paper on the floor to represent home plate and bases. Divide the group into teams; one team at a time goes up to bat. Invite one child from the team to stand on home plate and slowly say the groups of syllables in a word -- "un/believe/able," for example. The person at bat must blend the syllables together to create a word; if she is able to do so, she proceeds to first base. The next player goes up to bat; if he states the correct word, he advances to first base and the previous player moves to second base. Once a player makes it to home, the team earns a point; but if a player states an incorrect word, the team gets an out. Once a team has three strikes, the other team goes up to bat. The team that earns the most points wins the game.
Use clapping to segment the syllable sounds heard in words. State a word, and encourage children to slowly state the word and clap for each individual group of sounds that they hear. For instance, if the word is "potato," children should clap three times -- once for "po," once for "ta" and once for "to." This activity enables children to her syllable sounds in an interactive way, making them more aware of the individual sounds.
Use cards as a tool for blending syllables into words. On individual index cards, write out the syllables heard within common words. For example, write "pump" on one card and "kin" on another. State the sounds on each card, and encourage children to arrange the cards together and then blend the sounds to create the word, which is "pumpkin" in the given example.