As you introduce your preschoolers to the concept of sound, start by having them think back on things with which they have experience that are loud or soft. Ask your students to volunteer things that they can think of that are loud or soft, such as a whisper as an example of a soft sound or a yell as an example of a loud sound. After discussing the topic with your students for quite some time, arm them with paper and coloring supplies, and ask them to each draw two pictures, one of something soft and one of something loud. Allow students to share the pictures they have drawn upon completion.
Give your preschoolers the chance to show what they know about sound through simple movement by creating a how loud hand signs game. Explain to your students that you are going to list some things that make noise and, after you say each, they should indicate how loud that thing is by holding their hands apart in front of them. The further apart they hold their hands, the louder the sound is. For example, if you say "the TV is turned down low," they would hold their hands close together to indicate a soft sound. Conversely, if you said "an ambulance siren," they would hold their hands far apart to indicate the sound would be loud.
Let students show their understanding of volume levels by making sounds of their own by playing a clap game. To prepare for this game, sit students in a circle. Tell students that you are going to go around the circle and, one at a time, they will say things that make noise. For example, one student may say "a dog barking." When the student says the noise maker, the other students in the circle must clap their hands either loudly if the noise is a loud one or softly if the noise is a soft one.
Create a noise-related hierarchy with your students by crafting a picture ranking wall. To prepare for this activity, gather pictures of things that make noise. Either select photographic images, or select coloring page images that students can first color then rank. Using tape, attach these images to the wall, placing them in a line from the softest to the loudest. Ask students to help you in this ranking or create the lineup themselves. Leave the picture lineup as a reminder of the lesson.