What is an example of an activity that helps children manipulate sounds?

Chanting on the playground is an effective example of an activity that helps children manipulate sounds because it engages them in rhythmic and repetitive language play. This kind of activity allows children to experiment with phonemic awareness—the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate sounds in spoken words. Chanting often involves clapping, rhyming, and varying intonation, which can enhance their auditory processing skills and promote their understanding of sound patterns. This playful interaction with language helps lay the foundation for reading and writing skills, making it a vital part of emergent literacy.

In contrast, drawing pictures primarily focuses on visual expression and creativity rather than sound manipulation. Playing video games can involve various skills but typically lacks direct engagement with phonemic awareness. Similarly, solving math problems is a cognitive task that does not emphasize sound manipulation or language development. Thus, chanting on the playground stands out as an activity that specifically supports children's ability to work with sounds.