Elsie’s Quiet Drum: Activities

Shared Reading · Ages 3–4. An adult reads the questions and clues aloud. Children can talk, point, sign or choose an answer. For Jumbled Words, show the matching vocabulary word and build it together; children do not need to read independently.

Vocabulary

Read these five words from the story. Talk about what they mean.

drum: An instrument with a surface you tap.
soft: Quiet and gentle.
beat: A steady sound in music.
pauses: Stops for a little while.
pattern: A set of sounds or shapes that can repeat.

Jumbled Words

Use the clue to make a word from the story. Drag the letters with a mouse or finger, or tap a letter and then a space.

Put the story in order

Drag the pictures into order from first to last with a mouse or finger. Or tap a picture, then tap where it should go. Use arrow keys to move a focused picture.

Tell the story

Offer a broad hand drum or safe sound surface. Explore soft taps and pauses together, keeping the volume comfortable for everyone.