The Silly Elf (activity)

Anytime I can use a general theme for a session or activity, I do.  Developing a theme always seems to pull things together as well as faciliates increased attention and interest.  Simply put ... themes are fun!

Holidays provide perfect opportunities for themed concepts and activities.  Below is a little poem/rhyme that I came up with a couple years ago for use in sessions.  Due to it's simplicity, it's fairly easy to implement outside of session so I'm posting it here :) 

I typically use this activity for these goal areas:

• Facilitate/Improve auditory attention
• Increase Impulse control
• Decrease auditory response time
• Increase cognitive skill (color identification, sequence commands/events, reading/story comprehension, etc)
• Increase visual attention

If working on pre-reading skills, you may want to print this story  (focusing on 1 sentence at a time if necessary) rather than just reading it yourself.

MATERIALS NEEDED:
-  "Silly Elf" story
-  Pictures (street, elf, feet, tic tac toe, Nintendo, smiling)
-  Colored items (bells, instruments, scarves)
-  A drum (or like item)
-  "The End!" paper (for on top of drum)

DIRECTIONS for activity:

1. Set up items in semi circle or table around child/client.  Introduce each item.  If appropriate, present child/client with a "pointer" (this can be a special wand, drum stick/mallet, etc) for child to point to items as they are named in the story. 
2. Explain that the child/client will get to touch and point to each item/picture in the story, but he/she has to wait until they hear that word first. (see above for picture sheet you can print)
3. Practice saying the word of an item, and having child/client point to the item. 
4. Have the child practice "playing" a color item (i.e., when you say "red", the child will play the instrument/item associated with that color.  NOTE:  For the colors, I typically have colored bells that the child gets to play when he/she hears the color name.  This makes this more interactive, and provides the opportunity to change from different types of cues within the activity (pointing to some items, playing other items).  IN PLACE OF COLORED BELLS, you may want to gather instruments or items that can be used as instruments (or items that make funny sounds).  Have a solid colored scarf or paper next to/under each of the noise/instrument items (i.e., have one item placed on a green scarf or piece of paper, and when when child/client here's "green" said in the activity, he/she will play the that item).
5. OPTIONAL:  Have a drum (or like item) with paper on it ("THE END!").  Child/client has to wait until the very end when he/she hears you say, "The End!", to play the drum.  This is lots of fun - a great opportunity for impulse control, and it really creates increased auditory attentoin and anticipation ;) 

The Silly Elf

One day as I was walking down the street
I came upon a jolly elf with red shoes upon his feet.
He smiled at me and said, “Orange you going to play with me?”
It was a glorious, sunny day,
a sky decked in yellow.
I decided I'd play with my new red footed friend -
He was quite a nice fellow.

We played a game of tic tac toe,
and then a game of Nintendo.
Jumping jacks, and sliding down green hills -
Oh what a thrill!
Hide and seek, and purple cookies to eat.
A long day of fun we've had,
I said goodbye to my new red footed friend.
Smiling and waving, I said,
“The End!”