Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Loud and Quiet Sound Chart: Free Printable Chart for Ages 2 to 4
- ForAges 2 to 4
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Loud and Quiet Sound Chart is a free printable chart for ages 2 to 4 in Early Years. Children cut out sound cards and sort them into loud and quiet. It takes about 10 minutes with a grown up. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet a set of sound cards to cut out, such as a drum, a whisper, a lion roar, a mouse squeak, a clap and a siren. They say each one aloud, make the sound with their voice or hands, and decide whether it is loud or quiet. Then they place the card in the matching box. There are also boxes for drawing or notes.
- Drum
- Whisper
- Lion roar
- Mouse squeak
- Clap
- Siren
- Loud
- Quiet
How the activity builds listening skills
Make the sound
Say each card aloud and make the sound together. Hearing and making the sound first gives your child something real to think about before they choose.
Compare two sounds
Children decide how one sound differs from another. Comparing is an early thinking skill, and it starts with simple words like loud and quiet.
Sort and place
Putting each card in a box turns listening into a choice. Your child has to decide, then act on that decision.
Talk about it
Ask why they chose a box. Young children often explain their thinking in a few words, and that builds speaking as well as listening.
Why start with loud and quiet?
Loud and quiet are some of the first ideas children use to describe sound. They are easy to hear and easy to copy with a voice. A child can whisper, then shout, and feel the difference in their own body. That makes this a good starting point before they meet other ideas in music, such as fast and slow or high and low.
Music is full of changes in volume. Musicians call these changes dynamics. Young children do not need the word, but they can already play with the idea. Sorting sounds helps them notice that the world is not one steady noise. It also helps them listen carefully, which is the base for singing, rhythm and instrument play later on.
Keep voices and instruments at a comfortable level, and never make loud noises close to anyone's ears. Adults should cut out the cards for younger children, or stay with them and help with the scissors.
Fun facts about sound
- Sounds are made when something shakes backwards and forwards very fast. This shaking is called a vibration.
- We hear sounds with our ears, and our brains help us make sense of them.
- Volume is how loud or quiet a sound is.
- Your voice can change volume. You can use a big voice or a tiny voice.
- Very loud noises can hurt ears, so it is kind to keep sounds at a safe level.
Skills and curriculum link
- Listening
- Sorting
- Comparing
- Using sound words
- Making choices
Ideas to help your child with loud and quiet
- Use your own voiceYour voice is the easiest instrument. Say a word softly, then say it again with a bigger voice. Your child can hear the same word in two ways.
- Use hands and bodyPat your knees gently, then pat them harder. Children feel the difference as well as hear it.
- Match the sound to a pictureImagine the thing making each sound. Think about how big it is and what it is doing. This helps children decide how it might sound.
- Listen with eyes closedClose your eyes for a moment and listen. Ask your child what they can hear. Quiet sounds are easier to notice when we stop and wait.
Key words
- LoudA sound that is strong and easy to hear, even from far away.
- QuietA soft sound. You often need to be close to hear it.
- SoundSomething you hear with your ears.
- VolumeHow loud or quiet a sound is.
- SortPut things into groups that match.
- CompareLook or listen to two things and say how they are the same or different.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Cut out the cards, or ask an adult to do it. Put them on the table face up.
- Pick up one card. Read it aloud and make the sound together. Then decide which box it belongs in.
- Talk about each choice. Ask, "Why do you think that?" Then check with the notes and answers on page 2.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence. The sheet takes about 10 minutes with a grown up.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Start with just two cards that sound very different, such as whisper and drum. Make each sound together so the difference is clear. Sort those two first. When your child feels sure, add one more card at a time.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to think of two more loud sounds and two more quiet sounds from home. They can draw them in the spare boxes or tell you. Then listen for each one the next time it happens.
Make it a game
Play a voice game. Say a word in a quiet voice, then say it again in a big voice. Take turns. Your child can choose which voice to use, and you guess which box it would go in.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child puts every card in the same box.
Try thisMake each sound again, one after the other, and ask which one is bigger. Try just two cards that are very different.
Watch forA child sorts by how big the picture or animal is, not by the sound.
Try thisAsk them to listen, not look. Make the sound with your voice and ask, "Is this easy to hear from far away?"
Watch forA child makes every sound at the same volume, so it is hard to tell them apart.
Try thisShow the difference yourself. Use a big voice and a tiny voice, then let your child copy you.
Talk about it
- Which sound do you like best? Why?
- Can you make a loud sound with your voice? Can you make a quiet one?
- What sounds can you hear right now?
- When is it good to be quiet? When is it fine to be loud?
- Can you find something at home that makes a sound? Is it loud or quiet?
- What sound would you add to the chart?
Take it off the page
Sound walk
Go for a short walk indoors or outside. Stop and listen. Point to each sound you hear and say if it is loud or quiet.
Kitchen band
Gather safe items such as a wooden spoon and a plastic tub. Make gentle sounds and bigger sounds. Take turns being the band.
Whisper and shout story
Tell a short story together. Use a tiny voice for small characters and a big voice for big ones. Swap roles halfway.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first card, then let them lead. Make the sounds together and enjoy being silly. Stop while it is still fun. The sheet takes about 10 minutes with a grown up.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a table activity or a short circle time task in Early Years. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting. It links to listening, attention and expressive arts and design.
Home educators
Pair it with songs, rhymes and everyday noises around the house. Repeat it for brothers and sisters of different ages. Younger children can sort, and older ones can explain their choices.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children enjoy simple sounds, songs and rhymes. They shake, bang and sing, and begin to notice that sounds can change. This sheet gives them a clear way to talk about one change, which is volume.
After this, children can explore other ways sounds differ, such as fast and slow, or high and low. They can also begin to play instruments gently and loudly on purpose, and to listen for changes in songs and music.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Loud and Quiet Sound Chart for?
It is written for ages 2 to 4, in Early Years. Younger children may need an adult to cut out the cards and make the sounds with them. Older children can sort more independently and explain their choices.
- What will children practise?
They practise listening to everyday sounds and sorting them into loud and quiet. They also compare sounds and use simple sound words. The sheet is a practice and play activity, so keep it relaxed and short.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 10 minutes with a grown up. You can make it shorter by using fewer cards, or longer by talking about each choice and adding your own sounds.
- What if it feels too hard?
Make it smaller. Start with just two cards that sound very different, such as whisper and drum, and make the sounds together. Add more cards slowly once your child feels sure.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add their own colour in the drawing boxes if they like.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, table activity or early finisher task. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting, and page 2 gives help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
- Is it free and screen free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. It is a screen free activity that needs only paper, a pencil and scissors, so it works for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.