A syllable is a unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound, with or without surrounding consonants, forming the whole or part of a word.
Examples:
One syllable words: the, a, cat, them, he, heart
Two syllable words: donkey, baby, minion
Three syllable words: butterfly, tomato, elephant
Four syllable words: January, community, independence
We are learning about syllables and are practicing this concept by clapping our hands for each syllable.
Extension:
At home (or anywhere), have your child look for items that have one syllable in the word. Then do it for two syllable words, three syllable words, and even four syllable words. Example: Find me something that has two syllables in the word. Child finds a carrot and chopsticks.