Letter of the Week

1. Introduce the letter by finding a word or a name that is important to the child. Example: d: dog

2. Point to the letter on an alphabet chart so the child can see where the letter is in the alphabet. The chart can be a learning tool as children visualize what the alphabet looks like.

3. Sing the alphabet song and stop at that letter for the child to sing by his/her self.

4. Model the correct formation of the letter and have your child trace the letter in salt, sand, gel, fingerpaint, pudding,or shaving cream .

5. Model the correct formation of the letter and have your child print the letter with a paintbrush, marker, crayon, chalk, q-tip, pencil, magic slate, or pen.

6. Purchase magnetic letters to place on the refrigerator or cookie sheets to display the letter of the week.

7. Cut out the letter from a magazine or newspaper.

8. Use playdoh to roll out and make the letter or a toothpick to write the letter on the playdoh.

9. Talk about the shapes of the letters and if the upper and lower case are the same or different. Play matching games, same or different, or alphabet bingo.

10. Take your finger and trace the letters on the palm of the hand or on your child's back.

11. Practice using sticky notes and label objects in the house that begin with the letter.

12. Alphabet Stamps are a practical investment for having fun with the alphabet for alphabet recognition, making words, and spelling.

13. Eating the alphabet can be a delicious way to reinforce letters using vegetables, pretzels, potato sticks, and candy to form the letters.

14. Decorate cupcakes, cakes or cookies using frosting tubes to print letters. Squeeze mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, or jelly letters out of containers to enhance your food. If your not hungry place inside a ziploc bag and practice printing letters on the outside of the bag.

15. Try Alphabits Cereal for breakfast and name the letters.

16. Finding, matching, and identifying Alphabet Soup letters are fun using a magnifying glass to enlarge the letters.

17. Alphabet tiles or cubes can be great assets to create interest and play games that strengthen learning the alphabet.

18. Reading with your child and pointing out letters in a word is a very natural way to teach the alphabet or go to the library and take out a variety of books about the alphabet.

19. Find a flashlight and let your child find the letter in magazines, books, or the newspaper. Have your child color code or highlight the letter in yellow.

20. Make a chart and find stickers or use a star to show your child the letters that he/she has mastered.

21. Find puzzles that have the alphabet in order.

22. Art projects can reinforce letter recognition by making letters out of pipe cleaners, buttons, sequins, glitter, macaroni, yarn, ribbon, lace, stickers, materials, or anything that you have available.

23. Use sign language to demonstrate the letter.

24. When you are at the supermarket have your child help you find the groceries by using letters and names. Logos and environmental print that surround your child adds to the learning environment.

25. Rhythm, chanting, poems, and clapping can help children learn accompanied by music or visual associations.

26. A typewriter or keyboard are interesting techniques for assisting your child to master the alphabet.

Alphabet Games