Teaching your child teh alphabet is fun and rewarding. As your child learns the alphabet, reward him or her to encourage learning. These daily activities will teach your child teh alphabet while having fun.
Posterboard ABC's
Make a posterboard with the letters of the alphabet on it for daily review. A project display board is sturdy and durable for long-time use. If you only have posterboard available, then just use that.
You can write the alphabet with markers or use pre-cut letters you can purchase at teacher stores or dollar stores. Tape the pre-cut letters on the posterboard. Read the letters to your child everyday.
As you say each letter, associate the letter with something the child knows. For example, A is for apple, B is for ball, C is for car.
The Alphabet Song
Sing this song any time there is silence between you and your child. Sing it while you're bathing your child, while driving the car or even changing your child's diaper. Repeated singing will teach your child the tune and later on, the letters. Sing the song even if your child hasn't learned to talk yet. If you sing it to them daily, your child will know the alphabet before they can talk.
Alphabet Envelopes
This activity helps children recognize letters and use association skills. Set out twenty-six envelopes, preferrably the short ones, not the business size. Write one letter on the outside front of each envelope. Use the pre-cut letters or make your own alphabet cards. Making your own is easy. Cut out twenty-six small squares and write a letter on each.
Mix up the letters and ask your child to pick up one at a time. Tell your child to find teh envelope that matches the letter. Place the letter inside the matching envelope.
Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
On a piece of paper, write the alphabet down the page in a column. Tell your child to find objects in your home (or classroom) that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Help them write the name of the objects or let them draw pictures of the objects beside the letter. Reward your child once he or she finds all twenty-six.
Alphabet Book
This lesson for older elementary kids encourages research and art. Have your child pick his or her favorite topic and make an ABC book. Each page is a different letter of the alphabet with something related to the selected topic.
For example, an "Ocean Alphabet Book" would have twenty-six pages. The first page "A" could represent angelfish. "B" could represent barracuda. Have them draw each page and color them.
Use a three-hole punch and store the pages in a binder or make a cover with construction paper and tie the pages together with yarn through the holes.
Travel Alphabet Bingo
Write the alphabet on a sheet of paper. Every time you see an object, word, or place check off the letter that begins it's name. For example, if you see a car, check off the letter "c." The first person to check off all their letters wins.
Commercial Alphabet Bingo
This is the same as the travel game, but the players must find the letters shown on commercials on the television. This game is a great learning tool for kids who don't like commercials. The first person who finds all twenty-six letters first wins.
