Childrens alphabet letters

Letter A Activities & Fun Ideas for Kids

You have come to the right place if you are looking for fun, engaging and exciting Letter A themed activities to do with toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners. Our activities are widely used by teachers, moms, dads, child care providers etc. for learning and teaching while being fun for the kids!

All our activities are available at no cost and are free to print and share. Select below to get started.

Contents

• Letter A Arts and Crafts
• Letter A Games and Activities
• Letter A Recipes and Snacks
• Letter A Songs, Poems and Finger Plays

Apple Stamping
Apple stamping is a lot of fun. Cut an apple in half, and carve out the shape of the letter “A”. Have your child stamp the letter on a sheet of paper and say the “A” sound each time they stamp.

Angels
Cut out a large white triangle for the body, and skin-colored circle for the head, and trace hand prints on white construction paper for the wings. Glue together, and add facial features and a halo.

My “A” Book
Staple several pieces of white construction paper together with a colored construction paper cover. Print “My A Book” and your children’s name on the cover. Cut out magazine pictures of those things which begin with the letter “A”, as well as actual upper and lowercase letters from ads or article titles. Let the children chose the pictures and letters they want, and glue them onto their book pages. Later, arrange a time for the children to read their books to you.

Feelie Box
Have a feelie box, that children can’t look into, such as covered with a towel or sheet. Have them guess the object starting with the letter “A” that you have placed in the box.

Make an Airplane
You will need:
2 paper towel rolls
1 toilet paper roll
Craft Sticks
Glue
One of the paper towel rolls, measure about 3″ down from the top and cut 1/2 way through. Measure another 2″ down and again cut halfway through. Remove the section between the cuts. Glue the second paper towel roll through this section. Paint the airplane and using craft sticks to form an “X”, paint them white and glue to the front of the airplane for a propeller. Break another craft stick in half and insert them in the tube under the wings for landing gear.

Ants
Use 3 sections of a cardboard egg carton to form the body. Have the children paint it any color they wish. Using pipe cleaners, put antennae on the first section, and six legs on each of the 3 sections. Draw eyes or use wiggly eyes on the front section.

Make an Ark
Cut out two large boat shapes and punch holes around sides and bottom. With shoe laces or yarn (wrap ends tightly with tape to prevent fraying), lace the 2 pieces together. Make a rainbow shape for the top to fit on like a handle. Let the children color the handle and staple or glue to the top of the ark. Fill the boat with animal crackers. As each child selects a cracker to eat, have them tell what kind of animal it is.

“A” Collage
Cut out a large “A” from poster board or other heavy paper. Have the children find pictures of things in magazines that begin with the letter “A”, and either cut or tear them out. Glue them on the “A.”

Acorn Collage
Cutout a large “A” from heavy paper or cardboard. Have the children collect acorns, and glue them to the “A”. Explain how acorns grow into oak trees.

Ant Fun
Cut out a big letter “A” for each child and let them make ant prints all over it with their fingerprints and a stamp pad. Use small tip markers to draw in legs.

ABC GAME From ChildFun Reader Heidi:
I am a teacher and I use this game for children in junior primary to learn the sounds of the alphabet.
All children stand or sit in a circle. Place an alphabet card on the ground in front of them. Play some music and children walk around the circle. When the music stops, they sit in front of the closest card. We then go around the circle and each child has to tell me the sound of the letter they have.

With older children, I ask them to tell me a word that begins with that sound, or has that sound in the middle or end. It works really well and the children have so much fun.

Acrobatics
Invite the children to perform acrobatic feats such as somersaults, head stands, back bends, bridges, rocking horses, etc. Be sure to put down a gym mat, or arrange a field trip to a gym. Consider sponsoring a gymnastics meet.

ABC Bingo
Easy to make out of construction paper or poster board. Use buttons or beans to cover spaces. Have children match as you call out lower/uppercase, etc, first child to cover card yells “Bingo.” Prizes can be simple, such as a granola snack or extended time in a certain area.

Aluminum “A” Cut aluminum foil into long strips and glue to a large cutout letter “A”. Discuss the uses of aluminum with your kids, as well as recycling. Have each child bring something recyclable from home and let them place in a recycle bin.

“A” Sounds
Talk about things from home that begin with the letter “A” and see how many things the children can think of.

Airplanes
Make paper airplanes and fly them around, or line up chairs in 2 rows and pretend it’s the inside of an airplane. Make up your own tickets, provide flags for someone to wave when the runway is clear.

I know my Address!
Encourage each child to memorize his or her address. Draw and cut out a large construction paper house to place on a bulletin board. Then, as the children memorize their addresses, invite them to pin his or her name and address on the house shape. A good way to help children remember their address is to have them sing it to the tune of a simple song such as “Rain, rain go away.”

Animals, animals everywhere!
Take the children to a zoo! Most all zoos have a petting area for younger children. Talk about each animal and what it eats, what it feels like, and whether or not it would make a good pet.

The “A” Box
Decorate a box with the letter “A”. Inside the box place items or pictures of items that begin with the letter “A”. This also works well if you use pictures, and have each child in turn draw out one picture and tell it’s name and what they would do with it.

Acrobatic “A”‘s
Divide the children into groups of threes. Have the children in each group lie on the floor and use their bodies to form the letter “A”. Let the children in each group trade places and form the letter “A” again, so each child gets a turn at being a different part of the “A”. Then have the children gather in larger groups and form a giant “A”.

Astronomical Astronauts
At circle time, show the children pictures of astronauts and talk about what they do. Transform your drama center into the moon. Give the children white shirts, boots, and helmets to wear for the astronaut’s clothing. You can make an astronaut’s helmet by using a paper grocery bag or cardboard box and decorating with foil, stickers, pipe cleaners, Styrofoam balls and other items found in daycare. Have pictures of planets hanging all around the center, and maybe even have the children paint a mural of a rocket ship during creative time and put that up on the wall. Have the children pretend they’re walking on the moon, and talk about what it would be like to be weightless in space.

“A” is for animals
Cut out magazine pictures of animals and laminate, if you wish. Have the children put them on the wall in daycare to make your own zoo, or put the pictures together in a picture book for the daycare. Then have the children draw 4 of their favorite animals and make a picture book for each child to take home. Alternatively, photocopy animal coloring book pages for the children to color and make a picture book.

Animal Masks
Make animal masks out of paper plates or grocery bags using decorative items such as stickers, tissue paper, markers, glue, yarn, etc. Have a puppet show or small play and let the children make up their own lines for their animal.

Moon Walk
Along the astronaut theme, have children look for “moon rocks” in a treasure hunt. Make the moon rocks out of balled-up aluminum foil or paint Styrofoam balls in silver.

“A” is for Antarctica, Africa, and Australia
Use a globe or world map to show the children where these different continents are compared to our own. Talk about what a continent is, and read books or show videos on the different continents to learn about their culture. Encourage the children to become a group pen pal (for younger children) or individual pen pals (for older children) with children from other places in the world. There are sources all over the internet to get them started on this. You can also explore what kinds of toys children on these continents play with, and show the children how to make their own.

Alligator Fun
Let the children pretend to be alligators in a swamp. Call “Alligators Go!” and “Alligators Stop!” at random. When the Alligators are all going, they make the short sound of the letter “A”. When they are stopped, they are very quiet. Anyone who makes a sound when they’re stopped is “eaten” and is out.

Who Am I?
Give the children clues about an animal, and let them guess which animal you are describing.

Where Do I Belong?
Mount pictures of animals on a tag board or felt board. Have the children sort the pictures into farm, pet or zoo categories.

Grow Your Own Avocado Plant!
Get several avocados. Cut them open to remove the pits. Help the children plant the pits by sticking three toothpicks in the sides of each pit, evenly spaced. Fill a small glass with water, and set the pits so that the pointed end of the pit is in the water. Watch the root of the avocado grow, then replant in loose soil. This makes a beautiful plant, but it will usually not yield avocados, as most avocado trees take an average of 13 years to produce fruit, and they must be cross-pollinated with other avocado trees to produce fruit.

Accordion Folding
Teach the children to make accordion folds, and have them create something that makes use of the folds. Examples include a bird with wings, a woman wearing a skirt, or a simple paper fan.

Alphabet Hunt: Hide some pictures of things beginning with the letter “A”, around the room, some easily visible and some a little harder to find. Then let the children go on a hunt for the pictures.

Simple Snacks:
Almonds
Alphabet cereal
Alphabet soup
American cheese
Angel Food Cake
Animal Crackers
Apple Butter/Juice
Apples, applesauce
Apricot
Asparagus
Avocados

Apple Chat: Give each child an apple. Ask them to describe the apple using all of their senses except taste. Then cut the apple in half and explain that they grow from seeds. Point out the various parts, invite them to count the seeds, and cut the apple into bite-size pieces. Let them eat a piece and describe how it tastes

Ants on a Log or Raft: Spread cream cheese on a piece of celery (log) or a Triscuit-type cracker (raft). Let the children put raisins on their logs and rafts.

Letter “A” Taste Test: Try apples, avocados, artichokes, apricots, and any other foods starting with the letter “A” that you can find.

Baked Acorn Squash: Show the children an acorn squash. Put an acorn and the squash beside each other, and discuss how they are alike and how they’re different. Ask the children how they think an acorn squash got it’s name. Help the children see that an acorn squash is shaped like an acorn. Then use the squash to make A-Okay Acorn Squash as follows: Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and pulp. Put the squash face down in a baking pan and pour in about 1/2 inch of water. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. The squash is done when the flesh is soft. Pour the water out and turn the squash over. Put a little butter and brown sugar over the squash, and add cinnamon or nutmeg if desired. Put the squash back in the oven until the butter has melted. Enjoy!

Finger Puppets
Finger puppets are always a big hit in role playing with children. They can be easily made from construction paper, and decorated with almost anything, such as cotton balls, glitter, yarn, markers, stickers, etc. Have each child make up a finger puppet and divide the children into small groups. Have each group do a small puppet show for the others. You can easily construct a stage out of a cardboard box, using tissue paper or fabric scraps for the side curtains.

I’m a Little Airplane
(Sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”)
I’m a little airplane (children raise arms from sides to shoulder height)
Watch me fly! (Spin one arm in front as if a propeller)
Here are my instruments
From down low to up high (With their other arm, they reach from the ground to above their heads)
First I get all revved up (Make engine-like noises while still spinning their arms)
Then I can fly (Raise arms to shoulder height)
Lifting off the runway (start walking forward)
Up into the sky! (Go up on their tiptoes and continue to move forward. Let them circle awhile before returning to their original positions.)

Ants
Ants, ants,
Everywhere,
Rushing here,
Rushing there.
Carrying treasures
To their nest,
Never stopping
For a rest.
Ants, ants
Here and there,
Hurrying and scurrying
Everywhere.

Alligators and the Monkeys
5 little monkeys
Sitting in a tree
Teasing the alligator
“Can’t catch me!”
Along came the alligator
Quiet as can be (whisper this part loudly)
SNAP!!! No more monkeys sitting in the tree! (snap your hands together and tickle the kids)

Sing Hurray for A!
(To the tune of “Farmer in the Dell”)
Let’s sing hurray for A,
Let’s sing hurray for A,
Let’s sing hurray for A today
Let’s sing hurray for A.
Apple starts with A,
Asparagus starts the same way,
Let’s sing hurray for A today,
Let’s sing hurray for A.

When the Ants Go Marching In
Oh when the ants
Go marching in
Oh when the ants go marching in
How I want
To be in that number
When the ants go marching in
(Good song for the children to march around the room to)

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How To Teach Toddlers The Alphabet (9 Effective Ways)

It’s essential to know the alphabet, so toddlers/preschoolers can start recognizing letters and learning phonetics.

Trust me; I know first hand how challenging it can be! But I promise if you stick with it and work with your toddler every day, you will see progress!  Below you will see a video of my son working on his skills! 

#1.

Did you know that there are FOUR ways that people learn?  (Visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic)

When children are exposed to alphabet toys like puzzles, magnetic letters, or foam letters, it is an excellent opportunity to begin teaching them.

Children can look at the letters, hear you say the name of the letter, and physically touch them, which almost hits all of the ways that we learn best (reading and writing will come at a later date for these kiddos).

I have used a variety of different alphabet toys with my kids to help them learn their letters at such a young age.

A. Melissa and Doug See-Inside Alphabet Puzzle

I can honestly say that my son learned his ABC’s with this puzzle!

At the time this short video was taken, he was 16 months old. Below you will find a video of how you can play with this toy to help your toddler learn! 

Check Price - Amazon

B. Melissa and Doug Alphabet Sound Puzzle

Do you have time to sit and play with your toddler all day?

Most likely, the answer is no, we all wish we could, but dishes need washing and laundry needs folded. This puzzle is fantastic because not only does it have the letters but it also makes the phonetic sound for each of the letters!

Check Price - Amazon

They can still be learning even when you are not right next to them!

It’s suitable for toddlers and preschoolers so they can start connecting the sounds that each letter makes.

C. Sesame Street Elmo’s On the Go Letters

Who doesn’t love Elmo?

Check Price - Amazon

This alphabet toy has the letters that children can manipulate and also includes some of their favorite Sesame Street characters inside once they lift the letter!

*TIP*  It is a little harder for younger ones to try to get the letters in and out, so you may need to be there to help them with this toy until they can pull them out themselves. 

D. LeapFrog Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter Set

My husband collects magnets from everywhere we travel, and our kids can’t get enough of pulling them off of the refrigerator!

That’s why I knew this toy was going to be a hit for both my kids!

These magnets can stick to the refrigerator, which is fun and engaging for toddlers. It comes with a magnetic bus that kids can press the letter into, and it tells them what letter it is and the sound it makes.  

It also says words that begin with each letter and uses the word in a sentence, which is great for preschoolers or kindergartners, which makes this toy worthwhile since it can be used for a couple of years! 

Check Price - Amazon

E. Leapfrog My Own LeapTop

My FAVORITE on the go toy! I had to get two because both my kids wanted their own. 

I keep both of them in the car because it’s a fun toy for them to play with for a few minutes while we are in the car, and they get to be learning at the same time! 

There are four functions on the computer for kids to interact with (letters, messages, animal games, and music). You can also personalize the computer by adding your child’s name in it! 

Check Price - Amazon

#2. Repetition is Key!

Remember that time when you told your toddler something once, and they remembered it correctly, and you never had to say it to them again?

Yeah, me neither.

When you are trying to teach anyone something new, especially toddlers, repeating the information is crucial. Even though my son knows the alphabet, I still spend at least 10 minutes a day going over it with him, so he remembers the information.

It is engaging for your kids also to present the alphabet in different ways, so they don’t get bored with the same toy, which I will explain in the next section.

#3. Alphabet Learning Activities

There are so many creative and fun ways to help a child learn the alphabet! 

Does your child love blocks? Try writing the letters of the alphabet on the Mega Bloks to get them interested in learning them. Use a dry-erase marker, and it comes right off with a baby wipe! 

Does the child enjoy painting?  Paint letters on a piece of paper and ask the child which letter is which.  

Does the child like to play in the bathtub? Get foam letters that are made to go in the tub and review the letters when it’s bath time!

No matter what the child enjoys, you can use their interests as an opportunity to help them learn. 

In the meantime, here are THREE easy activities you can use today!

I think it’s easiest to do activities with supplies that you already have at home!

Write down an upper/lower case letter on each post-it note. Mix up the letters and ask your child to find a letter. Or, if they are really excited about pulling the post-it notes off the wall, when they pull them off, ask them what letter they have in their hands!

B. Do-A-Dot Painters

Who doesn’t love paint that doesn’t cause a mess?

Do-A-Dot Painters are so much fun, and the clean-up is so much easier than traditional painting.

All you need to do this activity is Do-A-Dot Painters and my FREE Do-A-Dot Letters

How to help your kids learn with this activity:

1.  For early learners, identify the letter to them. Have them try to look around the worksheet to see if they can see at least one or two matches to the letter you are working on. If they are struggling to use the Do-A-Dot painter on their own, try to help them by having them hold your hand while you both do it!

2. Older children should try to do this activity on their own. Ask them what letter it is that you are focusing on and have them try to use the Do-A-Dot painters on their own to see how many they can match correctly.

View Amazons Price

C. Sand Letter Search

This activity was a hit! Both kids continued to do this activity for a half-hour after they found the first round of letters!

You need kinetic sand and magnetic letters to do this activity.

• The link for magnetic letters above has uppercase, lowercase, and numbers in the container, which I thought was the best deal because you could do this activity for each of these.

Ask your kids to search through the container of sand to find letters. They will love it because the sand feels SO cool! Once they find a letter, they can find it on the below worksheet that I created for you.

#4. Begin With Uppercase Letters

I have noticed that almost all alphabet toys, learning videos, and books use uppercase letters.

Because of this, starting with uppercase letters is the best way to teach your child the alphabet!

Make sure before moving onto lower case letters that your child knows each uppercase letter. I promise it’ll make it easier for them to learn!

We have these uppercase and lowercase learning locks that are so much fun to play with and work on fine motor skills!

Check Price - Amazon

It can be confusing for kids to hear that a lowercase letter is the same as an uppercase letter, especially if they look nothing alike. It’s essential to help them with this activity, so you can explain that they are the same letter!

#5. Read Letter Books

Each night, we have a routine to at least read 2-3 books with our kids before bedtime.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like each time I am at the pediatrician, they always ask me if I am reading to my kids. That shows me it’s pretty important!

There are SO MANY books to choose from out there that focus on the alphabet and letter recognition. It’s challenging to make a choice!

A. My Best Ever: ABC Alphabet Book

B. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

C. LMNO Peas

D. Sesame Street: Elmo’s Word Book

• This book is my favorite! It has flaps that kids can pick up to see pictures underneath, so it’s interactive, which makes it more memorable for them.

#6. Watch Educational Videos

Yes, I know you think I’m crazy for recommending screentime for toddlers!

We try to limit the amount of screen time that we have at our house.

But there are times when I have to change the laundry or clean up the giant mess created in the kitchen from painting. Utilizing an educational video for these times can be extremely helpful, and I don’t feel that guilty.

The current favorites at our house are Super Simple Songs, Bob the Train, or Little Baby Bum. These songs/shows are catchy, and they help aid in the learning process.

I’m not saying I allow my kids to watch hours of TV each day, but I do let them watch some.

#7. Focus On A Few Letters

Wow, I messed this step up when I was first teaching my kids the alphabet!

I started out showing them all the letters of the alphabet and trying to tell them all the letters at one time. I was wrong!

After realizing they weren’t picking up what I was trying to teach them, I tried focusing on only 2-3 letters a day.

This way, it wasn’t so overwhelming.

If you use one of the alphabet toys that I mentioned above or you have your own that works for you, start by showing them A, B, and C.

For a few days, go over just those letters then add two more to that list. Always go over the letters you began with as well to keep that repetition going!

#8. Don’t Overdo It

Have you ever tried to sit down and teach your toddler something, and all they want to do is play with other toys? 

This happens to all of us! Toddlers don’t have a very long attention span. There are times throughout the day that are better than others to try to teach them.

There will be times I attempt to work with both my son and daughter, and I can tell they are not interested whatsoever.

If you make them learn when they are not ready, they will not be eager to do it the next time. It’s better to wait until your kids are prepared to concentrate for a few minutes so you can get the most out of that time.

#9. Don’t Compare Your Child To Others.

Do you have friends on social media that brag about how their children are geniuses?

So many parents use social media as a place where they can brag how well their kids are doing at school and how smart they are!

It’s easy to compare what your child is doing with other children their age.

Every child has a unique learning process, and they will learn the information when they are ready!

There is no need to get frustrated or worried that the child is behind if they don’t know their alphabet at 16 months.

Take your time when you are teaching your child and stay positive with them! If you show them that you are frustrated, they will see your frustration and maybe not be as interested in learning.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

My most important tips for teaching the alphabet are repetition and don’t get frustrated! If you follow these 9 ways to teach your child the alphabet, you are off to a great start on your child’s education!

I would love to help you on your journey to teaching your child the alphabet!

If you have any great ideas that you would like to share that helped you teach the letters of the alphabet to your child, please share them with us!

Learn letters! Alphabet for kids!

Description

Let's have fun learning the letters of the alphabet with the colorful talking alphabet! Cute little animals and other characters will help you remember the alphabet, both Russian and English.

One of the first books of every child is undoubtedly a primer or alphabet for kids!
Children's alphabet app is great for kids and preschoolers 3, 4, 5 and 6 years old. You can download it absolutely free!

ABC
Any education and learning of a language begins with the alphabet. So that the Russian language in the 1st grade seems like a trifle to a child - start learning now! Our abvgdike will turn school preparation into a game!

ABC
Learning English letters. It is much easier for children to learn a new language, and today everyone should know English. Start learning the English alphabet for kids with pronunciation for the youngest kids as early as possible!
Start your education with English alphabet letters.

Our interactive talking alphabet contains a set of cards in which the child needs to identify the object associated with the letter in simple steps. For the little ones, it is easier to learn the alphabet when letters and sounds are associated with something.

There are many educational games for little girls and boys, but learning the alphabet for toddlers is perhaps the most useful and necessary!
It is important for preschoolers to engage in school preparation, learning the alphabet and learning to read in order to feel comfortable in the first grade in Russian. To facilitate your child's preschool education, you can download educational games and educational games for children, such as the Russian and English alphabet for toddlers and children a little older.

Oct 2 2019

Version 1.0.4

Dear moms and dads! Thank you for installing our apps for your kids! This version fixes minor bugs that won't bother you anymore. Write reviews, your opinion is very important to us and we will gladly consider all your suggestions and implement the best of them.
We work for you and your children!

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Ratings: 442

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colorful application

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MOBGAME LTD

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114.2 MB

Category

Games

Age

4+, for children 0-5 years old

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© TrilobiteSoft

Price

Free

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How to quickly learn the alphabet - learn letters with a child

Letters are all around us. The child sees them in books and magazines, on product packaging, in shop windows. He can't help wondering what it is. Over time, he begins to understand that adults can read, begins to copy his parents, having learned a poem or a fairy tale by heart, and pretending that he is reading a book.

Experts recommend teaching a child to read shortly before school, since at an earlier age his brain is not yet ready to perceive such information. You can learn sounds with it, learn to distinguish them in oral speech, start mastering the alphabet. This pre-letter period is very important, because thanks to it the child will be able to learn to read fluently and understand what he read.

At what age do you start learning letters?

Many parents believe that a child's development should begin almost from the cradle. But neuropsychologists warn that learning letters and numbers before the age of 3 is harmful. At this age, the emotional and sensory sphere should be formed. If we force a child to learn, then we violate the laws of brain development, which can have negative consequences.

No specialist will tell you that at the age of 3 or 4 a child should know all the letters. Of course, if you wish, you can force him to learn the alphabet, but this will not be useful, but, on the contrary, can harm. The brain is ready for reading most often by the age of 5-6, and only in 20% of babies - by 4-5. Before this time, it is not worth studying letters.

But this does not mean that you can forget about the development of the child. At 3-4 years old, you need to work on the development of speech, teach the baby to ask and answer questions correctly, pronounce words, and study the world around him. You need to work on fine motor skills, teach him to dance, form a sense of rhythm, and so on.

These are the recommendations. However, all children are different. If a child has shown a sudden interest in letters, it means it's time to start learning. And it does not matter if it manifested itself late, for example, at 6 years old. The child should want to read, only after that you can study with him.

Psychologists note several signs that indicate a child's readiness for learning:

1. The child perceives well what he has read by ear, and can tell what the book is about.
2. He knows how to build phrases, pronounce all sounds.
3. Interested in what is written in a children's magazine, book or poster.
4. Pretends to read, imitating adults.

If all these signs appear, you can start classes. You can’t put pressure on a child, force him to study, bribe him (“learn the letters - I’ll give you a chocolate bar”) - this will not achieve anything.

In those cases where the interest in letters appeared early, there is no need to give up classes. But do not overload the baby, work with him for no longer than 7 minutes, classes do not have to be done every day, you can take breaks of 2-3 days.

How to start learning the alphabet?

The child began to show interest in letters. No need to immediately load it with knowledge, cramming the alphabet. Move a little. The easiest way for children to remember the first letter of their name. Explain to him what this letter is, what it is called. You can ask him to find this letter in the text. Gradually, he will learn to highlight it, will pay attention to it. The first step has been taken.

Parents now trust their children's education to various children's tablets, phones and other similar toys. Remember that they are teaching letters, not sounds. Toddlers need to be taught precisely sounds, so it will be easier for them to master reading.

A letter is a graphic representation of sound, each has its own name. But learning to read, knowing only the names of the letters, is very difficult. Imagine that the child will need to read the word "ball". How will he do it? Just as he was taught: "beael". And all because he pronounces letters, not sounds.

It is better to start learning with sounds, pronouncing them with the child. Parents themselves should not confuse sound and letter. Sound is what we hear. A bumblebee buzzes - this is a sound, a hammer knocks - this is also a sound. But far from all sounds we can get words. If we clap our hands, the sound will appear, but the word will not.

You can create a word from special sounds called speech sounds. Make sure that the child does not confuse the letter and sound. Explain to him that a letter is an icon that can be seen in a book or drawn on paper. Letters can be seen with the eyes and sounds can be heard.

General recommendations for teaching a child

If you decide to work with a child, remember the basic rule - he should be interested. You can't force him. At this age, the easiest and most accessible way of learning is through the game.

It is difficult for kids to concentrate, to sit in one place for a long time, so classes should be short, 5-10 minutes. As soon as you notice that he has become bored, switch to something else. If he forgot everything that you went through, do not get annoyed, repeat again until he remembers. If you overload your child with information, he will develop an aversion to learning.

At an early age, a child develops visual-figurative thinking, and only then - abstract-logical. This means that it is useless to draw letters on paper or a board. So you can't learn them. For him, it will be just a set of dashes.

The child needs a visual association. For example, if you are learning the sound "a", you can show him a picture of a watermelon or any other item that starts with that letter. Stock up in advance with soft cubes with letters, bright cards, coloring books, beautiful colored primers.

Do not learn letters in alphabetical order. It is better to start learning with vowel sounds. The letters that are most often found in speech are studied first, then you can move on to rarer ones.

How to learn vowels?

First, explain to your child that all words are made of sounds, just as houses are made of bricks. The more sounds in a word, the longer it is. After that, you can proceed to the study of sounds.

Start with "a" . You can show the baby pictures that show objects whose names begin with this letter. Draw with him the mouth that makes this sound, note how we open it wide. Let him try to name the words that begin with this letter. Do not overload the child: 1 lesson - 1 letter.

Try to consolidate the acquired knowledge. So you go to the kindergarten, you saw a pharmacy, let the kid try to find the letter that you studied. Bought a children's magazine, see if the title has the letter "a" . You can mold a letter from plasticine or dough, cut it out of paper. You can lay it out of sticks or sand.

It will be much easier for you to captivate your baby if you always have blocks with letters, bright books, cards at hand. You can sing a song about a letter or listen to a funny verse.

So, study all the vowels one by one. At the end, you can explain that the sounds that you have already learned are called vowels. These are sounds that can be sung. Try to sing together "ah-ah-ah" or "woo-hoo" .

Remember that we have 6 vowels ( a , o , y , e , s , and ) and 10 vowels. The letters i , e , i , i consist of 2 sounds. It is better to postpone the study of the latter for later, because there is no sound "i" , i is a letter consisting of 2 sounds. Do not confuse the child so that later educators and teachers do not have to retrain him.

How to learn consonants?

After you have learned the basic vowels ( a , y , and , o ) you can move on to the consonants. You need to start with the simplest consonants ( b , p , m , n , t , g ). And here again we remember that we are teaching the child sounds, not letters. We know what to say0185 em ”, “ en ”, “ be ”, but children do not need to know this yet. The child must learn that this is the sound " mm " or the sound " nn ". After the baby learns simple consonants, you can proceed to the study of hissing.

Just like with vowels, knowledge needs to be consolidated. Children may confuse letters. To prevent this from happening, play associations. You can ask the children to think of what this letter looks like. Look for objects on the street that resemble this letter. For example, you walked past the horizontal bar, it is shaped like the letter " p ”, or look at the doorway, also resembles “ p ” in shape. Fold it out of pencils, look for it in store signs.

Alphabet Learning Methods

There are several popular methods for teaching children to read and memorize the letters of the alphabet. You can use them, especially since specialists worked on them. But, no matter what method you work with, it is important to remember that your classes should not resemble lessons at school.

Children at this age should play and get the information they need through games. Therefore, after a short training part, immediately proceed to an interesting, gaming one. Creative activities are also very useful, with the help of which you not only study letters, but also develop the child’s fine motor skills, improve his drawing and coloring skills, and strengthen the ability to use scissors.

Games and games

There are many games to help you consolidate your knowledge. We will give a few examples.

1. Find the words with the right sound . You need to prepare cards that show different objects. The child must choose among them those in which there is a studied sound. First, you can simplify the task: ask him to find words that begin with this letter.

2. Catch the sound . To stretch a little, mother and child walk around the room. Mom calls different words. As soon as the child hears a word with the desired sound, he stops and claps his hands.

3. Think of the word . Ask your child to come up with as many words as possible with a certain sound. You can do this in turn, for example, first the mother calls the word, then the baby.

The task needs to be complicated, that is, the sound can be not only at the beginning of the word, ask him to come up with a word in which this sound will be at the end or in the middle. For example, you are learning the sound "a". First, you select words that begin with this letter - apricot, orange, then those that end in "a" - Moscow, jellyfish or contain the sound "a" in the middle - mosaic, eye.

4. Determine where the sound is hidden. You need to draw a simple word scheme: three squares connected to each other. Each square denotes its own: the beginning of the word, the middle and the end. Put this word scheme in front of the child, give him a chip.

You name different words, and he must show on the diagram where the sound that you pass is located. For example, if you called the word "watermelon" (you can show a picture), the child must put the chip in 1 cell, and if the word "fox" - then in the 3rd cell.

5. Ball game . An adult throws a ball to the child and calls different words. If they have a letter being studied, he catches the ball, if not, then he does not catch it. To begin with, you can use words in which this letter is at the beginning, then complicate the task, that is, it can be in the middle or end.

Author's methods of learning the alphabet

There are several recognized methods of teaching reading, each of which can be devoted to a separate article.

Zaitsev's cubes

The basis of Zaitsev's technique is a game, that is, children simply play with cubes (there are 52 cubes of different sizes in the set) and at the same time learn to read without any effort. These games can be started from 6-12 months old, but up to 2 years old they are used like regular blocks, and children after 2 years old can start making words.

Zaitsev's main unit is a warehouse. It can consist of a consonant and a vowel, or a single letter. The basis of this method is the warehouse principle of reading. In addition to cubes, a large warehouse table is also used.

This technique has many advantages, the main of which is that any child can be taught to read. But there are also disadvantages, for example, over time, children will have to be retrained, because they remember that letters are indicated by one color, and the teacher enters his own colors, for example, red is a vowel. In addition, the child is used to the fact that words are divided into warehouses, and not into syllables. Yes, the benefits are very expensive.

Doman's cards

Neurosurgeon Glen Doman developed his technique for children with CNS disorders, but then it was also used to teach healthy kids. He recommends teaching children to read not by letter, but by words, since letters mean nothing to him, and words have real designations.

To do this, whole words are written on the cards in large print (at least 7-10 cm), for example, “mother” or “dad”, which must be quickly shown to the child, voicing each word. With the help of this method, even a small child can be taught to read. Training is necessarily carried out at an early age; after 5 years, the Glenn Doman method no longer works.

Methodology of Olga Soboleva

The principle of this training is based on the “biohemispheric” work of the brain. The teacher tries to use the dominant type of memory, that is, the material is divided into 3 groups: for kinesthetics, visuals and auditory.

Many of its techniques are also used by ordinary teachers when teaching traditional methods to make it more interesting for children to study. Well suited for creative children and parents, it is not recommended for families where logic and structure come first.

Polyakov's method

Its author came up with 7 steps of learning to read, 70 lessons in total. Each lesson is detailed. They are held in the form of a game, take no more than 10 minutes. Stages 1 and 2 are the study of letters, warehouses, reading in warehouses.

Sergei Nikolaevich Polyakov himself, unfortunately, is no longer alive, but his work was continued by his son, as well as teachers who use this method. If you wish, you can purchase books that describe in detail how to conduct classes, as well as video files with examples of classes.

Creative exercises

To reinforce the acquired knowledge, it is useful to conduct creative activities. For example, you can make a beautiful alphabet together. We studied the letter - cut it out of cardboard. It is better to choose a dense material. If it is difficult for the baby, you can help him, and the child will decorate - attach beads, groats, sequins, beautiful fabric, etc. to it.

When you have collected the entire alphabet, you can decorate the children's room with it by connecting the letters into garlands, or hang it on the Christmas tree instead of toys. You can cut out paper blanks for letters, and the child must fold the whole letter from these parts.

Preschoolers love to draw and color. You can buy coloring books with letters, he will color them and remember what kind of letter it is. Or ask him to draw with felt-tip pens on paper, with chalk on a blackboard what you have already studied. But at this age, children should not be taught writing, this should be done by teachers in elementary school. The only thing you can teach your baby is to write in block letters.

If you are baking pies, ask your child to make familiar letters out of the dough. You can sculpt from plasticine or clay, decorate figures with cereals or peas. These activities will not only distract the baby from the TV, but also help develop fine motor skills.

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