One of my favorite gifts from a student is a letter name bracelet. Although stringing beads is definitely a craft for older kids who have outgrown the tendency to put everything in the mouth, it should be done with careful adult supervision just in case. Pick up some beads at a craft store and start stringing. Children can make their name or someone else’s or a special wish or word.  An entire alphabet might make a whole necklace. Seeing, sorting and hunting for letters all contribute to letter knowledge. Saying them while looking at or for them links names and shapes. Putting beads together in a meaningful way, contributes to the skills of using and manipulating letters. So much learning in such a simple package-beads!

Stickers are another great fun project for practicing the alphabet and inexpensive, too. To add an extra layer or two of learning, point to the letters and say their names. Or have your child say the names. Randomly pick a letter for your little one to find. Notice which letters look very different, and which the same. … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Learning That Sticks →

Children do not all have the same learning style, nor the same interests. Some children are keen to figure out the alphabet, copy and print letters and learn to write their name. Others are not at all interested to the point where they declare paper and pencil activities their “arch enemies” (direct quote). But all … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Alphabet Eats →

Small muscle coordination is very much at the development stage for young children. Some inexpen- sive chalk and one sidewalk have lots of room for using b-i-g muscles to write out the alphabet. On hot days, an old, large paint brush and a pail of water work for painting the alphabet and for cooling off.  I wonder if … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Chalk it Up →

I am almost reluctant to remind families about using magnetic letters as a tool to help children learn the alphabet. Even though it has been years and years, I remember one pre-supper ‘arsenic hour’, when I gave my daughter a few letters to amuse her while I worked in the kitchen. Somehow, one of the letters got caught … Continue reading Kindergarten Readiness – Fridges and Alphabets →