Look for Letters Everywhere
Letter knowledge is a precursor to reading.
Young children will be learning to recognize shapes, while older children will begin to identify letters.
Children need to recognize:
- that letters are different from each other
- that even the same letter can look different (upper and lowercase)
- that letters are made up of shapes
- that each letter has a name and that it represents specific sounds.
Peacock loves letters so much, he brings them wherever he goes!
Peacock is making "alphabet soup" with all of these letters!
Activity Time!
- Look at the picture of the peacock and help your child find the letters. Help your older child identify the letters and think of words that begin with each letter.
- Cut sandpaper letters to use for rubbings. Put printer paper on top of the letters and rub over it with the long side of a crayon.
- Choose a “letter of the day.” Listen for words that begin with that sound, and clap your hands when you hear the sound. Children are more likely to remember the letter if you use letters based on them (their name) or subjects they like (D for dinosaurs.)
- Point out shapes you see in the environment. What shape is the sign? What shape is an orange?
- Make a letter collage; cut out a large letter from cardboard or tagboard. Younger children can glue anything onto the letter. Older children can look for pictures of words that start with the letter sound.
- Use words that all begin with the same letter sound (alliteration) like: the baby bounced bravely by. Talk about the letter sound.
- Make “alphabet soup” by gluing letters on to paper.
- Make letter shapes and letters out of clay, in shaving cream, or in fingerpaint.
More 6 by 6 Skills
more skills
Look for Letters Everywhere
Learning shapes, and then later, letters, helps children learn that words are made up of letters that mean different sounds.
Notice Print All Around You
Pointing out words in books, on signs, and all around helps children know that all of those squiggly shapes have meaning.
Take Time to Rhyme
Hearing rhymes and wordplay helps children understand that words are made up of smaller parts — like endings that can sound like each other!
Talk, Talk, Talk
Use lots of language with young children, even when they don’t understand. The more words children hear the larger their vocabulary will be.
Tell Stories About Everything
Hearing lots of stories (and helping to tell them!) gives children an idea of how stories go — beginning, middle, end.
Have Fun with Books
Books can be fun at any age, and young children who enjoy books and see their adults enjoying books will be enthusiastic to learn to read.
6 by 6 - Look for Letters Everywhere
Alphabet knowledge pre-K is a predictor of high school reading abilities! Get children ready by playing with shapes and letters.
Miss Michelle's Storytime Look for Letters
Books we read that encourage the skill Look for Letters Everywhere
My Favorite Books to Read with Babies
Reading with babies builds big brains and forms life-long bonds. Here's a list of my favorite books to read with babies.
Picture books about 🌈colors🌈
Picture books about colors.
