When our son was about two years old, my husband and I made a very tough decision. That decision was to homeschool him and any other children we may have. I did not take this decision lightly and started researching and planning immediately. By this time, my son could already recognize letters, but I knew there was still work to be done with learning letters.
I created a curriculum that I would change weekly. It would include specific things to do each day, as well as activities specified for each day of the week. It worked well and it sank in rather quickly. We often found ourselves learning more than one letter a week. My daughter has a much different learning style and with her speech problems, it took her longer to learn the letters. I made the curriculum work for her as well.
Over the years, I have found some must-have items for teaching letters; most- if not all, are very hands-on.
1. Magnetic letters are a must-have. Not only can you use them right in the kitchen, but they grow with your child and can be used for alphabetizing and spelling. Also, being shaped like letters makes it easier for tactile learners to grasp the shape of each letter.
2. Sheet protectors and dry-erase markers make tracing letters a breeze. Write it (or print) it once, and your son or daughter can trace it to their heart’s content. Later on, this same tactic can be used for vocabulary, math, and so much more.
3. Bulletin board letters can be used for many different purposes. I created lacing cards out of them and even use them for flashcards. One of our most fun activities is to spread all the letters on the floor, and she gets me the letter I tell her.
4. Magnetic drawing boards have been our favorite thing for learning. These toys have so many purposes; we use them like a blackboard, magic tracing (lay a paper over it, trace, move paper, and see what you made), and more. Because they are toys, that adds even more of an element of fun into learning. Plus, they are made for kids, so the wand is also more comfortable for kids to hold than a pencil.
5. Alphabet beads are great for learning the order of the letters. Each week, when we switch letters, we just leave the previous letters on the string. They help the kids relate to the order in a fun way.
Naturally, many of the same “school supplies” for older kids are a must and will get your little one excited about school. Grab some pencils, glue, paper, scissors, and crayons. Present your child with these items and explain that they have a class like big kids. I’m always amazed at how this will get a little kid excited.
One of the first things I bought for my son was an alphabet classroom border. I cut them apart and used each letter one at a time. When we finished each letter, I hung them in his room. This is an excellent way for the kids to be reminded each day of the letters, even during playtime. Plus, it is a simple way for them to relate the upper-case and lower-case letters.
With these simple tools, creating learning time and a learning environment is much simpler than it seems. However, the tools do not provide it all. Over the past 10 years of teaching my children and helping family and friends teach their kids the alphabet, I have learned some other things that help little ones learn.
Put yourself in their shoes- yes, this may seem so simple to adults, but to toddlers, the alphabet is the hardest thing they have ever tried to learn.
Make it routine- even if it is three times a week, keep a schedule. Learning a routine is also an important thing the kids are learning during this time.
Find a trigger that says “school time.” This could be a notebook, a hat, background music, or even sitting in a particular area. When you work this into the routine, the child knows it is time to learn, not play, sleep, or eat. They also know that during this time, mom is their teacher.
Point out what the child is learning away from home. Standing in the grocery store queue, on road signs, and even on billboards stuck in traffic, pointing out the letters can help your child relate to what they are learning.
Of course, this is not an all-inclusive guide, but hopefully, these tips and tricks can help you get started and even give you some confidence when starting your child on the journey to learning the alphabet.
