Monday, February 8, 2016

LETTER RECOGNITION

Here are some "hands-on" activities for learning letters.  They can easily be extended by asking children to write letters.  

Letter Looker
Loop around a pipe cleaner to make a “letter looker.” Children can identify letters in the classroom and in books with their lookers.

                                         
Letter Hunt
Place magnetic letters in a sand table or a box of Styrofoam packing. Children reach in, find a letter, and name the letter. Can they write the letter on a clipboard?

Letter Pops
Glue magnetic letters to jumbo craft sticks. Have children choose a letter and then walk around the room and match it up with classroom print.
*Make upper and lowercase letters for them to match.

Letter Man
Letter Man wants to help children learn letters. He’s made from a small swing trash can available at the Dollar Tree. Decorate with googly eyes, pompoms and felt scraps. Children can feed Letter Man letters that they know, letters in their name, make words and feed him, letters in alphabetical order, and so forth.

                                           
Letter Puzzles
Write upper and lowercase letters on opposite sides of a paper plate. Cut puzzle designs between the letters. Children will know if they’ve matched upper and lowercase letters correctly because there will be a perfect fit.

Sign Language Center
Sign language is multi-sensory and a perfect vehicle for learning letters and sounds. Go to aslpro.com to download the manual signs for letters and glue them to a pocket folder. Write letters on index cards and insert in the pocket. Children choose a card, match up the letter on the chart, and then try to make the letter sign with their fingers.
*You can also write words on index cards and children can finger spell them.