One of the first steps to reading is building letter recognition and knowledge of letter sounds. There are many ways to teach letter sounds and knowledge. One easy way is to just point out how print and words are all around us in our environment. You can show your child street signs and say the letters on them or look at labels in the grocery store.
Of course, books are also a great tool for introducing the alphabet. When reading and looking at books with your child, talk about the letters and their sounds. Pause and sound out short words while reading. Move your finger along the words in a story, so your child can associate the words on the page with the sounds you are making. Learning the names of letters and their sounds at the same time is beneficial to children so they can make those connections right away.
Continue to make learning the alphabet fun with these activities:
Scavenger hunt for letters
- Use letter magnets or toys if you have them or write the letters on paper/sticky notes. Hide a few of them around the house (or all 26 if you’re ambitious!) and let your child find them. When a letter is found, ask your child to tell you the letter and the sound it makes.
- Expand on this once your child knows letter names and sounds by asking your child for a word that starts with that letter.
- Take it a step further and make words with the letters that are hidden. For example, hide C, A, and T. When your child finds them all, put them in order and help your child sound out the letters to make the word CAT.
Letter Hopscotch
- Make a hopscotch board and put letters in each box. Have your child say the letter and its sound. Ask your child to hop to a certain letter.
- This can be used in many different games, like when creating an obstacle course, hopping onto stones, etc. Incorporate letters and then words into fun, active games.
Letter Swat
- Tape up paper on the wall (the brown paper inside Amazon packages works great!). Write the letters of the alphabet randomly on the paper, making sure to space out letters.
- Give your child a toy pointer, stick, flashlight, whatever you have on hand.
- Say a letter out loud and have your child point, swat, shine a light, etc at the letter.
- Make it harder by saying the sound of the letter instead of the letter name. You could also say a word and ask your child to point to the letters in that word. Make sure to sound it out slowly so your child can hear the different sounds clearly.
Resources using your library card
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Teachables
- This free database offers worksheets and activities for Pre-K through 6th grade. There are lots of worksheets and ideas for teaching and practicing letters.
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ABC Mouse
- Another site with free access using your library card. This site offers several games and lessons – including reading and letter games.
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Teaching Books
- Newly available to all of Kentucky through libraries, this database has many resources for a variety of ages. Check out the early childhood page for early literacy resources.
- Read Alphabet Books
For more early literacy information, check out KCPL’s Early Literacy page.
Happy reading!
Written by Lisa Clark, Youth Collection Librarian
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