Fun Ways to Teach the ABCs
As a parent or other caretaker of a young child you know how important it is to teach your child their ABCs. Since recognizing the alphabet is the first step toward reading this becomes an important milestone in a child's development. It is important to keep in mind however that it can be really fun to teach your child their ABCs and allows parents and other adult caregivers to interact with the child in a whole new way. So here are some fun ways to teach the ABCs-
- Make your own alphabet book-A great project to do is to make your own alphabet book with your kids. You can purchase a blank paper book at most craft stores or you can make one with construction paper and a three-hole punch. You can then help your child make a page with each letter. The first step is to have him write the letter or find the letter in an old magazine and cut it out. Then you can cut out pictures from an old coloring book or magazine that has words that start with the letter on the page. This also makes a wonderful keepsake as the years go by since it will give you a window on the world that your child saw at a young age.
- Teach the alphabet in the car-You can play the ABC game whenever you drive somewhere. This is both an easy and fun way to teach your child the alphabet. Start by having your child find the letter A on billboards, or license plates, or signs. Start with the letter A and then look for letter b, c, etc. Once you go all the way through the alphabet you can play again.
- Sing the Alphabet Song-Children love to sing and what better song to include in some singing time than the Alphabet Song. While there is always the traditional version several new versions of children's music have the alphabet set to other tunes. You search online for music that can give you a fresh approach on teaching the alphabet.
- Play the Alphabet Memory Game-This is a easy game to do since you can purchase flashcards of the alphabet or make your own with card stock paper or construction paper. While you can use the memory game to teach the alphabet you can also have your child match the capital letter A to the lowercase letter a. Or you can start with letters that are all lowercase or all capital. Be sure that each time your child matches the letters you have him tell you what letter it is.
- Make Alphabet Cookies, pancakes etc... Cooking with your child is not only a fun way to spend time together but also a way to teach through having fun. Cooking can be a great bonding experience where you can use the time to teach ABCs. There are many cookie cutter sets that have all the letters of the alphabet. Simply mix a batch of sugar cookie dough (or buy it pre-made at the store) and have some fun cutting out letters. After the cookies are baked set out a couple different colors of frosting, sprinkles and other decorations and get to work! You can also do the same thing with a large batch of pancake batter. Keep in mind though that this only works with metal cookie cutters. Simply set the letters in the pan fill with batter and when they are ready to turn pull the cookie cutter off and flip the pancake. If Saturday morning pancakes are a tradition at your house then choose a few letters to feature every weekend.