Teaching the alphabet is incredibly fun for me because there are TONS of games and activities we can use to make it fun. I love it when a child is playing and doesn’t even realize they are learning!
Now, before I get too far into this post we should clarify something first. There are opinions, as well as, many different types of research and educational theories out discussing the appropriate age for formal education; such as the introduction of letters, letter sounds, numbers, reading, etc. There are also many different methods of learning in the world; some examples would be the Montessori Method, Charlotte Mason, Waldorf, Reggio, Mainstreaming, Unschooling, Worldschooling and many more.
This is not a post convincing you to teach your toddler the alphabet. I am simply sharing fun educational resources that have been helpful for my students and my children. My personal teaching style is eclectic. I do not believe there is a one size fits all approach to education. There are great concepts from each of the methods mentioned above that I include in my approach to education. It is also imperative to mention that all children are different. They learn in their own way and in their own time. My eldest daughter happened to catch on to learning letters and their sounds very early. I follow her lead each day. I examine her interests and create activities to match her interests and abilities.
With that being said, below is my first YouTube video explaining six helpful ways to teach your child (regardless of age) the alphabet. Please share the fun activities you have done with your children or students too, in the comments below. I always enjoy learning what others do! Think about all of the wonderful activities we could create just by sharing with one another. Let’s encourage each other!
Easy Everyday Activities to Learn the Alphabet
Everyday Alphabet Activity #1: Music! Music is such an important tool when teaching just about anything. Music makes learning fun and creates an engaging way for us to easily learn the material. The traditional alphabet song may come to mind when teaching your little one the alphabet. You know, the one that pretty much everyone learns as a child? Did you know there are many more songs you could use to teach your child letter names and sounds? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Mother Goose Club: Alphabet Train
- Mother Goose Club: Alphabet Song
- Have Fun Teaching: Alphabet Song
- ABC Mouse Sing the Alphabet
- Rock Out & Learn the Alphabet with Jack Hartmann
- Abc Phonics Song by the Learning Station
Everyday Alphabet Activity #2: Read Books! Reading EVERY DAY is essential to your child’s success in learning the alphabet and in helping them become good readers. To learn more about why this is so important, for research supporting this claim, and for more resources click here. Below are links to just a few of my favorite ABC Books:
Everyday Alphabet Activity #3: Games! Who doesn’t love to play games!? Creating games for your little ones to play will encourage them to learn without even knowing it! When teaching the alphabet I love to incorporate Letter Hunts. This is a hide-in-seek and matching game all in one. Write down letters on sticky-notes, paper cutouts, or even scrap pieces of paper and hide them around your house or classroom. Have your child “hunt” for the letters. When they find a letter, have them bring it back to you, and then have meaningful discussions about the letters they find. Have them recite the letter names to you, match them to a picture, or talk about the sound(s) the letter makes; there are so many ways to adjust this activity to meet the needs of your child. For more details on this activity please refer to the YouTube video above. If your child is a little more advanced, check out this video for ideas on how to change it up some.
Everyday Alphabet Activity #4: The Letter Factory I absolutely LOVE Leap Frog’s Letter Factory DVD. This movie teaches the alphabet in a creative and gentle way. I have yet to meet a child that has not fallen in love with this movie and the alphabet song it teaches. I used this DVD in my classroom and with my daughter and I will continue to encourage parents and teachers to utilize this resource. Below I am linking the DVD as well as an educational toy that teaches the letters and letter sounds. TIP: You can often find this DVD in local thrift stores or consignment shops. Or you may even be able to rent it from your local library!
Everyday Alphabet Activity #5: Play Together with Toys! Your child wants to play with you! He/she wants your undivided attention so while you are “playing” with them you can also be intentionally teaching them their letters at the same time. There are lots of educational toys out there that can help you create conversations during playtime. Here are a few that I personally use with my daughters:
- Styrofoam Alphabet Blocks in the bathtub!
- Alphabet Stacking Tower
- Magnetic Alphabet Letters
- Alphabet Floor Puzzle Mat
Everyday Activity #6: Talk, Talk Talk! I can’t encourage you enough to create meaningful conversations with your child each day. The most important thing you can do for your child is to let them know how much you love and care for them. One way to do this is to just talk with them. Letters and numbers are all around us! So talk to your child about the letters and words you see. Notice the Stop sign when you are walking down the street. Discuss the letters within their own name. Point out words that have the same beginning letter as their first name.
Children observe WAY more than what we give them credit for. Remember, their brains are like little sponges and they are constantly soaking everything in. Make learning the alphabet fun. It isn’t about drilling flashcards. It isn’t about memorization. It is all about encouraging your child to become a life long learner and to love learning.
*Disclosure: Links provided in this article are of products I have personally used in my home or early childhood classroom. I believe they are beneficial items that will assist you in educating your children. These links are special Amazon affiliate links. If/when someone purchases an item using the links provided it will send a small commission to help us further produce quality content for our readers.
