Ten Creative Ways To Teach Your Child The Alphabet

By Author: Patty Hone
Total Articles: 3
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1. Make an Alphabet Book
Make your own alphabet book with your kids. You can purchase a blank paper book at an educational supply store or you can make one with construction paper and a three-hole punch. Help your child make a page with each letter. You can have him write the letter or find the letter in an old magazine and cut it out. Cut out pictures from an old coloring book or magazine that has words that start with the letter on the page.

2. Play the ABC game whenever you drive somewhere
This is an easy and fun way to teach your child the alphabet. Whenever you drive anywhere play the ABC game. Have 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 finish the alphabet you can play again.

3. Sing the Alphabet Song
Children love to sing and what better song to sing than the Alphabet Song. Start your day off with a song or two and be sure to include the ABC song.

4. Play the Alphabet Memory Game
You can purchase flashcards of the alphabet or make your own with card stock paper or ...
... construction paper. 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. Each time your child matches the letters have him tell you what letter it is.

5. Make Alphabet Cookies
What child doesn't love cookies? Get alphabet cookie cutters or use frosting to write the letter on each cookie. Have your child tell you which letter he wants to eat!

6. Make an Alphabet Photo collage
Purchase disposable cameras for your child. Take a trip outside, to the park, zoo, or wherever. Spend your time looking for pictures of words that start with the letter A or B, or whichever letter you choose. When you get the photos developed let your child cut them out and glue them onto a collage. Have your child write or trace the letter for your photo collage onto construction paper and glue the photos around. Children love taking pictures and this is a lot of fun.

7. Another Alphabet Game
We have probably all played this game before. Its fun for kids and can be fun for adults too. If your child is young you can just play a simple game. Start with the letter A. A is for apple, B is for banana, C is for cat, and continue on with all the letters. If your child is older you can play the game with a theme. For example, play lets do the alphabet game with fruit or animals. This way they are learning to sort animals or fruits and also practicing their alphabet.

8. Play Alphabet Bingo
Make your own Bingo cards with construction paper. Write the letters of the alphabet on it. You can make this simple by making your Bingo cards more like a Tic-Tac-Toe game or you can make them like a traditional Bingo card. Call out the letters and have your child mark them or put a Bingo chip on the letter. When your child wins they can yell out Bingo! Purchase little prizes from the dollar store to make this even more fun.

9. Make an Alphabet finger painting
Use poster board or construction paper and make a finger painting with different letters. Have your child paint the capital letter and lowercase letter. Let him decorate it with whatever colors he likes.

10. Play the Alphabet Hide Away Game
Fill a bag with different objects that start with different letter sounds. For example, you could fill it with a car, a book, a pencil, etc. Show the child all the items in the bag. Then put all the items back in the bag. Have them find the items by touching them only. Say can you find something that starts with the letter B? Say what sound does the b make? Then see if they can find the book in your bag just by touching. This game is not only good for learning letters and sounds but also helps them with using their senses and tactile skills.

About the Author Patty Hone is a wife and homeschooling mom to four kids. She is also the co-owner of Justmommies.com. Please visit Justmommies homeschooling message board at http://www.justmommies.com/boards/index.php?showforum=15