LETTER KNOWLEDGE: To read written words, children must understand that they are made up of individual letters and that each letter has its own name and sound.
What can parents do to help children learn about letters?
Learning to tell one letter from another involves being able to see differences in letter shapes. Helping your child learn about different shapes and understand how things are alike and different will help prepare them to learn the alphabet.
· For babies and toddlers, hang mobiles with different shapes in your baby’s crib. Share books that feature geometric shapes like White on Black and Black on White by Tana Hoban. Babies also like to look at human faces.
· Point out the shapes of toys: “This ball is round. (Help your baby or toddler feel the rounded shape.) This block has corners.”
· Use simple puzzles to help children see different shapes. Read alphabet books and sing alphabet songs to introduce children to letters.
· As your child gets older, continue to point out shapes of many objects. Talk about how things are alike and different. Use simple puzzles to help children see different shapes.
· Read alphabet books and sing alphabet songs to introduce children to letters. Play with magnetic letters or make letters from play dough.
· Talk about the letters that are most interesting to your child – like the first letter of his or her name. If your child’s name begins with “T,” help your child find the letter T on signs, food boxes, mail and other objects. When you find a word that begins with the letter T, say the word and have your child repeat. Ask what else begins with T.
· Repeat this activity using the beginning letters of other things your child likes.
· Let your child see his name written; let him write letters using thick crayons or pencils.
You will find a wide variety of great books to help you help your child learn about letters at your public library!
