ABC...123

I have had a couple of people ask me lately how I am teaching the boys their letters.  At first my answer was to check here...and then somebody ever so kindly pointed out that there are a lot of themes, but not a lot of individual lessons.  Obviously my guys are learning something, so just how do I teach them there ABC's and 123's?  Here are some of the things I use nearly every day to reinforce letters and numbers.  My number one philosophy is that learning should be fun.  So if they are getting frustrated, or not having fun, then we stop whatever we are doing and visit it another day.

Light Table
We love our light table...and I love the fact that all I use as our light table is a clear container with Christmas lights underneath.  We have used many different mediums with our light table; shaving cream, sand, water beads, paint, pretty much anything we have.  We have also used play cars, paint brushes, fingers, and small world characters to play with the various mediums.  In terms of planning activities for the table, I always ask the boys if they want to practice their letters or numbers.  Most times they will say no...until I start practicing their names.  Most of the time they trace what I have done, but I don't mind.  They are still learning.  Even if they just make a bunch of squiggles, they are still learning that needed fine motor control.  The point is to have FUN.  And we do.

Activity Trays

My boys love to learn by digging with their fingers and tracing, which is completely age appropriate.  Something new I have done with them involve dig and finds.  It is almost like the light box, but I can leave it set up for them to come back to, and to pull off the shelf as they please.  For the tray pictured, we were learning about snow and winter, so I did a S and W search and find.  When it comes to finding letters, I have discovered that not putting two that look similar together is much easier.  For instance, b and d on a tray confuses Pierce.  So I will do something like g and m...they don't look alike at all.

READ, READ, READ

Books.  Grocery fliers.  Signs at Parks.  Everything you can read, read.  One of our favorite games we play in the grocery store is name that price:  they have to figure out what numbers are there and how much that item costs.  They also love to figure out what aisle we are in.  The grocery flier is used to reinforce numbers and letters as well; they circle what they want, and then we read the word together.  Same for the price.  In books we point out letters that we are working on in our theme.  At the playgrounds we will do a search and find of letters in the signs.  (How many "o's" are there?"  I do not think I could stress the importance of reading enough.

Rainbow Writing
I never knew this had a technical term until somebody had said it to me about a week back.  Apparently I do rainbow writing with my boys...on our chalk board every morning I put a new letter for them to practice tracing with many different colors.  They love it; and then they even sometimes start tracing the word that starts with that letter.  I have also found that it is a great way to center them in the morning too.

Arts and Crafts 

I will not call them worksheets.  I detest worksheets, and detest using them.  However, every now and then the boys look for them.  I have made them a blue binder where there are various sheets in there for whatever the theme is we are working on.  It could be something as simple as following a line from an inuit to an igloo, or something they can take out and color.  We have also created letters out of glue and glued on various items to create the letters.  It is something fun, and they have to use multiple senses to make things.  

He had made this for his buddy at the gym.  I dotted out the letters, he connected the dots.  

Making a P out of cotton balls

Immersion

I think this is the right term to use...I think.  I have decorated our home with many different types of posters that reinforce what we are learning.  I have puzzles scattered through the house the emphasize letters, numbers, spatial orientation, etc.  Yes, our house may perpetually look like a preschool, but it is totally worth it.  The key is to rotate and change what is on the walls and what is available.  Rotation will avoid the blending in effect we all get; I mean how many times do you really look at the family picture on the wall and REALLY notice it hanging there?  

TV Shows and Computer Games

I know this is a hot topic, and I may get some opinions on this.  However, I personally see nothing wrong with my children watching TV for 30 minutes a day, or playing a computer game for 30 minutes a day.  Some days they have the time, other days it is so nice out, they never see the inside of the house.  There is some fabulous programming available to toddlers and preschoolers.  Some of our favorite shows are Super Why and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  They also love to play www.sesamestreet.org and www.pbskids.org as well.  For my guys, we had tried www.ABCmouse.com, but they never really liked it.  

No matter what you choose to do, have fun with it.  By no means am I a perfect mom, and my children are not perfect themselves.  Be with them.  Learn with them.  Be excited yourself, and your children will catch on to your enthusiasm.  Have them see you reading your favorite magazine or book.  My goal every morning is to have just one thing stick that I introduce to them that day.  That is it.  Just one.  Some children just naturally love to learn.  Other children it may take more convincing.  However, it can be done.  It is just a matter of figuring out how your kiddo learns.  :)