Mom to Mom

[AmyF]

Leap Frog makes a DVD called Letter Factory. This video is the best I've seen (I am a teacher). In fact, my school district purchased it for every preschooler in our district. Both of my own kids learned their letters this way. I would put it on when we were in the van and they had no choice but to watch it. It is highly entertaining and kids do not know they're learning when they watch it.

Another idea is to get foam letters for your bathtub and just talk about them. Do not put all 26 letters in the tub at once. Start with the letters in his name and move on to letters in other words he may know (names of siblings, friends, pets, etc).

Good luck!

[a pink lemon]

I so agree with holding them back a year and let them start K. at age 6.  What's one year in a lifetime.  So much more is expected of children now days then when I taught school in the 60's-70's.

[CAMOGIRL]

How about those magnetic letters you stick on the refrigerator?

One of my grandsons loved those things! 

In no time he was showing his Mommy that he knew the alphabet!  I broke the letters down into like groups of five and just kept adding five more when he got the first five down,etc. then, we moved on to what letter his name started with and then what letter worked for every other family name in their household. Then, we worked on spelling out his name. And, then like cat, dog, etc. 

[Havarti]

You have been given so many wonderful ideas. Here is one more…and once you get into it, you might have as much fun as your son. Try a day that is total immersion in one letter.

Get or make a set of alphabet flashcards (showing both capital & lowercase letter). Give him 3 to 5 cards, including the letter of that day. Don't go in alphabetical order, start with letters that will eventually spell his name, then names of family, friends, pets, and favorite things. As he learns a few letters he can see that those letters can become important words he can spell and read. This is the key to all of the information in the whole world. Learning to spell and read is a major gift you are giving him…celebrate the joy of it and have fun!

Forget about looking good or eating a nutritious meal…just have fun and focus on that letter. For example…take the letter B: Everyone will dress in as many things that begin with “B” as possible….brown, black, blue, bandanas, bonnets, a feather boa, a blouse with buttons, boots. For breakfast you might have bacon, berries, bread & butter. For lunch serve beef broth with baloney on a bun or burritos with baked beans in a bowl and have Butterfingers for dessert. For dinner have some beef, a bowl of beans and/or broccoli and for dessert try a basket of brownies. During the day go out and about and look for birds, butterflies, bugs, bees, bunnies, boxers, beagles, blondes, bottles, buses, boxes, bikes, bats & balls. Blow a bottle of bubbles, bounce up & down, and bend over backwards. Take him out to buy a big balloon. Take that balloon home and bat the balloon around. Bounce a ball. Blow a horn. At night, have him take a bubble bath and float a boat in the tub, tuck him in bed with a bear and read him a book. Every time during the day you come across a “B” word he needs to find the “B” flashcard and say the letter name “B (like BEE)” and the letter’s sound (like Ba). Every time he gets it right you cheer , clap, do a happy dance – exude joy at his brilliance and great success. If he gets it wrong ask him to think about it and try again rather than saying “No” or “you are wrong”. The day should be all about “B’ and should be fun and happy. The more senses you involve in learning the greater the impression on the brain/memory.

For “C” day stick to things with a hard “C” sound like cat or carrots – not cereal or celery and not consonant digraphs like “ch” as on chocolate or chimpanzee. Exceptions can be learned later after mastery of the basic alphabet. You could wear a coat, collars, caps, a cape. Eat cantaloupe, carrots, crackers, cashews, coconut, corn, candy, cup cakes, cookies, casserole, crab, and custard. Go out and bout and/or look in books & magazines for collies, cows, canaries, cats, caterpillars, clocks, candles, cars, convertibles, etc.. Sit on the couch, pull up the covers on the bed, fluff the comforter, etc. Maybe you drive a Camry – point that out. If you see someone with a nametag that says Cathy or Connie, etc. point that out, too. A trip to a store (a pet store, a furniture store, a toy store, a department store, a grocery store – change it up over the various letters and you might be able to get some actual shopping done at the same time) might allow him to see many things. As you plan ahead to cover a specific letter you might be able to pick up inexpensive items at the dollar store that add to the experience. We always put odd clothing/props (lei, feather boa, cape, etc into a big chest and used it for dress-up items to get extra value from the purchase). You get the idea.

Get the whole family involved in Alpha-Immersion. Plan the day in advance and announce that Friday will be “B” day – everyone think of all the “B” things you can think of to do, to eat, to see, etc. (have them write in down and give it to you in advance if they can). Everyone will have fun with it because it is a special day that is totally out of the ordinary, it is goofy, unexpected and something everyone can participate in to make it better. It is a fun memory that will last for everyone.