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Part of a preschooler’s reading development is understanding the relationship between the letters, the sounds they make, and the connection they have to spoken and written language. Therefore, young children need to be able to quickly and easily make the correct sound with the corresponding letter in order to begin reading and building fluency. Here are a few fun ways to practice letters and sounds at home with your preschooler.
Letter Sound Swat
Write out several letters on Post-it notes. Grab a fly swatter (or use your hand). Mom or Dad can call out letter names or letter sounds, and then have their preschooler run over and swat the letter. A variation is to put the letters on the floor and have the child stomp on the letter instead of swatting.
Playdough Mats
You can download and print free alphabet playdough mats. These are great because they encourage learning letters using sensory, tactile, and fine motor skills. Laminating the sheets or putting them in sheet protectors would allow them to be used over and over. Letting your preschooler work with the letter four different ways in one activity, will help them remember that letter better.
Flashlight Hunt
Write letters on Post-its or notecards (with tape) and place them all over a room. Turn out the lights and have your child shine a flashlight around until they come across a card. Have them say the sound and then continue with the game. You can mix it up by saying a letter sound and having them shine the light on the correct letter.
Muffin Tin Letters
Cut index cards into squares small enough to fit inside a muffin tin, write a letter on each card, and then put one piece in each section of the muffin tin. Place the tin on a table or on the floor and have your preschooler try to throw in a penny or marble or other small object into the tin. If a coin (or other object) lands in the tin, they need to say the letter and the sound it makes. If they say the correct letter or word, they get a point. Set a timer and see how many points they can earn in one or two minutes. Or have them play until they earn a certain number of points.
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Want to learn more about Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Flower Mound located in Flower Mound, Texas? Our mission is to provide secure, nurturing, and educational environments for children ages 6 weeks – 12 years. We help children to bloom into responsible, considerate, and contributing members of society. For more information, give us a call or stop by for a tour! We’d love to get to know you and your family.