At-Home Preschool: Simple Ways to Teach Your Toddler the Letter “A”

by Jamie Moesser on January 4th, 2015 | No Comments »

Say you have a 2 or 3 year-old who seems like he or she is interested in learning about letters. You want to encourage that, but you're not financially or emotionally ready for them to be in preschool, or they're not of age or not socially ready to be in a preschool environment. Maybe you even want to engage with them to help them learn, as opposed to letting a toy or a workbook do it for you.

If you want simple ways to teach your toddler the alphabet, start with this easy, fun activity aimed at teaching them the the letter "A" and its sound. The more ways you can not only show the letter, but present it in a way that they can touch it, feel its shape, and have fun, the better.

Activities to Help Your Toddler Learn the Letter "A"

Supplies

a red or green adult-size t-shirt
an apple
black felt
scissors

Directions

1.) Show your child the letter.

You can print a large capital "A" on a piece of paper, or show them one from the Amazing Action Alphabet flipchart book, which I highly recommend. Show your child the apple. Say "A is for apple." Let them eat the apple if they want.

2.) Help your child "become" the apple.

Draw an outline of a block letter "A" on a piece of 8 1/2 x 11 black or brown felt, using a ruler and a felt-tip pen. The apex of the "A" is the mid-point of the landscape-oriented long side. Cut it out.

Attach it using safety pins or glue dots to the front of the shirt. Put the t-shirt on your child. Stuff a couch pillow up the front, adding clothes or batting if needed until you have the desired "round" effect. Cinch the shirt closed with a belt at the waist (if desired).

Do an apple dance, maybe using this song about apples, sung to the tune of "Five Little Monkeys."

3.) Add-on activity.

If you want to take it a step further, do a simple order story about eating an apple by drawing or printing out four clipart or googled images of an apple tree, someone picking an apple, someone cutting up or peeling an apple, and someone eating an apple. Help your child put the pictures in order. This teaches not only the letter, but pre-math sequencing skills as well.