ALPHABET SOUP
 
     
Materials Purpose Process
 
 
 
 
 
MATERIALS
 
 
  • Cardboard cut outs, plastic letters, or magnetic letters of the alphabet. Letters of the alphabet can be bought in cardboard, plastic, or magnetic in most retail stores for a minimum cost.
  • You should have a set of letters for yourself.
  • Pictures of animals, people, vehicles.
 
 
 
PURPOSE
 
     
Using the letters of the alphabet to play the Alphabet Soup game will help the child to discriminate the shapes of the different letters of the alphabet. It is wise to use either lower or upper case but not a mixture of the two. This game is designed simply to become aware of the differences and sameness among the letters of the alphabet. If the child learns the names of the letters it is simply an added bonus.
 
 
     
PROCESS
 
1. Have the child sit beside you or on your lap with the letters of the alphabet spread out in front of you on the table. The letters should be facing you and the child.

2. From your pile select a letter and let the child see it and hold it. Bring the child's attention to anything that looks interesting, e.g., the letter "S" or "T".

3. Ask the child to find the same letter in his/her pile. The child may hold the letter for the first few times playing the game, however, she/he should be encouraged to remember the shape.

4. Repeat with other letters.

5. As the child gets them right put them to one side.

6. Have a Friend or Animal Day. The child selects a friend or animal and the beginning letter of the friend's name or the animal is put on display.

7. The child can recognize the letters for the beginning of the parents, brothers, and sisters' names.

8. Get some pictures, e.g., dog, bird, truck, and have the child pick the letter that goes with the picture.
 
 
 
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Children will have difficulty with "b" and "d" in lower case simply because they look alike. Have your child put his or her hands out in front of him/her, make a fist then let the thumb come up. Turn the hands inward. The left hand forms the letter "b" and the right hand forms the letter "d".