Advice for Teaching My 4-Year Old Letters

Leap frog makes a DVD: The letter factory which is really great. It covers all of the letters and their phonics. My 3 year old knew all of them (letter recognition and phonetics) when he was 2 and I didn't work with him much. He would watch the DVD in the car. Repetition is the key. Sesame street also makes DVD's for letters and numbers. I think the videos make it more fun for the kids and then you can work with them on the side more as something fun to do together than as a teacher/student relationship. Look at books and point to a letter and ask them if they know what letter it is. Or ask them to show you a letter "A" for example.

My daughter LOVES to practice her letters at the preschool website: www.starfall.com

She started just a while back, because I needed something to keep her busy while I put her baby brother down for a nap. Now she knows practically ALL of them and their sounds!

Flashcards are also good and so is practice writing. Point out letters all day long and let her practice remembering them.

A good way is to show her some flashcards and to make it fun, get an old baking sheet and some shaving cream and have her trace the letter in the shaving cream and say the letter and sound as she is doing it. That way she is learning her letters, the phonics with the letter and identifying it with the flash card. You can pick up flash cards at the dollar tree for $1 so it is a quick, easy and fun way to learn letters. Just add food coloring to the shaving cream if you would like to make colors and teach those as well. Hope this helps.

Have you ever watched the PBS children's show, "Word World"? My grand daughter loves it. One of the things I have used from the show is a "letter pit". I got a shoe box and filled it with the medium sized plastic letters you can buy in sets. I bought several sets so the box is really full of letters. I started just putting the box in front of her while she watched the show. I also offered it to her frequently or whenever she had a question about a word or letter. Now she asks to play with her letters. I let her manipulate the letters any way she wants and that almost always leads to "how do you spell...?" questions or she will make up a word and line up the letters and ask me how to say it. With my sons (eons ago!) I also cut alphabet letters out of rough sandpaper so they could trace and feel the shapes. We traced letters in sand and shaving cream and made 3-D letters out of play-dough. My middle son was ADHD before there was a name for it and help available. Two of my grandchildren are dyslexic, one has ADD. There is a lot of information out there now, it does take hands-on and trial periods to find out what works for you and your child, and that even changes as the child grows. Anything you can learn and do together is helpful.

About me:
Mother of three, helping one div. son raise four grandchildren ages 17, 15, 13, and 4.

Read, read, read with her! When you read, point out some letters and ask her to name them.

Label things in your house.

Make up games to find objects starting with each letter. Maybe have a "letter of the day (or hour)" and see how many things you & she can find that begin with it.

Have fun and don't make it feel like work to her. She'll learn so much more if she thinks she's just playing.

I'd use books and games to make it fun. My son just decided that he really wants to learn it, and now he's always seeking out ways to practice his letters and numbers. Our favorites are Eric Carle's Alphabet board game (you can get it at Target) and the alphabet book by the guys who wrote TAILS (its a pop-up, touch book --- we'll read the book, then at the back there's a list of all the animals shown so we'll search for both the animal and the letter the animal starts with). My son also enjoys his magnet letters and numbers on our fridge. While I'm cooking, I'll ask him to find different letters and show them to me. Last but not least, we also have Kumon write-and-wipe flash cards (bought at Barnes & Noble). My son (who's 2.5) doesn't have the pencil skills yet to draw the letters, but we trace them with our fingers. Your daughter may be able to actually trace the letter with the dry-erase marker. Good luck!

There have been some wonderful suggestions posted here. My now 5 yr old loved to do pre-school workbooks. Costco and Sam's has great selections, as well as Target. They are also helpful in teaching your pre-schooler how to hold and use a pencil.

I wish you the best, and have fun!

I used books, so it was fun and my son didn't really know I was trying to actually teach. We loved Mrs.Bindergarten's Kindergarten, and we had a bug book that ws alphabet themed.

I too suggest Letter Factory and the DVDs that come later in that series. My daughter was not interested in her letters until we bought that DVD. She learned her letters and letter sounds in no time. One way to reinforce what she learns is to buy a wooden letter puzzle from the store and ask her to have you a certain letter or what letter makes a certain sound.

Music and just visual letters are best. Letter magnets, ABC songs (Twin Sister CD's have some great ones). My daughter really likes my Scrabble game letters but if your not comfortable there is a scrabble junior with big tiles (then she can use the game when she gets a few years older). Really all we do is count when we play. Count blocks, count ducks in the bathtub, count steps to the mail box, etc. There are some great books like MathPlay and Math Art that have number activities. Williamson Books for Little Hands has all kinds of activity books that I'd highly recommend. The other thing is just to count and recognize letters while playing. So you my say D, D, Dog or S, S, Sock. Read to her but don't focus just yet on her looking at the words. Once she knows the story then you can point out words that are repeated often like Red and Hen in Little Red Hen.

Kim's recommendation is perfect. My daughter learned her letter sounds in two weeks with playing that video once a day....it is so fun for them. There is other DVDs to build on after that like Word Factory and so on...it all keeps things connecting and familiar; very good!!!

Leapster and the games Mr. Pencil and Letters on the Loose or Letter Factory.

when teaching your child letters be sure to start with uppercase letters. i'm doing that with my two yr old and he already knows his name and about 10 other words. i assisted in prek for a while and thats how we taught them letters.

We have the Leap Frog DVDs and the Fridge Phonics but the thing that helped my son the most was www.starfall.com . I know you've had posts about it but he started with it a month before he turned 3 and within 3-4 weeks he knew all his letters and sounds and would point them out to me in the store. "Look Mama, f- fffff, a-aaaa, l-llll, l-llll....)Good luck!

LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD

Good morning, Kathryn,
Read daily with your child. There are lots of great children's books with each of the letters of the alphabet that you can share. If you read with her regularly, she will soon begin to recognize letters and the sounds they make.
There are lots of fun counting games and rhymes. Music helps ideas stick in our minds, so learn the alphabet song and some counting songs and sing them with her.
Good luck and have fun together.
B. G. (mother of 8, grandmother of 4)

read to her every night/day for thirty minutes. point out letters/numbers during the reading, while you shopping, walking about... good luck.

Looking over your other responses, I'm just another advocate for Leap Frog's "Letter Factory" and Starfall.com

My son will be 3 soon and he's reciting parts from both sources. It's wonderful to know I'm doing SOMEthing educational for my boy, you know?!

Hi Kathryn. I agree with all the responses. But, as an academic language therapist, I suggest a multi-sensory approach where she's seeing, feeling, and doing. Feel free to contact me so I can elaborate on that. Some children need more exposures and a "different" approach when learning letters, sounds, reading etc. If dyslexia runs in your family, I suggest seeking early intervention. She make great strides this year before starting kindergarten! Just make it fun! My children never knew that I was actually teaching them how to read, it was always relaxed and fun.

Get this movie!!!

The Letter Factory-
http://www.amazon.com/Leap-Frog-Letter-Factory/dp/B0000INU6S

And get the fridge letters by Leap Frog-
http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-Fridge-Phonics-Magnetic-Al...

Then utilize them together! Have the letters in front of her and have her find them and put them in place as they go along through the video!! It is fun and teaches letters at the same time!!!

HTH!

K.
Helping YOU work from home!
http://www.stayinghomeandhavingfun.com

I'm NOT an advocate of TV, but I have to say... "The Letter Factory" by LeapFrog is a PHENOMENAL movie. Both of my boys new their letters and corresponding sounds by age 2 because of this movie. Your daughter will love it!!!

We have a letter puzzle. It worked great.

The Leap Frog videos are great, and fun. They teach letters, and sounds. They have a math one as well. Those and reading to our children worked very well for us.

My son had just turned 2 when he started watching Super Why a couple of times a week(I think it's on PBS), and he learned all of his letters in just a month. We have the leapfrog fridge magnets, but he doesn't play with them much. He just turned 4 last week and doesn't know all of the sounds, so I'm going to try the DVD everyone else is talking about too. Good luck!

lots of good ideas already! We also have foam letters that stick to the bathtub & tile that we play with & name during bathtime. Very inexpensive and fun.

I love the Brainy Baby DVDs and flash cards. The videos are much better and longer than Einstein and you can pop a tape in . .while you are fixing dinner and talk right along with your daughter. The youngest of my girls - loved learning her ABCS when she was 4 - because it helped her catch up with big sister. She took it very seriously and watched it over and over. The flash cards are excellent - and you can use them into 2-3 rd grade with spelling. Some of the libraries have them that you can borrow and see if your daughter likes it. All the other suggestions are great too.. this was a little different.

My son knew all his letters and their sounds at 3 1/2 years old thanks bathtub letters, Leap Frog magnetic letters(the letters fit into a small device that gives the name and sound for each letter), and lots and lots of reading by mommy and daddy. With young children, always make learning fun and related to everyday life. Point out letters and numbers when you are out shopping, look for certain letters or numbers while driving, make a letter or number with her food and ask her to find and identify it, draw letters in chocolate pudding and let her practice making the letters and eating some, too. These are just a few ideas, but I'm sure lots of early childhood teachers out there will post more. Good luck!

Leapfrog Letter Factory DVD is the best.
http://www.amazon.com/Leap-Frog-Letter-Factory/dp/B0000INU6S

Two of my kids learned by watching the Letter Factory for about a week. It is a miracle! I know it has been said here, I just wanted to tell you it will be the best $15 you have ever spent! :)

My 2 year old knew all her letters by 20 months. We did it with the foam bath number and letter combo you can purchase at target. Last Christmas (18 months), she got the fridge letter sound fridge magnet set from Leap Frog. She loves it.

also check out starfall.com
I teach kindergarten and use that to tutor my kids who come not knowing their letters. Leapfrog makes some great toys, too. Fridge Phonics is a favorite.

whatever you use, keep letters large as her eyes will not be fully developed for several years and you don't want to strain them so she will need glasses later on. I have heard of children learning to read in 2nd grade and by the end of the year surpassing their peers (& my son is one of them) so don't sweat it if she doesn't pick it up quickly, you have lots of time. Enjoy the time with her!

Hi Kathryn, just as the other moms have said - read, read, read! And buy letters for the fridge for her to play with. Also flash cards are great. My daughter recognized letters before turning 2 and began reading when she turned 4 because I read to her so much. You can't overdo! Good luck.

Flash cards over and over. Saying them daily, I have a small chaulk board and write them over and over and ask what is this. My 3 yr old in my Day Care is starting to catch on. Repeat and repeat. Also have toys that say them and cd that repeats the rhyms or One Two Buckle my Shoe. I knew a little boy at 18 mos could sing songs and knew his colors and his alphabet and could count to 10. Some kids are interested in learning and others are not but 4 is a bit late to start. I have been doing this for months when the kids were 2. Now I have three yrs olds getting it. I had a 4 yr old that had no interest and these younger kids shined over him. He now is in school. He held it up for the rest with is disinterest. I think he is dyslexic and I told the mom over and over then she lost her job and took over. It is much easier to not have one dragging behind. I now know how teachers see the children. Parents do not have others to compare to but teachers will see those way above others and those lagging behind. So at 4 she is able to control her pencil and not do a lot of scribbling. My one 4 yr old did not know how to stay in the lines til I showed him and kept telling him all the white area needs color and he finally got it. Keep working. It only takes about a half hour a couple times a day for visual and the rest can be repeat verbal. But usually girls catch on easier. Good Luck G. W ( I am not a teacher but becoming one in my Home Day Care and loving it )

Hello,

The Leap Frog Letter Factory is FANTASTIC! Our son is 4 and has been watching this before bedtime for over 2 years (mixed in with other videos of course) and he knows all the letters and their sounds. Its a very fun video that gives each letter a personality and makes it easy for little ones to remember. That and reading books, we have been reading to him since he was a wee one (3 months) and he LOVES his books!

J.

PS- Sorry I just saw all the other responses and guess you are overloaded now!

Refridgerator magnets are always good. Leap Frog sells some toys that are good for identifying letters and then another to later make words.

Leap Frog also has an excellent set of videos-- the Letter Factory I think is the first. My girls really liked them and they learn the letter sounds.

Singing the ABC song is always a simple & free way to learn letters. Look for letters everywhere. When you are driving around see if she can spot letters-- M for McDonalds, T for Target. As she gets ready to form letters, it is fun to put shaving cream on a cookie sheet or shower wall and "write" the letters with your finger in the foam.

Apple Creek Private Preschool is WONDERFUL in Allen and has spaces available! We love Apple Creek!
Good luck & have fun!
A.

LeapFrog Letter Factory DVD. My daughter was 4 & didn't know any of her letters & had absolutely no interest in learning them. A friend suggested this dvd & my daughter & 2 yr old son loved it. I let them & they really wanted to) watch it everyday as they ate their breakfast. They both knew their letters in no time at all. There are others in the series too that my children really enjoyed, but definitely start with the Letter Factory. Hope you find something that helps!

My daughter is a little younger - 2 1/2; however, we just count all of time throughout the day. We count stairs as we climb them, green beans she has on her plate, etc. She can count to 20 so far; so I guess that has worked. As far as letters, we do letter recognition during reading. I ask her if she can find the letter "b" for example. I just make everything into a game. I guess that has worked as she can recognize a few letters. I just try to incorporate learning as a game and she really enjoys it. I also bought some age appropirate flash cards at Costco for numbers and letters. We sometimes do that on a Saturday. I have her set out all of the cards and then I ask her if she can find the letter "A". Then if she does I make a huge deal; we run around the room and dance up and down. She loves it. She doesn't even know that she is learning. It may be different at 4. Good luck!

Please try Zoophonics for letters and Heidi songs for numbers. My son isn't the sit still and learn type but he loves both programs. Both can be purchased from the internet. Zoophonics it not cheap but it works great.

Hope this helps.

Mertees

another vote for letter factory! my daughter knew her letters and sounds by 18 mths! it is amazing!

I also recommend Leap Frog Letter Factory. I taught preschool for 4 years and we used the video at school. Plus Leap Frog has Fridgefonics which are basicly magnetic letters for the fridge, and they have sound as well, and if you get the one that also them to spell 3 letter words, it says sounds and the word. It's awesome.

after seeing the recos for leap frog letter factory, i checked it out on amazon. several reviewers express frustration with the "all caps" and incorrect letter sounds for "l" and for "r." and i was so excited about it too... oh well, just thought i'd share what i found.

instead of the dvd, i guess we'll keep on with the alphabet song and letter games (you've some great suggestions here; we're adopting some of them!). we'll do these things for learning the names of the letters.

as far as reading goes (and learning the letter sounds), we're having a great time with headsprout. my son loved the mouse game (to teach him how to confidently use the computer mouse) and the free trial lessons, so we took the plunge & bought it last week. i'm sold on the idea that he learns the sounds of the letters and how they are most commonly seen, rather than just the names of the letters and their out-of-context sounds. (i.e. it taught him the "ee" sound (and others in later lessons) rather than the more common and less intrinsic: "the letter 'e' sometimes says 'ee' and sometimes says 'eh' and sometimes it is silent.") anyways, i called and got a promo code for mine; i'm not sure if it expires or not: specdisc .
(and as a sidenote, in the discussion thread i first learned of headsprout, they are beaming about a "half-off promotion over the holidays." i have no idea if the company will do that again, though.
since we're on a timeline to prep for fall of 2010 entry to 1st grade, i wanted to go ahead and spring for the headsprout lessons now (with just the 10% off promo code).)

for numbers, we count! count! count! - at home, the grocery store, the park, restaurants, etc.
when we go to central market, the kids take turns helping me type in the produce codes and pushing "print" for the upc sticker. also, we love the sesame street "twelve!" song from when i was little. (youtube is wonderful!!!) and as we count at home, the magnadoodle (or chalkboard or dry-erase board or marker/paper, whatever) is great for writing the targeted numbers.

hth!

Starfall.com is free interactive website that specifically caters to teaching children learning their letters and to read and is better than a lot of things you can purchase. Check it out prior to purchasing anything.

There are also a lot of inexpensive workbooks with DVDs at bookstores for preschool and kindergarten age children to help them learn letters, numbers, colors, shapes, etc.

We used the Leap Frog Videos/DVDs. I was able to purchase them at Wal-Mart and Toys R Us. Our daughter is now 6 y/o and still refers back to the ABC one when learning new words because it helped her to learn the sounds.

There is learning the ABC's, numbers, math, reading, etc. It was great. Good Luck.