Ack - Letters

Iveyrock · 02-29-2008, 09:43 AM

My three year old woke up this morning obssessed with letters. He's been "spelling" words with his magic wand (ruler). So far I've been really relaxed about teaching letters. He knows his name, and the first letters of family names.
He's the kind of kid that won't learn anything until he's ready - I could talk to him forever, and get nowhere, and then one day he'll just do it. So it looks like we are starting on letters - and now I am overwhelmed and don't know how to steer it

. I know that if I just sit him down and show him all the letters, he'll loose interest. Any ideas? What to do?

Grover · 02-29-2008, 02:10 PM

Ive been reading ooh so much about how kids learn,this week I found John Holt at the library-great read - but he is very much for letting the child tell you what they want to learn.
Ithink my sons knowledge of letters is patchy so we tried several websites/ideas.We tried letter of the week dot com or something,It was not a hit here.,no idea why We have tried along the alphabet path[serendipty blog thing] I havent followed it too closely but it works for us.Currently we are on C and to engage my son we have made cocoa cookies in c shapes,had a day of [indoor-foul weather] cowboy camping,we have had curry for dinner with cobbler and custard.We have coloured in pictures,you get my drift
hth or at least some of what I said was helpful

ThreeKids · 03-06-2008, 07:42 AM

DS loves the magnadoodle. I draw two letters on it at a time and ask for one of them, usually ones he's having trouble telling apart, like K and X. He pretends to grab the letter offers it to me to eat. If he reaches for the wrong one, I repeat the letter I asked for or say something like, "oh, a k, that's tasty, too."

mom2boys · 03-06-2008, 09:32 PM

I've loved using "Little Hands to Heaven" with my youngers. I've also used "The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading" this year and like it, but it's more for an older child. (five or so) Little Hands is for 2-5. It goes through the whole alphabet and there's hand rhymes, songs, Bible stories, etc to go with each one.

HomeWithMyBabies · 03-06-2008, 09:45 PM

My oldest got a leap pad fridge phonics set for his second birthday. He played with it so much he basically taught himself in a few weeks.

Don't get me wrong, we spent tons of time singing songs, and I'd draw letters for him on paper and with tub paint in the bath, and I read to him at least an hour a day...but I never could have been as repetitive as that noisy toy.

He also learns better with objects to hold and manipulate.

abbiroads · 03-06-2008, 10:31 PM

we love the Fridge Phonics too, and I DO NOT have a bunch of battery operated games. We also got the Word Wammer because my ds is just obsessed with letters and they both (and all their friends) really enjoy it. It so self directed and interactive.

Bonnie · 03-06-2008, 10:58 PM

"Every letter makes a sound! E says, 'eh'! Annnnnd 'ee'!"

abbiroads · 03-06-2008, 10:59 PM

Grover · 03-07-2008, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonbonne

"Every letter makes a sound! E says, 'eh'! Annnnnd 'ee'!"

We just had to replace our fridge phonics after four years of use[and abuse] it finally died but despite DH's glee i went and ordered a new one-I couldnt bear to see Stanleys confused little face when he successfully placed a letter in and it made the ping pong sound

02-29-2008, 09:43 AM	#1
Iveyrock Rose Garden Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 10,923	Ack - Letters My three year old woke up this morning obssessed with letters. He's been "spelling" words with his magic wand (ruler). So far I've been really relaxed about teaching letters. He knows his name, and the first letters of family names. He's the kind of kid that won't learn anything until he's ready - I could talk to him forever, and get nowhere, and then one day he'll just do it. So it looks like we are starting on letters - and now I am overwhelmed and don't know how to steer it . I know that if I just sit him down and show him all the letters, he'll loose interest. Any ideas? What to do? __________________ Amber (code name - ALEX): wife to Ray, mommy to Ian 2/17/05, Chava 3/31/07, Max and Lena 5/17/08, and Micah 1/4/09 - and Tanya, newly home from Eastern Europe - 5/20/2006 To... living with, living with, living with - not dying from disease! - Rent "Sometimes it's better to light a flamethrower than curse the darkness." — Terry Pratchett (Terry Pratchett's Men at Arms)

02-29-2008, 02:10 PM	#2
Grover Rose Garden Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: UK Posts: 9,032	Re: Ack - Letters Ive been reading ooh so much about how kids learn,this week I found John Holt at the library-great read - but he is very much for letting the child tell you what they want to learn. Ithink my sons knowledge of letters is patchy so we tried several websites/ideas.We tried letter of the week dot com or something,It was not a hit here.,no idea why We have tried along the alphabet path[serendipty blog thing] I havent followed it too closely but it works for us.Currently we are on C and to engage my son we have made cocoa cookies in c shapes,had a day of [indoor-foul weather] cowboy camping,we have had curry for dinner with cobbler and custard.We have coloured in pictures,you get my drift hth or at least some of what I said was helpful __________________ Sam 6 kids spread over a quarter of a century. Home educating 3. One is getting married later this year Two have flown the nest. Grandma to four .

03-06-2008, 07:42 AM	#3
ThreeKids Rose Garden Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: .. Posts: 10,737	Re: Ack - Letters DS loves the magnadoodle. I draw two letters on it at a time and ask for one of them, usually ones he's having trouble telling apart, like K and X. He pretends to grab the letter offers it to me to eat. If he reaches for the wrong one, I repeat the letter I asked for or say something like, "oh, a k, that's tasty, too." __________________ DS (12), DD (10), DD2 (7) And my kids were going to behave perfectly all the time and if they didn't, they'd be Dobsoned, but I was going to Dobson so perfectly that they'd know not to slip up but once or twice because I was going to be sooooooo consistent and awesome and wise.

03-06-2008, 09:32 PM	#4
mom2boys Rose Garden Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 8,811	Re: Ack - Letters I've loved using "Little Hands to Heaven" with my youngers. I've also used "The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading" this year and like it, but it's more for an older child. (five or so) Little Hands is for 2-5. It goes through the whole alphabet and there's hand rhymes, songs, Bible stories, etc to go with each one. __________________ Darci wife to Lester and gentle homeschooling mama to 6 boys: Jake (20) Jesse (19) Jamie (16) Ben (14) Greyson (11) Gabe (8) INFP and DYT 3/2

03-06-2008, 09:45 PM	#5
HomeWithMyBabies Rose Garden Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 24,062	Re: Ack - Letters My oldest got a leap pad fridge phonics set for his second birthday. He played with it so much he basically taught himself in a few weeks. Don't get me wrong, we spent tons of time singing songs, and I'd draw letters for him on paper and with tub paint in the bath, and I read to him at least an hour a day...but I never could have been as repetitive as that noisy toy. He also learns better with objects to hold and manipulate. __________________ Mom of 3

03-06-2008, 10:31 PM	#6
abbiroads Rose Garden Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,379	Re: Ack - Letters we love the Fridge Phonics too, and I DO NOT have a bunch of battery operated games. We also got the Word Wammer because my ds is just obsessed with letters and they both (and all their friends) really enjoy it. It so self directed and interactive. __________________ Abbi dh: Jeff ds1: Joey 12/03 ds2: Eli 4/06 ds3: Judah 4/08

03-06-2008, 10:58 PM	#7
Bonnie Rose Garden Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 16,861	Re: Ack - Letters "Every letter makes a sound! E says, 'eh'! Annnnnd 'ee'!" __________________ Bonnie, part Vulcan, wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey sexy-wexy USAF wife of 20 years to G Mom to Nathan (12.5), Nora (10.5), Katie (7.9) and Ev (4.5!!) Mauka & Makai 12/29/08 Occasional "Dorm Mom" to M the wonder student

03-06-2008, 10:59 PM	#8
abbiroads Rose Garden Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,379	Re: Ack - Letters __________________ Abbi dh: Jeff ds1: Joey 12/03 ds2: Eli 4/06 ds3: Judah 4/08

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