Homemade Alphabet Manipulatives Game

[PurpleButterfly]

This is a great activity that you can create using ordinary items from around the house.

ALPHABET MATCH GAME:

Start by writing each letter of the alphabet on an index card or similar sized cutout of construction paper. Make the letters large and all capitals, using a nice thick marker or crayon.

Next, grab a basket and take a private treasure hunt around your house for a small items that begin with each letter of the alphabet, until you have a item to match each of the 26 letters. Think outside the box and have fun finding things from unexpected places - it will make the game more interesting for your child. A spoon, candle, thread, ribbon, flower, tin foil, button, postcard, letter, coins, etc. are some ideas that most folks can easily find around the house and should help to get you started. As you collect items, track them on a simple master list for easy reference. For hard-to-match letters, grab a magazine and look for pictures or even a word to clip out, and paste it onto an index card or something similar.

Present this fun matching game to your child during a time when you feel she will be receptive (no hungry tummy or tired afternoon etc.), and provide her plenty of space to spread out all the letters and objects in the basket if she wishes to.

Most children are very visually oriented and will enjoy the invitation to line up all the alphabet cards (with our without your help depending on age and ability) in a nice long row on the floor. Allow them to dump the basket contents out in a messy pile or place them on a low table for easier sorting. Sit with her and demonstrate the first few letters (and don't worry about going in alphabetical order unless your child wishes to do so - you can always offer that challenge after she masters the initial matching concept). Cheer her on and help her if she gets stumped.

If you're able to, consider taking a picture of her in front of her completed the alphabet matching game, to foster her confidence and pride in her abilities. (This would make a great photo for an ABC scrapbook page, for any scrappers out there!)

Using manipulatives in this way will help your child develop spatial skills necessary for forming letters/writing, and will form wonderful neural pathways of connection for letters and the objects and sounds they can represent.

~Taking it to the next level~

Once your child has mastered the basic matching, here are some more challenging methods that she may enjoy:

PHONETIC MATCH GAME:
Invite your child to sit in a comfy spot with you and have your basket of alphabet manipulatives and cards handy. Ask him if he can help you find something that begins with the sound "Ssssssss". When he does, you can locate the corrosponding alphabet card and place the object next to it. Continue on as long as his interest is there. You could also take turns and give him the chance to make a letter sound for you to find the matching object.

SILLY NAME SPELLING:
Help or encourage your child (depending on age/ability) to spell out her name using the alphabet cards. Next, ask her if she can find an object to match each letter in her name. (You may need to create extra letters and matching objects beforehand if there are duplicated letters in her name). Have fun being very silly when you "read" her name in objects.

(Arden - Apple, Ring, Dish, Egg, Noodle!!!!)

CATCH -n- MATCH:
Spread all the cards out on the floor in a giant circle or line. Have your child try to catch items as you toss them, then match them to the appropriate letter card.

SCRAMBLE RACE:
For older kids, see if they're interested in challenging the clock. Create an appropriately timed race with a kitchen timer using either some or all of the letters, and watch the excitement build! A little surprise reward (such as a coin for their bank or packet of new crayons from the dollar store) if desired, could make this extra fun and leave a positive impression.

Have fun mamas!

Thanks, Kym! That loooks like a lot of fun.

[Radosny Matka]

Great idea! Thanks!

[ArmsOfLove]

Neat ideas!

Two others that I think are awesome are:

Alphabet puzzles--take paper plates and write upper case letter next to lower case letter and then cut down the middle of the plate between them. Do different cutting designs like mini puzzles and let your child match upper and lower case together.

Similar idea--but one woman I know has a homemade game where she put upper case letters on the shape of a boat and lower case letters on the shape of a sail and the child makes a fleet of ships. She has them laminated

Great ideas!!! Thanks!

DD is only 3 (well almost), but it's nice to read some ideas that we can start to use. Thanks for sharing!