Game for 3 year old to learn alphabet

[cam112198]

HI!

 

My son is almost 4 years old and does not recognize his letters. Do any of you have any suggestions on games that would be good for him to help with letter recognition?

He goes to preschool, but I would like to also supplement a little with some workbooks that help with letter recognition. Any suggestions?

 

Thank you!

[cin]

Its' not a game, but we found the Leapfrog videos extremely helpful. The Alphabet Factory and the Word Factory. There is a song with every letter that tells it's name and sound.

[Moxie]

All of my kids have loved the Leap Frog video and the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics. We also like plain letter magnets. While I'm working in the kitchen, I'll ask for a letter and the toddler has fun finding it. HTH!

[AnnetteB]

For the hands-on type of learner we have had fun with matching magnetic or alphabet puzzle pieces to ABC flashcards and even laying the letters on an ABC baby blanket that we own. The kids would also take a bag or basket and hunt around the house for things that start with a letter sound. Say you choose "S", he would look for a toy snake, soldier, soap, spatula, etc. We also put a little cornmeal in a pie tin and draw the letters with our fingertip, a little shake of the pan and he has a "clean slate." Our 5's also each build an alphabet notebook with coloring pages I print out. They might cut and paste objects that they find in old magazines. We try to make it lots of fun and inexpensive :)

 

http://goodnightstories.com/images/alphabet/alphbet1.htm

 

http://www.first-school.ws/THEME/alphabetp2.htm

 

these are just two examples of the things I print out

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

you can make a matching game with notecards. say the name of the letter every time you turn a card over.

[Amie]

I agree with the Leap Frog Letter Factory dvd. My son learned to recognize every letter of the alphabet (still working on some of the lower case though), and the sound each one makes by the time he was about 18-20 months old. And no, he didn't watch it often (I really limit his tv/video watching). Also, I bought him a set of large alphabet magnets for the refrigerator and he LOVED these. He would play with them for such a long time and bring me letters he recognized to show them to me. And when daddy got home from work, he liked to drag him to the refrigerator to show him all of the letters one by one. :001_smile:

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

My first ds learned his alphabet (and the sounds each letter makes) by watching the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD just a couple times. (They have the DVD at our library, you might want to check there.)

 

Both my other sons learned their alphabet and letter sounds by reading Museum ABC. Each two page spread features a letter on one side (very simple with a white background) and four pieces of art work that correspond with the letter on the other side. For some reason, all three boys loved this book. I would say the letter once and repeat the letter sound a few times. If they were turning pages quickly, I would just say the letter sound once or twice.

 

Kids usually enjoy letter magnets as well. I like the idea of having a child find a letter on the fridge.

[The Governess]

You could use this Cariboo game by Cranium. You can make your own cards from cardstock with the letters on them to put in the slots. My dd2's therapist has several different versions of homemade cards that she switches out with her game.

[JudoMom]

The Leap Frog Letter Factory video wins hands down. As a matter of fact, ds3 misplaced ours and I bought another copy (I don't replace stuff easily) because it works so well and kids love it.

[Ellie]

As the resident Spalding geek :D I would teach letter sounds, not letter names. And I would have the dc use sandpaper letters to trace with their fingers while saying the sounds.

[cam112198]

Thanks so much for all of your responses!! We have the Leap Frog DVD's and I love them! He likes them too, but still is not able to tell me what his letters are. I will try some of your suggestions and maybe play the Leap Frog DVD more often. :-)

[FO4UR]

Hmm...if he's not recognizing after watching Leapfrog, I would take the advice of the resident "Spalding Geek" LOL:tongue_smilie:, and have him trace the letters while saying the sounds. It works!

 

You can buy sandpaper letters or just trace flash cards. It not only engrains those letters into the head, but it prepares them for penmanship down the road. I did this with my ds, who at 4yo was fm delayed and now he's writing his letters as well as knowing their sounds.

 

I would start with one letter, then review all learned letters daily plus one new every few days.

[Guest]

I made a "Memory" Game with letters. We do use sounds, as well, but you could do the names if you want. :)

[fshinkevich]

I like the Alphabet Toss:

 

http://www.toys4minds.com/alphabet-toss-n-play-activity-set.html