How to Teach a Toddler the Alphabet

The first step in teaching the alphabet is getting your child interested in listening to stories. At around age 2 or 3, children who are frequently read to get the idea that books contain print, which is made up of letters. There are lots of fun ways to introduce your child to individual letters. This article gives various creative methods on teaching a toddler the alphabet.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Using alphabet books. There are several books on the market that specifically deal with the alphabet from A to Z. A typical book will have a letter with a corresponding item that starts with the letter portrayed. For example letter "A" is typically associated with the picture of an apple, letter "B" with a banana and so on.

2. Through song. This has traditionally been the best way to teach a toddler their ABCs. One of the most popular, "ABC Song" is quoted here: "ABCDEFG/HIJKLMNOP/QRS/TUV/WXY and Z. Now I know my ABCs, Won't you come and sing with me."

3. Using alphabets for decoration. Use alphabets as decor around the house especially in the toddler's play area or bedroom is very effective since toddlers at this age are very visual.. Not only are they decorative but they also become a great tool in teaching ABC for toddlers. Hand-painted or stenciled lettering can be applied to all kinds of things. You can start by putting the toddler's name on the door followed by labeling drawers with their contents etc. You can even have alphabets for pictures and frames.

4. Using edible alphabets. Make alphabet's soup from alphabet pasta and before the kids consume it, use this to teach them the ABCs. Alternatively, you can use alphabet biscuits for the lesson. Your kid will enjoy learning ABCs and eating them as well.

5. By playing alphabet games. An example of this is by having an ABC scavenger hunt. For example you can have the toddler hunt for items around the room that begin with "H" and so on.

6. Using alphabet blocks. You can play lots of games with these blocks, such as making new words, unscrambling words, sorting the consonants and vowels. You can also set up two little basket and have the child pitch the vowels into one and the consonants into another.

7. Using software. With the computer era a lot of parents are resorting to various software to teach their toddlers their ABCs. An example of this is "Teach ABC for Kids" software. This is an exciting educational software that lets you type in your own spelling lists, math quizzes and multiple choice quizzes. A trail session can be downloaded from the web (see Resources).

Resources

• Parents resources
• Spelling games