How to Learn the Alphabet

Teaching ABCs to preschoolers is something that most parents can handle with ease. To help children learn ABCs, the only thing you really need is patience, but there are some really fun ways to make learning the alphabet an enjoyable experience for both you and your child.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• CD with ABC song on it
• Alphabet flash cards
• Alphabet beads
• Wide rule paper
• Wipe off ABC placemat

1. Begin introducing children to the concept of the alphabet with a lively rendition of the ABC song. While you can just sing it to your child, there are many great variations of this old favorite on children's CDs. Remember, preschoolers learn by repetition, so don't be afraid to play the CD several times a day. After you play or sing the song through the first time, encourage your child to sing along.

2. Next, you need to introduce your preschooler to the idea of the written alphabet. Flashcards with colorful pictures and big, clear ABC letters are a great way to do this, as are alphabet blocks. Buying two sets of cards gives you a bit more flexibility, since you can make a matching game with them.

3. Continue to review the alphabet each day. Keep your preschooler interested in learning about ABCs by adding crafts to the alphabet review. Stringing large alphabet beads to make a necklace is one fun idea.

4. Once your child can say and recognize the different letters of the alphabet, it is time to move on to the next part of learning the ABCs. Encourage your preschooler to learn to write the ABCs by tracing over the letters on a wipe off alphabet placemat or wide rule paper with the ABCs written on it.

5. The final step is to encourage your child to write the letters independently. Have your preschooler write the letters on wide rule paper. If he or she struggles with this task, go back to the placemat for a few more days.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient. It may seem that your child is barely paying attention to you or is learning absolutely nothing. However, as you continue to repeat the activities, he or she really is learning. One day, your little one will suddenly burst into song and recite the ABC song all by him or herself.

Resources

• Reinforce learning with Usborne's ABC books.

[oneloved]

on 9/6/2008 Great tips! A wooden alphabet puzzle is helpful, too!

[momofour]

on 9/6/2008 Great tips. I always sang the alphabet song to my babies when I fed them and changed their diapers. Pretty soon they would start humming it with me and then attempting to sing it. I always loved to hear them singing what they thought was the letter though it didn't come out the way it was supposed to.

[LilacGirl]

on 9/6/2008 Excellent suggestions.

[Desula]

on 9/6/2008 Thank you for the article on teaching the alphabet to preschoolers. That was a great thing about Seasame Street and School House Rock - you were learning, but it just seemed like fun songs and repetition.

[klnygaard]

on 9/6/2008 great ideas