O is for October

*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts!

Letters make words, words make sentences, sentences make paragraphs,
and paragraphs come together to make incredible books!

     I love reading to my daughter and my nephews, always looking for new and interesting books but still relying on some favorite classics, but it always seems that at this time of year, when school is back in session, that I tend to break out more alphabet books. I’ve noticed that as my daughter is entering preschool, she looks at these books in a different way, tracing the letters with her finger and saying the sounds of the letters, building phonemic awareness. So, I love that there are a variety of alphabet books available from those that appeal to the very young to those that appeal to the not so young and offer greater learning, sometimes in a creative way. As long as the book appeals, age truly doesn’t matter.

     Choosing a quality alphabet or number book for your youngster is not so different from picking out any other picture book. The title, cover, illustrations and language/vocabulary all make a huge impact, so make sure the book speaks to you (there is the potential that you will be reading this story many times over) and at the same time offers a wealth of learning opportunities for your child. Some additional things we at BTBL consider when perusing a new alphabet or number book are:

• Structure of the story - Is the alphabet or number book you’re looking at just a straight representation of our ABC’s and 1-2-3’s or does it present the letters and numbers through an actual story? While basic alphabet and number books are great, those that tell a story and offer unique vocabulary are far more engaging. Also, hearing and seeing the letters and numbers in action, in context will help build greater understanding for your child.
  
• Highly detailed illustrations - Take a close look at the illustrations of an alphabet or number book, not just to see that they are brightly colored and eye-catching, but also to see if there are more objects in the illustrations that represent the letter or number being shown. Scouring the pictures for additional objects, animals, and/or things beginning with the featured letter will teach your child that the illustrations are just as important as the text and give them more insight into the letters themselves, their sounds and the words that begin with them.
  

A handful of our favorite alphabet and numbers books...

Check out our Alphabet Books list and Numbers Books list to peruse more of our favorite titles!

     Since the alphabet is the building block of literacy, children must learn to recognize and name the letters, both in and out of order, and the sounds associated with each letter but this does not and should not be a chore. Read a variety of alphabet books and find other ways to introduce and reinforce the letters and their sounds to your children. Some ideas might be to:

• Buy or make letters so that your child can hold and manipulate them (magnetic, foam or felt.) Use a magnetic white board or the refrigerator for vertical letter play or even a felt board.
  
• Letter coloring books or coloring pages allow children to trace the letters and know them individually.
• Create a letter book. Be creative and allow your child to have fun with it. (Check out our Facebook post S is for Sticker)
• Offer alphabet puzzles and mats.
• Look for dry alphabet pasta and allow your child to play with the letters and help them to create their name and other words. 

These are fabric letters I made for my daughter's birthday once. I chose fabrics that would somehow represent each letter (apples for A, green for G, flowers for F, etc) and then sewed two small, round magnets into each letter for fridge or white board play.

     While we believe in getting back to basics, computers are a part of today’s children’s lives. Let your child use the keyboard to learn their letters such as in Microsoft Word. Change fonts, sizes and colors to make it fun. Avoid using pre-programmed alphabet games where children just respond by hitting a key. Utilizing a basic typing program such as Word allows children the freedom to explore the alphabet without the distractions of flashing lights, sounds and pictures.

     Learning the letters and in turn their sounds is critical for building literacy skills and developing phonemic awareness. Once a child understands the sounds of letters and how they can be manipulated to create words, they understand how their language works and may begin to decode words on their own creating the path to independent reading.

Happy reading!

-Kate @ BTBL

---

Author

We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest additions, a daughter (now 4) for Kate, and two sons (now 1 and a newborn) for Amanda. We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.