My first letter
Activities for toddlers and babies
This theme contains activities that will introduce babies and toddlers to letters and writing.
AREA SETUP
Hang alphabet posters on the walls of your daycare. Cut large letter shapes out of colourful Fun Foam sheets and hang them from the ceiling.
ROUTINES AND TRANSITIONS
Letters in my soup
Purchase tiny alphabet pasta noodles. Add them to tomato soup and serve it at lunch time. Have fun looking at the letters with the children in your group and name them to slowly introduce little ones to letters.
SENSORY ACTIVITIES (look)
Letters and cookie sheets
For this activity, you will need plastic magnetic letters that can safely be manipulated by babies and toddlers. Provide metal cookie sheets and let children stick the letters on the cookie sheets and remove them as often as they wish.
SENSORY ACTIVITIES (taste, look)
Alphabet cookies
Use alphabet cookie cutters to create letter-shaped sugar cookies. Set the cookies on a large platter and invite children to take a cookie. Name the letters.
ARTS & CRAFTS
Stationery
Foster children’s creativity by letting them manipulate different types of stationery throughout the theme. You can print several different models in the educatall club. Have children draw on the stationery. Display their artwork.
The first letter of my name
Cut large uppercase letters out of cardboard. Make sure you have the first letter of each child’s name. Let children draw on the first letter of their name. Display the giant letters where everyone will see them. Name the letters with your group.
MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Letter in the mail
Have each child draw or stick letters of the alphabet on a piece of paper. Fold each child’s paper and insert the drawings in envelopes. Add a picture you took of each child as they were drawing to their envelope. Write the name and address of someone special on each child’s envelope. Help children add a stamp in the upper right corner of their envelope. Go for a walk with your group and let each child drop his letter in a nearby mailbox.
A letter from Mommy and Daddy
Ask parents to write a letter to their child. You may suggest they use pictures or drawings to create an illustrated message. For example, parents could stick a picture of the mother blowing a kiss on a piece of paper, draw a heart, and add a picture of the child’s father along with one of Caillou (their child’s favorite character), etc. Open the letters with your group and “read” them.
COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES
Mailbox
Create a very simple mailbox by cutting a slit in the top of a cardboard box. Cut a rectangular opening out of the side of the box. Provide pictures or illustrations that children can drop in the mailbox, through the slit. Show them how they can retrieve them on the side of the box.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS
A letter for you
Print several different types of stationery. Let babies and toddlers draw on them. When they are done, insert each drawing in an envelope. Visit other daycare groups to distribute the “mail”. Variation: If you prefer, go for a walk with your group and deliver the “letters” to your neighbours.
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
The alphabet
Simply sing the alphabet for your group.
Chantal Millette
Early childhood educator
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