How to Teach Kids the Alphabet
Decide when your child is ready., Take it slowly., Sing the ABC song., Teach them the ABC song., Watch fun videos online with the alphabet song in them., Use letters in play., Encourage curiosity about the alphabet and reading in general.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide when your child is ready.
A child can express interest by pointing at letters or engaging in conversation about them.
If your child is not yet ready, wait until they are.
Refrigerator magnets made of letters are a good way to see if your child is interested. -
Step 2: Take it slowly.
Remember that there are 26 letters in the English alphabet.
That's a lot for a small child to remember right off the bat! , Start by singing it around them, even if you don't ask them to participate or copy you (yet).
Use your child's favorite character or stuffed animal to help.
If your child likes Elmo, have them watch Elmo singing the ABCs., Start at the beginning and help them learn it chunk by chunk.
Dance around and be silly while you learn.
Keep it fun.
Use the cartoon character as well.
It is most effective to both use a cartoon and to do some teaching yourself. , If the child is entertained, they're likely to learn the tunes and letters through repetition alone. , Build with ABC blocks, play with fridge magnet letters, and write letters and words while you draw with the child.
Have them play computer and tablet/phone games with the alphabet in them.
Again, start slow.
Teach the child just a few letters at a time. , Talk to them about letters and spelling.
Label their art work so they can see the letters.
Answer their questions.
Building familiarity with all writing and letters will help them want to learn the alphabet.
Once they get the alphabet down, they'll be ready to move on to learning to read.
Be enthusiastic when the child displays his or her new skill.
Positive reinforcement and attention will be key to keeping the child excited about learning. -
Step 3: Sing the ABC song.
-
Step 4: Teach them the ABC song.
-
Step 5: Watch fun videos online with the alphabet song in them.
-
Step 6: Use letters in play.
-
Step 7: Encourage curiosity about the alphabet and reading in general.
Detailed Guide
A child can express interest by pointing at letters or engaging in conversation about them.
If your child is not yet ready, wait until they are.
Refrigerator magnets made of letters are a good way to see if your child is interested.
Remember that there are 26 letters in the English alphabet.
That's a lot for a small child to remember right off the bat! , Start by singing it around them, even if you don't ask them to participate or copy you (yet).
Use your child's favorite character or stuffed animal to help.
If your child likes Elmo, have them watch Elmo singing the ABCs., Start at the beginning and help them learn it chunk by chunk.
Dance around and be silly while you learn.
Keep it fun.
Use the cartoon character as well.
It is most effective to both use a cartoon and to do some teaching yourself. , If the child is entertained, they're likely to learn the tunes and letters through repetition alone. , Build with ABC blocks, play with fridge magnet letters, and write letters and words while you draw with the child.
Have them play computer and tablet/phone games with the alphabet in them.
Again, start slow.
Teach the child just a few letters at a time. , Talk to them about letters and spelling.
Label their art work so they can see the letters.
Answer their questions.
Building familiarity with all writing and letters will help them want to learn the alphabet.
Once they get the alphabet down, they'll be ready to move on to learning to read.
Be enthusiastic when the child displays his or her new skill.
Positive reinforcement and attention will be key to keeping the child excited about learning.
About the Author
Jean Clark
Creates helpful guides on DIY projects to inspire and educate readers.
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