How do I help DD (3) with letters?

[glassslipper]

My 3 year old has really got into letters. She knows the alphabet song and has an alphabet jigsaw puzzle which she loves.

Yesterday she wanted to write the letter W (as it is in wonderpets).

I want to help her but dont want to make the alphabet boring and i dont want to undermine anything she'll do at school in 18 months.

So. How do i say the letter? Do say the letter in capitals and say it sounds like phonics? Or do i refer to them all in phonics?

And is writing the letter in dots so she can trace it a good way to go? That is what i just started doing.

sorry if this has been done before. I want to encourage her but dont want her to be bored of everything or to explain things the wrong way.

Thanks

[Darciesmum]

Hiya Glass Slipper My DD will be 2 on friday and loves letters, knows the alphabet song and has an alphabet jigsaw to.
We also use the alphabet land book, make letters fun. and i do the same with the dots so i think is a great idea.

[CadburyCremeSquonk]

My dd can't get on with dots, but she does try to 'draw' the letters. If she's not liking something, don't push it. You'll know if she is enjoying it or not. Make it fun.

[Bucketsofdynomite]

Use both terms, talk about the letter being called double-u and the sound it makes being /w/.
Why don't you draw a big W together and stick it on the wall (near the breakfast table is good) along with pics of things that begin with W. You could do a different letter each week. I started this but we have had the same letter up for months now!

[glassslipper]

thanks guys. buckets - i like the letter of the week idea. they do something similar at preschool so i could probably tie it in

[susie40]

useful book

[glassslipper]

susie40 - that looks great. DH is bulking up the amazon order as we speak

[wheresthehamster]

Don't teach writing in capital letters as for some children it's a hard habit to break once they start school.

[southeastastra]

my son played for ages with those magnetic letters you can get them in lower case too

[susie40]

This is nice for learning the sounds that go with the letter names - drives you mad after a while though

here

[glassslipper]

love it but we have an integral fridge so nothing would stick to the door

[Darciesmum]

i love the idea about letter a week i might do that with Darcie

[spudmasher]

Be careful when teaching letter sounds.
Don't say b makes the sound buh for instance. It must be a very short sound- just the b, not the uh bit. Not tuh but t.

[Orinoco]

Message withdrawn

[glassslipper]

spudmasher. how would I do Q, X and Y ? if there is a way to write that ? lol

[paulaplumpbottom]

Thats what I do Orinoco and it really helps.

[spudmasher]

Well. Q goes (very quietly) qw, not qwUH.
X is like a kissing sound. Ks. and y goes ye.
Feel free to get in touch and we can speak on the phone! Tis very hard to write it down! I can take you through the hole alphabet!
We make a tape for parents where I teach.
You might be able to get a cd or something to listen to online! It makes a huge difference in the long run!

[spudmasher]

whole, not hole.

[rarrie]

But this leapfrog writing desk...

\link{http://www.toysrus.co.uk/SearchResults.aspx?kw=leapfrog%20writing%20desk&zone=Tru}

My daughter (3yrs 4 months) was given one at Christmas and it is fab. She says it is her favourite toy and she plays with it every day. The little picture actually shows them how to draw the letters, it does the sound in phonics and the name of the letters, it shows both upper and lower case and it allows them to write three letter words. DD now knows about 30 words ranging from Bed to yak - all learnt on her writing desk. She is now evern recognising these words out and about. I really can't rave about it enough!

Also, when she has learnt the letters and is putting them together in words, then the my first scrabble (£10) is also great. My DD loves playing with that too.

Also, have you got teh jolly phonics books and stuff? My DD looks at those books all the time.
HTH

[rarrie]

Sorry, lots of typos - have my baby daughter on my lap!

[SlightlyMadSpringBunny]

Not read the whole thread.

For helping her write the letters DTDs nursery used to write the letter with a highlighter pen and the children would trace over it with a pencil. DTDs used to love doing this.

Now they are at school, the teachers have stressed the importance of getting them to start with the pencil int eh right spot so they recommend putting a dot at the starting point - and that the 'o' is formed anti-clockwise as that forms the basis of most letters. That may be wel beyond your DD but she said that is really hard to correct at a later stage.

[feetheart]

My DD loves the Starfall site. Quite good for discussing cultural differences/accents as well as its an American site.

[mm22bys]

Just had a look at the Starfall site, looks great.

Is there an English / British / non-American equivalent?

My DS2.10 is learning his alphabet song, and at the end he sings "now I know me ABC" - and it's like, who is teaching you THAT?

lol at the singing woman on the Starfall site!

[glassslipper]

the Starfall site looks great. thanks

[glassslipper]

thanks califrau. my freezer is integral and w/m in the garage which might be a bit cold to send DD to learn her alphabet