Doing ABCs with toddler. Any tips?

[FaddyPeony]

Ok, so my default setting is to be lazy as fuck wrt to my DD's development and just let her pootle about as she likes. I think however that I should probably start re-evaluating my approach of benign neglect because apart from anything else she is far easier to manage when I interact with her properly.

So. This morning I learnt that she knows some letters, because she started naming out the handful of fridge magnets that were dumped on the table. Neither DH nor I has ever taught her and I've just checked with Granny (who was babysitting last weekend) and they're not her work either. DD must have picked them up from CM or from telly I guess.

Anyway, so how do you DO the alphabet with toddlers? Do I just write out all the letters and tell her what they're called? I just realised that I have no idea how children learn this kind of thing. But I feel like she would enjoy something like this and that I should do it with her.

Any tips MN?

P.S. She's 20 months.

Anyone? Or should I just leave it til she's older?

At 20 months I wouldn't worry about it but it's great she knows them. My nearly 4 year old hasn't got to grips with any letters yet even though he goes to nursery. They will do that at school.
Won't do any harm in bringing numbers and letters, shapes, colours etc into play but as for sitting down and teaching I wouldn't bother.

Alphabet I wouldn't bother. From what I've seen with ds the school teaches alphabet sounds with 'phonics' alongside learning the letters. I would be worried teaching them one way and nursery or school teaching another might confuse them.

Good point ballroom about confusing her if she learns them differently in an official way later on. Should probably leave it to the professionals. English is such an irregular language to learn!
She's fairly good on colours. I could start doing shapes and numbers properly though with her for sure.

Alphablocks (Cbeebies program on their website) is fantastic for teaching phonics in a fun way. I think you can help by having letters around, we have a nice Orchard Toys alphabet jigsaw, some magnetic letters and sand moulds. When she's a bit older there is a v good free website called teach your monster to read, my 3 yr old is very keen.

Thanks for the replies. I had a lame go at the alphabet earlier anyway before I got replies and she was interested for a while but then started putting her crayons to bed so I just gave up.

Miaow your DD sounds so cute and yes, scarily switched on! Interesting to get your thoughts on this as an ex-teacher. That's kind of what's stopping me, though, I feel like there's probably a Right Way to do all this and tbh I'm (as I said) a bit crap and lazy. I sense that DD has a good memory and picks things up fairly quickly.

Baking that's great, I'm off to google this Alphablocks thing now, if nothing else it could be a good way to kill a quiet half hour I'm thinking.

There are some quite good alphabet books out there (along with a lot of rubbish ones). She's a bit young for Kipper's ABC, which is fantastic, but DD adored Alphapets.