Ways to teach DD at home.

[Coffeemonster1]

DD is 2.5 and she knows around 10 letters ( recognises them and knows what the sound is for) so can point out the letter M in text and can tell us it's M for mummy etc. Are there ways we can teach her more or even simple words like 'cat' or 'the' - using cards or things we can stick on walls for example? Linking pictures with letters or similar ideas? While she is interested in leaning and eager to get praise we would like to teach her as much as possible.

Also,good books with maybe some of the basic words in bold or just good first books to ready together which are a bit better than basic board books with short stories.

coffee

First of all your dd sounds lovely and she is using education for fun, as a game and this imo is the only education they should have at such an early age.
Number and word games, rhymes and songs are very good for this.
Counting steps or door numbers as you walk along the street.
I educated all 3 of ours until school, but not as a teacher but as an explorer really.
Just take every opportunity that arises without taking the fun away from the activity.
We found the park, supermarket, home, travelling around a great way to learn.
I'm sorry I can't give you any specifics but all 3 could read, write and count before school.

If you did want to build on her letters, some magnetic letters might be good.

I'm not on about actually teaching her to read!! She is 2. I mean books that she will pick words up from, good books that interest that age group. We always take days out, walks, discuss what we are doing etc but at the moment she is really in to letters and books,asking me what's that one when pointing to words, pointing out letters in her name on anything she sees (street signs, on TV, signs in buildings) So I don't see the problem in helping her along with it as she is enjoying it. We by no means pushed it or force her to 'learn' specific things. It just happened to be what she is enjoying at the moment.

I think those foam letters are good and some children want to learn to spell simple words at a young age and others don't.
Mine used to play with them for ages in the bath.
Those fill up and tip out games are great too in the bath.
They are learning cause and effect, from an early age.
Aw, I can remember dd had a winnie the poo treehouse with little buckets that filled up and tipped down a slide, with little Poo, tigger, and piglet characters.

I'd just carry on answering her questions when she asks and reading to her lots. Take her to the library to choose some books herself.

They normally teach them all the letters and letter sounds (phonics) before going onto words. Just talk about letters as you looking at books, when you're out etc Teach her the letter sound rather than the name of the letter, so that she'll eventually be able to blend the sounds to read a word. No hurry though!

Look up jolly phonics and make sure you are teaching the correct phonic sound
'm' for example is mmmm
Not em or even much
O
I would be very caurios about Hothousing as children who are ahead when they start school don't necessarily stay ahead
Sometimes the opoaitw happens and they get bored and fall behind
If you want to help your dd for when she starts school then teach her to be an explorer and a critical thinker

Even muh not much

As for books can I suggest you take her to the library and let her choose - read a few there and take some home. There are popular titles (a quick look on amazon for her age will show) but as an overall experience nothing beats going and choosing together

I teach phonics in early years and have a dd the same age as yours.

Honestly don't bother with her recognising words, that is the "look and say" approach which isn't done any more.

If she's interested in learning get her some jigsaws, an ABC one and a 123 one, those little games such as Shopping List, or memory card games, imaginative toys like a tea set or a till and a basket of food.

She'll pick up loads from one to one playing time with you. Lots and lots of reading to her - dd loves books where she can repeat the phrases with me, and she'll take herself off to the bookshelf and sit on her own for hours looking at the pictures, so make sure her books are accessible to her.

You really don't need to worry about anything else at this point.

Like a previous poster said Make you are teaching the pure sound and not the letter names try Jolly phonics/ Read Write Inc. When DS1 was in FS1 (age 4) he liked alphablocks on Cbeebies. DS2 didn't do any letters/ phonics until school... he just would not entertain it, he was your daughters age before he would sit down and listen to a book. He is the better reader of the 2 and I have mainly left it to school, but we do read every night.

Children of your dd age learn best through play (And older kids).
lots of small world play. It is great for language and communication. link it to books. e.g. The pirates next door... get the pirate ship out.
Read books for fun, which I am sure you do.
Use tactile activities such as clay / playdough / duplo to strengthen her fingers for writing later on.
Do mark making on paper, on white boards, on black boards, paint with water outside and chalk on the path.
Have a little home corner / role play area at home.
Bake with her at 2 my Ds1 knew the recipe to make buns.
Oh and sing with her.
Look up early years blogs on Facebook or Internet e.g. The Imagination Tree. For lots of lovely age appropriate activities. And enjoy it.