Good way for DD to remember b's and d's?!

[Tinkjon]

Has anybody got a good way for kids to remember which way round the bump goes on letter b and d?! She can tell the difference when reading but always writes them the wrong way round. She's not always clear on left and right so that's not an option...

The word bed (it looks like a bed if you imagine lying on the "e").

Think of it like a 'bed'

B first, then teh flat bit (e) and then the D makes the end.

that how ds2 got the hang of it....

Has she got a b or d in her name?

If she is called Isobel for example you could say that the bump on the "b" always faces teh letter "e"

It is all to do with the shape the mouth makes when saying them.

b - when you first start to say it you start with a closed mouth, lips making a straight line tigether - letter b starts wth a straight line too.

d - your lips are open making a circle when you start to say it. The letter d starts with a circle/round.

If you hold up your hands in front of you and make like Biggles glasses with the thumb and first finger, and the others fingers up straight it looks like a b (left hand) and d (right hand) as you look at them. Sounds complicated to explain, but look at it, it makes sense. The only problem with this method is remembering which is b and d! b comes first as you look at it, and first in the alphabet, and first in bed, which you can make with your hands.

fantastic - I knew you'd all have some good ideas! thanks so much!

yep I also got it through bed (because it looks like a bed)

dd learnt the same way

probably the easiest of all is to say that d is just a letter a that has grown tall

what a coincidence I was just talking about this very thing with my dh yesterday as ds often asks which way round they go!

do the bed thing with the fingers/glasses thing

b....bat before ball (stick of b is the bat [baseball/rounders style!] and round bit is the ball, best demonstated with actual bat and ball!)

I used b is a line then a big fat belly as well as the bed one

Dd came home from school saying 'daft d' because it's written backwards not forwards, b is the right way round. It seems to work for her!

My DS2 came home from school with b = big belly and d = big bum! Made me laugh!

"b" is for bat and ball. If you look at it, the "bat" comes first, followed by the "ball"

Many years ago I was taught b is 'bat before ball' and d is 'drum before drumstick'.

In my class we always use the 'b has a belly' and 'd has a bum'! It seems to work....

My teacher uses belly and bum but couldn't it be the same for either letter?

belly is at the front of the letter (when you look at it)
bum is at the back

Cue cards like this or this which they can keep on their desk or in their pencil case can help them remember.

Thank you KatieScarlett, "bed" really has helped my two boys, they have been stuggling with this for ages but one short explanation later and it has clicked!

Why are all teachers not taught this?