What toy for learning the alphabet/early reading? (preschool DD)

[TheMightyToosh]

Looking for something to help my DD (3.7) to start learning to read individual letters, possibly short words.

I saw a Peppa Pig board with each letter and it says 'P, as in Peppa' when you press. Not sure I like it, but something like that is what I'm after.

Or, are the leapfrog/similar reading things (where they point at the word with the pen) any good? Or is that more advanced? I am clueless... hoping MN can help before I spend my money

There's one similar to the Peppa Pig one in ELC it's a bit cheaper and just as good. DD likes it anyway - she calls it her laptop :)

Magnetic letters are good (if you can't cope with them on your fridge you can get little magnetic boards from ELC to put them on).

A basic alphabet book (we have an old ladybird one from the 70s).

An alphabet freize for her bedroom wall.

A blackboard and chalk so you can show her how to write letters and words.

My dd2 had one of these which she loved.

Dd3 has this which is quite good, but doesn't hold her attention as well as her sisters wooden alphabet.

Dd1 and 2 had an array of different leappads which lay dusty under beds and didn't have any appeal at all to them. I haven't gone there with dd3 at all - seems like such a waste of money. Dd2 did have a leapster though, which she adored and played with intermittently for around 3yrs

Thanks both - I like the wooden board and the ELC one. Prefer them both to the Peppa one.

We have a freeze that I haven't got round to putting up yet since we moved - thanks for reminding me rathersplendid!

plonker - I thought that might happen if I splashed out on leappads. I'll save the money for something else I think!

Not sure if the approach is universal, but my DS is in reception and they are learning jolly phonics - ie you say the letter sound not the letter name. It is "incorrect" to teach a child that "s" is ess, it is actually sssss as in hiss.

thanks trains - I think it is pretty much universal from what I can gather. The Peppa Pig one does that - 'Puh as in Peppa', rather than 'Pee'.

I had presumed all the talking ones would do this, but I guess it's something I should check before I buy, just in case.

This little direct.tesco.com/q/R.100-3690.aspx bus is fantastic, it's small, has English accent and does reasonably OK phonics. I would really recommend it.

On phonics if you press the letter it says " Pee. Pee says Puh" but also has music and other features,and is indestructible.

Agree also, don't overlook an ABC book, fridge letters and chalkboard, they need to learn more skills than button pressing in life!

Foam letters for playing with in the bath. DS learnt all the letter sounds when he was two from simply playing with them and talking about the sounds they made at bath time! Nothing structured, just sticking the odd letter up and saying its sound, putting them together to make words, playing 'hunt the letter' etc.

Personally I would go for something like that rather than an electronic toy. Much more flexible and you can use it in so many different ways according to the stage your child is at.

Have you heard of Zoobookoo. It's a company that focuses solely on educational aides and does it very well.
I run Little Nut Tree Toys in Wilmslow and have a very large range of their products.
One that may be suitable is their product called 'Bear Essentials'. You can get it for numbers or letters. Basically you get 5 soft teddies (different colours) in a set and then letters which you can then velcro onto the teddy spelling out simple words (or simple sums).
If like me, you prefer non-electronic toys then Zoobookoo are a fantastic choice. The set also comes with lots of activity ideas.
You can find them by searching online for: Zoobookoo Bear Essentials.
Something different and because it's tactile learning (your kid engaging with the velcro letters and bears) you are going to get a more positive response.