Our Quiet Growing Time's
Read, Play, Create: Learning Letters Through Picture Books
Introduction
Using the very best children’s picture books, we will introduce our children to the letters of the alphabet. We will read, play, and create with these letters each day, so that our learning will be purposeful yet natural.
This time spent each day learning letters with your child will be playful. It will be a joy-filled learning time. This will not look like a formal lesson, but instead a time of delight, wonder, and togetherness. It will be short and sweet. This way, ensuring our children will form the habits of full attention and best effort. I have placed a time in minutes next to each step just to give you an idea of how short it can be. Also, these steps do not need to happen at a desk. We can snuggle up on the couch for our read aloud, and then move to the floor or sit side by side at a table for our letter play. It also does not need to happen all at once. We may choose to spread the learning throughout our day. We can follow the cues of our own child.
This guide was designed to help order and inspire our letter learning each day, and through the week, and to move us along through our year. It is organized by letter. We will focus on one new letter (upper and lowercase) each week. It can be done in five simple steps each day:
Home Keeping
I have also added ideas to further our letter learning through baking, soup making, and other home keeping tasks. I believe that it is our privilege, honor, and duty as mothers to share the work of our home with our young children. This time can also be a time filled with joy in our work and togetherness.
A Special Note
“Read, Play, Create: Letter Learning through Picture Books” is meant to fill only a small portion of our days. It is my hope that the rest of our days at home with our youngest children are filled with more warm, cuddly read alouds, purposeful work, and as much free-play, indoors and out, as possible. Let’s fill our days with family, love, imagination, and wonder! Because that is where the real magic happens! This is where the best learning takes place!
Using the very best children’s picture books, we will introduce our children to the letters of the alphabet. We will read, play, and create with these letters each day, so that our learning will be purposeful yet natural.
This time spent each day learning letters with your child will be playful. It will be a joy-filled learning time. This will not look like a formal lesson, but instead a time of delight, wonder, and togetherness. It will be short and sweet. This way, ensuring our children will form the habits of full attention and best effort. I have placed a time in minutes next to each step just to give you an idea of how short it can be. Also, these steps do not need to happen at a desk. We can snuggle up on the couch for our read aloud, and then move to the floor or sit side by side at a table for our letter play. It also does not need to happen all at once. We may choose to spread the learning throughout our day. We can follow the cues of our own child.
This guide was designed to help order and inspire our letter learning each day, and through the week, and to move us along through our year. It is organized by letter. We will focus on one new letter (upper and lowercase) each week. It can be done in five simple steps each day:
- Read the chosen picture book aloud. (5-10 minutes)
- Learn the shape and name of the letter with the letter cards. (1 minute)
- Sing the letter sound song. (less than 1 minute)
- Play with the letter. (5 minutes or less)
- Create with the letter. (5 -15 minutes, depending upon the child’s interest)
Home Keeping
I have also added ideas to further our letter learning through baking, soup making, and other home keeping tasks. I believe that it is our privilege, honor, and duty as mothers to share the work of our home with our young children. This time can also be a time filled with joy in our work and togetherness.
A Special Note
“Read, Play, Create: Letter Learning through Picture Books” is meant to fill only a small portion of our days. It is my hope that the rest of our days at home with our youngest children are filled with more warm, cuddly read alouds, purposeful work, and as much free-play, indoors and out, as possible. Let’s fill our days with family, love, imagination, and wonder! Because that is where the real magic happens! This is where the best learning takes place!
