Teaching Alphabet Letters to Preschool Children

Welcome to a new school year - whether you're a teacher or parent, these ongoing lesson posts will help you with ideas to foster early learning skills with your children.

When we think of preschool, it's as easy as ABC - well, there is more to learning the alphabet than just singing the ABC song. Here are some ideas to get you started.

When you allow young children to create alphabet letters using different art tools, materials, and techniques, they are more likely to recognize and learn how letters are formed. This article has three alphabet art ideas for your preschoolers. Let the children partake in these crafts where they will learn and become creative as well.

Make Collage Letters

Draw a box-type letter on a piece of cardboard or poster board. Invite the children to spread glue onto the letter and adhere any of the following materials to make a raised textured letter that they can feel. Think about using sand, seashells, crushed egg shells, paper scraps, dried beans or pasta, buttons, seeds, and even spices (so they can smell the letter). These are just a few ideas and I'm sure you can think of others. Sometimes it is best to coordinate the letter and the material used in the collage to make the letter sound. For example, when making a letter B, use buttons or with the letter S, use sand.

Create Letter Characters

Give each child a block letter and colored markers. Invite them to 'dress up' the letter by drawing in facial features, hair, and designs. You can even give the children scraps of fabric for them to dress up the alphabet letter with clothes. Challenge the children to give their letter a name, such as "Billy B" or "Tara" T.

Unique Fingerprints
Do the children know that they have unique fingerprints and that no one else has the same prints? Even though they are young, it's a piece of information well worth mentioning. For this alphabet art craft, have the children stamp thumbprints to create letters. Take a foam produce tray and place a few layers of paper towels inside. The towels act as a stamp pad when tempera paint is poured on top. Have each child put a thumb into the paint tray and stamp out a thumbprint in the shape of a letter. It's best if the teacher lightly draws the letter on paper for the children to follow. Another variation is to fill in a block letter with a number of fingerprints, maybe in different colors too.


Happy teaching and hug your little ones each day,
TANIA

Photo courtesy of Morguefile

August is Amblyopia Month - Kids With Lazy Eye Syndrome

Hello viewers.,

I'm attaching a media press release with medical information that I thought many would be interested in reading. I know many of you are not in Florida, but the information is helpful to all. 

Enjoy your August,

Tania

The Florida Society of Ophthalmology (FSO) and the For Eye Care Foundation (FECF) have launched an educational campaign recognizing August 2022 as “Amblyopia Awareness Month”. The goal is to bring awareness about the importance and need for early vision screenings that can detect serious vision problems such as Amblyopia, a vision issue more commonly referred to as “lazy eye”.

Amblyopia is the most common, yet preventable, cause of permanent vision loss in children. In Florida, fewer than 20 percent of preschool children are currently screened for vision problems.

“Early childhood screenings are key to ensuring that no child has to lose their vision due to a detectable and preventable issue, especially as many forms of amblyopia are difficult to detect without a screening,” said Joseph T. Nezgoda, MD, MBA, President of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology. “Our efforts this month echo our mission- to educate parents and guardians on these common eye issues and ensure they are empowered to ask questions, seek help and ensure that the best eye care possible is provided to their children.”

During Florida’s 2022 legislative session, the Florida Senate approved a resolution that would recognize August as “Amblyopia Awareness Month” in Florida. The resolution also seeks to promote statewide preschool vision screenings, with the goal of testing all children between 3 and 5 years of age.

“I am proud to support the education efforts of the Florida Society of Ophthalmology and the For Eye Care foundation- the health of our children is critical, and we must ensure that Florida’s parents and guardians are educated and informed so they can make the best decision possible for their children,” said Senator Lori Berman, sponsor of resolution.

Early vision screenings are the greatest tool parents have at their disposal. The detection of amblyopia and other vision threatening disorders like retinoblastoma tumors, cataracts, and strabismus in early childhood increases the chances of successful treatment, especially if the disorder is detected before a child reaches 5 years of age. Vision screenings can be done by a child’s pediatrician or ophthalmologist and physicians recommend starting at 12-months, repeating every few years.

To learn more about the FSO’s efforts, visit: mdeye.org/amblyopia

Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com