Reviewing the Sound of S

It’s time to have some fun with the Amazing Action Alphabet letter S! Today I brought a friend to class, a toy snake slithering in sand. The children love helping S slither in the sand making a “s-s-s” sound. 

A simple activity to review this beginning sound is to gather items from around the room and place them in a bag with the letter S on it. 

Then say, 

“S the snake, down by the lake. I’m going to reach in to see what she ate.” 

Have the child reach into the bag and identify the beginning sounds of each item.  

Watch the children smile as they enjoy these super silly activities! 

Reviewing Letter and Sounds Through a Nursery Song

Here is another nursery rhyme to help review the alphabet. 

Sing the following to the tune of: Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush

Let’s sing around the coconut tree, the coconut tree, 

Let’s sing around the coconut tree, the coconut tree

Singing the song of the letters…

This is the sound the letter (Y) makes, (y y y, y y y) 

This is the sound the letter (Y) makes, (y y y) 

Kangaroo Theme Review Activity -> Reviewing Letters and Sounds

K the kangaroo in the Amazing Action Alphabet Flip Chart is an all time favorite! Here is a simple game to review beginning sounds or letters. 

Make a kangaroo with a pocket and let the child “feed” the baby kangaroo alphabet food. 

You can say, 

“Kangaroo, kangaroo munch munch much. Here’s a letter for your lunch.” 

The child identifies the beginning sound or the letter and then places the “food” inside the kangaroo’s pouch. 

Popcorn Game to Help Review Letter Sounds

I never get tired from teaching the Amazing Action Alphabet! Here are a few games to help with reviewing the letters: 

Make popcorn with the letters attached to each piece. As the children pick a piece of popcorn say the following to the tune of the nursery rhyme The Muffin Man: 

Do you know the letter P

The letter P the letter P

Do you know the letter P

It’s sound goes like this: “p p p”

Another fun game is to hide a popcorn kernel under the pieces of popcorn and see if they can guess what letter the kernel is hiding under. 

You can say, 

“Here are pieces of popcorn for you to see. Some for you and some for me. There’s one piece that you can’t see. Where oh where can that piece be?”

Review Letters or Words with the Rock Monster

Amazing Action Alphabet's Beginning Readers is a MUST HAVE for all preschoolers and beginning readers. This book has 26 mini books that build upon each other as the reader progresses and learns more letter sounds and words.

Today we read the My Mom book which introduced the letter O. We reviewed the letters we've learned so far in a fun way with THE ROCK MONSTER. I wrote the letters on pieces of paper and we fed the monster the letters. You can also do this with words if the child is ready.

Reviewing Letters with Nail Polish on N Day

Children love learning about the "naughty" newt in the Amazing Action Alphabet Flip Chart! The newt is "naughty" because he writes on the walls with nail polish! So of course we explore the letter N with nail polish! 

Use the nail polish to review the letters taught by painting each letter on the nail. I found a basic Hand Clip Art for you to use!

You can simply ask the child to identify the letter on each nail. If the child is correct they can paint the nail with nail polish. 

Or you can ask the child to identify the letter that begins with a specific word. (e.g. "Paint the nail that begins with the word pan." The child would obviously paint the nail that has the letter p on it.)

Another enjoyable activity is matching the uppercase letters on the nail polish bottle with the lower case letters on a brush. I simply found a Nail Polish  template and wrote the letters on the brushes and bottles. 

A matching game really shows the teacher if the learner knows the skill taught.

Using nail polish is a great way to build fine motor skills. Many children do not want to use a pencil, but find painting with the nail polish much more enjoyable.

Using the nail polish uses the same motor skills as using a pencil... So your child is now "writing" with pleasure!

Stop by our store and grab an Amazing Action Alphabet book for someone on your gift list this season!

Here is a video to show you a fun lesson idea with the letter N! 

Reading Review Game: Swat the Word!

Amazing Action Alphabet's Beginning Reader is a MUST HAVE for all preschoolers and beginning readers.  This book has 26 mini books that build upon each other as the reader progresses and learns more letter sounds and words.  

Today we read the I the Insect book.  We reviewed in a fun way called "SWAT THE WORD!"  I wrote the words from the book on little lady bugs.  

When my reader read a word he could SWAT that bug.  BAM!  Flat paper bugs are my favorite!

We were itching with fun as we read this book and practiced the /i/ sound!  This Beginning reader is also available as an Ebook for ONLY $6.99!  This game is a fun way to review words from any story or frequently used words.  

Enjoy friends!  

Review With ME and the Amazing Action Mini Reader

Beginning reading 101 >> 

For your preschooler to retain knowledge of letter names and sounds used in the Amazing Action Alphabet we review on a regular basis. In the Amazing Action Alphabet Beginning Reader the letters are NOT taught in alphabetical order. Instead, the letters are taught using the most commonly used sounds first, making it possible to quickly make words. Before each lesson we review each sound practiced like you see in this video.



I love using a slide to blend sounds making words for a beginning reader.  

Here we are in the fourth lesson blending the four sounds taught thus far.  We have learned M, T, A and S letters and sounds.  Using a "slide" as we "slide" these sounds together that are contained in the story.

Reviewing letters and sounds regularly is key to your child's success!  

I The Insect Itches...i...i...i!

It's I day for my preschoolers, and we are learning about insects and, of course, the letter I.  We crafted, discovered, learned, imagined, read, and discovered some more!  

Insects

First we learned about insects.  Hands on learning can be tricky in the cooler weather, but flip over a rock and you'll  be surprised at what you find!  

{image credit here}

I Day Craft

We crafted with the Amazing Action Alphabet Activities  book, and the kids had a lot of fun making wings with their painted hands.  Another fun idea is make sock puppets out of these insects.  Attach an old sock to the back of I the Insect and the kids LOVE flying around the house with their new insect friend.

Teaching Letter Name

When using the Amazing Action Alphabet Flip Chart children usually pick up the letter sounds quite easily.  Learning the letter names can take a little more effort.  Here is a quick idea of how I like to teach the letter name I.  

I make a lowercase i and then I draw an eyeball on the top.  (get it...an "eye" for the letter name I)  This helps children remember the name of letter I as well as remembering the form of the lowercase letter.

Here's a video to show you how I teach the letter I. 

Reading

When using the Amazing Action Alphabet Beginning Reader you will notice on lesson 8 the letter /i/ sound is added to their list of sounds taught.  An effective way to help the child read this story is by reminding them that the letter I, when standing alone, is a "stop word."  All stop words do not sound out and must be memorized.  I remind them that when they come to a red light they "stop" and don't sound out. He/She needs to remember the word just by the way it looks.  (Take the word "the" for example.   This word doesn't sound out and consequently is a "stop word.")  I tell the child that the I, when standing alone, is another "stop word."  When we come to the I we say the I's name not the letter I's sound.  To help the child with this concept have them color all the I's RED symbolizing to stop and not say the letter's sound.  (Just for fun, in this story below, we colored all the words "am" yellow and all the words "sit" we underlined in green.  I found that coloring the same words that are used repeatedly in the story further helps the child's reading fluency.)

Letter Review Game

I couldn't wait to use a PIN I had saved for today!  Thanks Hands On as We Grow, this letter review game is a favorite!  

{image credit here)

Free Letter & Sound Review Games

ATTENTION FRIENDS: 

This Free Giveaway is now CLOSED.

Are you needing a FREE letter and sound review game for your preschooler?  I thought so.

I have 3 fabulous Amazing Action Alphabet Review Games I want to give away to my friends.

Brown Bear

I use Brown Bear Review Activity with the familiar chant from Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?  Place the Amazing Action Alphabet review cards (found in the back of the Activity Book) on top of the Brown Bear's belly.  Review the revised chant:

Brown Bear,

Brown Bear,

What do you see?

I see a "(say the name of the letter)" 

Looking at me!

In the Brown Bear PDF file you would receive the Brown Bear template.  

Alphabet Parking Lot

I love the Alphabet Parking Lot Review Game!  You can easily have your child play with their toy car on this alphabet road.  You can give simple instructions to help your child review.

Drive to the letter K?

Drive to the letter that says the sound /R/.

What is the 3rd letter past the pond?

In this PDF file you would receive all 3 pieces of the Alphabet Parking Lot activity.

Mr. Alligator & Swinging Letters  

Mr. Alligator is one of my favorites!  I use a revised version of the familiar song "Teasing Mr. Alligator".

5 little letters swinging in the tree

Teasing Mr. Alligator

"Can't catch me!"

"Can't catch me!"

Along comes Mr. Alligator

As quiet as can me

And SNAPS a "D" 

Right out of the tree!

In this PDF file you would receive the alligator and all 26 letters.

How Do I Get My Free Game? 
{update...This giveaway is now closed...}

I am happy to email you a PDF file of one of the above games!  In exchange I need you to complete ALL of the following.

1.  Share most current POST on my Facebook page.

2.  PIN one or more of the Review Games on Pinterest. 

     Brown Bear

     Alphabet Parking Lot

     Mr. Alligator & Swinging Letters

3.  Email me at amazingactionalphabet@gmail.com.  Put in the Subject line: Free Review Game.  Write your name and what day you completed the above sharing on social sites.   I'll confirm your request and send you your favorite review game as quick as I can!

Thanks friends!  The more you share...the more I can create for you!

Edible Snacks & Letter Review Ideas

Making snack time a learning experience can be a loads of fun in preschool.  

A simple and edible way to review letters is to give a child pretzel sticks and ask them make various letters with the pretzels.  Don't you love the great ideas at the See Hear Do Company!

Have you heard of Cheez It Scrabble?  Yep!  Grab a box for the little ones today.  This looks like a hit from Activity Mom.

Using licorice to make letters and words is easy and fun too.  Thanks Miss Mancy.

What creative snack times do you have with your kids?  Do share!

Cookie Jar Letter & Sounds Review Game

Summer is a great time review letters and sounds! After being introduced to the letters using The Amazing Action Alphabet Flip Chart review the letters and sounds with this well known song, 

Who Stole The Cookies From Cookie Jar?

Simply get a cookie jar or find a printable cookie jar from the internet. Cut out a few "cookies" from paper and write letter names on the "cookies" and place them in a jar. 

Repeat the following revised chant:

Teacher says: "You stole a letter from the cookie from the cookie jar!"

Child says: "Who me?"

Teacher says: "Yes, you! Let's see!"

Child shows the teacher the letter written on the cookie. If child says the name of the letter (or you can ask for the letter sound) they can keep the "cookie" in their pile. If the child forgot the letter name (or sound) the teacher tells the child the name (or sound) and they put the cookie back in the cookie jar. The goal is to keep all the "cookies" from the cookie jar.

Keep up with my latest ideas on these social sites>>

Facebook
Pinterest
Google +

Playing Dress Up Today!

We had A LOT of fun playing dress up today with our letters.  Exposing our kids to letters over and over is our goal.  Today I grabbed a few Amazing Action Alphabet Flip Charts and started thinking about what fun HATS they would want to wear.

I googled "hat clip art" and found thousands of great ideas...

Christmas Santa hat HERE

 birthday party hat HERE

4th of July's Uncle Sam's hat HERE

and witch's hat HERE

The ideas are endless!  Print the clip art and carefully cut out each hat.  You might consider laminating these little cuties because your kids are gong to ask for them throughout the year...I promise!  

I grabbed some reusable adhesive like this one found at a local hardware or craft store. 

LOVE this product found HERE

I put a small amount of the adhesive on each hat to secure the letter.

  

S likes her Fireman's hat

V wanted to cast a magic spell

C was a little shy and chose to wave the American Flag

We all had a great time making our letter friends silly!  

What are some of your ideas to review letters and sounds?  Inquiring minds want to know!  

How are you going to teach AND have fun this summer???!!

I love success stories, and I see and hear these stories ALL THE TIME!  That is what brings a smile to my face.  I love when kids have fun AND learn!

Summer is upon us and most of us just want to hang up the backpacks and kick up our heels.  Enjoy the down time with yours kids!  Here are some fun ways to teach AND have fun this summer from some of my new blogging friends.

Annie over at Annies Place To Learn shares ideas about teaching preschoolers and I love her Preschool Bin ideas.  Check out what she has in that bin!  That would keep my kids busy ALL SUMMER LONG!

Camille at Sunny Time Preschool messaged me saying she loves using Amazing Action Alphabet Products too!

"We use the Amazing Action Alphabet at my preschool 

and all the kids LOVE it!   It really helps them retain the letter names and 

sounds! We love the songs too! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!"

Sunny Times has fantastic ideas on how to teach preschoolers!  I loved her Bubble Art that goes right along with our Amazing Action Alphabet Activity Book B day activity.  Grab this book and do these activities at home.  Your kids barely realize their learning!

Also, Camille had some GREAT ideas for Y day that enhance our Y the Yack and his YoYo.  She strings YARN all over the room and makes a fun obstacle course.  She also writes about Yummy and Yucky tastes!    They tried Yellow Yogurt and Yams!  Yell yes for our senses!  

I hope you're thinking about fun in the sun this summer!  If you want to SHARE your unique ideas, and tell us how you find success in teaching in these summer months, message me!  We all want to hear from YOU!