Some units work well for toddlers as well as older children. An apple unit is one of them. Today’s free apple do-a-dot printable is great for reinforcing the beginning sound with letter identification or simply for vocabulary and hearing beginning sounds. As usual, the do-a-dot printable is an instant download and super-easy to prepare!
Montessori-Inspired Printables at Living Montessori Now
My daughter, Christina (a former Montessori child), and I are partnering to bring you a series of Montessori-inspired printables. The printables are typically themed and use a number of Montessori principles (although you don’t need to be a Montessori teacher or homeschooler to use them):
- They use isolation of quality.
- They use photographs or realistic images to emphasize reality. Whenever I can, I’ll tell you the specific name of the object or animal featured on the credits page. This month’s do-a-dot printables is simply an apple (probably a Red Delicious apple).
- They typically use traditional Montessori colors such as red for consonants and blue for vowels.
- They use lowercase letters, which are what we introduce letter sounds with in Montessori education. (Children tend to pick up the uppercase letters without being introduced if they’re introduced to the lowercase letter sounds.)
- They often feature themed printable versions of Montessori materials.
Free Apple Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable
To download the apple do-a-dot phonics printables, click here and then click on the file image in the upper right corner of the PDF to save to your computer (just choose where you want it saved).
Montessori-Inspired Activities Using the Apple Do-a-Dot Printable
Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).
Apple Letter A Do-a-Dot Tray with Rubber Stamp Work
Apple Letter A Do-a-Dot Tray with Rubber Stamp Work
This is just one example of how you can use the do-a-dot printable. There are many ways to use our do-a-dot printables. Scroll down to see examples from previous posts. Just choose an activity that’s appropriate for your child’s age and skill level.
I used a apple rubber stamp, washable stamp pad, and large Montessori Services tray. (This is the type of tray I typically use for activities with water, paint, or ink.)
You could have a variety of transfer activities with the do-a-dot printable. Or you could have a totally different type of do-a-dot activity. See ideas below. Again, just choose what is best for your child’s skill level and interests.
You could add a tracing activity to the printable. If you laminate your printable, you can use an erasable crayon like the Melissa & Doug Learning Mat Crayons or Crayola Erasable Crayons. If your page isn’t laminated, you could add a pencil or colored pencil. I often do that. For a toddler or young preschooler who’s not ready to write letters, you can just leave off the crayon or pencil as I did for this tray.
That said, I don’t keep this tray on the shelf with my toddler grandchildren because it’s something I only use with them with direct supervision. That’s because of the stamp pad and the small size of the apple rubber stamp.
Note: I don’t leave small objects like these out for my toddler grandchildren, and I don’t recommend that small objects be available to toddlers without direct and constant supervision. Even if your toddler doesn’t normally put things in his or her mouth, it just isn’t worth the risk.
Montessori-Inspired Vocabulary and Rubber Stamping Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Toddler Vocabulary Work Before Apple Rubber Stamping Work
Here are some ways to use the apple do-a-dot printable with a toddler. This is my toddler grandson, Caleb, 18 months old. A great way to start using the printable with a young toddler is to have a real apple to match to the picture of the apple. Above, Caleb is pointing to the apple and saying, “Apple.” This is a sweet, fun activity in itself!
Toddler Lesson on How to Use an Apple Rubber Stamp
Caleb’s mom, Christina, showed Caleb how to use a rubber stamp to make small apples on the page. With a young toddler, you’ll often need to review these types of demonstrations again on other days. Don’t worry at all about how many stamp prints your toddler wants to make or where the prints are made on the page. Just enjoy the experience!
We don’t focus on tracing the letter or teaching the letter name or sound at that age, either. We often focus on the child hearing the beginning sound by saying something like, “Apple,” /ă/, “apple.”
As always, adapt your presentations for your unique child!
More Apple Resources
Free Apple Printables and Activities for a Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
- Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
- Montessori Apple Color Matching for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- 30+ Apple Sensory Tubs
- Free Apple Printables and Montessori-Inspired Apple Activities
- 20+ Apple Phonics Activities
- Fall Sensory Bin with Practical Life and Math Activities
- Fun with Montessori Apple Coring, Slicing, Spreading, and Sharing
- Free Apple Printable for Ten Apples Up On Top Activities (Instant Download)
- Ten Apples Up On Top Sensory Bin & Table (Free Printables)
- Ten Apples Up On Top Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
- Free Fall Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Fall {Free Printables}
- Free Seasons of an Apple Tree Cutting Strips (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
- Free Tree Songs and Educational Videos {Learn about Trees, Apple Trees, and Seasons}
- Free Apple Printables and Activities for a Montessori-Inspired Apple Unit
- Montessori Apple Color Matching for Toddlers and Preschoolers
- Montessori Apple Fraction Activities for Multiple Ages
- Apple Unit Study Pinterest Board
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Don’t miss our themed monthly packs! You’ll get the link and password for the Living Montessori Now subscriber library with the current pack and all the past monthly packs if you subscribe to the Living Montessori Now weekly newsletter!
Free Do-a-Dot Printables and Ideas for Using Them
I love the versatility of do-a-dot printables! If you’re doing a month-long theme, you could easily change out the type of do-a-dot activity weekly to add interest. Here are four ideas of hands-on activities for any of our do-a-dot printables from my frog do-a-dot printable post (see post for details and materials used).
Just click on an image to go to the post with the related free printable!
Note: I’ve arranged the following gallery in alphabetical order, although some posts have two do-a-dot printables (and two different letters). Also, I don’t introduce letters in alphabetical order. You can find out the order in which I introduce letter sounds here. I deviate from that order for our unit studies, though, and focus on a letter that’s simply related to our unit. That’s in addition to our other letter work.
You can see all our free do-a-dot printables with the latest at the top here.
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