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FREE Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)

July 6, 2020 By Deb Chitwood Leave a Comment

For our summer unit, I’m featuring the phonetic sound /s/ for sun for children learning their beginning letter sounds. For beginning readers, sun is perfect for word building and blending with the CVC word “sun.” The free sun do-a-dot printable is an instant download, versatile, and super easy to prepare.

FREE Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)

Note: Be sure to read to the bottom of the post where you’ll find lots of ideas for using do-a-dot printables along with at least one free do-a-dot printable for each letter of the alphabet!

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 printable is simply a photograph of the sun in the sky. This could be great for an astronomy unit as well as a spring, summer, or weather theme.
  • 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 Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable

To download the sun 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 Sun Do-a-Dot Printable

Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links (at no cost to you).

Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Tray with Pom Pom Transfer

Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Tray with Pom Pom Transfer

Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Tray with Pom Pom Transfer

Pom poms are fun with do-a-dot printables and provide a great fine-motor activity. Right now, I have these materials available for my 2-year-old grandkids, Sophia and Caleb. You can use a variety of tools for transfer activities, such as quick sticks, sugar tongs, or toast tongs (what’s pictured). I used a wooden Multicraft tray for the activity. (Note: With toddlers, be extra careful to avoid leaving out materials, such as pom poms, that could be a choking hazard. I typically keep small objects up out of reach for toddlers and get them out when I’m directly supervising their work.)

You can add erasable crayons or markers to a laminated page for preschoolers to work on tracing skills. I don’t have my 2-year-old grandkids trace letters or numbers except with their fingers. I just showed how I place colored pencils on the tray for children who are ready for tracing work. 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 pencils. I often do that. If you only have a 2-year-old or other young preschooler who’s not ready to write letters, you can just leave off the crayon or pencils.

This do-a-dot printable can be used in a variety of ways, depending on the age and ability of the child. A younger child could just use do-a-dot markers, stickers, or some sort of transfer on the do-a-dot page and focus on the /s/ sound in sun while an older child could build the word with the movable alphabet. I included the cursive “s” font card from our Montessori-Inspired Summer Pack. The font card has cursive letter “s” and the same sun image. I like to introduce children to both print and cursive letters. I don’t use a font card with young toddlers, but it’s great for preschoolers on up.

Scroll down to see lots of ideas for using our do-a-dot printables for a variety of ages and themes.

Sun Phonemic Awareness Activity and Do-a-Dot Work

Concentrating on Using Toast Tongs to Transfer Pom Poms to the Sun Do-a-Dot Printable

Concentrating on Using Toast Tongs to Transfer Pom Poms to the Sun Do-a-Dot Printable

This type of activity is wonderful for fine-motor development, increasing attention span, and reinforcing letter sounds.

For toddlers, I typically use the do-a-dot printables for vocabulary, hearing the beginning sound of a word, and fine-motor skills. Generally, with toddlers, I’ll just focus on the /s/ sound at the beginning of “sun.”

For a phonics lesson with young toddlers, I might casually say that sun starts with /s/ (the sound, not the letter name). This is just to introduce hearing the phonetic sound. I don’t focus on the letter “s,” although I use the printable that we already have available. We often focus on the child hearing the beginning sound by saying something like, “Sun, /s/, sun.”

Both of my 2-year-old grandkids love working with sandpaper letters and learning letter sounds, so we’re doing more focused work on the letter sounds now. This is what I do with preschoolers who are learning their letter sounds. We follow the order shown in this post along with adding the featured letter. I don’t worry about going out of order for the monthly theme.

I only use printables with toddlers that can be used for hands-on work, such as do-a-dot work, scissor cutting (cutting strips), or another type of printable that can be made into a manipulative. Printables when used with manipulatives are great for fine-motor development, work on important skills, and fit with the hands-on activities that are developmentally appropriate for toddlers.

If you want to know more about how to introduce the /s/ sound, check out my post on how to teach letter sounds using Montessori principles.

If you would like help with introducing phonetic sounds, introducing objects with sounds, or beginning phonics in general, check out my DIY Beginning Montessori Phonics with Preschoolers.

For preschoolers who are working on blending, for this printable, I’d focus on word tracing, word building with the movable alphabet, and sounding out the word “sun.”

For older children who already know their letter sounds but still enjoy do-a-dot work, I add the print movable alphabet word building, phonogram work, another hands-on activity to go with the do-a-dot work, and/or cursive movable alphabet and word analysis work. (Note: These examples have more than one type of additional activity, which I like for older children.)

As always, adapt your presentations for your unique child!

More Summer Resources

Amazon Affiliate:

Summer Books for Kids

For more Montessori-inspired summer activities, check out these posts with lots of activities and resources:

Free Summer Printables and Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities

  • Free Summer Printables and Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities
  • Free Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable
  • Montessori-Inspired Summer Playdough Activities
  • Montessori-Inspired Activities for Casey at the Bat
  • Top 10 Summer Themes for Preschoolers
  • 20 Outdoor Phonics Activities
  • Montessori-Inspired Summer Activities with Spielgaben {Free Printables}
  • Free Summer Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time
  • Montessori Nature Tray with Vocabulary – Parts of the Plant
  • Montessori-Inspired Summer Themes and Activities (an especially helpful post if you’re looking for a variety of summer themes)
  • How to Have a Healthy and Courteous Tea Party Picnic
  • How to Have a Healthy and Courteous Teddy Bear Picnic
  • 50+ Creative Ways to Use Materials Found on Your Nature Walks
  • Free Summer Playdough Math Pack (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
  • Montessori-Inspired Playdough Math Activities for Summer {Free Printables}
  • Montessori Summer Resources for Classroom or Home
  • Fun with Montessori-Inspired World Travel Activities and Games
  • Free Travel Printables and Montessori-Inspired Travel Activities
  • Summer Fun Pinterest Board


Montessori-Inspired Summer Pack

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). You’ll find at least one free do-a-dot printable for each letter of the alphabet!

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.

FREE Alligator Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired instant Download)
FREE Amphibians Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Ant Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Downlad)
FREE Apple Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Bat and Vampire Bat Do-a-Dot Printables
FREE Bear Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Bell Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Birds Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
LMN - FREE Brain Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Butterfly Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Car Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Constellations Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
https://livingmontessorinow.com/free-construction-do-a-dot-phonics-printable-montessori-inspired-instant-download/
Free Cricket and Katydid Do-a-Dot Printables
FREE Crocodile Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Decorate Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable
FREE Dentist Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Dinosaur Do-a-Dot Printable  (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Doctor and Nurse Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Make Way for Ducklings Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Duster Do-a-Dot Phonics Printabe (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Egg Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Endangered Animals Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
FREE E for Excited Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
FREE Fall Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Family Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Farm Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Fire Truck Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Fish Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Fossils and Imprint Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
FREE Frog Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Fruit Rainbow Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Globe Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Golfer Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Gratitude Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
FREE Great Horned Owl Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Heart and Valentine Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Downlooads)
FREE H for Help Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Honeybee Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Igloo Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Indigo Snake Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Jet Do-a-Dot Phonics Printabable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Kindness Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Ladybug Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Lamb Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Leafhopper Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Loris Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Magnet Do-a-D Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Mammals Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Months and Seasons Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
FREE Moon Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Multicultural Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Nest Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Nose Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Octopus Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Panda Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Peace Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Penguin Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Polar Bear Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE King and Queen Do-a-Dot  Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
FREE Rock and Quartzite Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
Free Rabbit and Kitten Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
FREE Raccoon Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Recycling Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-inspired Instant Download)
FREE Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant Download)
FREE Reptiles Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Resilience Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE R for Run Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Seashell Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Sled Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Snail Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Snowman Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE St. Patrick's Day Hat Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Phonics instant Download)
FREE Sun Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Tarantua and Spider Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Instant Downloads)
https://livingmontessorinow.com/free-tree-do-a-dot-printable-montessori-inspired-instant-download/
FREE Turtle Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Umbrella Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Vegetables Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Volcano Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Warbler and Yellow Warbler Do-a-Dot Printables (Montessori-Inspired Phonics Instant doan)
FREE Weather Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Winter Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download
FREE Winter Sports Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Fox Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Y for Year Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Yoga Do-a-Dot Phonics Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)
FREE Zoo Animal Do-a-Dot Printable (Montessori-Inspired Instant Download)

You can see all our free do-a-dot printables with the latest at the top here.

For complete themed alphabet do-a-dot packs, see our Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, Spanish Animal Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack, and Healthy Food Alphabet Do-a-Dot Pack available for purchase in the Living Montessori Now shop.

Deb - Signature

If this is your first time visiting Living Montessori Now, welcome! If you haven’t already, please join us on our Living Montessori Now Facebook page where you’ll find a Free Printable of the Day and lots of inspiration and ideas for parenting and teaching! And please follow me on Instagram, Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), and YouTube. While you’re here, please check out the Living Montessori Now shop.

And don’t forget one of the best ways to follow me by signing up for my weekly newsletter. You’ll receive some awesome freebies in the process!

Filed Under: Activities - Language, Free Montessori Printables, Free Printables, Montessori Homeschool Classroom and Materials, Unit Studies Tagged With: free do-a-dot printables, free Montessori printables, free phonics printables, free printable, free summer printables, free sun printables, Montessori, Montessori-inspired summer activities, Montessori-inspired summer unit, preschooler, preschoolers, summer activities, summer unit, sun do-a-dot printable, toddler, toddlers, unit study

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The activities shared on this blog require adult supervision at all times. You know which activities are appropriate for your children and/or the children under your care and are responsible for those children's safety.

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