Simple, Easily Rotated Activity to Teach Letter Sounds to Toddlers and Preschoolers {Montessori Monday}

Focusing on letter sounds with toddlers and preschoolers can be a daunting task for parents … or it can be quite easy. Today, I have a simple, easily rotated activity that you can use to teach letter sounds one at a time to toddlers and preschoolers.

Simple, Easily Rotated Activity to Teach Letter Sounds – YouTube Video

In this video, my daughter, Christina, tells about a simple way we focus on individual letters with my 2-year-old (almost 2 1/2 year old) granddaughter, Zoey (Christina’s niece). Zoey loves songs and rhymes, so this is perfect for her … and easy for me to prepare and rotate. We typically sing the songs and say the rhymes together (and have LOTS OF FUN doing it). For the video, Zoey wanted to demonstrate the songs and rhymes herself. She’s TOO CUTE!!!

Materials Needed to Prepare Individual Letter Books to Go with Sandpaper Letters

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

• Montessori sandpaper letters or DIY sandpaper letters (or other tactile letters)
• small tabletop easels or basket for letter and book
• free printable little letter books (26 books of songs and rhymes) from The Measured Mom
• the letter book used in the video with assembly instructions
• cardstock (the exact type can vary, but this is what I use)
• paper cutter
• long reach stapler

More about Our Individual Letter Sound Process (shown in video)

Christina Telling about Our Simple Letter Sound Activity

Here Christina is showing how we feature our letter. A basket could be used instead.

Saying the Letter Sound While Tracing the Sandpaper Letter

First, we say the phonetic sound and trace the sandpaper letter while snuggling on the couch. We formally introduce a sandpaper letter at a table, but this is a casual, at-home activity that we do on the couch.

Having fun with “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” Song and the Little Bb Book

Then we sing the songs and say the rhymes (typically together). If your child just wants to listen, that’s okay, too.

How to Teach Letter Sounds to Toddlers and Preschoolers

You really don’t need to focus specifically on teaching letter sounds using sandpaper letters until about age 2 1/2, although you should always follow your own child’s interests and needs.

My post (with embedded video) on teaching letter sounds will give a good background on introducing the individual sounds, including how to pronounce each sound.

You’ll find many more phonics activities for both toddlers and preschools in my DIY beginning Montessori phonics post.

Note: In case you’re wondering, Zoey’s clothes (and jewelry) are from Gymboree.

Montessori Monday Link-Up

If you have some Montessori activity trays/lessons to share, please link up below. It’s fine to link up a post from your archives – and you may link up anytime during the week! Your post may be any Montessori-inspired activity or idea. It doesn’t need to be related to my Montessori Monday post.

If you’re wondering what’s considered “Montessori inspired” and what to link up (or not link up), check out my “What Is Montessori Inspired?” post. Link up your exact post URL so that we can find your activity if we return to the linky at a later date (which I often do when I’m looking for activities for a roundup post). Don’t link to giveaway posts (unless the giveaway is only part of a Montessori-inspired post). Giveaways in general should go on my giveaway linky. Also, don’t link directly to products. You can link up a review of a Montessori product or activity post related to a Montessori product.

I publish the Montessori Monday post and linky each Monday morning and keep the linky open throughout the week. Please place the Montessori Monday button (using the code from the right sidebar) in your post or put a link back to this post. I do a lot of sharing on the Living Montessori Now Facebook page from the Montessori Monday link-up. Thanks for participating!

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Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy! I’m also one of the coauthors of the book Learn with Play – 150+ Activities for Year-round Fun & Learning!

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