Fun Materials, Books & Games For Phonics!

[buds]

sphinx:

Hey Buds. Its me again..was away and could not check the forum.One question. I have no idea how to include quotes in my post..hahah...very non-IT me...

Just click quote darling. You can find the button/icon at the top
right hand corner of the posts.

Just make sure for the sentence that you wanna do individually,
it has to start with, for example > [ quote=\"sphinx\" ] and
end with a simple > [ /quote ].

sphinx:

Yeah I think I have to slow down with him a bit...Kind of gotten a little excited for a while there and went overboard with him..

Naaah, i dun think so. Think you're trying what you can.
Sometimes when we do not know what is age appropriate
to teach a child at his/her age; and it turns out that the child
wasn't ready..... parents can get very frustrated if there isn't
tangible results at the least after the effort. It's understandable.
It is also ok to teach a child slightly way ahead but as long as the
said child is observed to be able to receive it positively and has the
ability to understand its concepts & the works. When it's too far off, it
is like asking an infant to start walking before turning/crawling...

sphinx:

thanks for your motivation and advice...

You're always welcome. :hugs:

sphinx:

my son is so like your DD2...his eyes will roll everywhere but the book and now that a page in 4a is pretty long, so now its pretty difficult just to let him finish a page.

Still is. :x And she likes to say she's very tired when she has only read like only a page!

sphinx:

I did not use any methadology though. Should I use any one of them?what do you reckon?

Not really, you dun have to. A method is like a learning style that one
adopts which can be conducted in phases or levels, so one knows to start
from basic to advance or from easy to difficult and at an age appropriate
level. I like many Phonics teaching styles and each are unique and work
in their own manner. Makes learning interesting, especially if one were to
start working with children at a very early age like 18 months.

sphinx:

I haven't tried origami with him though...I will try that...those simple ones...

Though mine aren't boys, we love to do those variety of paper
aeroplanes when we first started and there are also paper boats
that you can do with him. For starters, you dun have to use those
small origami papers. Children with smaller fingers can fold better
with bigger paper pieces. Just not too hard like vanguard, normal
A4 papers would suffice. Give him stickers or stamps to decorate
the origami stuff. Patterned paper punchers can also make lovely
decorations.

sphinx:

thanks buds for the ideas...love them.

I love sharing them! :celebrate:

[spring]

buds:

Hi buds,


As i have mentioned before, i do not encourage teaching letter sounds over introduction to alphabets. Introducing children to alphabets should come first... at least in my book. Followed by knowing how each letter is formed ie. top to bottom and left to right (reading sweep-glance)... then continuation to letter sounds. If you go by this order, once they know how to do blending, you can simultaneously run through simple phonetic words' spelling activities with them. Pre-writing exercises are important to help children develop their finger muscles, pincer grip and also preparation to tidy handwriting.

Hi buds....

Its me. I have again learnt many ideas from you on this thread. :celebrate:
My dd is 26 months, I have a few questions in regards to the reply to sean wife. You mention tat introducing of alphabet shd come 1st (im in this phase now), followed byhow each letter is formed, so do you mean tat you suggest a child to learn to pre-writing of e alphabets before learning each single letter sound? Recently i have bought a tracing alphabet book with picture to colour and stickers to paste for her, I ask her to pick out e sticker tat match e picture e.g.aeroplane, and let her stick on e square box, followed by saying e word aaaaeroplane to her, followed by doodling on e aeroplane. Next we move on to tracing e letter 'a', i use my hand to hold her hand to guide her, but i think she is nt v interested in e tracing part, and v interested in the pasting part. But, obviously e main motive is e tracing of e letter :stupid:

Can you give me some ideas on how to make pre-writing more interesting? I have also browse thru your montessori thread in regards to the sand paper finger tracing, wld like to try this method also, will be waiting for you on how to diy e material ya...

Also glad to found your post on the \"My Phonics Friend\" which can be borrow fr e library, I will definitely check this out, save money... :lol: I think it is quite similar to e letterland ABC book isn't it?

[jedamum]

dear buds,

my 3yo loves to trace (but not repetitively for each letter ie he only likes to trace A-Z but not AAAAA, BBBBB), but he can't get the strokes sequence correct unless i dictate it for him. he also likes to fool around by tracing his name backwards. should i enforce that he follows the correct sequence? TQ.

PS: on man...feels like writing to Aunt Agony forum like that..

[spring]

Hey buds...


I just remember i save this link in my favourite....
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/handwriting_readiness.htm

It say that before a child learn to trace a letter or number, they need to practice handwriting readiness by practicing some of this activities, is this necessary? But it does seems to me it makes some sense.

For parents who is keen to train ur child's fine motor skills, there are some other activities in their website which i tink is quite good e.g cutting, lacing... all printable and free!

[autumnbronze]

spring:

Hey buds...


I just remember i save this link in my favourite....
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/handwriting_readiness.htm

It say that before a child learn to trace a letter or number, they need to practice handwriting readiness by practicing some of this activities, is this necessary? But it does seems to me it makes some sense.

For parents who is keen to train ur child's fine motor skills, there are some other activities in their website which i tink is quite good e.g cutting, lacing... all printable and free!

Hi Spring,

Was being a KPO and checked out the website ...

Verdict:

WOW, :goodpost:

Will save it in my favourites

Thanks for sharing :lol:

Even though it was meant for Buds

[autumnbronze]

Hi Buds,


Or anyone else who can advise me on this ....

I am now in the midst of 'formally' (because he knows them already, just reinforcing before I start on phonics) teaching my son the letters of the alphabet using Buds mystery game bag.

The letters that I am showing are lowercase letters, I let him trace the shape of the letters as well.

My question is: Would I confuse him if I show/let him trace both the upper and lower case letters at the same time? I remember reading somewhere in one of the posts that we shd just concentrate on lowercase. Wouldn't I end up 'double' teaching him then? Also, I notice that some letter tracing books have both types ....

BTW, my 2+ yr old son loves the mystery game, he tries to cheat too when putting his hand inside the bag by opening one eye. Also, one of the items I put into the bag is an almond, he just makes me laugh when he pronounces it as - alamond :lol:

So I highly recommend this method

Advice most appreciated. TIA ... :celebrate:

[spring]

autumnbronze:

Hi Spring,

Was being a KPO and checked out the website ...

Verdict:

WOW, :goodpost:

Will save it in my favourites

Thanks for sharing :lol:

Even though it was meant for Buds

Hi autumnbronze...

Its alright, im a KPO also... :lol: in fact i tink most KSP members are KPO, trying to check out all other threads.

Thanks. Am happy that you find it useful.

No la... its not meant for buds only... I post it for parents who's keen to train their child's fine motor skill also, i find it quite interesting...

Hmmm.... btw, do you do any handwriting readiness activities with your ds? Or do you hav any ideas of how to making pre-writing more interesting? Waiting for buds's reply, but others input will be very appreciated too!

[autumnbronze]

spring:

autumnbronze:

Hi Spring,

Was being a KPO and checked out the website ...

Verdict:

WOW, :goodpost:

Will save it in my favourites

Thanks for sharing :lol:

Even though it was meant for Buds

Hi autumnbronze...

Its alright, im a KPO also... :lol: in fact i tink most KSP members are KPO, trying to check out all other threads.

Thanks. Am happy that you find it useful.

No la... its not meant for buds only... I post it for parents who's keen to train their child's fine motor skill also, i find it quite interesting...

Hmmm.... btw, do you do any handwriting readiness activities with your ds? Or do you hav any ideas of how to making pre-writing more interesting? Waiting for buds's reply, but others input will be very appreciated too!

Hi Spring,

When you mention 'handwriting readiness', are you refering to gross motor skill ie hand/finger gripping??

For my DS, I invested in:

An easel with chalkboard and paint board from Ikea, so that he can just play play with the chalk and paint/paintbrush. He has come up with his own version of how the s'pore flyer looks like

A playdough set ie alphabet/animal/number cut-outs, cooking set for him to muck about with. He loves playing with them, or making shapes using his free hand (actually his 'version' of shapes, to me they are 'nonsense' :D). Sometimes I also let him help me form letters/numbers (freehand) using the dough, just so he gets a feel and also learn them.

Colouring books so that he can colour with colour pencils/crayons. Good opportunity to teach him how to grip properly.

Sticker books allow him to practice pasting stickers correctly.

Then, inspired by Buds' teaching on using montessori sandpaper alphabets, I took out my transparency sheets (leftover from my teaching days), printed out alphabet letters from http://www.starfall.com (courtesy of Tamarind), coloured them red and pasted them individually on the sheets. I then pasted 2 rows of red colour decorative crystals (the ones used in h/p etc.., from Daiso, again leftover materials from teaching days, which were actually rewards I gave to my gals for doing well in tests etc..) within and following the shape of, for eg the letter \"a\". Then I blue tack it on the wall. My DS likes tracing/feeling the letter using his finger because of the 3D effect.

I am supposed to upload image but need to find out how, I have to refer to Buds' tips from her earlier posting first. My rationale for using the transparency is one, they are collecting dust (obsolete material), second, in the future, DS can use non-permanent marker pens to trace/write out the letter or draw anything that begins with the letter, and its erasable.

Now that you have recommended the website above, I will print out lacing cards and do lacing activity with him. Currently, I have alot of spare buttons and have tried to improvise by using that and thread to do stringing up activity but I think I am torturing him :lol:, the thread is too fine and the holes in the buttons are too small. I also get him to help me lace up my track shoes too

This is what I am doing to prepare him for 'handwriting readiness'. :lol:

[buds]

spring:

Hi buds....


Its me. I have again learnt many ideas from you on this thread. :celebrate:

Good to know.

spring:

My dd is 26 months, I have a few questions in regards to the reply to sean wife. You mention tat introducing of alphabet shd come 1st (im in this phase now), followed byhow each letter is formed, so do you mean tat you suggest a child to learn to pre-writing of e alphabets before learning each single letter sound?

1. Alphabet/Letter Names : ABC ie.. aaaays, beeees, ceeees.

There are also children who have extremely fascinating pictorial memory.
Photographic memory. At the stage where alphabet or letter names are
introduced, they have already grasped that a particular letter name is
represented in that particular shape.

If you refer to the Montessori Phonics thread, the introduction to the
sounds of the letters and introduction to letter shape is done
simultaneously.

1. Letter Sounds : This letter makes the sound... mmmmmm.
2. Letter Shapes : This is how i write mmmmm... Wud u like to try?

In Montessori single letter intro... it's just that we go into the detail of how
the letter should be traced in its proper fashion, which is an indirect
preparation for future writing. As the sandpaper letter material is of
slightly rough texture, children also learn lightness of touch... as for
future writing, children need not press pencil to produce writings.
Just light grip and moderate pressure will suffice.

spring:

Recently i have bought a tracing alphabet book with picture to colour and stickers to paste for her, I ask her to pick out e sticker tat match e picture e.g.aeroplane, and let her stick on e square box, followed by saying e word aaaaeroplane to her, followed by doodling on e aeroplane. Next we move on to tracing e letter 'a', i use my hand to hold her hand to guide her, but i think she is nt v interested in e tracing part, and v interested in the pasting part. But, obviously e main motive is e tracing of e letter :stupid:

Most children aren't interested in the tracing part, hahahaa! :lol:
They find it frustrating. Especially if they always get the direction
wrong. But the idea is more exposure. Even if the child does not
wish to trace or may not seem very interested, we still continue
to show them. So, even if they do not actually trace it... they do
watch how WE do it each time we revise a letter sound that has
already been introduced or even a new letter sound. The routine
will sink in eventually. Children in Montessori centres have been
observed to pick up letter cards from the shelf on their own and
do their own tracing. Some children may not wanna show
in an adult's presence, but they may wanna work on it on their
own/independently. It's still fine. As adults in the environment,
we observe..... and we guide. We help facilitate the learning
process for children to explore learning. So again, even if the
child does not wanna trace or say out the sound, when we say it
at each spontaneous lesson... children hear. Montessori method
prides itself in maximizing children's learning potential by guiding
them to heighten their sensory experience. They hear, they see,
they touch... they learn.

Just to share with you my experience, the 1st time as a parent trying
to introduce my 1st daughter to single letter sounds; the same day she
turned 18mths, turned out as a whack in the face for me!

The minute i showed her the first step, \"This letter makes the sound, /c/..\"
She watched intently... Then i continued and said, \"This is how i write /c/..
Now, would you like to have a turn?\" You wouldn't guess what she did!
She looked at me straight in the face. Looked down at the card, then she
flipped the card over. And just like that, my very 1st lesson was over..

:!:

I tried again the next day, this time i quickly touched her pointer and tall
man together to try tracing the sandpaper letter... but this time she pulled
her hand away.

The third time, she totally showed disinterest but i soldiered on aniwaes...
She looked at me... then the card... i was holding the card down this time
so she wouldn't flip it over again... :evil: ... but she turned her whole body
around.

In a soft voice i told her that it was ok if she was not ready to do tracing,
but if she really knew the letter sound she should at least share with me.
I praise her a bit lar, say she clever and she can escape not tracing if
only she could tell me the sound of the letter.

She paused... fidgeted a little... then she turned her body around back to
me... facing me... and she said, /c/! Then she turned her back at me agn!
:stupid: It seemed so easy those years with all other people's kiddies, but
mine was definitely putting me to the test. :lol:

As she grew over the months, she eventually was caught trying to be the
teacher (ehem.. me...) and took the material from our low shelf where
she knew i had it kept away... and was tracing all the letters and saying
all the sounds to herself... in the exact manner and routine i have been
showing her those weeks! I just watched with glee. When she kept it and
turned round... saw me standing there, her eyes turned wide-eyed
bashful and a little pissed that i saw her in the act! Funny man this girl,
the pattern one kind wan. :politebleah:

When she matured up over the next couple of months, tracing, pointing,
repeating the letter sounds became automatic for her liao. Success. Yeaiy!

spring:

Can you give me some ideas on how to make pre-writing more interesting?

The http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/index.htm website has more than enough activities for you to land
your hands on. That is definitely a good website. Montessori children do
cutting, lacing, threading and work with loads of stuff to strengthen their
finger muscles in preparation for tracing and writing. If you find that
Activity Village is not enough stuff for you to do... *pant pant* painting/
printing is good too!

My children use small fraction of carrot tops/ends to print on a template
of a hollow letter c... (which you can do using Word Art) starting from the
top of the letter to the bottom. For patterned shapes, one can also use a
corn-cob. Encourage children to follow your /c/ sound by modeling the
way. For each stamp of that corn you sing away your /c/ sounds.....
make your own songs..... rhyming kinds..... silly kinds..... go with the
flow.... For example, corn on the cob goes c, c, c..... corn on the cob
goes c, c, c... corn on the cob goes c, c, c..... /c/ is the sound i hear.

And so is cooking! Cooking is another fascinating learning experience for
children. In my lessons, i get the kiddies to colour, paint or stamp their
design for a popcorn cup. After that, we all make our own pop-corn with
those raw popcorn you can get in supermarkets. Make it sweet, salted or
even honeyed! Your choice entirely! The children will remember and be
able to associate learning the /c/ sound with making popcorn, making or
designing popcorn cups, singing the /c/ song and getting to eat it too.

Then, if that's not enough... use the leftover raw popcorn to create a
feely letter c. Like this!


http://www.postimage.org/


http://www.postimage.org/

spring:

I have also browse thru your montessori thread in regards to the sand paper finger tracing, wld like to try this method also, will be waiting for you on how to diy e material ya...

Wah seh.. you're everywhere lady! :siam: You're checkin' all my threads
out, aye? Very ONZ student. I loike! ( loike = like... but said with a
twang! :lol: ) I seriously hafta keep up with y'all boy...

spring:

Also glad to found your post on the \"My Phonics Friend\" which can be borrow fr e library, I will definitely check this out, save money... :lol: I think it is quite similar to e letterland ABC book isn't it?

Yes, you're right. Similar approach of characters in stories, except the
Phonics Friends' stories are much much simpler.

They have Jolly Phonics books at the library too, if you're keen!
The Jolly Finger Phonics books look like this.


http://www.postimage.org/


These books are hardcover and sturdy, with inset letter(s)/inverted
embossed letter(s) shapes... on each page for your child to put their
finger in and trace the shape, but most importantly they don't seem
like an educational book to children. There are recurring characters;
(eg. a snake) which can be searched for on each page & 2-4 pages
at the rear of each book with exercises such as matching games,
some with flaps to lift, which reinforce the sounds covered in that
book.

There are also descriptions of the actions that go with the sounds the
letters make. For example, pretend to puff out candles and say p,p,p,p...
or hold hand in front of mouth panting as if you are out of breath and say
h,h,h,h... It kinda makes learning sounds pretty fun. Jolly Phonics is one
method that does not necessarily require children to sit down throughout
the lesson... that said, this method definitely needs a trainer with passion,
patience, most importantly the knowledge and the fun factor to deliver
holistic lessons.

Only thing is..... you gotta overlook some cursive handwriting.
Yes, the concept of Phonics Friend is somewhat similar to the
Letterland ABC book.

Hope this helps!

:celebrate:

[buds]

jedamum:

dear buds, my 3yo loves to trace (but not repetitively for each letter ie he only likes to trace A-Z but not AAAAA, BBBBB), but he can't get the strokes sequence correct unless i dictate it for him. he also likes to fool around by tracing his name backwards. should i enforce that he follows the correct sequence? TQ.


PS: on man...feels like writing to Aunt Agony forum like that..

Ya, i'm getting the Auntie vibes liao. :lol:

It's ok not to trace the alphabets in order, jedamum... as long as for now
he is tracing each letter in the proper fashion. Yes, if he can't remember
you can dictate. He's 3yrs, so still acceptable to prompt. I also usually
just remind the direction sequence to the children... from top to bottom
and from left to right. That's the one formula to dictate really. So, if
they should begin from the bottom of the letter \"f\" per se... i just show
that i'm like thinkin' aloud... \"Hmmm... top to bottom, left to right...\" and
you can say that where he started didn't seem to have been from the top.

With sequencing, you can challenge him to a game of who can finish five
letter sequence the fastest. Some children are playful... more active or
just so much energy where it can be challenging to do seat work for more
than ten minutes, so we can get them to move around a bit. Place 5 letter
cards on the floor with tape or blue tac at the back. Make 2 sets. One for
you or any other person playing... Then at the count of 3 or at the word
go, see who can put up the cards a to e in order and in the fastest time.
At the end of it, both of you can reference check it to say.... an alphabet
book.... an alphabet dictionary..... an ABC puzzle... or a wall frieze that
you may already have put up on the wall, which can also be used for
matching letter cards activity.

On good days, when he begins his day more calmly than most other days
you may suggest you guys do it in sequence. Doesn't hafta be everthing
from a to z which may seem tiring for him... you may cover few groups of
letters at a time... adding more as and when you think he seem to have
more attention.