Alphabet books are among the oldest reading tools for children and have been in existence for over two centuries. Early versions of the alphabet included letters baked out of gingerbread, paddle-shaped letter boards and pieces of fabric designed with embroidered letters. Because the most significant growth in language occurs with preschoolers, ABC books represent an important bridge in early literacy and learning for toddlers. With alphabet books, children begin to match sounds with pictures and the written word. Although a wealth of ABC books are available, from pop-ups to digitized versions, inventive teachers include classroom-created ABC books as learning tools. Children have an interest in books they helped create, and this can motivate further exploration into reading.
Things You'll Need
52 sheets of white oak-tag or light white card-stock paper
Alphabet stencil
Watercolor
Brushes
Scissors
Crayons
Thin white typewriter paper
Large photo album with 26 transparent pages
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Instructions
1
Draw outlines of the alphabet for the children to color.
Draw outlines of the 26 letters of the alphabet or use an alphabet letter stencil. Cut out each letter from A-Z, using oak-tag, card-stock or sturdy paper.
2
Draw pictures that match each letter, such as H for house.
Draw 26 picture-shapes that correspond to each letter of the alphabet. For example, draw the shape of an apple to match the letter A, or draw the shape of a cat to match the letter C.
3
Use less water to avoid over-saturating the paper.
Give each child two or three oak-tag letters and the matching shapes to watercolor. Avoid over-saturation with paint by allowing only 1/4 cup of water to clean and dampen brushes or use smaller brushes.
4
Dry the letters overnight before stapling them in the album.
Dry letters and matching shapes overnight. Peel back the transparent sheet in the album to position the letters and the shapes. Staple the letters in sequential order in the photo album along with the matching corresponding shapes.
5
Create crayon outlines of the letters when the ABC book is completed.
Place a thin sheet of white typewrite paper over one of the pages in the alphabet album. A child can crayon over the entire sheet of paper that is placed on the album page. The oak-tag letter should be slightly raised, and create an impression, a crayon-rubbing or an outline of the letter.