Our Alphabet Adventures A-D

This year TJ asked me to teach him his alphabet.  Now, he already can recognize the letters and can write most of them just from life, playing, stories, media, asking questions and trying it out.  We hadn't yet taken time to formally teach the alphabet though.  In traditional Waldorf schools children would be doing this in grade one when they are around age 7, but being at home and knowing this particular child I felt he was ready now at age 6 for the formal intro.

Modelling letter A, TJ and MJ's chalk practice.

We are taking the summer to really engage with each letter, the sounds and how it looks.  Both boys are participating, MJ is working on recognition.  He is now finding letters all over the place, even making his own from sticks and things.

Mommy's chalk drawing for letter B, drawing letters in the sand

We are using Earth Schooling along with Fairy Mail.  For each letter of the alphabet we have some poems and form the letter in the air while reciting it.  We do lots of movement and yoga for each letter, form the letter using found objects and model each letter.  There are stories that correspond to each letter and we also draw pictures of object that start with the letter.  Sign language is included along with lots of writing practice.  Every few days TJ adds a new page to create his own alphabet book.

TJ's best C, using our bodies to make the letter C

In the fall when his curriculum brings up the alphabet letters again we will be focusing on writing the lowercase letters that he finds more difficult at this point.  We'll also work on reading and his artwork for the book he is making.  It'll be a year in the making but one I know he'll treasure.

Letter practice in a workbook, using wand to draw letters and recite poems, Big boy lost his first tooth!