Materials
- pictures of picnic items representing letters A to Z
- laminate or clear contact paper
- large picnic basket
- plastic letters
- container
What to do
1. In advance, collect pictures of picnic items each starting with a different letter of the alphabet (see below). Laminate the pictures for durability.
2. Place the pictures in the picnic basket.
3. Put plastic letters (A to Z) in a container. Let the children take turns choosing a letter from the container.
4. Encourage the children to search in the picnic basket for something that starts with their chosen letter.
5. Some examples of picnic items from A to Z include apple or ant ("A"), blanket ("B"), fork ("F"), grapes ("G"), napkin ("N"), strawberries ("S"), umbrella ("U"), and yellow peppers ("Y"). Picnic items can be food, games, insects, or anything else one would see at a picnic.
-Sue Myhre, Bremerton, WA
Instructions
1. Give each child a white T-shirt. Put cardboard inside each T-shirt before the
children paint on them. Encourage them to use fabric pens and stencils to
make letters on their shirts.
2. Sing the alphabet song as the children make their alphabet T-shirts.
3. Encourage the children to place magnetic letters in order on a filing cabinet
or other magnetic surface. Let them take turns singing the alphabet song
and lining up the letters.
4. Provide clay and cookie cutters to make alphabet letters.
5. Trace the letters of the alphabet on sandpaper and cut them out. Ask the
children to close their eyes and feel each letter. Challenge them to paint the
letter they think it is.
