Help with Abc's

The Leap Frog dvd The Letter Factory worked for my son. It teaches the letter and the sounds that they make, and it is really cute. My son loved it and would watch it over and over. If you have a portable dvd player, let him watch it in the car as a treat and he will be learning at the same time.

Go to target and buy tub letters...my son loved playing with those in the tub and sticking them on the wall. You can be interactive in teaching him while he is having fun. Same goes for tub crayons.

He is going to be find in Kindergarten. Believe me-they take it very slow, esp at first. They will most likely concentrate on a different letter each couple of days. When this happens just work withing those days reinforcing it.

Letter Factory video that a pp mentioned is amazing! I cannot reccomend this enough! Also-the leapfrog game system really helps in ABCs.

I am actually taking my literacy specialist test this weekend to be certified and I was just reading about this. Before he can learn his abcs he has to understand that the letter and print have meaning. Its called Concept about Print, and his kindergarten teacher will spend a lot of her time working with him on this. I would read him books with short words and point to them as you read. Also, let him watch Sesame Street because the do a great job of working with letters, (unless you are against tv).

These days reading is often taught in kindergarden. He'll get his letters down soon enough. Not every child starts school knowing the alphabet. Sesame Street teaches letters on the program and you've got 5 weeks in which he can learn them as well as have a half hour fully occupied.

There is a FUN leap frog DVD video about learning your letters.

It's called letter factory - by Leap Frog.
It's a fun way to learn.

Here is a link so that you can check it out.
I got ours at Walmart.

http://www.overstock.com/Books-Movies-Music-Games/LeapFro...

= )

I love the suggestions you have been given. Don't over do it, though. Don't make it something bigger than it is where he hates it.

Other ideas:
*Change out library books weekly and get a different ABC book each time. Keep it in the pile and pull it out when you are reading the other books. Don't draw special attention to it.
*Get creative and pretend you are sneaking around and doing something important. When he asks, tell him it is grown-up stuff. Pretend you are having a great time labeling the house with index cards. Underline the first letter or write it in a different color. Once he wants in on the action, have him help you. Keep the labels up as long as you can stand them.
*Love WordWorld, SuperWhy, and Sesame Street. I hear my 3 year old trying to sound out words as she is coming out of sleep.

You sound like a great mom. He will do just fine with all of your support and encouragement. :)

You can search for my website since urls are not allowed, I have a Language Arts section, then reading section. And while it is wonderful that you are working with him, have you considered waiting another year for kindergarten? Considering he hasn't attended preschool where the most important learning that is occurring is following directions, sharing, getting along with others, and how to follow routines, and that he is a young 5.

I struggled with my son learning the ABC's as well (he knew the song it was letter recognition we struggled with). 1st tip would be to get he Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD... It was recommended to me and I am not recommending it to you! Both my older kids got a lot of use out of it. The 2nd tip I would suggest is going to the baby section at the store and in the bath section getting those foam alphabets that cling to the bathtub. My son is a hands on learner and flash cards were too flat and something he could rip and destroy. The foam letters allowed him to hold the letters and couldn't destroy them. Plus I think the colors helped him too (as in he remembered the letter A was blue... so he saw a blue letter and remembered A was blue) Also I had an ABC chart available as well. So when he didn't know a letter he would take it to the chart and b/c he was able to sing his ABC's he would point to the letter as he sang until he cam across the letter in his hand that he did not know. And 3rd tip - we bribed! He has wanted to go to this water park for soooo long now. We told him if he learned his letters we would take him. Within 2 weeks he had lower and upper cases figured out.

Good luck!

try the movie "MEET THE LETTERS" (they also have a variety of other DVDS - meet the numbers, meet the sight words.....). My library has the movie so I used to rent it for free. My 2 yr old (at the time) loved them. Could be boring for a 5 yr old, but maybe not. Amazon sells the movie if your library doesn't have it. Or get it from preschoolprepco.com You can preview the movie at youtube.com too - search 'meet the letters'

Don't forget starfall.com!

Amanda W asked a question about sight words the other day. I think a lot of her suggestions would work for ABCs as well (playing memory, doing a search for the matching letter). See it here: http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/12630486458998849537

Another vote for the Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD (if your son is into tv). The LeapFrog Fridge Phonics toy is a great accessory to the DVD too.

It sounds like you're already doing a lot to help him learn. Maybe your aunt is right, he'll just do it when he's ready. Maybe he feels too pressured?

Have you considered waiting a year before sending him to kindergarten? I don't know what the cutoff date is in Texas, but in Illinois it's Sept 1. My son was due in late Aug, but was born in late July. Even though he is eligible for kindergarten this fall, he will be starting Fall 2012 when he's 6 years old. I have talked to many educators and parents and overwhelmingly the advise is to give boys with a summer birthday an extra year before starting kindergarten. Many boys would be able to handle the material they will be learning but do not have the maturity to sit still and learn in the traditional, academic environment.

Just a thought, because you could find a preschool or prek program for him to attend this year. This would help him to feel more comfortable in an academic environment, allow him some time to interact with his peers, give him another year of experience and maturity. Might be a perfect situation for him!

make index card books for him......one word spelled out in each book.

I always start with the child's name, & then "mom", etc. Then from there, we build words such as "dog", "cat", etc. With each word, I try to use the letters from previous words.

One letter per card & I use binder rings to hold them together. I create a new "book" with the child's help....& that's how we build our letter base! Works everytime! Oh, & I usually glue or draw a picture of the word on the 1st page...... Good Luck!

Have you seen those little learning toys that they sell for smaller kids that look like laptops? They have a Batman one, a Barbie one, a Buzz Lightyear one, etc.; they are little learning games that teach basic things like counting and ABCs. My mother bought both my kids one when they were younger and my son learned his ABCs completely from the Batman "laptop" games. Maybe your son would enjoy it more if it was made into a game? Just a thought.

But I agree with others who say that he will learn at his own pace. Sometimes when kids feel pressured to do something, they will resist it more and more. All kids start kindergarten at different levels, so you shouldn't be worried. My daughter didn't really pick up on reading until more than halfway through kindergarten, but I never pushed her because I knew she'd want to learn at her own pace. Now she is 8 and flies through chapter books and reads for hours a day. Don't worry, he'll get there. Good luck!

Another vote for the Leap Frog DVD. It teaches the phonetic sounds for each letter aa well.

My kids LOVED the leapfrog DVD "Talking Letter Factory". I put it on for fun and the kids picked up on the letters and sounds quickly. It prepped them to move right into reading.

I homeschool and one thing my son really loved was tracing letters in baking soda on a cookie sheet. Pour baking soda on a cookie sheet (or you can use sugar or whip cream) and draw an A and ask him if he'd like to try. My daughter who is 4 years older always wanted to join in during this time as well. Even though she mastered writing a long time ago it was still fun for her to write words in the different mediums.

When my daughter went to kindergarten there were a lot of kids who couldn't write their names and didn't know their letters. There were some who, like her, could write their names, knew the letters etc. By the end of the school year all of them were writing and reading.

My son is a September birthday. I waited until he was 6 to start formally with him. He has done well.

Blessings to you as you start this adventure.

L.

Ditto the letter factory! both my kiddos loved it.

there's a good video out by sesame street that teaches the ABCs I think it's called ABC's with Elmo. But it doesn't sing the alphabet song, rather just talks about the letters in order.

My 2yo learned the alphabet from this video. (because I know I didn't teach her!!LOL)

it has fun songs and visuals that even my 5yo enjoys when we put it on in the car.

I agree with another mom...starfall is the best. I actually found out about it on the school district's website. Also, when we went to the kindergarten orientation they told us what they would like for them to know. You might be able to call the school and ask the question you asked here...they are pretty understanding. I had a conversation with my daughter's principal to ease my mind about things. I know it's hard not to go over it will him again and again but I'm telling you he'll get it. All kids are different. I had the toughest time potty training my daughter she wasn't fully trained until she was almost three-didn't walk until 13 months. My son walked at 9 months and was fully potty trained at 2. My daughter knew what an octagon was at three and my son who is almost 2.5 is still having a tough time with colors. Kids learn at different paces, it will be okay. My neighbor's son will be starting kindergarten and he barely speaks English and has no clue about the alphabet...I know he'll be terrified!

Believe me it will be okay, but use starfall it's great and it's free!

The key is to make it FUN. He will continue to resist doing it as long as it seems like work or like you are overtly trying to teach him something.

Starfall.com is a great website that helped my son learn his letters very quickly. The Leapfrog DVDs that others mentioned are good too.

I'd also like to recommend a couple of Discovery Toys. They are fun, educational, they come with a lifetime warranty, and there are ways for them to grow with him, so after he learns his letters, there are new ways to play!

Visit http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/karenchao to see everything I have available. The two that I think will be most helpful to him right now are:
ABSeas
Letter Fun Lotto

I have many others that I can recommend for general kindergarten readiness, setting foundations for reading and math, time telling, and much more. Please let me know how I can help you make his transition to kindergarten easier on both of you.

Thanks!
K.

Try starfall.com my daughter and son both love it.

Its OKAY.

Don't push him.
Your Aunt is right.

I have a 4 year old boy who will be turning 5 soon and he will be entering Kindergarten next month.
He knows numbers, alphabets, colors, shapes, all kinds of things... BUT 'writing' is not his thing.
I told my friends who are Teachers.
I told the Kinder Teachers whom I know.
They ALL said, NO BIGGIE.
That is what school is for.
They all said, ALL the kids are at so many different levels, that my son will not be the only one.
They said, YES, the child learns and will learn once in school.
Also that it takes up until December... for the Kinder kids to really take off and get in the groove of Kindergarten.

To CRAM everything, into 5 weeks, is really not good ya know.
Too much too late too soon too, whatever.
5 weeks, is a CRAM session.
Not good for a kid.

Just ease back. Teach him but not force or cram it.
Kids this age, can only stand about 20 minutes of "homework."

IF you hold him back and enter him in Kinder at 6 years old... keep in mind... that many schools will enter a child into FIRST GRADE.... instead. Because the child is 6 years old. And Kindergarten is NOT "mandatory" in many States. You have to specifically Request and put in writing, if you want your 6 year old to be put into... Kindergarten and not 1st Grade.

Love the Leap Frog Video as well! Letter Factory is the name of the Leap Frog video. It not only teaches them the letters, but it teaches the sound each letter makes. There are two follow up videos. Word Factory is the second video and it teaches kids how to put the letters together to make a word. Story Book Factory is the third and it teaches them how to put words together to make a sentence. My daughters both loved watching all of these! With it being so hot out, it's the perfect time to be inside watching a video and learning at the same time.

My kids loved their alphabet books. My only recommendation is that you get a really good one with I interesting pictures. Some are boring! A for apple, blah, blah, blah. I like the ones with beautiful photography or artwork that you don't mind seeing repeatedly. Some books are really dense with words for a. In that one, even though there maybe only one word for A that is mentioned, when you look at the picture, you will find several more things. This will keep your child interested in the book. Ps there may be an alphabet book that suits your son's interest, such as one featuring vehicles. That sometimes helps

I have been in education for over ten years 2nd grade and then in Pre-K every child learns at a different pace! I am also an Usborne Books & More Consultant. He will not be the only child that doesn't know his letters! It is very important that you not push him. We want to make sure learning is FUN! Do you read aloud to him EVERY DAY? If you are interested in an extra stream of income that brings in AMAZING QUALITY EDUCATIONAL AND FUN BOOKS AND ACTIVITIES AT AT DISCOUNT, USBORNE IS OFFERING THE LARGE BUSINESS KIT THAT HAS $375 WORTH OF BOOKS PLUS THE BUSINESS SUPPLIES NEEDED TO GET STARTED FOR $69 PLUS TAX AND NO SALES MINIMUMS! OR YOU CAN SCHEDULE A HOME PARTY AND EARN FREE BOOKS. The business special ends July 29th at 10 am central. But most importantly I want you to know that your son will learn his letters! And he will not be the only child that still needs to work on them! I will say this READ TO HIM EVERY DAY! While you read ask him questions about the book have him point out the letters from his name. Different things like that. Hope this helps.
Bookmom74
www.fun--with-books.com
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My kids truly learned with their leapster and the games Mr. Pencil or Talking words factory. There are even DVD's for talking words factory that are entertaining and he would probably pick up the letters that way. The other thing my kids always liked were the foam letters that stick to the wall in the bathtub. I'd just do things like "let's spell your name" and put the letters in order and say what they are. Spell mom, dad, cat, etc. They all picked up on the letters without flashcards.

Dont stress and continue doing what you are doing. I would avoid flash cards and worksheets if he finds them boring.

Also, read to him everyday. As you read to him, point out letters here and there and words (dont make the whole book about it). Run your finger along the text as you read. If a word is repeated over and over, or in big special print, tell him what the word is and have him read it on the following pages.

Work on letter sounds in casual conversations. If you go for a walk and see a bird, say, "Why, thats a bird! Buh Buh Buh bird! Bird starts with a B. buh buh Bird! What else could we see or hear that starts with a B sound?" As you see other B words, or encounter other B words in your converstation, note them and compare them to Bird.

Also rhymes - There is a dog. Og. That sounds like frog. Dog Frog Dog Frog. Can you think of anything else that sounds like that?

Another idea - get foam paint brushes and a bucket of water. Go outside and write letters with water - at least get him so he can do the letters in his name.

Here is another good idea - I love the ideas in this blog: teachmama.com

Play with letters and sounds and have fun with it. If he likes cars, drive a car through his sand box to make a letter.

Finally - he may know/have obsorbed more than you think. He may actually know many of his letters but just be too stubborn or disinterrested to let you know.

there is the Leapfrog movies. they watched them on rainiy days in prek. my son liked them.

My son never liked that song either. He will start kindergarten himself in a few weeks. I tried all that too and the only thing that I had any luck with until I was fortunate to get him into prek was. Watching Word World o pbs and working on the prek workbooks that the dollar tree sells. Good luck, he might actually know more than you think. :)