| What does learning the alphabet have to do with | | | | up silly songs, tell silly stories, make it into a game, |
| health? Learning the alphabet as a young child | | | | it does not have to be worth anything, except to |
| paves the way to a happy, healthy well-adjusted | | | | you and your child. |
| outlook on life. | | | | If your child is into making "works of art" print his |
| Health is not just a matter of wellness; it is having | | | | her name on the pictures and point out the letters |
| a feeling of well being inside yourself. | | | | one by one, the child will soon learn that those |
| If a sense of learning is instilled in your child at a | | | | letters spell his/her name. |
| relatively early age and it keeps on being | | | | Until about the age of four most children do not |
| developed as the child grows, it is as if they have | | | | have the ability to write very well if at all. Do not |
| their own special suit of armor. It is protection | | | | focus on writing the letters, the point here is to |
| against whatever fate has in store for them. An | | | | have the child recognize the letters and by |
| eagerness to learn and keep learning is the best | | | | learning the old and familiar alphabet song is able |
| gift you can give your child. When all else fails for | | | | to put them in order. |
| them, they can come back and rely on their inner | | | | Young children learn by various means and it is |
| curiosity and their willingness to learn and plunge | | | | your job as a parent to make them aware that |
| forward to create a new world for themselves. | | | | learning is more than seeing and hearing. Not only |
| So where do you begin? | | | | will they learn by tasting, smelling and eating, you |
| Most children start to notice some letters around | | | | will be encouraging them to use their senses. |
| the age of two or three and by the time they | | | | Alphabet soup is a wonderful way to give your |
| are four or five have pretty much mastered the | | | | child a good lunch and an opportunity to learn also. |
| alphabet. | | | | Baking cookies in various shapes offers a smelling |
| This means you can generally start around the | | | | and tasting lesson. Allow your child to smelling |
| age of two by reading alphabet books that have | | | | different cooking flavorings, take a walk in a |
| pictures of things or animals that the child likes. | | | | garden and smell and discuss the names of the |
| Not only will you both have fun; it is an | | | | flowers and the letters they begin with. If you are |
| opportunity to make learning a process that is | | | | not knowledgeable regarding flower names, talk |
| enjoyable. The neat thing here is you can also | | | | about the colors. The world is filled with so much |
| interject colors and shapes into the learning | | | | that can be used on a daily basis as a teaching |
| process. | | | | tool. |
| Reading to a child on a regular basis, stories that | | | | Once you show your child that learning is fun, and |
| are about things the child is interested in, also | | | | that is the important thing in the very beginning. |
| instills the idea that learning the letters is the first | | | | There should be NO pressure to make the child |
| step into being able to read for themselves. | | | | learn it should just be a fun experience, and if the |
| The idea that you need expensive tools like flash | | | | child learns, great, if not at that moment, continue |
| cards, special programs or even expensive books | | | | on, but with no pressure. |
| is pure nonsense. | | | | Sometimes it is hard for us adults to realize that |
| As a literate adult you have all the tools you need. | | | | "Rome was not built in a day," and that we did |
| You! Your knowledge of the alphabet, your ability | | | | not acquire all our knowledge in one heartbeat. |
| to write/print, and the many items in your | | | | Learning takes time, one step at a time and when |
| household are all a great beginning. | | | | you are dealing with a young child is should be |
| The secret here is to make it fun, make it real | | | | FUN for you both! |
| and to do it on a constant basis. You can make | | | | |