Today is rung 5 of 11 on this topic
Recognising letters — starting with their own name
Can do: Spots the letters in their own name and names a handful of others by shape.
Why it matters
Their name is the first word that ever matters to a child. It is the doorway into the alphabet, and it works because they care about it.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
They can chant the alphabet song perfectly but can't pick out a single letter — the song is one long word to them, not 26 things.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Write their name big. Point at the first letter: "What's this one called?"
Solid looks like: They name the first letter of their name. Anything beyond that at this age is ahead of schedule.
The full activity for this topic · 5 minutes
Name Detective
- 1Write their name in big letters and say each one as you write.
- 2Give them the crayon. "Find your special letter" — the first one.
- 3Go hunting: on cereal boxes, signs, doors, the TV. Circle or point at every match.
- 4Count the finds out loud at the end.
- 5Do the same letter for a whole week before adding a second.
If it's too hard
Hunt for the shape rather than the name — "find another one that looks like this" — and supply the name yourself each time.
If it's too easy
Add the letters of a sibling's or a pet's name, then ask whose letter each one is.
Say this
"That's your letter! That's the one your name starts with."