Books & Building Letters

Anytime I can teach something through an experience, I do!  It's always worth the effort because the content sticks better & my kids enjoy it so much more.  With this activity, you could honestly build letters with anything, but I particularly like this book & these blocks to stimulate creative critical thinking .... you know, 'cause I'm always about that brain ;-)  I initially made this activity to practice our letters and phonics, which it does very well, but it also has been a really fantastic task to encourage the engineering & creative outlets in their brains; to think outside of the box and have innovative ways to create their letters using the blocks.  To encourage that type of thinking just makes the neuroscientist in me completely geek out!
Albert's Alphabet is a book about a duck who is a school's carpenter.  It was requested of him to build an alphabet by the walking path on the playground.  Unfortunately, he does not have enough time or materials so he has to get creative in building the alphabet.
For this activity, I actually bought two copies of this book: a copy to read & a copy to cut up (Yes, cut.... like with scissors, GASP!).  I cut up the pages of each letter & laminated them so that they were like flashcards.  I also purchased these blocks (great natural & safe blocks with a carrying bag) for the activities we would do after reading the book.

Once we read the book, I showed my kids the flashcards I made & asked them to create their own versions of the letters using the blocks. 
So if you get a chance, order this book (twice) AND practice your letters with some building blocks.  Friends, have fun growing those brains!

Obligatory Blogger Disclaimer: I was not compensated in anyway for these products; I just really like them :-)