Fun Ways to Work on Letters & Beginning Sounds

Of course there are the traditional Montessori language lessons using the sandpaper letters and the movable alphabet, but what about when you have a child who needs a little extra practice that’s a bit more… fun? I’m sharing some of my favorite Montessori extensions for teaching letters and beginning sounds — tried and true methods that have worked for my own children as well as those of the parents I coach!

Activities for focusing on one letter/sound at a time:

Choose one letter or sound and think of as many words as you can that start with that sound. This can be done as a group lesson at Circle time or with an individual child. It can be a formal activity in a classroom setting or even done on the go as you drive around town or run errands with your child.

Sandpaper letter crayon rubbing book. Once a letter sound has been mastered, created a sound book by making a crayon rubbing of that sandpaper letter. Your child can even illustrate it with things that begin with that letter.

Montessori Book Making

Add dot stickers! Draw a large letter on a piece of paper and pair it with dot stickers. The child can place the dot stickers along the outline to form the letter.

Activities for reviewing more than one letter/sound:

Play I spy with just sounds. This can be done inside the classroom as a group activity at Circle time, but it can also be done on the go! As you walk around outside or in a store, notice the beginning sounds of objects around you: “I spy something that starts with /t/. Yes, it’s a tree!”

Play I spy with letters. Once your child knows a few different letters and the sounds that they make, start actively looking for those letters in public. This can be done in the car as you’re driving and looking for those letters on road signs, or in a store as you do your shopping.

Label beginning sounds with the sandpaper letters or movable alphabet. Choose a letter and walk around the room until you find something that begins with that sound. Then place your letter there and choose another one.

Label beginning sounds with stickers. This is the same as above, but write the letters on stickers to place around the room. The added benefit of this activity is that the stickers can stay up!