We do all kinds of activities for letter learning, letter sounds, phonics and spelling at our homeschool preschool. most of these activities require only time and imagination, but some really benefit from certain  products.

M ontessori sandpaper letters  are spectacular for tactile stimulation, for learning writing, for tracing, for multiple games and activities. Although more expensive than index cards, these letters cannot be compared in value to an index card, as they provide the child with a sensory experience, which greatly aids learning at a young age.

For this activity, my son was singing an alphabet song while arranging the letters in order on the carpet. Then, I randomly pulled a letter out of the alphabet lineup and he had to name  a word, which starts with that letter. We kept doing it, until he lost interest.

Another product we love is  Melissa and Doug’s See and Spell  puzzle set. It’s a set of wooden cards with pictures. There is a 3-4 letter word, written on each card and a pile of colorful letters is included separately. A child is supposed to put the letters into the cards, thus spelling out the words. This game provides tactile, sensory and fine motor stimulation and helps with early spelling skills and letter recognition.