Alphabet Games: Easy DIY Games to Make and Play with your child!
Another school year has started and once again I found myself in need for some new literacy and numeracy manipulatives. I prefer making them myself instead of buying them for a number of reasons. To begin with, if I make them myself they are exactly what I want and what my students need. The next factor is affordability. Simple and cheap materials that can be replaced easily are the best and can be found in almost every household. Finally, I love crafting and the children like the fact that someone spent hours and hours making something for them.
Above all children love to make things and use them to learn. They also love spending creative time with us. So find some time to play and create something with your child while helping them to learn and grow.
Today I made two very simple game sets, one for teaching the alphabet (lower and upper case) and one for numbers 1-10. I used my Sizzix machine but if you don't have one, just use a circle punch or scissors.
1. Alphabet Match
Materials:
- cardboard
- watercolours
- permanent marker
- small box
Process:
1. Cut circles out of the cardboard. I cut 26 for the lower case letters and 26 for the upper case.
2. Using your permanent marker write down the letters of the alphabet on the circles.
3. Turn the circles the other way round and colour some of them red, some blue, some green and some yellow.
4. Decorate your box to make it more appealing. I made mine using a template I found online and decorated it with washi tape.
Playing Instructions:
1. Ask your children to sort the circles into two piles, one for lower and one for upper case letters.
2. Ask them to order the letters from a to z or backwards.
3. Ask them to match the upper case to the lower case letters.
4. Ask them to pick a letter at random then find an object in the room that begins with it, or draw an item that begins with it.
5. Ask the children to turn them colour face up and play memory.
6. Ask the children to turn them colour face up and count the blue ones. Repeat for the rest of the colours.
7. Use the circles for sequencing.
2. Number Tower
Materials
- ten toilet roll tubes
- glue
- watercolours or decorative paper
- scissors
- permanent marker
- adhesive labels (optional)
- cardboard tags (many)
- nine cardboard circles (larger than the tube)
Process:
1. Paint or cover the toilet roll tubes with decorative paper.
2. Write the numbers 1-10 onto the adhesive labels and stick them on the tubes.
3. Write the numbers on the tags, or just use dots to represent them. I also pierced holes onto some of them for a Montessori touch!
Playing instructions:
1. The children line up the tubes from one to ten.
2. They tower up the tubes using the cardboard disks in between each tube for stability.
3. Sorting Game: The children pick a cardboard tag, count the dots or read the number and place it into the correct tube.
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