Early Years Activities for the Letter Bb
How to Promote Hands-on Learning of the Alphabet
Oct 18, 2009
In the book, R is for Rainbow: Developing Young Children's Thinking Skills Through the Alphabet by Sandra Anselmo, Pamela Rollins and Rita Schuckman give hands-on and active learning activities that teaches an understanding of each letter of the alphabet rather than memorizing each letter name.
Each activity teaches a child that the letter is not only a symbol but also it has a sound and this letter sound makes up a word that a child understands. For example, bear begins with the letter bb but it is an object a child has seen in his or her home and has a special meaning.
Making connections at the child's level is important to understanding the alphabet. It is just not memorizing the shape of the letter and reciting its name, it is finding out how that letter related to something in the child's world.
Here are some fun activities to plan for students:
Bring in Bb Items From Home
Some items children can bring in from home are a button, bat, bear, bee, berry, butterfly, bird, boat, bone, basket or a balloon. These items can be placed in a bag mark as the "Letter Bag" or placed on a tray for all to see throughout the week.
As a class, the students can play a memory game. By showing the students the tray of Bb items then taking one item away, show the tray again. Then ask the question "Which item is now missing?.
Activities to do With the Letter Bb
Letter Bb bat Project: Using black construction paper cut out a shape of a bat. Print, using white chalk, an uppercase B on the black paper. Have the student glue beans on the B.
Letter Bb Bear Project: Using brown construction paper cut out a shape of a bear. Print a lowercase b on the bear and ask the student to cover the b with beans. Ask the student to say one word that begins with the letter b. Write that on the bear.
Butterfly Art: Using a coffee filter, have the student colour the filter with markers. Lie on a flat surface and spray with a water bottle. Once dried, pinch the middle together to have a fan shape on each side. Secure with a pipe cleaner around the filter. Then use the extra amount of pipe cleaner to create antennas. Paint or colour with marker a toilet paper roll. Glue wings on the back of the roll.
Baby Pictures: Ask students to bring in baby pictures. Create a bulletin board entitled " My How We Have Grown" Place the name of the student under each picture. Discuss changes and growth the students have made as a large group. Write this on chart paper and add to the bulletin board.
Creative Writing: Ask each student to share a story about him or her as a baby. Transcribe the story for him or her and complete the activity with the student drawing a picture that illustrates the story.
Food That Begins With the Letter Bb: Bring in food to class such as biscuits and banana bread. Students can make butter in the classroom. Simply take a jar with lid and pour heavy cream into the jar. Have students sit in a circle and pass around the jar for the children to shake. Everyone can count to ten then pass on the jar. Keep going around until the butter starts to form. Add a dash of salt and spread on crackers.
It is important to remember that when planning letter activities that special attention is made to establishing a connection to each student. By bringing in a baby picture or making butter in the classroom makes learning and understanding the letter Bb more meaningful and memorable.
Anselmo, Sandra; Rollins, Pamela; and Schuckman Rita. R is for Rainbow: Developing Young Children's Thinking Skills Through the Alphabet, USA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc. 1986.
If you found this article helpful, please see Early Years Activities About the Letter Aa by Jackie Parsons
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