15 ways to Teach the letter S

My littlest child has just started “Big School” and has started to learn his letters in preparation for reading and writing. Each week we are working on a new letter of the alphabet.

This week we worked on the letter S.

Because I believe in whole body learning, I always incorporate physical movement as well as desk based activity into our sessions. I really think this helps children to stay focused and to remember what they have learned as it is something they have done not just heard about.  I find this particularly helpful when working with younger children whose attention span may not be very long. These activities can be done over the course of a week but should not take more then 20 minutes at any one time.

1. Standing tall have your child hold up their writing hand and draw a S shape in the air all the while saying “sssssssssssss”
2. Have your child make a S using both hands cupped into C shapes but buy placing the top of the C of the right hand onto the thumb of the left hand C.
3. Go to your grocery cupboard: take out a few items and have your child look at the packaging-can he spot the S letters? Have him say “ssssssssssss” when he spots one. Give him a sticker and have him put the back in the cupboard.
4. Look at a simple book together. Have him write a S on a sheet of paper every time he sees an S or hears you say S  in the story.
5. Make a list of things beginning with S.
6. Use your list from before and do a search on your computer for images. Print them out and have your child cut them out and paste them onto a sheet or into a workbook.
7. Do a line of  S letters for him to trace over making sure he starts at the top and ends at the tail.
8. Make up Silly Sentences (not written-just for saying out loud) that have as many S sounds in as possible.
9. Make a meal with S things: Spaghetti and sauce, sausages, soup etc.
10. Go on a S hunt around your home; what can he find that begins with S? Take pictures to print out or make a list.
11. Take a picture or draw a picture of your child. Have him label it with what he is wearing: Shoes, Socks, Shirt .
12. Write S in damp sand (if you have no sandpit then a small tray for using indoors is fine) or shaving foam.
13. Make a little Letter table: Your child can place any small items that begin with S on it as he finds them.
14. Write or print out a passage of text (Make sure the text is large). Give your child coloured markers and have them trace over all the S letters they can find in the passage. Count them together and add them to your list of S words.
15. Use a mini whiteboard (if you don’t have one, a laminated piece of white paper works just as well) Have him write S on the board in different colours and rub them out. Repeat.

My son’s name begins with an S too, so we have had lots of fun practicing to write his name.

Make sure you are able to do these activities at a time when you can give your child your full attention and when he is not too tired. Take time to chat and enjoy finding out these things together. I do hope you’ve enjoyed reading these ideas and that you find them useful!