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ANT SNACKS
Here are three ways to enjoy some ant snacks while studying the letter A. |
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Ant Hills - let children crush graham crackers in a baggie. Then dump them out onto a plate and sprinkle with raisins or chocolate sprinkles for ants. |
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Ants in a boat (or on a log) – fill a section of celery with cream cheese. Place raisins on top. |
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Ants on Cookies – Spread sugar cookies (or any kind) with brown or green frosting and sprinkle on raisins or chocolate sprinkles for ants. |
| APPLE A’s |
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Cut out large dark green A shapes for your children using
the large A pattern. |
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Have your children glue on small red poms for apples or have
them place apple stickers on the shape. |
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| A NECKLACES
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Print out a number of small A patterns. |
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Cut them into small squares. |
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Have your children color the letter A’s with markers, or
glue on some glitter. |
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Punch two holes at the top of the square or rectangle shape. |
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Have children string some yarn through the holes to make
an A necklace. |
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| APPLE TREES |
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Cut out apple tree shapes for your children of light green
construction paper. |
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Give your children a red ink pad and a small A stamp. |
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Show your children how to make A stamps all over the top
of their tree. |
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Children can finish off their tree by coloring the trunk
with a brown crayon. |
A PUZZLE |
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Using the A pattern, cut out a large cardboard A. |
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Then cut the A into 4 – 8 pieces depending on the ability of your child. |
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Mix up the puzzle pieces and have your child put the A back together. |
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Store puzzle pieces in a small zip-lock bag. |
Variation: Take an index card and cut it into two puzzle pieces. Draw a large capital A or lower case a on one piece and draw and color a simple A object (such as an apple) on the other side. |
| There are a number of snacks that you can have for young children when you are introducing the letter A. |
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You can have your children help you make
applesauce, or apple tarts. |
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You can serve apples cut in half, scooped
out and filled with peanut butter. |
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You can serve apricot juice or apple juice. |
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Serve animal crackers. |
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Serve avocado dip and chips |
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If you are brave you might want to serve
your children artichokes with something to dip them in. |
| MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES |
| Movement activities are great for helping children
understand the shapes of letters. Here are a few ideas. |
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Have two or three children make large letter
A’s on the floor with their bodies. |
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Tape a giant letter A on a floor or outside
area. Have your children crawl around on the letter and pretend
to be ants. |
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Have an ant parade. Let children carry A
objects. |
| WRITING A’s |
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Draw a simple picture of a kitchen scene,
with a table, door, curtains and floor. |
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Make copies of the picture for your children. |
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Give everyone a picture and a thin marking
pen. |
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Recite the poem below and have your children
make A’s on their picture of the curtains, floor, table and
the door. |
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If your children are unable to write the
letter A, you could let them take turns stamping the letter
A on their papers.
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A’s EVERYWHERE
A’s, A’s everywhere.
I see A’s, said the bear.
A’s on the curtains.
A’s on the door.
A’s on the table.
A’s on the floor.
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| ALPHABET BOOKS |
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Use the large A pattern printout as a cover
for an A Book. |
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Let your children fill their books with
pictures of words that begin with A. |
A STORIES – Look for children’s books that have A
words or characters in them, such as the ones below. |
| I WANT TO BE AN ASTRONAUT, Byron Barton.
Thomas Y. Cowell Co., 1988. |
| THE ARMADILLO FROM AMARILLO, Lynn Cherry.
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1994. |
| ARTHUR’S BIRTHDAY, Marc Brown. Little Brown
& Company, 1987. |
| TEN APPLES UP ON TOP, Theo LeSieg. Beginner
Books, 1961. |
| THERES’S AN ALLIGATOR UNDER MY BED, Mercer
Mayer. Dial Books, 1987. |
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