Letter recognition is a huge skill for toddlers to master, and it isn’t always easy. A great way to give your littles the letter practice they need is to break it down into letter pairs. That is, two letters at a time! I like to teach a letter a week at this age. So, when I do a letter sort, I typically use the letter that we are currently learning and the letter from the previous week. Or, if there are particular letters that my kiddos need to practice, I will use them in a sort! Here is how this letter activity goes down in our house:
Sticky Note Letter Sort
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Materials:
- Sticky Notes
- Construction paper
- Marker or pen
- Tape (optional)
- Enthusiasm – A must when you are teaching toddlers!
Setting up the Letter Sort Activity
If I have learned anything from teaching Kindergarten, it is to prepare ahead of time! When children are young, they don’t have the attention span to sit still and watch you prepare the activity they are about to do. That’s just asking for them to misbehave or try to begin the activity before you are done setting it up.
I’ve found that the best time to get things organized is either while the kids are sleeping or when they are engaged in a quiet and independent activity (like reading!). Since my 2 year old, typically, doesn’t sit still for an extended period (there’s too much to do!), I choose to get things set up when they are in bed. It’s what works for us, but you do whatever works for your family!
To get this letter sort set up, you first need to decide what 2 letters you are using.
Then, write up those letters in both uppercase and lowercase on some sticky notes. You can make as many as you’d like, but I recommend at least 3 uppercase and 3 lowercase for each letter you are focusing on. This will allow your kiddos to have a fair amount of practice with both the uppercase and lowercase letters.
Next, get some construction paper and write each letter on a separate piece. You can either tape these papers to the wall or lay them on the ground for your sweeties to sort on.
And, that’s it! Super simple and quick to set up. Now, let your kiddos sort away! Be sure to reintroduce the letters before you begin your letter sort and model what you want them to do.
Variations on this Activity:
- Use all uppercase (or all lowercase) letters if you are focusing on one at a time.
- For a challenge, write the uppercase letter on the construction paper and only write lowercase letters on the sticky notes.
- Use up to 5 or 6 letters at one time for an even greater challenge!
Now, enjoy watching those little sponges absorb new knowledge! How do you like to practice letters with your littles?