One of the supplemental materials that I suggest making and using with the 3 and 4 Year Curricula are the Tactile Letters and Numbers.
called sandpaper or textured) are key to the 3 Year Curriculum.
Because many 3-year-olds do not have the fine motor skills for
handwriting activities, I emphasize tracing the letters and numbers with
the child’s finger. Using the roughness of sand, glitter glue, salt, or yarn
adds one more aspect of learning. The tactile letters and numbers are
listed in both the 3 Year and 4 Year Curricula under “Items Needed.”
Use these to reinforce the learning of the Number and Letter of the Week.
Suggestion: Have the child say the Number Rhyme or Letter Formation Chant as they trace with their finger. Trace the number the amount of times as that number (ie. trace the #5, five times.)
On the Tactile Letters and Numbers page are several different ways to make these cards using sandpaper, sand, yarn, glitter paper, chipboard, pipe cleaners, puff paint, and glitter glue.
I suggest you make the uppercase and lowercase letters as well as
numbers 0-9 at the same time instead of doing the needed ones each week.
Here are a few more images to help get you started:
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| Sand |
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| Pipe Cleaners |
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| Yarn Letters |
Beyond the sensory input that the letters and numbers supply, I also use these letters to write words. The child can write their name (Name Activities in the 3 Year Curriculum) using the letters. Use to show rhyming words and color words. The activities are as far as your imagination!
Tomorrow: How to use the Objective Checklist
How do you use the tactile letters and numbers?
