Looking for a new way to get kids interested in learning the alphabet? Do your young students have energy to spare? Kinesthetic learning puts an emphasis on movement.
It gets the heart pumping, faces smiling.
The kinesthetic alphabet pairs each letter with a sound and a memorable gesture, a great way to help kids have fun while learning the ABCs.
Quick Prep You can make the cue cards as fancy or as simple as you like.
The quickest way to approach the supplies situation is to make a card for each letter and draw a corresponding picture next to it.
Draw an apple for A, ball for B, etc.
Each letter will have a corresponding movement - biting into an apple for A while saying "a", bouncing a ball for B, "buh".
You might have to get creative for letters like X (axe can work with a little explanation), and Q (quack, using hands to mime a duck bill).
Turn the flashcard creation process into a learning activity by collecting old magazines and letting the children help you cut out photos that correspond with each letter.
Food, animal, and toy magazines offer a ton of possibilities for kinesthetic cues.
Pretending to have an elephant trunk is fun for E and children love popping up from their seat for popcorn.
You can choose the pictures and let the kids cut them out with safety scissors while explaining why each picture was picked.
How to Play The game itself is straightforward.
Hold up the cue card, say the letter together, and mime the motion while saying the phonetic pronunciation.
The phonics help kids learn how to blend their letters when the time comes to start learning to read simple words.
Make sure to get involved with the kinesthetic cues - kids love to see their parents and teachers moving around, having fun.
If your children already know the alphabet song, go through the letters in alphabetic order until each card is associated with the right phonic and motion.
If your children do not already know the alphabet song, feel free do go in randomized order.
Randomizing the order actually helps kids to learn the sounds and letters independently of one another, a method that many teachers swear by.
Start spelling simple words of interest to the children like "mom" and "dad".
Their first names are always a good choice too.
Kids love to spell their names and the names of pets.
Some kids are kinesthetic learners by nature and others just love the excitement of physical activity.
Some kids love games and others are just plain excited to start reading and writing.
Active games are healthy for the mind and body - the kinesthetic alphabet is worth a try!