Ball Begins With B!
Prep: None | Activity Time: 10 MinutesÂ
Sharing storybooks with your toddler is a way to develop his alphabet knowledge. You can spark your toddler’s interest in the alphabet simply by talking and pointing to letters while you share a cozy reading session.
Step 1: Choose a storybook to share with your toddler. Look for one that has colorful pictures, few words per page, and repetitive letters. For example, the book Where Is Baby’s Beach Ball? by Karen Katz has words beginning with the Letter B on almost every page. This particular book also has flaps for your toddler to lift and explore as you read.Â
Step 2: As you read, encourage your toddler’s interest in the alphabet by talking and pointing to specific letters. For example, while pointing to the Letter B, you might say: Â
"Here’s a letter B. The word beach begins with the Letter B. Here’s another B. Ball begins with B, too! Wow! So many Bs!  Baby begins with B, too! See? Let’s turn the page and look for some more Bs." Â
Step 3: As you read, bring your toddler’s attention to interesting letter shapes. For example, you might say:Â
"Here’s the word Baby again! This B has two bumps ... it’s an uppercase letter. And here’s ball again; this time there’s only one bump. Let’s count the ones with two bumps together. Ready? One, two, three. Wow!"
Step 4: At this age, it’s important to remember that the objective is to e³æ±è´Ç²õ±ð your toddler to the letters. Try to avoid questioning him about specific letter names. Instead, encourage him to talk about other aspects of the book. Invite him to repeat the names of objects hidden behind the flaps or count interesting shapes with you.Â