Any Ideas?

[lor]

Hi there,
Any ideas on games/activities that can help with letter and number recognition, the kids love the magnets and board but wondered if anyone else has some
good ideas.
Thanks in advance xx

[Rick]

An excellent resource I found quite cheaply (in Sainsbury's I think) is a frame with an abacus on one side and letters which flip over to show and spell an object beginning with that letter. It just stays out and the children play with it all the time saying what each letter is.

[oxfordshirecm]

I also filled a bottle with rice and put letters or numbers in it. Then the kids takes it in turns to shake it and hunt for certain numbers/letters

[hectors house]

Started to play Uno card game with a little one nearly 3 years old who is struggling with number recognition - we only play a simple version - I put down for example a Red 5 and ask her "Have you got a 5 or have you got a red" - she then looks at the 5 and sees if she has a number that matches, if not she puts down a red.

What age children do you want to do this with? I also play Frustration with older children who can recognise numbers 1-6 and have started to play "snakes and ladders" also with older children as trying to get them to understand the concept of numbers over 10.

[Maza]

With number recognition I always start with the child's age, as that is a special number to them. We go on a number hunt inside and outside. Number matching is good because then you will know if they can visually discriminate the numbers. Why not hide wooden/magnetic numbers in a tray of coloured rice for them to hide and then see if they can match up to a poster/number frieze that you have made. You could also get some simple number books from the library. You could do a mini topic on 5 Little Ducks/ 5 Speckled Frogs etc. With letters I always start with the letters in their name. x

[The Juggler]

letter or number snap
letter and number lotto and pairs games are good

or good old fashioned alphabet and number jigsaw floor puzzles - with the alphabet puzzles we sing the alphabet, look at the picture on the box then find the letter and sing the song again to find the next letter. As they get older we say the name and sound of the letter and discuss, other words that might start with that letter.

Dice games are good too, for counting and recognising dice patterns and for counting on.

also outside chalk squares with numbers or letters in them and get them to jump to number 1, number 2 etc

[Mrs Scrubbit]

As we are always out somewhere in the mornings the opportunity is always taken to play number, letter, colour and shape hunting games. My 2yr old mindee can point to and name numbers up to ten, squares, triangles ,circles and can find and name certain letters - M for mummy ,D ...... and * for her name and a few others too xx

[miffy]

Print out alphabet or numbers templates, laminate then use play dough to make the shapes of the letters or numbers. Start with ones that are familiar to the child and work from there.

Make a name board for the child by cutting out blank letters and laminating, then using a second set have child match the letters to their name - I used to have their name board on the table and stick an assortment of letters on the kitchen cupboards with blutac so they could hunt and find their letters to match.

Have a number hunt in the garden - hide large numbers around the garden and ask children to find whatever number - for young ones give them a number and ask them to find one the same. When they know the numb names just ask them to find the number.

Have an alphabet or number fishing game - elc have foam numbers/letters that float so are great for in the water tray then let children fish them out using nets and say the letter as they do so.

Miffy xx

[MessybutHappy]

Mark making in salt on a tray, get them to copy from a template, then hide the template under the salt and let them uncover it bit by bit, guessing rhe number or letter as they go...