Make a Letter-Sound Book

What You Need:

• Several sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" card stock paper
• Colored markers
• Glue stick
• Small (1x4") address labels
• Hole punch
• Yarn
• Camera

What You Do:

1. Lay a piece of card stock horizontally, and invite your child to write his first name in big block letters across the top. Then glue a photo of your child underneath and let him finish the effect with any border decorations.
2. Pull out the card stock, one piece for each letter in his name. Have your child write one letter, nice and big, at the top right hand of each page.
3. Now you're ready to explore! Take a camera for a trip around the neighborhood, the local park, or the zoo and encourage your child to point out any object that begins with a letter in his name. Take shots of a school for "s", a tree for "t", an car for "c", a bird for "b", etc. What you find depends on where you do your exploring. Who knows? You might find something silly, unusual, or exotic! Aim for at least two pictures for each letter page.
4. Print the photos, and then help your child sort them by what letter they begin with.
5. Trim and glue each picture down on the appropriate page. For example, if your child's name has a "d" in it, paste the picture you snapped of the dog onto the "d" page.
6. Write the name of each object next to the picture. If your child can do this writing, that's great! But don't push it; it's also fine for him to dictate to you. Be sure to read out loud each letter as you write it down.
7. Assemble the pages in order. Use the hole punch to poke a few holes on the left edge of the pages, and tie them together with yarn. You'll end up with a gorgeous piece of work that's personalized just for your child! Read it together to practice his letters and sounds.