Lots of kids need to touch and feel things before their brains can “file” the information in a place that the child can go back and retrieve it when they ask their brain for it. How in the world to we, as parents/teachers, accommodate this? Here are some ideas:
- Puff Paint
- Sand Paper
- Corduroy Fabric
- Fake Fur (short length)
- Chenille Stems
- Molding Clay/ Play dough
- Flour on a Cookie Sheet
- Dry Beans
Need some examples of how to make these ideas work for you? Well, let’s take it one at a time!
Puff Paint: Print out a letter A the size of a paper (a huge A) and you take the Puff Paint and place dots all over the A. You can dot the outline or fill in the whole thing. What you want is to make it bumpy so your child can “feel” the letter A (or what ever letter you want) Mount on Card Stock paper.
Sand Paper: Take this from someone who learned the hard way … don’t use good scissors to cut Sand Paper!!! If your hubby has Tin Snips – use those!! On the back side of the sand paper, trace out the letter you want to make. Use Tin Snips (or heavy duty scissors) and cut out the letter. Mount on Card Stock paper. Make sure and use a fine sand paper … you want to let your child feel the letter, not end up in the ER!
Corduroy Fabric: Turn the fabric over, trace out the letter you want to make and cut out. (you can use your good scissors with this!) Mount on Card Stock paper.
Fake Fur: Turn the fabric over, trace out the letter you want to make and cut out. Mount on Card Stock paper. You want to use short fake fur – not the long ones. Your goal is to give them something to feel while still experiencing the shape of the letter.
Chenille Stems: Bend into the shape of the letters. This is fun cause the kids the kids can create these for themselves. Careful if you have perfectionists. Make sure and start with the letter S or I to give them some “good job” comments before you start with the “well, that’s good, but let’s try moving this here to make the letter look more like the letter on the paper” comments.
Molding Clay/ Play Dough: Shape the clay or dough into the shape of letters. You can print out one letter on one sheet of paper … one HUGE letter – so that the kids can see what their letter should be like. Then when they are done, have them place their creation down on the paper and see how close they came to the actual letter. Make it a game – not an assignment.
Flour on a Cookie Sheet: Start with about ¼ cup of flour on a cookie tray. Spread out the flour so there is a thin amount across the sheet. Give your child a guide to follow (print out what ever letter you want them to create on a sheet of paper so they have something to follow. You know what every letter looks like – but they are still learning)
Disclaimer: do not try this with a rambunctious child. Or if you REALLY have to, do this outside. I am not responsible for the flour that you will be finding all over your house for the next year or so!! 
Dry Beans: This one has several different variations. First use like the Flour on the Cookie Sheet (see above). Another idea: you can print out a huge letter on a page on card stock. Have your child glue beans around the outline of the letter or you can have them fill it all in. If you want to include visual training, you can have two different colors of beans and have them practice sequencing.
Have fun with all these! If you have questions or additions to this list, make sure and leave me a comment! I love to hear from you!