Letter D Activities
Below you will find projects and activities that will help you and your child explore the letter D. Keep in mind that this theme page is really aimed at younger children, up to about age 5. Don't be fooled into thinking that these projects and activities are too simple for this age group. Young children thrive on simplicity - it gives them the opportunity to work independently, to understand the task at hand, and to "own" their work. Immersing them in projects and activities that center around a particular theme (in this case the letter "D") allows them to gain a greater understanding of the theme and internalize it.
There are plans for many projects and activites for this theme. Additional crafts, projects, printables, recipes, music, and more will be added to this page in the coming months. I've decided to put the theme pages up as a work in progress. In truth, even when I think that I've completed a theme page, I think of other things that I should have added.
Words Beginning With "D"
Talk with your child about the letter "D", the sound it makes, and words that start with this letter. If you are using some kind of phonics program with your child, this would be the time to work on "D" within the program.
NOTE: If you are considering a phonics program to help your child learn to recognize letters, learn their sounds, and eventually read, then I can personally recommend Frontline Phonics
. It is an excellent program for younger children and blends nicely with this theme approach to crafting.
dog
dragon
dish
diamond
|
doughnut
doctor
dinosaur
dirty
|
day
duck
deer
draw
|
daisy
dolphin
door
drum
|
"D" Projects
Doll Bed
Toddlers will really appreciate this project. Use a box to create a doll bed. Make sure the box is big enough to accomodate your child's baby doll. Use old towels to make the "mattress." Make a "pillow" out of a rolled up towel or blanked (unless you have a small pillow to use). Put the baby doll in the bed and cover her up with a receiving blanket, other small blanket, or pretty towel.
Dig for Buried Treasure
Find several medium and large size rocks and paint them bright colors so that they look like jewels, gold nuggets, etc. Let dry. Bury them in child's sandbox (or make it a playground project by burying them in a community sandbox.). Let the child dig through the sandbox to find the "buried treasure." They can use sandbox toys or even use a collander to sift the sand. This project is good for hours of fun!.
"D" Printables
These are pretty much just color sheets with an "D" word theme. Many printables are planned for this theme, they're just not done yet.
"D" Recipes
Dinosaur Nest
Melt butterscotch, peanut butter, or chocolate chips in the microwave. Put a few chow mein noodles in each section of a muffin tin. Pour melted chips over noodles. Let cool. You can put jelly beans in for the eggs after your nests have cooled. Pop them out of the muffin tin and serve.
Ducky Sandwiches
Make any kind of sandwiches and then use a duck shaped cookie cutter to cut out a duck. You can also use a stencil and cut around it, if you don't have a cookie cutter.
Homemade Doughnuts
I remember doing this the first time when I was a child with my Brownie Troop. Open a can of biscuits... the kind you find in the refridgerated section. Make sure they are the kind that don't have layers. Use your finger to poke a hole in the middle of each biscuit and stretch it out to make a very large 'O'. Gently drop them in hot oil and let them cook until they are golden brown (flip over to brown each side). Fish them out of oil with a fork or tongs and put them into a bag of cinnamon/sugar. Let the kids shake the doughnut around inside the bag to completely coat it. When coated, set it out on a plate until it is cool enough to eat, but still warm.
Alphabet Books
EVERYONE has some type of ABC book out on the market, but these are the tried and true books that my kids like.
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom - I believe that this story was single handedly responsible for teaching my son his letters. He was hooked on this book the first time I read it to him and he never gets tired of it. I started out by pointing to the letters as I read it to him, now he points them out to me!
My First Phonics Book - My daughter loves to read this book before bed. It has helped her to get excited about words and their beginning letters.
Dr. Seuss' A B C - I love Dr. Seuss books because they keep the kid's attention. Not always an easy task!
My First ABC Book - My two year old son has this book and absolutely loves it! He makes me read it to him over and over and over and over!
Great "D" Books
How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? - this is a great dinosaur book, but an even better bedtime book.
Make Way for Ducklings - This is a Caldecott Award Book. My kids really like this story, but I wish it were in color.
Harry the Dirty Dog - We were first introduced to this story through The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury. The kids really like it.
William's Doll - this is a great story for boys who like to play with dolls and their parents.
"D" Play
There are probably a lot of free-play things kids can do that will encourage them to think about the letter D. Here are a few of the things that I've tried with my own kids: Play "Duck, Duck, Goose," play "Dinosaur Tag" (just like regular tag only the one who is it pretends to be a dinosaur.), get out your favorite music and dance, etc. Remember, the more you can immerse them in the "D" theme, the better chance you have that they will remember the letter, it's sound, and words that start with "D."
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