Letter F Activities and Craft Ideas
Below you will find projects and activities that will help you and your child explore the letter F. 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 "F") 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 "F"
Talk with your child about the letter "F", 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 "F" 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.
fox
fish
fall
furniture
friend
|
fan
farm
foot
fig
frog
|
finger
felt
father
face
fly
|
fiddle
fort
family
fire
fresh
|
"F" Projects
Fly Swatter Painting
This painting is best done outdoors. Pour paint into a tray or paper plate. Dip fly swatter into the paint and "swat" the paper with it. You could even draw some flies on the paper so the child has something to swat at.
Paper Plate Fish Bowl
Cut the top of a paper plate into a very shallow U so that it looks like a fish bowl. Draw fish shapes on the plate with crayons. Use watercolors to paint the plate blue. The crayon resists the color and makes a pretty fish bowl.
String the Fiddle
Print out this template. Cut 4 pieces of string (or pieces of yarn) that are the same length and about 8½ inches long. Put glue on each of the dots on the template and glue the strings on the fiddle.
Friendship Butterflies
This is a great project for more than one child or for a child's party. Trace both of each child's hands and cut them out. Have each child exchange one of their cut out hands with another child. Tape the two hands together to make butterfly wings. Decorate the wings with paint, markers, glitter, etc. For older children, glue the hands onto a painted toilet paper tube or clothespin so that the friendship butterfly will have a body.
Handprint Flowers
Dip child's hand in paint and stamp near the top of a piece of construction paper. This is the bud or flower part of the flower. Now stamp the child's feet to make the leaves. Draw in a stem. Don't forget to date it!
"F" Printables
These are pretty much just color sheets with an "F" word theme.Upper and Lower Case F
"F" Recipes
Fire Truck Toast
Toast a slice of bread. Cut bread in half vertically. Cut one of the halves in half again to make two squares. Use the rectangular slice for the body of the truck, add one square piece to the front of the truck and add the other square piece to the top of the rectangle piece to make the truck's "cab". Add red food coloring to some softened cream cheese and spread onto fire truck (or use red jam). Use pretzel sticks to make a ladder, round crackers for the wheels, and a red candy on top for the light.
Fruit Kabobs
Cut up several different types of fruit and then make a kid's kabob using a lollipop stick instead of a skewer. (You can get lollipop sticks at most craft stores in the candy making section.)
Fish Tanks
Put blue food coloring in vanilla frosting to make it light blue. Spread the frosting on graham crackers to make the tank's "water". Sprinkle half of the cracker with chocolate sprinkles to make the tank's "floor". Coconut tinted green can be the tank's "plants." Add some graham gold fish and you have a fish tank.
Frog on a Lilly Pad
Tint some cream cheese blue and spread on an english muffin half. Put a slice of cucumber on top for the lilly pad. Put a gummy frog on top of the cucumber.
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 "F" Books
Fortunately - This was my very favorite book when I was a young child. My aunt gave me a copy of this for my birthday and it was personalized with my name. Instead of "Ned" having all those adventures, it was me!
The Story of Ferdinand - This is a great story about just being yourself.
Frog and Toad Are Friends - The Frog and Toad books are so sweet... who wouldn't like them?
The Foot Book - My 2 year old absolutely loves this book. I have to read it to him almost daily.
"F" Play
There are probably a lot of free-play things kids can do that will encourage them to think about the letter F. Here are a few of the things that I've tried with my own kids: Play "Follow the Leader," play with flashlights, fly kites or paper airplanes, etc. Remember, the more you can immerse them in the "F" theme, the better chance you have that they will remember the letter, it's sound, and words that start with "F."
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