The Mom I Want to Be

The letter L is a dependable letter.  It usually makes the “lll” sound as in let.  This is especially the case when the letter L is not partnered with another consonant

However, it is sometimes silent when followed by a consonant in the same syllable (as in should or walk).  This isn’t always the case… it isn’t silent, for example, in words like milk and told

This sometimes silent, sometimes not rule, makes the letter l tougher to teach than the extremely reliable letters (M, R and V).  In the beginning, stick to the typical “l” sound and later move to the exceptions to the rule.

1. Present a capitol and lower case L to your child.  See if she knows the name of the letter and the sound it makes.  Give examples of L words, such as letter, lollipop and library.  Reinforce the sound by singing “La La La” to your favorite tune.

2. Read Lyle, Lyle Crocodile

3. Go on a scavenger hunt around the house to find items that start with L for the L bag this week.  Look for lion, lemon, ladybug, ladder, lock, leaf, lettuce, lizard, lunchbox, etc

4. Create an L collage.  Have your child search through magazines for L words, and glue them to paper for her alphabet book.

5. Lip stick painted L’s.  Provide a cut out L, taped to wax paper for easy cleanup and some inexpensive lipsticks.  Have your child cover the entire L.  Glue to a sheet of paper, and then cover with clear contact paper (lipstick smudges easily), and place in alphabet book.

6. Provide a worksheet with a line of L’s to trace across the top and a blank spot below, Lion pattern, yellow, orange and black construction paper, 2 inch pieces of black yarn, markers, googly eyes or small round stickers, glue sticks.

 

7. Other activities: Sing Mary had a little Lamb, Make Lunch together, make lemonade or lemon muffins, lick lollipops, talk about the things you love, do a love collage, play with legos, create designs from lines