What You Need

• A print-rich environment

How to Do this Activity

First, decide on a letter to search for — pick something more common to start, such as “A” or “E,” and as you do the activity more often, you can pick a more difficult letter, like “Y” or “Z.”

Around the house, have your child look at cereal and food boxes, magazines, newspapers, books, the refrigerator, make-up, toothpaste, and more. In the car, encourage him to look at billboards and store and street signs. You can join the search, too, and cheer and clap together when you find letters. Add to this activity by asking your child to write out the alphabet and tally how many of each letter you find.

What Your Child Learns

Through this activity, children become more aware of print in the environment. They recognize letters and can pick them out. Later, children will begin to put letters together to make words. Additionally, this activity builds focus and observation.