Tell me you are a parent without telling me… having alphabet magnets on your fridge. Most parents have them on their refrigerator as a quick, engaging activity to keep the kids busy while prepping dinner. May 9 is National Alphabet Magnet Day. Here are some easy ways to use those magnets I know you already have!
Scavenger Hunt
Hide the magnets around the house or outside if it’s a great weather day. Tell your child which letter to look for or make it more challenging for older kids by telling them the sound or a word that begins with the letter they need to find. A fun springtime twist and added fine motor practice is hiding the letters inside Easter eggs and having your kid open the eggs to reveal which letters they found.
Make the Magnets Fun Anywhere
Use a cookie sheet and the magnets can provide fun moments in any room (or outside) and not be stuck as a kitchen-only toy. A toaster oven pan is a great size to use in the car and now it’s an instant travel toy.
Sensory Bin
Combine the letters with some pom poms or colored rice and it’s a great hunt for letters using tweezers, scoops or even magnet wands to retrieve the letters. Most letter sets come in a variety of colors, too, which means some fun color matching could be added for some additional learning and fun.
Letter Matching
Write out all 26 letters on a piece of paper and attach it to the refrigerator or place the paper in a cookie tray and have your child match the magnet letters with the letters on the paper. This activity could be differentiated for different ages by using pictures to match or matching uppercase and lowercase letters. Make it a friendly competition and see who can match the letters the quickest.
The tiny, colorful letters that you always thought cluttered your fridge have a lot of fun ways to be used as easy tools to help your child play and learn. Celebrate the magnets on May 9 but also enjoy using them every day as an easy way to help your child’s literacy and letter recognition.
