• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • About
  • Shop
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

teach mama logo

teach mama

helps families connect & build bridges between home & school, by amy mascott

  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • early literacy
    • alphabet
    • beginning sounds
    • phonics
    • phonological awareness
    • read-aloud learning
    • rhyming
    • sight words
  • reading
    • books
    • comprehension
      • activating schema
      • connecting
      • inferring
      • predicting
      • questioning
      • retelling / summarizing
      • visualizing
    • concepts of print
    • environmental print
    • fluency
    • non-fiction
    • spelling
    • word building
    • word consciousness
    • vocabulary
  • writing
    • creative writing
    • grammar
    • informative writing
    • tripod grip
  • math
    • computation
    • counting
    • numbers
  • science
    • animals
    • plants
    • science experiments for kids
  • Activities
    • birthdays
    • cooking
      • new for us foods
    • crafts
    • foundations
      • colors
      • critical thinking
      • fine arts
      • listening
      • pretend play
      • sorting
      • speaking
    • holidays
      • new year’s
      • valentine’s day
      • president’s day
      • st. patrick’s day
      • april fool’s day
      • easter
      • mother’s day
      • teacher appreciation
      • father’s day
      • july 4th
      • halloween
      • thanksgiving
      • christmas
    • family life
      • family fun
      • giving back
      • lunchbox love notes
      • school
    • indoor activities
    • outdoor activities
  • digital literacy
    • computer time
    • iPad for learning
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

alphabet letter splash–keeping cool with the abc’s

home / early literacy / alphabet / alphabet letter splash–keeping cool with the abc’s
7.6K shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print

Who says playing with the letters of the alphabet can’t be a fun and exciting outdoor activity?alphabet letter splash

Who thinks that all letter-learning involves a pen and paper?

Who knows a kid who doesn’t love using a water squirter to hit a target?

Not I, not I, and not I.

I’ve found that just like when you add glitter to a craft activity, my kids get nuts crazy when water and squirters are involved in play.

So after lunch today, between one of our last morning swim practices and an afternoon return trip to the pool, I squeeeeeezed in some letter-learning for the kids. We were out back already, it was hot like whut, and they were just about ready to start whining and complaining about the heat and that someone took someone else’s bike and someone knocked into someone else’s elbow when I decided to take advantage of our huge ‘chalkboard’ and our fully-loaded squirters.

We have a flower pot full o’ chalk on the back porch, the kids had just finished helping me water (okay ‘squirt’) the flowers, when I saw a teeny opportunity to get Cora–and ultimately Owen and Maddy, too–playing with the ABC’s.

Here’s the super-cool skinny:

  • Alphabet Letter Splash: In the midst of heated he-said-she-said chatter, I walked away and wrote the alphabet on our fence.

I wrote the uppercase letters on the top row and lowercase letters below it.

 

Our chalkboard–ready for some squirt action.

 

And I said, Okay, Cora, I need your help over here! Grab the squirter and make sure it’s full of water!!

She and the Braidster joined me at the fence, while Maddy and Owen checked out what we were doing.

I said, Awesome. Okay, I’ve written all of the letters of the alphabet on our fence, and I’d like for you to show me what you’ve got up there in your ole brain.  Can you squirt the letters of your name? Think about what they are, then find them on the fence, and squirt those babies!

She squirted her letters–just a little–and I told her what a super job she did.

Now, I want you to totally squirt the next letters until they erase–so you’ll really need to use your muscles. Can you squirt either the letter ‘M’ or the letter ‘I’? / ‘O’ or ‘D’ / etc.

Once she did a few sets, I called for Owen to head over.

I said, Okay, Owen, I know you think you know all of the letters of the alphabet, but let’s see if you really do.

As a starter, let’s see if you can squirt the lowercase letters of your name. Ready? Go!

 

Owen squirts the letters of simple words.

He squirted super-speed style, and then he looked at me like I asked him to eat an M & M.

Right on. You did that Lightning McQueen quick. Now I’m going to give you two words. You squirt the letters in whichever word you want. Okay? Squirt the letters in either the word ‘cat’ or the word ‘log’ / ‘map’ or ‘stop’ / ‘Brady’ or ‘Maddy’/ etc.

Then Maddy joined in the fun.

I said, Okay Maddy, your turn! Let’s see if you can remember some of your old spelling words. . . can you think of any that you learned this past year?

She immediately said she couldn’t (and I couldn’t either) but then I remembered. How about ‘mathematics’ or ‘chocolate’?

She squirted the letters for ‘chocolate’ and then she said, I think I just want to squirt what I want to squirt, Mom.

And that was totally cool with me.

It’s been hard to squeeze in any sort of learning in the last few days with this monster of a cold I’ve been hit with, but I’m trying here and there.  Even little activities like this count–they get kids talking about letters and letter sounds and thinking about how they all fit together and will help build a solid foundation for literacy learning.

 

Please join Candace of Naturally Educational, MaryLea of Pink and Green Mama, and me for the Smart Summer Challenge, a six-week campaign where we all pledging to sneak in some sort of fun learning into our children’s summer days.

You can follow our calendar if you’d like, but you don’t have to.  You can get really crazy, but you don’t have to do that either.

It can be simple learning–even 5 or 10 minutes a day. Anything and everything counts–even this teeny, tiny simple letter-squirting activity shoved in between lunch and the rest of our day.  All we ask is that you link up here on Fridays and share what you’ve done (meaning: share one way you participated). Each Friday for the next six weeks, we’ll choose one participant to receive an awesome (and I mean totally worth your time awesome) prize.

Our goal is to show all parents that if we can do it, anyone can do it. And if we want our kids meet with success in school and to enjoy learning about the world around them, it’s our job to create a lifestyle of learning for our families.  Join us!

You May Also Like...

  • how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep
    how to prepare your child for kindergarten -- summertime prep
  • learn to read app for kids 3-7: Duolingo ABC
    learn to read app for kids 3-7: Duolingo ABC
  • how to teach kids the ABCs: 5 fun ways
    how to teach kids the ABCs: 5 fun ways

About amy mascott

teacher, mother, dreamer. lover of literacy, fun learning, good food, and three crazy-cool kids. finder of four-leaf clovers | dc metro · http://about.me/amymascott
tweet with me: @teachmama

Previous Post: « wolf trap’s theater in the woods
Next Post: how to teach kids to search the web: read, research, evaluate »

Sidebar

our books & freebies

setting the stage for rock-star readers
raise a reader
amy mascott profile blog
subscribe teachmama

join the coolest club around:

Find Us On Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Helpful Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Media Kit
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us On Instagram

View
Open
WHAT. A. YEAR!

The @advancementcourses teACh Team has ROCKED it again this year, and I am so glad that you’ve been along for the ride!

Every few weeks, we connected on Facebook or IG Lives, and we discussed:

✔️ what makes Professional Development most effective;

✔️ school administrators and teachers leading post-pandemic;

✔️ our current top picks for children’s books;

✔️supporting students who have experienced trauma;

✔️ culturally responsive classrooms and components of special education;

✔️ school and district-wide Professional Development options with Advancement Courses.

It’s been a BLAST—and though our core team includes @teaching3rdwithmrg @techninjatodd @topdogteaching and me, we have also had guests like @stopparentingalone @laliquin @lisa.lightner.ig and more!

Please tell us your fave topics and what you would like to see more of next year!

Catch the replays here: 
https://teachmama.com/advancement-courses-teach-team-look-back/

#AdvancementCourses #teAChTeam #OnlinePD #ProfessionalDevelopment #linkinbio
View
Open
One of THE greatest kids of all time playing with one of THE greatest TOYS of all time: my nephew building with Picasso Tiles!

🔻🟧🟦🔺🟨🟩🟪🔺🟥

Any time I see Picasso Tiles on sale, I must shout from a 🏔 because KIDS. LOVE. THESE. 

And without fail, every time I share, dozens and dozens of my friends and family members jump on the opportunity to score this deal. 

🔻🟧🟦🔺🟨🟩🟪🔺🟥

Link here —> zulily.gfpv.net/RyjnEy

So act now, and head to the link in bio (or the Zulily highlight on my IG page) and grab this deal before they sell out. 

The site says up to 70% off, but my links give you an EXTRA 15% off of that! 

Right now grab the 100 Piece Set for $33 (normally $129.99) and you will get free shipping all weekend long. 

🔻🟧🟦🔺🟨🟩🟪🔺🟥

#linkinbio #ZulilyFinds #ZulilyPartner @zulily 

(This is my affiliate link, so when you use it, I will earn a small percentage of the sale, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for using my link and supporting my small business!)
View
Open
It’s absolutely true. 
100%
#Facts

<<Not sure exactly where this image originated. Will credit once I find out.>>

#MyBodyMyChoice #KeepYourLawsOffMyBody
View
Open
My favorite little spot to lay out the mat = ☀️🌊🧜🏻‍♀️

Use an emoji to tell me yours. 

remember: it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you move your body in some way each day. Total game changer. Promise. 

For me, walking the 🐕‍🦺🐶 and 🧘🏼‍♀️are daily non-negotiables for my physical AND mental health. 

I do the @melissawoodhealth videos each day, and her upbeat, casual attitude, variety of low-impact strengthening workouts, and reminders to just keep coming back are key. 

#KeepComingBack #WeGotThis #TalkAboutMentalHealth #MWH #MoveYourBody
View
Open
Tell me it’s summertime without telling me it’s summertime. ☀️🚲

#SummerSwimTeam #SweetRides #neighborhoodkids #MarylandLife #ThisIsSummer #tanterratarpons
View
Open
Did you get it? 

Have to ask because there just *may* be a secret surprise giveaway for some of you lucky 🦆 🦆🦆

Join now: https://take5.teachmama.com/

#TeachmamaTake5  #iykyk #Take5 #BestoftheWeb #familyfun #educatornews #linkinbio
View
Open
This book is SO different from any other I have read in the recent past, and it’s something that is both refreshing and hopeful. 

My friend @techninjatodd wanted to put out a book that would be a source of hope, a reminder that we are not alone. A testament to the fact that every season of life matters. 

And so, In This Season: Words From the Heart was born, with help from the amazing @apron_education @allylee21 @writtentospeak @omar2764

❄️❄️❄️❄️

Life is full of seasons.

Each of us has endured the cold of winter, the growth of spring, the light of summer, and the change of fall. We’ve climbed to the mountaintops and been deep in the valley.

In This Season: Words for the Heart takes the emotions we feel deep within and puts them into words. The pages of this book invite you to reflect and lean in as you continue through season after season.

🌸🌸🌸🌸

Check this book out, friends. It is worth your time, and it is the perfect book for busy educators to pick up, read a few pages over a quick cup of coffee before the day begins or as you kick up your feet at the end of the day. 

It feels like a quiet conversation with a close friend or dear colleague. Important topics are touched on which remind us that our feelings and thoughts and insecurities are often not as unusual as we may think. Rather, these ups and downs of life are a shared experience that could—and should!—be shared more frequently and openly. The reminder that we are not alone could not come at a more pivotal time for all of us; in the past two years, we have been reminded that life is short but that seasons change. Let’s make the most of what we have!

Thank you, Todd, LaNesha, Tanner, and Alice for starting this conversation. 

☀️☀️☀️☀️

Grab it here: https://amzn.to/3O4jMqN

And do follow these great writers, educators, and thought leaders. 

🍁🍁🍁🍁

#InThisSeason #linkinbio #newrelease #whatimreading #beachreads #teacherauthor #mustreadbooks
View
Open
What better time than NEXT WEEK to have the biggest and baddest sale of summer 
☀️🐚🌴🌊?!

WOOO-hoooooo!

Stay tuned for more: 
zulily.gfpv.net/teachmama

#zulilyfinds #zulilypartner #zulilywowweek #teachmamadealsandsteals
View
Open
THANK YOU @reallygreatreading for the 2-part 6-hr workshop, Bringing the ‘Science of Reading’ to Life in the Classroom—

This program is amazing, life-changing, and exciting. I cannot wait to use these strategies and program with my students this summer!

Educators and families—check out the resources on this site. Phenomenal. 

Makes me so happy. 

#TeachReading #RaiseAReader #ReallyGreatReading #OnlinePD

Copyright © 2022 · teach mama media, llc · All Rights Reserved

  • 16
7.6K shares