English for Babies: ABC

Introduce letters to your baby as soon as possible. Point out letters when you see them on blocks. Teach your baby to recognize a few letters at a time. Start with A, B, C, and the first letter of his or her name. You can also teach M for Mommy or D for Daddy. Some babies pick their own favourite letters.

Read and Listen: New Words

1. A, a
2. B, b
3. C, c
4. J, j (for Joey)
5. M, m (for Mommy)

Surround your baby with letters. Find plastic, foam, and wooden letters for your baby to play with. Bring letters into the bath, playroom, and yard. Ask a family member who can sew to make stuffed fabric letters that spell your baby's name. Put the letters on the wall in your baby's room. You can even have fun with letters at mealtime. The sooner they learn their letters the sooner they will read in English.

On my lap

1. Put the baby on your lap.
2. Say the baby's name.
3. Point at the picture on the screen.
4. Look for the letter that your baby's name starts with.
5. Say, "Let's find J for Joey."
6. Say: "There's J. J is for Joey."
7. Open a word document and type some large J's for your baby to see. Or get a piece of paper and write a large J.
8. Show excitement when he points at letters even if he doesn't say the right ones.
   Clap your hands and say:
   That's right! Letters!
   That's the J. J is for Joey.
   Good job!

Song, Rhyme or Story time

The Alphabet Song

A B C D
E F G
H I J K
L M N O P
Q R S
T U V
W X
Y and Z.
Now I know my ABC's.
Next time won't you sing with me?

Baby's First Alphabet Book

Make your baby an English alphabet book or set of flashcards. Choose your baby's favourite things. Draw or cut out pictures to go with the letters. Here are some ideas for alphabet words that babies and young children hear often.

A a is for apple or airplane
B b is for baby
C c is for cat or cereal
D d is for dog
E e is for egg

F f s for fish
G g is for go or giraffe
H h is for house

I i is for ice cream
J j is for jump
K k is for kiss
L l for love
M m is for Mommy
N n is for nose
O o is for on or open.
P p is for pig
Q q is for quiet
R r is for run
S s is for sleep
T t is for toy
U u is for under
V v is for vegetable
W w is for water
X x is for x-ray
Y y is for yo yo
Z z is for zebra

Playtime

Fun with Chalk

Decorate the outdoors with the alphabet. Use sidewalk chalk to print the alphabet on a pathway or driveway. Each time you pass it sing the alphabet song with your baby.

Alphabath

The bath is a great place to play with letters. Foam letters stick to tiles or the side of the tub. Dump all of the letters into the tub and ask your baby to fish for a letter that she knows. You can also use bath crayons to write the alphabet on the tiles or tub. Write your baby's name and point out the letters.