The alphabet – a collection of letters and sounds that are the building blocks to language and literacy. At this point, your honeybee has likely learned to recognize each letter in isolation, while connecting their appropriate sounds. If your honeybee is able to successfully arrange individual letters in alphabetical order, they may be ready to alphabetize words. This concept requires the recognition of letters and execution of executive function: a set of mental skills that include your child’s flexible thinking, self-control, and working memory. Alphabetizing words is an important skill that will teach your honeybee to organize, plan, and prioritize real-world experiences.
In this activity, your honeybee will label essential groceries and help you create next week’s shopping list! The goal of this activity is to successfully create a list that displays an understanding of alphabetical order. In addition, this activity flexes your child’s executive function by focusing on task initiation, self-monitoring, and organizing. Proper letter formation, handwriting, and spelling are secondary skills that are not crucial to the completion of this task. This multi-step activity is recommended for honeybees 6+.
What You’ll Need:
- Small pieces of paper/small index cards
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Red and blue colored pencil (optional)
- Groceries
- Moveable alphabet/letters. If you don’t have access to letters, make your own with strips of paper and pencil!
- Lined paper
Heading to the market in a week? Don’t know what to grab? Your honeybee is here to help! Let’s get busy!
1. Unpack your essential groceries and leave them on your counter
2. Cut pieces of paper or locate small index cards
3. Have your honeybee label essential groceries on pieces of paper or index cards (Help them with the spelling!)
*Optional Montessori Tip- write vowels in blue and consonants in red*
4. Arrange moveable alphabet/letters vertically and in alphabetical order
5. Place grocery labels next to corresponding letter
6. Keep labels in order and place them next to lined paper
7. Copy words onto lined paper (format is optional)
*Modify this activity to your honeybee’s ability!*
Be sure to have conversations about the alphabet and ordering. Encourage questions and comments. Remember, every honeybee is different. This is a tricky concept and patience is needed.
Use the proper language with your honeybee; they are smarter than you think!
Language to use:
- Alphabet
- Order
- Organize
- List
Questions? Comments? Compliments? Leave them BEElow!
The Busy B 