Alphabet Hop/Numbers Hop

It’s time for “Something I Made Monday!!!”  Every Monday I’ll do a post and step by step on something that I made.  It’s pretty self-explanatory. 

Here is my first “Something I Made”.  Enjoy. 

Most of you know that my husband, Derek, was homeschooled.  We also want to home school our children.  I’m so excited to do this because I looove to play “teacher” and I love to make things that can be used as learning tools. 

This item that I have made will be used to help our children with Letter and Number recognition.  This was totally just something I thought up one day.  I didn’t borrow the idea from any source, if I had, I would give credit where credit is due.  If there is another something out there like this, which I’m sure there is, then hooray for us for having such a good idea! ;]

I call this Alphabet Hop/Numbers Hop.  It’s a very simple little tool made with things you can collect around your home.  I save EVERYTHING.  It drives my husband crazy, but I just can’t bear to throw things away when they could be very useful at some point in the future! Voila!   The product and its step-by-step…

Alphabet Hop/Numbers Hop

This is made of two pieces of this square foam-like cardboard that I have been saving forever.  I can’t remember where it came from, but I knew when I saved it that one day it would be very handy.  I used a baby food jar lid to trace the circles.  You need to trace it 26 times for the alphabet and however many you want for the numbers.  I chose to go up to 30.  This is done very simply with permanent markers.  I wrote the letters and numbers in the circles by hand.  Then I colored in the background between the circles with marker.  It was too white, otherwise.  Once the board was constructed, I “laminated” it with packaging tape (this is a super thrifty way to seal things up that you don’t want to get wrecked.)  I didn’t want the marker to get smeared all over, or the board to get dirty.  You can always wipe the packaging tape clean with a damp cloth.  Just try to lay the tape out flat as you cover the board or you’ll have air bubbles and wrinkles all over.  (*note:  I use this method to cover pretty much anything that I plan on using more than once.)

Now, this activity can be done 1 of 2 ways.  But you need to do it WITH your child, at first, at least.  You need to be available to name the letters or numbers until he or she can identify them on their own. 

Notice the alphabet side.  See the round pink plastic things with the letters written on them?  Those are milk jug lids.  I’ve been saving them for a loooong time, as you can see.  But they’re perfect!  Your child pulls out a lid, looks at the letter, then looks at the board and has to match the lid to its letter.  Simple!   Be sure to make enough milk lids for each side, numbers AND letters.

Observe the number side.  Remember those plastic frogs that you push on the tab on their back and it makes them jump?  I got them at Wal-Mart -- 8 for $0.97!!  Once your child learns their letters/numbers, this is a great way to review.  Pop the little frog on the board, and whatever number or letter he lands on your child has to name! 

I know, I know.  It’s so simple.  Roen loves it, though.  And it’s good to make learning fun.  I hope this will be helpful to you to use for your home school, preschool, day care, or just for fun with your kids or grandkids!  :]  Let me know how it worked out for you!