Word Play

Here is a lesson that I made up that incorporates reading and letter recognition, phonics, writing, and drawing. Feel free to take some of these elements out if it is too much. 
This is such a fun learning lesson, and I love to do with Ella Reese as much as she does!
I am sure there are books that do this very same thing, but I love that it is all hands on and I can create as much challenge to it as I want.

Supplies:
- A large piece of paper. I am a believer in BIG is better.   But sometimes all you have around the house is computer paper, and that is fine!  I cut a brown paper bag to make a large banner like paper.  And this worked great.
- Paper.  Any kind you have around the house.  I like to use a white paper so she can color on it later.
- Scissors
- Crayons or color pencils or markers
- Glue sticks or Glue
- Stickers or a Stamp

First begin by choosing three words.  It was helpful to use three words that are the same except the first letter.  Like Cat, Hat, Bat.  And of course, it depends on what you think your child can read or comprehend.
Next write out those words on your paper you chose.  Bubble letters, block letters, or even use a stencil.  Cut those out and put them aside. Next draw a picture of each word.  Or you can cut out the picture from a Magazine.  Now begin!
Starting from the upper left side of the paper begin with the first word.
Have your child pick a picture.  Have her glue it at the top left.  Next pull all your letters you cut out earlier and scramble them up.  Have your child find the letters that make up that word.  Here is where phonics and letter recognition come into play.  Sound out the word, and help her to find the first letter.  If this is a step your child is not able to master, you can just show her the letters and make the word for her.

Together glue those letters next to the picture.  Moving to the right of the glued letters, next write out the word using the dot technique.  Instead of writing the word, make the letters in dashes or dots.  You've seen it before in books that help kids learn how to write the word.  You are doing that here.  Once your child has traced the word, she has written it!  Moving to the right again, she can now draw a picture of that word as best as she is able.

Finished!  After each step she finished celebrate her accomplishment with a stamp or a sticker next it.  Or simply draw a star...
The first time I did this I did the first step on all three words first.  Then I did the next step, finding the letters, for all three words.  But you can do which ever you want.
The second time we did this I went through all the steps with the first word.

This is so fun to do !   What I love most about it is that with each step you have the opportunity to insert in more learning.  When finding the letters for each word, you can ask what other words begin with that same letter.  You can color in the cut out letters and talk about colors and what colors make what.  With drawing the pictures you can help encourage her with whatever stage she is in with drawing.  You can make this as easy or challenging as you watch her respond to the lesson.

Every time we do this Word Play lesson, Ella Reese loves every minute of it and always asks to do it again.
Now to store these huge paper bag banners.....?