Top 5 Alphabet Letters for Learning | Preschool to school-aged
Identifying letters is one of the big first steps that preschoolers take in the journey to learning to read. Many kids around age two can start to identify or learn letters by sight. Having hands-on practice with tactile letters or letter tiles can increase a child’s ability to learn each letter and sound. Sensory play with alphabet letters for example in sand or with play dough gives kids reinforcement of each letter more so than just with basic 2-d letter flash cards. Many kids learn faster and retain more with this hands-on learning approach. My Top 5 Alphabet Letters for Learning will highlight some of the best products on the market.
In my Top 5 Alphabet Letters for Learning| Preschool to school-aged children article, I will show you my favorite letters and letter tiles that are water resistant and can be used for sensory and tactile play. Also, I will tell you about the benefits of hands-on learning. Also, I will show you some adaptive and special needs letter learning toys for hand signs and braille letters.
Why are educational and learning toys important?
Educational toys are important for several reasons. Firstly, children develop a lifelong love of learning when they are exposed to early educational play-based learning. Secondly, hands-on learning with manipulatives offers an opportunity to practice early literacy skills in a play-based environment. Kids tend to retain more and learn more with hands-on learning. Thirdly, learning and educational toys teach kids early reading skills for preschool but also more advanced concepts for elementary kids. For example below, the alphabet letters can be used for preschoolers to learn letters but also to make words and then sentences for kindergarteners learning to read. These letters can be utilized by children across a wide age range. Educational toys that grow with your child have great longevity and are also great for families with multi-aged children.
What additional benefits do literacy educational toys have?
Many teach early literacy skills such as:
- letter identification
- letter sounds
- upper and lower case recognition
- sight word identification
- prefix and suffix word sounds
- making simple sentences
- Language & Communication
- Tactile Learning
- Coordination
- Creative Thinking
- Logical Thinking
- Concentration
My Top 5 Alphabet Learning Toys:
1. Lower Case Alphabet- PlanToys 5407
*I love that these are water resistant for tactile/sensory play in sand, water, and dough. These are some of the nicest quality wooden letters made. We love that the dyes are all natural and that they are heirloom quality. Many alphabet letters made only come in upper case. We love the lower case for identification and for spelling.
Develop your language skills with this alphabet set! 26 Upper case letters and 5 vowels are included to encourage communication and language practice (31 pieces in total). We use red colors for the vowels so children can begin to recognize vowels versus consonants. There is also a printable play card for viewing or downloading online.
- The set includes 31 Alphabet letters. 26 consonants and 5 vowels all in an uppercase font
- Vowels are colored red and consonants are colored yellow to help children visually distinguish between the two
- Activity cards are available online to use on a tablet or print
- Sustainably made in Thailand using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments, and water-based dyes.
2. Upper Case Alphabet- PlanToys 5406
*I love that these are water resistant for tactile/sensory play in sand, water, and dough. These are the nicest quality wooden letters made. We love that the dyes are all natural and that they are heirloom quality. We also love that the red letters are the vowels for identification and learning.
Develop your language skills with this alphabet set! 26 Lower case letters and 5 vowels are included to encourage communication and language practice (31 pieces in total). We use red colors for the vowels so children can begin to recognize vowels versus consonants. There is also a printable play card for viewing or downloading online.
- The set includes 31 Alphabet letters. 26 consonants and 5 vowels all in a lower case font
- Vowels are colored red and consonants are colored yellow to help children visually distinguish between the two
- Activity cards are available online to use on a tablet or print
- Sustainably made in Thailand using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments, and water-based dyes.
3. Alphabet A-Z – Double-sided- PlanToys 5637
- We love these double-sided tiles that grow with your child. First, for learning letter identification and later for phonics and letter sounds. These press nicely into play dough for sensory play as well and are water resistant.
Develop your fundamental skills with this alphabet set. The two-sided wooden tiles feature 26 intended capital letters and pictures of objects that correspond to the letter. Trace the
letters with your finger and expand your vocabulary!
- Learn the alphabet from A-Z with sustainable wooden tiles
- Explore both sides of the tiles — one with capital letters and the other with objects that match the letter
- Encourages the development of language and communication skills
- Sustainably made in Thailand using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments, and water-based dyes.
4. Hand Sign Alphabet A-Z, PlanToys 5672
- Exclusively made by PlanToys, these unique adaptive learning tiles are for teaching the hand sign alphabet. I love that this company makes adaptive learning toys such as these. PlanToys also employs workers with special needs as well.
Add variety to your knowledge of Alphabets with this sign language set. The 26-piece set features an impressed lowercase letter and corresponding American hand sign language picture.
- Includes 26 tiles with uppercase letters and sign language on alternating sides
- Letters and hand signs are traceable so children can practice following them with their fingers or writing them on their own on paper
- Strengthens communication and language skills supports fine motor skill development and encourages interactive play.
- Sustainably made in Thailand using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments, and water-based dyes.
5. Braille Alphabet A-Z- PlanToys 5671
- Exclusively made by PlanToys, these unique adaptive learning tiles are for teaching the Braille alphabet. These alphabet letters are easy to finger trace in the grooves of each letter. I love that this company makes adaptive learning toys such as these. PlanToys also employs workers with special needs as well.
This 26-piece Braille Alphabet A-Z set can be played 2-sided, one upper case and another lower case. Each tile has a Braille symbol that represents each letter in the alphabet.
- Includes 26 tiles with uppercase and lowercase letters on alternating sides
- Great for incorporating into learning environments to strengthen communication and language development
- Can be played solo or enjoyed with others
- Sustainably made in Thailand using chemical-free rubberwood, formaldehyde-free glue, organic pigments, and water-based dyes.
6. Creative Peg Board | Orchard Collection | PlanToys 5459
*I love that this is a versatile learning toy with cards for letters, numbers, and creative art. The bands are made of all-natural rubber and the board is wooden. This is a unique learning toy that engages kids.
Create various geometric shapes, numbers, alphabets, and images. Children can explore the patterns on the playing cards or create their own. Complete with a wooden peg board, 40 double-sided play cards (26 for English uppercase and lowercase alphabets, 10 for numbers 0-9, and 4 with pictures), and 30 rubber sheets with 5 shapes and colors.
- Sustainably made in Thailand with chemical-free rubberwood trees, formaldehyde-free glues, organic pigments, and water-based dyes.
Final Thoughts:
3 Reasons to choose PlanToys for babies, toddlers, boys, and girls!
Firstly, they are passionate about child safety. They pay close attention to the safety standards of their production process. All of their materials are non-toxic and environmentally friendly so parents can let their children play without worry. Secondly, they help children develop. Every parent wants to see their child successfully grow and develop. Also, they believe that creative and educational play can help them do this! By playing with their educational toys, children learn and evolve in a variety of ways. Thirdly, they care about the environment. Also, at PlanToys, they use water-based colors that are chemical-free, E-Zero glue that doesn’t contain formaldehyde, and they maximize resource utilization by using leftover sawdust to create a new sustainable material called PlanWood™.
PlanToys Sustainable Mission:
“Since 1981, our mission has been to create a more sustainable world. We carefully consider the environment and society when it comes to our business practices. We also focus on safety standards and child development in the production process. Additionally, by applying innovative eco-friendly manufacturing methods and using green materials, we help pave a sustainable path for our children. And in turn, doing our part to protect the beautiful ecosystems and environments that inhabit our planet.” Also, to learn more, please read more about PlanToys Sustainable Mission HERE or to learn more about our favorite sustainable companies, Click HERE.
Conclusion:
There are many more great options from PlanToys and by all means, this is not a complete list. I’ve provided you with some solid examples of my Top 5 Alphabet Letters for Learning from a trusted sustainable toy company. All of the toys listed are of heirloom quality, have educational value, and provide family interaction. PlanToys is at the top of my list in terms of heirloom quality, safety, and educational benefit. See my brand spotlight post on PlanToys to read more about this award-winning brand. These aforementioned toys will provide years of open-ended play that is kid-powered. When you choose sustainable wooden toys instead of your typical plastic battery-powered electronic toys, your kids will engage in play in a different and better way!
