Letter V Unit
All the activities in this unit have one thing in common, they are about items that start with the letter V. This is by no means a comprehensive list of activities. It's just some of the things I have tried with K and N myself which they have enjoyed. I have attached a few printables I created and used for this unit. Feel free to print them!
This post is curriculum based but it can be done by SAHMs and working parents alike. All activities here take 5 minutes or less to carry out from start to end. They also involve very little preparatory work. Give them a try and let me know what you think 😉
Materials:
- Cardboard
- Black marker
- Paint
How to:
- Draw out a van and cut it out of the cardboard
- Let the kids paint and design it however they wish
Pro tips:
- I made clear markings to divide different parts of the van and challenged K (almost 4 years) to paint the different sections different colours. This trains their fine motor skills and also exposes them to colour contrasts.
- Extend the activity by getting them to spell out VAN. It is a simple three letter word where all the letters are typical distinct sounds making it ideal to work on phonics and spelling.
Materials:
- Empty Yakult/Vitagen containers
- Washi Tape
- Fake or real flowers
How to:
- Let the kids decorate the containers with washi tape however they like.
- Put in some flowers to make the vase a real vase!
Pro tips:
- The main skill at work here is fine motor skill. It takes quite a bit of fine motor ability to tear washi tape. Don't tear it for them immediately. Get them to try first then help tear just a little if they have difficulty and let them complete the tear.
- Did you know that activities that allow the kids to express their creativity also builds their sense of self? Refrain from telling them what to do and which tape to use and where. Let them choose the colours, the length of tape and where to put them.
Materials:
- Vegetables either a reference book of, or a selection of real vegetables
- Drawing block
- Colour pencils
How to:
- Look at the vegetables and draw out some of them.
- Talk about how some fruit are often thought of as vegetables and why.
Pro tips:
- A good reference book would be Julia Rothman's Food Anatomy
- Don't worry if your drawing isn't up to par. It shows the kids to not be afraid to try even if they are not good at something.
- If you use real veg, cook a few and have a little taste fest! Put small amounts into an ice cube tray and get them to try them and guess what they are. You can cut out small amounts to cook and usually freeze the rest for later use.
Materials:
- Violin printout
- String
- Double sided tape
- Colour pencils
How to:
- Put some double sided tape at the ends of the violin and have them stick the strings on.
- Colour and decorate your violin
- Trace in the word 'VIOLIN'.
Pro tips:
- Violins have 4 strings and they are tuned to G, D, A and E. You can put these letters onto dot stickers and get them to label the strings.
- I would use double sided tape because then I wouldn't need to wait for glue to dry to colour and decorate the rest of the violin, but feel free to use glue if that is all you have. If you use glue, leave the strings part till right at the very end.
Other Suggestions:
V is for Vulture
- Go to the bird park to see a real life vulture. Talk about what vultures eat and where they live. Look at Pinterest for some ideas for a vulture craft!
V is for Volume
- Listen to music and turn the volume up and down. Talk about different volumes and how our voices also have volumes. When we are shouting, the volume is loud but when we whisper, it is very soft. Talk about what it means when we say 'inside voice' or what kind of volume we should be talking at when we are at home or in a small space. How would that be different from when we are in a crowded place or when we are in the library?
V is for Volcano
- Make a home volcano.
This post is curriculum based but it can be done by SAHMs and working parents alike. All activities here take 5 minutes or less to carry out from start to end. They also involve very little preparatory work. Give them a try and let me know what you think 😉
1. V is for Van
- Cardboard
- Black marker
- Paint
How to:
- Draw out a van and cut it out of the cardboard
- Let the kids paint and design it however they wish
Pro tips:
- I made clear markings to divide different parts of the van and challenged K (almost 4 years) to paint the different sections different colours. This trains their fine motor skills and also exposes them to colour contrasts.
- Extend the activity by getting them to spell out VAN. It is a simple three letter word where all the letters are typical distinct sounds making it ideal to work on phonics and spelling.
2. V is for Vase
- Empty Yakult/Vitagen containers
- Washi Tape
- Fake or real flowers
How to:
- Let the kids decorate the containers with washi tape however they like.
- Put in some flowers to make the vase a real vase!
Pro tips:
- The main skill at work here is fine motor skill. It takes quite a bit of fine motor ability to tear washi tape. Don't tear it for them immediately. Get them to try first then help tear just a little if they have difficulty and let them complete the tear.
- Did you know that activities that allow the kids to express their creativity also builds their sense of self? Refrain from telling them what to do and which tape to use and where. Let them choose the colours, the length of tape and where to put them.
3. V is for Vegetables
Materials:
- Vegetables either a reference book of, or a selection of real vegetables
- Drawing block
- Colour pencils
How to:
- Look at the vegetables and draw out some of them.
- Talk about how some fruit are often thought of as vegetables and why.
Pro tips:
- A good reference book would be Julia Rothman's Food Anatomy
- Don't worry if your drawing isn't up to par. It shows the kids to not be afraid to try even if they are not good at something.
- If you use real veg, cook a few and have a little taste fest! Put small amounts into an ice cube tray and get them to try them and guess what they are. You can cut out small amounts to cook and usually freeze the rest for later use.
4. V is for Violin
- Violin printout
- String
- Double sided tape
- Colour pencils
How to:
- Put some double sided tape at the ends of the violin and have them stick the strings on.
- Colour and decorate your violin
- Trace in the word 'VIOLIN'.
Pro tips:
- Violins have 4 strings and they are tuned to G, D, A and E. You can put these letters onto dot stickers and get them to label the strings.
- I would use double sided tape because then I wouldn't need to wait for glue to dry to colour and decorate the rest of the violin, but feel free to use glue if that is all you have. If you use glue, leave the strings part till right at the very end.
Other Suggestions:
V is for Vulture
- Go to the bird park to see a real life vulture. Talk about what vultures eat and where they live. Look at Pinterest for some ideas for a vulture craft!
V is for Volume
- Listen to music and turn the volume up and down. Talk about different volumes and how our voices also have volumes. When we are shouting, the volume is loud but when we whisper, it is very soft. Talk about what it means when we say 'inside voice' or what kind of volume we should be talking at when we are at home or in a small space. How would that be different from when we are in a crowded place or when we are in the library?
V is for Volcano
- Make a home volcano.
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