Letter Stamp Station

With so many kids writing their own names and recognizing different words, it was time to make a couple of literacy-focused stations.  Exposure to letters is as important (if not more) as teaching letters directly.  This letter learning station offers children a chance to stamp out or write words. As usual, I was amazed and humbled by the children's final products. Unfortunately I didn't take many photos : (

Simply arranged, there are markers, stamp pads, and upper and lower case stamps.   

There is also a sign language alphabet displayed on the wall at the station. The child who is cropped out of this photo is using his hands to make the sign letters. It's all literacy and fine motor!

I added narrow strips of paper to encourage linearity in their work, rather than random placement of letters on 8x11 sheets.   As the eyes and attention move from left to right on the paper, the brain practices the skill of crossing brain hemispheres, a necessary function of actual reading.  In some cultures, this would be a right to left shift, but we read and turn pages from left to right. 

The children made it their own, bringing over the materials they needed. Hole punchers seemed to frequent the letter stamp station this week.