A Box of ABC's

Drawing with rice helps your child learn letters and numbers.

A Box of ABC's

Age: 3 to 5
Time: 5 minutes or longer
Type of Activity: Learning through art

Materials needed:

A shallow box, box top, or baking pan
Uncooked rice
Dark colored paper or paint (optional)

Young children like to use their sense of touch to learn new things, according to veteran kindergarten teacher Charleen Sawyer. The following "hands-on" activity is a fun way to help kids aged 3 to 5 learn their letters -- and numbers too. Kids will be able to feel the shape of these symbols as they draw them.

What to do:

For the best effect, paint the bottom of the box a dark color or tape down dark-colored paper.

Pour in a thin layer of rice. Shake the box lightly until the rice evenly covers the bottom.

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Your child can begin by drawing lines in the rice.

If letters are a new concept, guide his hand to write the first letter of his name.

Shake the box and try it again!

Variation: Your child may draw pictures of any object, such as an apple, tree, or face. Keep the learning aspect by having him identify the letter that the picture starts with and writing it in the rice.