Welcome to the Letter J. Since we’re nearing Christmas, I wanted to focus on the reason for the season: Jesus! Hope you enjoy it!
Letter J Memory Verse:
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life…” John 14:6
For our verses and accompanying games/stories we use the following books:
ABC Memory Verses & My ABC Bible Verses
Read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and put up the letter J on our Alphabet Tree! You can download my small alphabet letters here.
Song time:
Hide ‘Em in Your Heart Vol 1
Hide ‘Em In Your Heart Songs – Vol 2
Jesus Coloring Page: We color this, paint it, or use markers. I found some that fit my 3 year old well, they’re called Pip-Squeaks Washable Markers. They’re shorter and easier for her to use. These pictured are chubby markers, they also make a skinny version. I got mine at Wal-mart.
Jesus Writing Practice: Print and practice your letters with crayon, pencil, marker or laminate and use with dry-erase markers.
J Tracing Card: This is new, I made it for kiddos who aren’t quite ready for my pre-writing or writing practice books. Its large and easier to trace.
Jesus Size Sort: Put these in order small to big or big to small then discuss which is largest, smallest and medium.
J Scavenger Hunt: Fill the box with things that start with J! Some ideas: jar, junk mail, jelly beans.
Jesus Puzzle: Cut along the guides for a fun 6 piece beginner’s puzzle!
Jesus Pattern Activity: Just use the pieces to practice pre-math pattern skills.
J Pre-Writing Skills: I laminate this and use with a dry-erase marker for pre-writing practice skills. You can also print this in grayscale and use for more scissor skills practice!
Jesus Magnet Page: I use it with a cookie sheet and these pom-pom magnets I made from pom-poms and self-sticky magnets from the craft isle in Wal-mart. I also use these magnets from Amazon: Power Magnets, 0.75 inch Diameter, Assorted Colors
Jesus Letter Matching: These cards are to be used with the wooden letter disks please Click here to see the process of making the letters. If you’re looking for more challenge, use the uppercase card with the lowercase letter disks or visa versa! (The download includes both upper and lowercase letter disks as well as activity cards)
(Please note, the original idea for this game came from Tot School and Carisa’s blog. )
Jesus Lacing Card: I make sure to laminate this one for durability, then punch with a hole punch every inch or so for lacing practice. Teach them patterns to do with this as well, like up from the bottom each time, or in-out-in-out sewing. Whatever pattern you can think of.
Capital/Lowercase Jj sorting: Simple, just sort the uppercase and lowercase letters.
Jesus Graphing: I laminate this and then have them either color in the dots with dry-erase marker, or put bingo markers on it. You could also use the little stars I provided in the Jesus Number Cards game below.
Jesus Floor Numbers: I made these large floor numbers so that we can play a hopscotch type game. I call out a number and she jumps to it! You could also have them put the cards in numerical order.
J Do-A-Dot Worksheet: We use Do-a-Dot Art Markers with this!
Jesus Cutting Practice: Simple print and let your child try cutting along the lines!
Jesus Cut and Paste: This is a new one, (Your child may need help cutting some of the smaller pieces) Cut out and glue onto blue construction paper. Decorate with a star stamp in the sky, or cotton balls for clouds! You can also add yarn on the floor for hay!
Jesus Counting Cards: I use these with either mini-clothes pins, colored paper clips, or put a hole in them and have her attach chain links to them. This time I made little stars to put on the cards. Whatever you use, just have them put on the correct amount for the number on the card. These are also good for putting in numerical order.
Jesus Color Puzzles: I cut these little guys out then cut them in half in as many interesting ways as I could think of to make tiny color matching puzzles. I included in pg2 of this download the color words on a grid as well, so you can have them match the correct color to the word.
J Color Matching: Just cut out the small j’s and have them match the dots to the correct color bottom half! (Quick Tip: I used a 1 1/8″ circle punch to punch out the dots on the j’s)
11 x 11 Pin Geoboard: We use these to make letters, numbers, shapes etc!
Finger Tracing Paint Bag: This is simple and fun, I filled a bag with tempura paint, you could also use cheap shaving cream. Then I’ll tape it to her desk for her to practice writing her D and d in using her finger. You could also skip the bag and put shaving cream on your counter if you’re feeling brave ;o) After we do the letters we do numbers, shapes, and whatever else we can think of!
Foam Letter Builders: I cut the shapes from foam and let her use them to make the letters. You could also use my Magnetic Letter Builders as well!
Letter Collage Worksheets: The download includes letters A-Z as well as a collage idea sheet. We use the collage items as objects to decorate our letters for an alphabet book. We also color, paint, and stamp them. Since we use both upper and lowercase, I have provided both for you! Click here to download the Letter Collages:
Color Cubes: I found a new use for our Large Alphabet Lacing Cards! First we traced the letters with her finger, then we used our 1″ building blocks to make the letter D and d. She also picked 2 colors of blocks and did a pattern as she made her letters! We also use them for lacing practice, but this was a new variation since I’ve been making the shaped lacing cards too!
Jesus Letter Bead Lacing: I’ll put an index card in this box with the word ‘Jesus’ so she knows the order of the letters. I got my lacing beads from Lakeshore Learning but these look more fun to me: Bead Bazaar Lacing Kits – Alphabet Lacing Kit
Felt Nativity Scene: My kids love this and play with it year round! Sadly, we don’t have a ‘real’ felt board, I just got some cheap black felt and are you ready? Yes, used duct tape to tape it to the back of a piece of board LOL! They free play, or set up the scene as you read to them!
Letter Hunt: I created some Letter Hunt worksheets that you can download.
Kumon ABCs Uppercase Write & Wipe Flash Cards, they also have lowercase cards and Numbers.
Family Fun Night: Have some bread with Jam.
Note: To get all of the games in my Letter of the Week curriculum, please check out the full curriculum in my store!
LOVE THIS…you rock!I added this post to my Christmas Tot Pack page (under the More Christmas Fun part)…I am printing some for K now!;-) Carisa
I absolutely love your blog! Thank you so much for all the FREE items! You are truly a blessing! I will be doing Pre-K with my soon to be 4 year old starting in August 2010 and using your curriculum. Thanks! ~DIANA EVANS in TENNESSEE
What a great unit – perfect for Christian preschoolers before Christmas.
Nice job!!! You know you are amazing, but I'll just keep reminding you!Jolanthe
I'm new to your blog, and love it! I will be getting together this unit this weekend to do next week, Thanks!!I was wondering, what are your favorite homeschool manipulatives, tools, etc. that you have bought, and what are those that you feel were a waste of money?
Thank you! Your blog is such a blessing to me and my family. My preschooler will love these and they go perfectly with our Christmas theme! Again, thank you!
Hi, I think the most frequently used items I've purchased are the Kumon Wipe off cards, everyone loves to do these for some reason! We also like all the extra stuff in this post like the do-a-dot markers, geoboards and magnets. We use those all the time! I also like file folder games and lapbooks, the kids like doing them. I can't think of anything I've bought that we haven't used, but mostly we like things we make ourselves, motorskills manipulatives etc. best of all they're cheap!
I just found your blog and LOVE it! Your craft and activities are wonderful! I've added your button to my blog and look forward to seeing more of your posts.
Oh, I love everything in your post! I am keeping this blog in mind as I will need it starting next week! Hope you don't mind!Jennifer
I just love reading about everything you do every week. You have some of the greatest activities. Love them all!