Learning Left: Kids' Letter L Art Activity

Learning left from right isn’t always easy. Sometimes even the older kids who I teach mix them up and I find myself saying, “Nope, try your other left.” Even though struggling to learn directions is perfectly normal, I’ve always found that the easiest fix is to get hands-on – literally.

Ask your child to hold both hands out in front of his body, palms down. Have him hold his fingers tight together and extend his thumbs out horizontally. Which hand makes the letter L? The left hand! Add on an alphabet art activity to reinforce this concept and help him to remember right and left.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

·        Tempera paints

·        A paper plate

·        A paintbrush

·        Paper

Here’s What to Do:

1.     Pour a golf ball-sized pool (or a few) of tempera paint onto a paper plate.  Use your child’s favorite hues or add in a color mixing activity and use the primaries – red, yellow and blue.

2.     Repeat the letter L hand activity and have your child make the “L” shape with his hand.

3.     Paint the L. There are two options that your child can try. Pick one or do this activity a few times, trying both. Your child can dip the L part of his left hand (thumb and pointer finger) into the paint. He’ll need to smoosh his hand through the paint to really cover it. If he’s not into the dip and print method, he can use the brush to paint the tempera on. Go with a solid color, mix up a few or paint on rainbow-like blocks.
 

4.     Press your child’s hand onto a piece of paper. When he lifts it up he’ll magically leave behind a letter L print!

Keep the letter L print on hand (no pun intended) to reinforce the direction and print knowledge that he’s gained during this activity. If he forgets which hand is which, remind him of the paint project to help him to figure it out on his own.

Keep the alphabet part of the activity going with a picture book. Your preschooler might enjoy:

·        Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

·        Eric Carle’s ABC by Eric Carle

·        Alphabet City by Stephen T. Johnson

·        The Alphabet Tree by Leo Lionni

·        Alphabet Rescue by Audrey Wood and Bruce Wood

·        P is for Pirate: A Pirate Alphabet by Eve Bunting and John Manders

·        I Spy: An Alphabet in Art by Lucy Micklethwait

Are you looking for more alphabet art activities? Follow my Pinterest board for ideas!

Follow Mini Monets and Mommies's board Letter and Literacy Kids' Crafts on Pinterest.