What You Do:
1. Start by going on a rock hunt. While you supervise, invite your child to search the yard, neighborhood, local park, nearby creek or stream for rocks of a manageable size that he can easily lift and move around.
2. Wash any dirt particles clinging to the rocks by soaking them in water and rinsing them. Let the rocks dry.
3. Now for the painting! Help him paint one letter of the alphabet on each rock so he has one rock for each letter by the time he's done. Encourage him to use a wide variety of different colors to make a vibrant collection. If he's unsure of how to paint any of the letters, have him practice on a scrap sheet of paper before painting on the rocks.
4. As he paints each letter, have him say its name and the sound(s) it makes. Can he think of a word that starts with that letter?
5. Once all the rocks are painted, place them aside to dry.
6. When the rocks are dry, use them to “label” objects in and around the house. For example, take an apple from the fruit basket and set the “A” rock beside it to show him that “A” is for “apple.” Repeat for the other letters; once he gets the hang of the activity, encourage him to find objects on his own.