Letter B Snacks

It's Letter B day, so snack time is a whole plate of foods that start with the /b/ sound, like banana. Your little one gets to hear the sound again and again, taste it, and build a big B out of snacks before eating it.

What you need

Pick 3 or 4 B foods:

• Bananas, sliced into rounds

• Blueberries, halved or smashed flat

• A mini bagel or bread, cut into strips

• Broccoli, steamed soft

• Black beans, rinsed

• A small bowl of yogurt for dipping (it counts because it's in a bowl!)

How to make it

1. Say it first. Hold up a banana and say, "/b/ /b/ banana." Put your lips together and let the sound pop out. Let your child feel the little puff of air on their hand.

2. Name every food. As you put each food on the plate, say its name and stretch the first sound: "/b/ /b/ blueberry."

3. Build a B. Use bread strips for the straight line and banana slices for the two bumps. Ask, "Where is the straight line? How many bumps?"

4. Snack and sort. Ask, "Can you find the food that is round? The food that is green? Which one is your favorite B food?"

Why we love it

Kids learn letter sounds best when they hear them in words they care about, and snacks are high on that list. By the end of snack time, your child has heard /b/ a dozen times without anyone "teaching" anything. It's also a nice follow-up to today's Rip Strip project and the Letter B worksheet.

Make it your own

• B hunt: Look in the fridge together for anything else that starts with B.

• Silly sentences: "Baby Bear bites a big banana!" Say it fast three times.

• Last week's letter: Add an apple slice and ask, "Does apple start with /b/? No, it starts with /a/!"

• Cut-out letter: Press an alphabet cookie cutter into toast, cheese or a slice of melon to make a big B you can eat.

A quick safety note: For kids under 4, halve or flatten blueberries and grapes, steam broccoli until soft, and cut bagels into thin strips. Swap out anything your family avoids.

Shop these items

Everything mentioned in this post, in one place. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

• Alphabet cookie cutters

• Shop everything for Week 2: Apples

• Starter supplies: the basics we use most weeks

• See every week in our Amazon storefront

More for this week: see all our Apple activities, Letter B activities and Number 2 activities.

Every child is different. Please use your own judgment about what's safe and right for your family. Always supervise children during activities and while eating, and adjust foods for allergies, dietary needs and your child's age and chewing ability. Sprocket & Sprout shares these ideas for fun and learning only. We are not responsible for any injury, allergic reaction, damage or mess that may result from trying them. This post may contain affiliate links; if you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.