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Talk About It: The Letter A

Writer: Mystee Ipong
Mystee Ipong
Sep 9
2 min read

Updated: Oct 9

Illustration of the letter A with an apple, an ant, an alligator and an ambulance

The big idea: The letter A makes the /a/ sound, like at the start of apple, ant and alligator.


Today is about hearing that sound more than naming the letter. For toddlers, learning that letters make sounds (sometimes called the alphabetic principle) matters more than reciting the alphabet. We're focusing on the short /a/ sound because it's the one they'll hear most in early words. If your child says "A says its name, like in acorn," they're right too!


Questions to ask


  • "Aaaa-pple. What sound do you hear at the start?"

  • "Can you think of an animal that starts like apple?" (ant, alligator)

  • "Does cat have an /a/ in the middle? Let's say it slowly."

  • "Can you make a big A with your arms?"

  • "Does anyone we know have an A in their name?"


Show it in one minute


Write a big A on paper and trace it together: "Slant down, slant down, across the middle." Then point to an apple (or a picture of one) and say, "A, /a/, apple." Letter, sound, word, in that order.


Illustration of a dotted letter A to trace with one finger

Keep it going


Point out A's on signs, cereal boxes and book covers this week. A letter they can spot out in the world is a letter they own.


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