The Letter W

Well, we have found out that the last break was not unique, as a long time has passed since the last letter.

This time, I am not going to hope and wish for anything. I will just get to work and see where it leads!

Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

The letter W will be the center of attention for this post.

W is for many things: who, what, when, where, why come to mind first. These five W words are the basic of storytelling. So, how about letting your child come up with a story, or just a short sentence, answering these five questions while using as many W words as your child can come up with?

Here is an example:

Last Wednesday, while in the water, Willie the Whale was watching the waves wetting the playful waders when the wind whooshed the waves over him.

Now it is your child’s turn. Let the imagination roll!

For a fun activity, and given that as of now it is summer, how about some Water balloon games?

On the website Fantastic Fun and Learning, there is a page dedicated to water balloon games. They can be played with as little as two children, or parent and child, or as teams. There are just plain fun games and games that may present teachable science moments. Go ahead, visit the website and create fun memories with your child(ren).

Keeping up with traditions, it is now time for some recipes that showcase the letter W.

The first recipe that caught my attention in the letter W is Whole Wheat Vegetable Pizza. It can be eaten for lunch or as a snack. Loaded with fresh vegetables it is a healthy alternative to the regular fat laden pizza.

The next recipe is not what you think! Wild Wacky Wings is not about sauce coated buffalo wings but pita bread arranged as the four wings of a butterfly and decorated with vegetables, eggs, and cheese. It is a recipe your child will have fun preparing with you! Great idea for a party as well.

(NOTE: this is a vegetarian version that can be modified to fit any other preferred diet.)

Last, but not least, we cannot forget about the cold, juicy, and fun to eat summer fruit: the Watermelon! Cut it in Wedges or in the shape of Wheels or Wings. Above all, enjoy the Watery mess that comes with it.

The first activity mentioned was a writing activity. What about adding some reading as well?

Here is a list of books that start with the letter W:

• Where the Wild Things Are (ages 0 - 3)
• What Shall We Do With the Boo Hoo Baby? (ages 0 - 3)
• What Do People Do all Day? (ages 4 - 7)
• What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? (ages 4 - 7)

And if there are older siblings (8 - 10) helping the young ones, here are a couple of selections specifically for them:

• We the Kids: the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States
• The Wind in the Willows
• When Marian Sang
• Where the Sidewalk Ends

For the complete listing of the 100 Greatest Books, visit the Scholastic website. These are the Readers’ # 1 Books. I have read a few of them, and they are absolutely great!

Have fun with the letter W and, until next time, stay cool and play safe.

The Letter X

A long time has gone since the last time I created an alphabet post on this blog. Many things have happened that took priority over writing.

Hopefully, this break is unique and we will keep discovering the alphabet together, from this month forward, one letter at the time!

Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

The star of this post is the letter X.

I wanted to start with a joke or a story about the letter; however, I could not find any that appealed to me.

I stayed away from any sites that showed activities and such because I want to come up with my own and not be influenced by those who already wrote on the subject.

X Marks the Spot

This is a scavenger hunt activity. It can be modified to match the ability of the child or children involved.

Decide on the theme of the scavenger hunt as the clues will be based on such theme. Prepare as many small exes to mark the spot as you have clues; prepare one big X for the final location of the item being searched.

For the very young child you can use pictures as clues; for the one who is beginning to read use one word clues. If you have different ages, you can pair up the older child with the younger one and allow the first to help the latter finding clues and the final object of the hunt.

Place your exes based on the clues and let the fun begin :)

How about X oriented meal items?

XtremeGreen Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

This is a dish you can make with your child. The recipe is from Food.com and serves 6.

Ingredients:
1 lb potato, cut into wedges
3/4 lb broccoli floret, chopped (4 cups)
3/4 cup shredded Fontina cheese
1/2 cup nonfat milk, heated
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper

Directions:
1. Bring one inch of water to a boil in a large pot. Place potatoes in a steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes. Place broccoli on top, cover and steam until the potatoes and broccoli are tender, 6 to 8 minutes more.
2. Transfer the broccoli to a large bowl and coarsely mash with a potato masher. Add the potatoes, cheese, milk, salt and pepper and continue mashing to desired consistency.
3. Serve immediately.

We cannot leave out dessert. Also from Food.com, this 4 ½ stars out of 5 recipe should be a hit: X-RayVision Chocolate Chip Cookies. The batter yields 84 cookies.

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup nonfat milk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 oz.)
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup carrot, grated
1 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, milk and oil.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and nutmeg; add to the egg mixture and mix well. Stir in the chips, oats, carrots and raisins.
4. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets coated with nonstick cooking spray; flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until golden brown; remove to wire racks to cool.

X-Videos on YouTube

There are several short videos on YouTube that showcase the letter X.

I am sure there will be one that appeals to you.

My most favorite of all is the SesameStreet: Song “Hurray for X”

This one is just a fun song about the letter.

My next favorite one is Phonics:The Letter X by Nellie and Ned.

This video shows you the words that contain the letter and sound it out as well giving the child a chance to repeat the word.

Remember that the most important thing is for the children to have fun. Modify any of the activities and ideas to fit their likes and needs.

A Long Break

My last post, before this one, was in 2011.

Life has a way of happening and I got sidetracked. However, I am back on board now and, along with my other blogs, I will do my best to keep this blog updated as well.

It will be a monthly posting and I welcome any ideas you may have.

As I had decided to explore the alphabet backwards, so that when finished it could be read from A to Z, the next letter we will explore is X.

Stay tuned and, by the end of November, I will reveal arts and crafts, recipes, and other information containing the letter X.

Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A 

The Letter Y

It is time to explore another letter of the alphabet.

When I first started this blog, I was unsure how I would choose the letters I would represent. Today, I think I have decided to work the alphabet backwards.

So here we go:

Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

The letter of the month is Y.

Y, you ask? Because it precedes the Z we talked about in June ;)

Given that it is almost lunchtime (11:40AM EST as I write), I think I will start with something edible.

There are several foods starting with the letter Y that come to mind (but the list is not complete, I am sure): Yellow squash, Yellow bell pepper, Yogurt, Yorkshire pudding, Yams, and Yolks.

I looked for a summer recipe and this is what I found:

Yellow Squash Casserole from Epicurious
Can be prepared in 35 to 40 minutes plus 5 minutes to cool

Yield: 8/10 servings

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided, plus more for greasing dish

3 lb. yellow summer squash (5–6 medium), sliced crosswise ¼" thick

3½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided

1 medium onion, finely chopped

¾ cup heavy cream

½ cup sour cream

4 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)

1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ⅔ cup), divided

1 Tbsp. thyme leaves, plus more for serving

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 sleeve Ritz crackers or other buttery crackers (about 32)

Zest of 1 lemon

Directions:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease a 13x9" baking dish with unsalted butter. Melt 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches and adding 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter between batches, cook 3 lb. yellow summer squash, sliced crosswise ¼" thick, tossing often, until softened and golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Season each batch with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt and transfer to a large bowl.

Step 2

Melt 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter in same skillet. Add 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is softened and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and pour in ¾ cup heavy cream; stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat and stir in ½ cup sour cream and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt.

Step 3

Add mixture to bowl with squash, then add 4 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated (about 1 cup), ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp. thyme leaves, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper; stir gently to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Wipe and reserve skillet.

Step 4

Using your hands, crush 1 sleeve Ritz crackers or other buttery crackers into coarse crumbs in a medium bowl. Melt remaining 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter in reserved skillet over medium heat. Stir in remaining ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt until dissolved, then pour over cracker crumbs. Sprinkle remaining ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan over and toss to combine. Scatter cracker mixture evenly over casserole. 

Step 5

Bake casserole until golden brown on top and bubbling, 35–40 minutes. Top with zest of 1 lemon and more thyme leaves. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Let’s look at a fun activity.

If the children already know how to write, have them write as many words starting with Y as they can think about. The child with the most words wins.

You can also choose as many categories as they want and list as many items per category as they can. Just make sure that all items start with the letter Y. Some of the generic categories you can use are: people, places, names, and things. Some of the more specific categories you might choose are: actors/actresses, cities, countries, first names, last names, things in the house (or even more specific, a certain room in the house), etc.

If the children do not know how to write yet, take them to the park or for a walk downtown and have them list as many yellow things as they see.

Ready for a craft or two?

How about using some Yarn to create a craft? Any yarn will do, but if you have some Yellow Yarn it may be even more fun.

There are a few activities that make use of yarn.

Needle Free Sewing

For these craft activities you will need:

• Cardboard
• Yarn
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Hole-Puncher

Trace the letter Y on the cardboard; with the hole-puncher, punch holes (about 1” apart) along the lines. Have the children trace the Y by threading the yard through the holes. Secure the ends with a knot.

If the children are very coordinated, have them cut the Y and cover it with yarn by looping it around the letter.

Glue It

For this activity, use the glue instead of the hole-puncher (listed above). The rest of the materials are the same.

Trace the letter Y, as above. Once done, the children can choose to trace the Y with the yarn or they can fill in the letter with the yarn.

• Tracing with Yarn: let the children contour the Y with the glue and then carefully place the yarn on the glue.
• Filling with Yarn: let the children spread glue inside the Y and then cover it with yarn (which can be cut in small pieces or “weaved” on the glue in one single strand).

Now, some fun facts about Yawning, courtesy of The Fun Times Guide (and, as you read, you can make it a game to see who will last longer without yawning, or who yawns the longest!)

• Yawning starts even before we come into this world
• Yawning is contagious (but I think you may have already figured this out)
• Animals yawn when they see other animals yawn

These are just a few of their fun facts. Do visit the website for pictures, sounds, and even more fun facts. Just make sure you do so right before bedtime!

Good night everyone.

Let the Journey Begin!

While searching for information to share, I came across these questions and decided to use a couple to help you guess the letter of our first entry.

So, here it goes.

From FunTrivia.com, the World’s Largest Trivia Website

What is the scientific word for the study of animals?

Come on. I know you know it… just try…. Still having trouble?

Let’s try another one.

What African relative of the horse is distinguished by its black and white stripes?

Do you have this one?

That’s right: the ZEBRA!

The answer to the first question is ZOOLOGY!

Can you now guess what letter I have decided to start with? You got it! The letter Z!

Trailing at the end of the alphabet, I decided to make the letter Z the first one of the blog.

As you may have by now realized, this blog is designed with young children in mind. Some activities or writings might also benefit learners of English as a second language.

Let’s start with a short poem.

Z if for …

Z is for Zoo

Where I lost my shoe.

Z is for Zebra

Which rhymes with Libra.

Z is for Zipper

Not found on a slipper

Z is for Zillion

Worth more than a million

Many more words start with a Z

They’ll be easy to spot, you’ll see.

Let’s get physical!

Some physical activity is necessary to break the routine. Try forming a Z with your body. Make it a contest to see who is able to best represent the letter Z.

Here is how you do it:

kneel down and lean your body as far back as you can, without falling (feel those muscles stretch). Now, raise your arms in front of you… you have formed the letter Z. For how long can you hold that pose?

How about a craft activity?

There is a kind of pasta called Ziti. It can be purchased at any grocery store for about $1 per box (well, I guess it depends on where you live).

For this craft activity you will need:

• a surface (paper plate, construction paper, cardboard, anything similar will work)
• a box of ziti
• craft glue
• writing utensil (pen, pencil, crayon, or marker will work)
• paint and brushes (optional)

Trace the letter Z on the surface. It can be single lined (Z) or stenciled (Z).

Let the child glue the ziti pasta on the lines or fill in the stenciled Z.

Once dried, it can be painted.

You can also write the words Zoo, Zebra, Zipper (or any other Z word) and let the child trace the letters by gluing the Ziti pasta on the letters. Because the pasta is not curved, all the letters will be kind of squared. For example: z□□.

Has all this pasta made you hungry?

No problem. You can make a Ziti pasta dish with the leftover pasta.

You can find many different recipes by clicking here.

Rest and Relaxation:

Don’t forget to catch some Z’s right after lunch!

Field Trip

And should you feel inclined to do so, after the nap, visit a Zoo.

To find one near you, click here and you might get to see some Zebras, or Zebus.

Introduction

This blog is designed to introduce each letter of the alphabet through poems, short (very short) stories, games, arts and crafts activities, recipes, and anything else I might be able to come up with.

It might be in order, and then again it might not be. Following inspiration is a must for this project and no one knows how inspiration will lead!

Please be patient and check back often. Leave comments and suggestions and I will do my best to follow them.

In the meantime, welcome to "The Alphabet, One Letter at the Time."