Letter learning toys *without* music?

[neveryoumindthere]

Does that even exist? It seems like all the toys available have music in the background. quite obnoxious. I want one that at least has an option to turn it off and just focus on the letters/sounds

please tell me there are some cool toys for my kinestethic learner!

thanks in advance!

[WhaleinGaloshes]

Montessori uses sandpaper letters (you can make them yourself, too) for teaching writing and felt letters in the Red Book for sounds. Would he like those?

[neveryoumindthere]

We do have sandpaper letters, she's not much interested.

I was thinking similar to the leapfrog magnets for the fridge or some toy laptop or something..

thx

[shoefairy3]

like this?
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...=letter+magnet

[kristin0713]

My DD learned her letters from puzzles, and singing a few different alphabet songs.

[kittie313]

I use letter magnets to teach letters to my girls. In fact, I'm getting ready to teach dd1 my letter games that i use so that she can teach her 4yo sister her letters and their sounds (at her request, she likes to teach her little sisters stuff like that)

[VroomieMama]

This has always been my issue! I'm deaf and I am constantly frustrated with all of these learning electronics that speaks but as a parents I have no idea what are being said. I wish there are more visual implemented with vocal learning electronics. I am keeping my eyes peeled on this thread and purchase some non vocal educational tools for my children.

[SundayCrepes]

My son learned his letters by us reading to him. He loved these two books:

http://www.amazon.com/Dogs-ABC-Silly...7353998&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Seusss-Read-My...7354043&sr=1-2

You can also get it with a cd:
http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Seusss-ABC-...7354043&sr=1-4

I'd also LOVE to get these, but they're cost prohibitive:
http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo...d=PD_CS1_TT141

However, there's a woman who has a printout for the shapes. I want to make them then make my own templates for the letters:
http://confessionsofahomeschooler.bl...-builders.html

And, I'm thinking of getting these:
http://www.amazon.com/Wikki-Stix-Alp...7354262&sr=8-1

[prothyraia]

We have this:

http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-19143.../dp/B001W32DOU

It has sound effects, but not music in the background. So, you hit "w" and it says something like "w says wuh, as in wiggly worm!" and shows an animation of a worm wiggling with some sort of wiggly sound.

I have a very low tolerance for noisy electronic toys, and this one actually doesn't bug me (score one for gramma!). My 3 1/2 year old and my almost 2 year old both enjoy it.

[Casha'sMommy]

We used a freecycled Melissa and Doug magnet/chalk board and I bought some magnet foamy letters from my local teacher store.
DD also has a few electronic toys (lap top, leap frog frige phonics) but the magnet letters have been her favorite since day one.

[ilovemygirl]

I'm considering getting these for spelling but they would work for the alphabet and have the added bonus of working on fine motor skills.

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo...es/viewall.jsp

[SundayCrepes]

Originally Posted by prothyraia

It has sound effects, but not music in the background. So, you hit "w" and it says something like "w says wuh, as in wiggly worm!" and shows an animation of a worm wiggling with some sort of wiggly sound.

I have a friend who let her son play phonics computer games. They would teach things like t sounds like "tuh." Then when he tried to sound out words he would try and put the "tuh" sound in the word. So, TAP became TUHAP. I'm now really leery of those kinds of toys.

[prothyraia]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes

I have a friend who let her son play phonics computer games. They would teach things like t sounds like "tuh." Then when he tried to sound out words he would try and put the "tuh" sound in the word. So, TAP became TUHAP. I'm now really leery of those kinds of toys.

The game itself makes the proper sound, I think, that was just my attempt at conveying the difference between saying the name of the letter and making the sound that the later makes.

So, really, it goes "doubleyou says w, as in wiggly worm"!

[Casha'sMommy]

STARFALL! I can't believe I forgot to mention Starfall. DD really enjoys that and has for some time. It grows with them for a while.

[neveryoumindthere]

Originally Posted by prothyraia

We have this:

http://www.amazon.com/LeapFrog-19143.../dp/B001W32DOU

It has sound effects, but not music in the background. So, you hit "w" and it says something like "w says wuh, as in wiggly worm!" and shows an animation of a worm wiggling with some sort of wiggly sound.

I have a very low tolerance for noisy electronic toys, and this one actually doesn't bug me (score one for gramma!). My 3 1/2 year old and my almost 2 year old both enjoy it.

AWESOME!!! EXACTLY the kind of thing I was looking for. Something 'techy' but handheld. Thank you!

Originally Posted by Casha'sMommy

STARFALL! I can't believe I forgot to mention Starfall. DD really enjoys that and has for some time. It grows with them for a while.

dd1 learned with starfall but dd2 doesn't like it for some reason. maybe cuz she cant jump/climb the walls while she does it? :P

[ohiomommy1122]

Originally Posted by SundayCrepes

My son learned his letters by us reading to him. He loved these two books:

http://www.amazon.com/Dogs-ABC-Silly...7353998&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Seusss-Read-My...7354043&sr=1-2

You can also get it with a cd:
http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Seusss-ABC-...7354043&sr=1-4

I'd also LOVE to get these, but they're cost prohibitive:
http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo...d=PD_CS1_TT141

However, there's a woman who has a printout for the shapes. I want to make them then make my own templates for the letters:
http://confessionsofahomeschooler.bl...-builders.html

And, I'm thinking of getting these:
http://www.amazon.com/Wikki-Stix-Alp...7354262&sr=8-1

those are some awesome books ideas and links , thanks so much

[lach]

If you have an iPhone, there's an app called Toddler Teasers which is really good. It has letters, colors, numbers, and shapes. It just says "find the letter B" and then 3 or 4 letters come up and you pick the correct one. After you do a few questions (and I don't think it matters whether you've even answered any of them right) you get to pick a "sticker" and paste it into a scene. My DD adores this game and I think it's what finally taught her all of her colors. We're still working on letters.

[FraggleLover]

This is not a toy but...

Jolly Stories
You can see pages of the book here
Nearly every page in the series of stories focuses on a different letter sound and the black letters with white arrows are textured for finger tracing.

I like the pages too because they are so sturdy without being a board book

The book is part of a program but you can use it alone