How to Make Quick, Easy and Cheap Tactile Alphabet Letters

Tactile letters are three dimensional letters of the alphabet. They are often called sandpaper letters, and are particularly popular in Montessori education. Sandpaper letters are typically crafted by cutting out alphabet letters in fine sandpaper. Sometimes these letters are then affixed to cardboard in order to make them a little bit more durable.

Tactile, or sandpaper letters, are especially nice to have around for very young children who are learning their ABC's. Using sandpaper letters as a teaching tool can be especially beneficial for children who are more inclined to retain what they learn through kinesthetic methods. Kinesthetic methods involve anything that allows the child to move and "do" as they learn. Therefore it's easy to see why being able to hold and manipulate and feel the three dimensional alphabet letters would serve well children who have a tendency to retain information better if it is presented in a tactile way. For some children, only looking at the symbols of alphabet letters is not enough. To feel the shape of them is much more effective.

Many parents and adults who work with children like the idea of tactile letters and would therefore like to use them. The problem with tactile letters however, is that they can be a little difficult to obtain. For one thing, they are not easily found, even in educational supply stores. Usually they must be ordered online. Additionally, tactile letters that are available for purchase online are not cheap. They are sold in separate sets of uppercase and lowercase letters, and each set typically costs about $15, but some are much more expensive. When you add on shipping charges, it can seem a little bit pricey just for a bunch of letters made out of sandpaper. Some people decide to make tactile letters at home. While this can be a much less expensive alternative to purchasing them, making them by hand at home requires a lot of effort and many hours of time. As a result, many people feel that making tactile alphabet letters at home is not really worth the effort required.

For those who are willing to accept a slightly different alternative to sandpaper letters, there is a very fast, easy, and remarkably cheap way to make tactile letters at home. I realized this just today as I watched my 4 year old son tracing some letters on his Nature Notebook with his finger. A few weeks ago, I used binders to make each of my homeschooled children a Nature Notebook, and I used Scribbles 3D glitter paint to write their names on the binder covers. The 3D paint dries in a raised way that makes feeling the letters easy. Also, the glitter in the paint leaves the texture of the dried paint a little gritty, somewhat simulating the feeling of sandpaper. Although 3D paint letters may end up being smaller than sandpaper letters, they can still be created on card stock and cut out after the paint dries in order to create a completely three dimensional learning tool.

Scribbles 3D glitter paint takes only a minimal amount of time to create the letters of the alphabet. It also dries in just a few hours, and only costs about $1 per bottle! All of this makes using Scribbles 3D glitter paint a very quick, easy, and cheap way to make tactile letters.