Even if your toddler or pre-schooler is not yet enrolled in a Jewish school, you can give your little one a good head start in Jewish studies by teaching him or her the Hebrew alphabet. It is a well-known fact that the easiest time to learn a language is in early childhood, and starting young can save Jewish parents the pre Bar or Bat-mitzvah rush. My 2 ½ year old is at home with us, and we are teaching him Aleph Beis. The toddler years are a good time to learn, when the distinction between education and play has not yet been made in the child’s mind.
I started by showing my son a chart of the Aleph Beit every day, and saying the letters aloud, even before he was old enough actually to repeat them. Believe it or not, the things they see and hear as babies actually sink in (he sometimes sings the lullabies I never imagined that he would remember!).
When it is time to learn Aleph Beit in earnest, start with a letter each day. The letter should be printed on a large card (you can find aleph beit cards in any Judaica store or on the web). Then, feel free to make up songs and stories about the letter’s sound and the way it looks. Try having your child draw pictures of words that begin with the letter. (My son’s favorite is ice cream or glida, starting with gimmel). When your child has learned a certain number of letters, jumble them up and make a quiz.
Vowels are more of a challenge than letters because they do not have a real design, but are simply a collection of dots and dashes placed beneath the letters. Tommorrow, Gd willing, I can share some hints on how to teach your child vowels.