Letter of the Week: V

February 10-14
Letter of the Week: V
Theme: Valentine’s Day

Valentine's Day is coming up.  Next Friday, in fact!  Some people are really anti- Cupid's holiday.  Others LOVE it.  I love the possibilities.  It creates a great atmosphere for working on themes like kindness, friendship, love, feelings.  It also provides a lovely theme to go along with our letter-sound of the week.  Bring on the love!

‘V’ is a consonant.  From a speech perspective, /v/ is a “lip cooler” sound.  Just as with ‘F’, you make /v/ by placing your top front teeth lightly on the lower lip Image from the LiPS Program by Lindamood-Belland releasing a smooth stream of air across the lip (‘cooling’ it).  ‘V’ and ‘F’ are sound brothers; they are made exactly the same way.  Well, the same way with one difference.  /v/ is the noisy brother (voice on – vocal cords vibrate – to make this sound).  Hold your hand to your throat as you say /v/; you should feel vibration from the vocal cords.  Now say /f/ (the quiet brother); feel the difference?

If the /v/ sound is tricky for your child, try using your thumb to gently push your child’s lower lip over his/her bottom teeth.  Use a mirror to let your child compare his/her mouth shape to yours as you practice the “lip cooler” sound.

In therapy:  We will be reading 'v'/Valentine’s Day themed books, doing ‘v’/Valentine’s Day themed activities, and exploring the letter name, letter sound and letter symbol for 'v'.

Suggestions for home:  Pick out the ones that appeal most to your child (and you!).  Kids learn best through active experiences.  And multi-modal learning helps make stronger and more diverse connections in the brain, which helps with retention and recall.  Sprinkle ‘v’ throughout the week.  Most important, have fun!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links

BOOKS

• My “v” Sound Box (Sound Box Books) by Jane Belk Moncure  [Kindle edition]
• The Day It Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond
• Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane deGroat
• Valentine's Day Is by Gail Gibbons
• Happy Valentine's Day, Little Critter! by Mercer Mayer
• Valentine's Day by Anne Rockwell
• The Biggest Valentine Ever by Steven Kroll
• Doc McStuffins My Huggy Valentine by Disney Book Group, Sheila Sweeny [Kindle edition]
• The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson
• The Valentine Bears by Eve Bunting
• Valentines Are For Saying I Love You by Margaret Sutherland
• Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! by Laura Numeroff
• The Valentine Express by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace [Kindle edition]
• Who Will Be My Valentine This Year? by Jerry Pallotta
• Cranberry Valentine by Wende Devlin, Harry Devlin
• The Yuckiest, Stinkiest, Best Valentine Ever by Brenda Ferber

Looking for non-Valentine's Day books for the letter 'V'?  Check out this 8 Letter V Books list curated by The Measured Mom.

FOOD
Eating the Alphabet - V:  Consider adding some “v” foods to your menu this week.  Admittedly, ‘v’ is a tough one.  Here are a few ideas:

  vegetable soup/dip...   vanilla wafers/ice cream...   vinaigrette    Vichysoisse

Feeling adventurous?  Make red velvet cupcakes!

ACTIVITIES
Scavenger Hunt:  how many ‘v’ things can you find around the house, while shopping at the market, in a magazine or store ad flyers?

Field Trip:  

• Zoo/Aquarium:  can you find any animals with ‘v’ in their name?
• The animals at Woodland Park Zoo are celebrating early, with festivities on Saturday, Feb 8
• Head to Seattle Children's Museum for some special Valentine's Day fun on Friday, Feb 14
• What could be sweeter than a retro prom sweetheart soiree with your little ones for Valentine's evening?  Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center is the place to be!
  

Be a letter detective:  hunt for the letter ‘v’ in a variety of texts (books, magazines, newspaper, road signs, license plates).

Community helper: learn about veterinarians or veterans

Sensory Play:

• Set up a Valentine Alphabet Scavenger Hunt like this one from Reading Confetti
• Try this Color A Heart Alphabet Movement Game by Toddler Approved
• Make Valentines!
• Pick a number and do that many "secret acts of Valentine kindness"

APPS

• Biscuit's Valentine's Day
• I Get... Valentine's Day Social Skills Stories
• Disney Where's My Valentine?
• First Words Valentine
• Wubbzy Loves You

Do you have family Valentine traditions?  I’d love to hear!  Please take a moment to leave me a comment.