Teaching Letter Dd

Are you looking for letter Dd activities to use with your preschooler or kindergartner? Maybe you’re a classroom teacher browsing for more ideas.

Research tells us that a direct, explicit approach to teaching the alphabet is more effective than indirect teaching. Enjoy the crafts, art ideas, and book list, but know that using a scripted routine like the one below is the most efficient way to teach letters and sounds. Make it your own!

How to introduce letter Dd

• Say words that begin with Dd: Say each word after me. (Emphasize the /d/ at the beginning of each word as you say it.) Dinosaur. Duck. Dog. Dip. Door. What sound do you hear at the beginning of each word? The sound is /d/. (Make sure you don’t add “uh” to the end of the sound.)
• Talk about what your mouth is doing as you say the sound: Look at what my mouth is doing as I say /d/. Now you try. What is your tongue doing when you say /d/? Put your hand on your throat as you say /d/. Is it a quiet or noisy sound? (noisy)
• Introduce the letter on a flash card: (Hold up the letter D card in uppercase or lowercase.) This is the letter D. When we see this card, we say “D spells /d/.” Your turn. (Students: “D spells /d/.”)

How to practice writing uppercase letter D

• Sky-write the letter: To make the letter D, we start at the top, and pull down. Then we go back to the top and go all the way around. Watch me put my hand in the air and write a D in the sky. I start at the top, pull down. Then I go back to the top and go all the way around. You try. Put your finger in the air. Start at the top. Pull down. Then go back to the top and go all the way around.
• Have students finger-write the letter: Make a D by moving your finger on the table. Start at the top. Pull down. Then go back to the top and go all the way around. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “D spells /d/.” Remember to underline the D when you say /d/. (Practice multiple times.)

How to practice writing lowercase letter d

• Sky-write the letter: To make the letter d, we start in the middle, pull back, around, go all the way up, and down. Watch me put my hand in the air and write a d in the sky. I start in the middle, pull back, around, go all the way up, and down. Now you try. Put your finger in the air. Start in the middle, pull back, around, go all the way up, and down.
• Have students finger-write the letter: Make a d by moving your finger on the table. Start in the middle, pull back, around, go all the way up, and down. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “d spells /d/.” Remember to underline the d when you say /d/. (Practice multiple times.)

Other letter Dd activities

• Crafts
• Book List
• Fine Motor
• Sensory Play
• Math Connections

Free Printables

• D is for Dice (dot sticker page)
• Little Letter “D” Book (rhymes and songs)

More alphabet resources

• Alphabet picture cards from A-Z
• Beginning sound clip cards
• Beginning sound coloring pages
• Beginning sound match mats

Find the rest of the alphabet HERE.

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