Grab a cookie sheet, container of salt, and your imagination for this fun activity suitable for (almost) all ages! Salt tray tracings are an interesting way for your child to practice shapes, letters, and words. We recommend that you pick this activity for a sunny day so you can do it outside – in case of spills!

Materials: cookie sheet or tray - salt, sugar, sand, or anything that can be easily manipulated - blank flashcards - optional: colored paper for a fun surprise! - also optional: an unsharpened pencil or a paintbrush.

Directions:

1. Place the cookie sheet or tray on a stable surface

2. Place the colored paper directly on the cookie tray

3. Sprinkle enough salt on the tray to completely cover the surface

4. Create tracings for your child to copy on the flashcards (symbols, shapes, letters, or words)

Speech and Language Connections:

Phonics: practice letter recognition, with an added bonus of getting to practice writing letters!

Following directions: forgo the flashcards and have your child follow 1-2 directions to create different shapes or pictures.

Articulation: practice target speech sounds by practicing writing the corresponding letter and saying the sound out loud simultaneously.

Vocabulary: have your child think of words that start with each letter. For young ones working on shapes, work on the labels of different shapes!