Build b, d, p and q from shapes: Build the Letter

What Build the Letter practices

Build the Letter uses one stick and one ball to construct the printed shapes b, d, p and q. The game says one of those four sounds, shows the target letter by the replay control, and asks your child to build it.

The stick is tall for b and d or drops below the line for p and q; the ball goes on the right for b and p or on the left for d and q. This practices building a printed letter by choosing its height and side; handwriting strokes are practiced separately in Letter Trace.

Who it suits

Children who have been taught both letters in a mirror pair and need hands-on practice comparing the printed shapes b/d or p/q.

How a round goes

Your child drags the stick onto the writing line, then drags the ball to one side, or taps a piece and then taps the line. If the ball lands on the wrong side, the game says the sound that letter really makes, for example “That makes /d/”, and the ball pops off for another try.

A correct letter glows and says its sound. Each round is one letter, and a ring of five takes about two minutes.

A tip for home

Make a stick and a ball from playdough or a pencil and a coin. Say a sound and let your child build the letter on the table, then say the sound of what they built. Getting it a little wrong and fixing it is part of the fun.

Try next

• Which Way Round? — spots the right-facing letter beside its mirror image.
• The Bed — a memorable picture for b and d in one word.
• Letter Trace — forms each letter with a finger, stroke by stroke.
• Big & Little — pairs capitals with lowercase partners, including look-alikes such as B and d.

More from “Letters and their sounds”

• Say the Sound — See a letter and say its sound out loud.
• Letter Hunt — Hear a sound, then find its letter.

Read more

Dyslexia, or just behind?: more context for parents about letter reversals and reading development.