If you're a teacher or parent looking for a fun and interesting way to teach your children the letter D, this sensory D is for dots craft is perfect. Sensory letters {also known as tactile letters} are an engaging and effective way to teach children the letters of the alphabet.
A sensory alphabet is an exceptional tool that merges the tangible experience of touch with the abstract world of letters, making the learning process not only more fun but also more immersive for children. Follow our step by step instructions below to create your own sensory letter D, I've also included a free printable letter D template.
What is a sensory alphabet?
A sensory alphabet combines a craft activity with different sensory materials to create tactile letters and eventually an entire tactile alphabet. Creating a sensory alphabet stimulates multiple senses at once including sight, touch and sometimes sound, which is a great way for children to form a deeper understanding of the individual letters.
A sensory alphabet allows children to feel the different textures of the materials as they trace their fingers along the letters, and while they're gluing down the materials. They can also see the different shapes of the letters, and colours and patterns of each material used, which makes them great for a classroom display. Some sensory materials will also create sounds as the children create the letters.
What are the benefits of a sensory alphabet?
Teaching the alphabet with a hands-on, multisensory approach like a sensory alphabet will help increase a child's concentration and focus, which means they retain much more of the information because they've been actively involved in the learning.
Making sensory, or tactile, letters will also help:
Establish letter recognition - Children will learn to recognise each individual letter and the letter names.
Introduce phonics - The sensory item used matches phonetically with the letter so it introduces the concept of phonics and can be used for further exploration. For example d is for dots, /d/, /d/, dots.
Correct letter formation - Constructing the sensory letters will also introduce the correct letter formation and this can be further enhanced by getting children to finger trace the completed tactile letters.
Build fine motor skills - As children stick down their materials onto the template they will be building their fine motor skills which are essential for correct pencil grip and writing. For letter D they'll be working on their pincer grip as they peel off the stickers and hand strength as they push them down onto the template.
D is for Dots: Sensory Letter D
To make your sensory letter D you will need:
- Letter D template
- Dot stickers
I decided to use dot stickers, for the letter D as they can be found dollar stores or craft shops and they're also super easy to buy in bulk if you're doing this activity at school.
You could also make D is for dots with dot markers which will give children practice holding a marker and pushing down hard enough to make a dot. If you can't get dot stickers or dot markers, there's alternative sensory ideas for the letter D further below.
How to make a sensory letter D
1. Download and print letter D template. You can get the free template by clicking the download template button further below. Print template on white or coloured paper or cardstock.
2. Peel off dot stickers and place them onto the letter D. If your sticker sheet has a backing you can peel it off before giving the stickers to the children so it's easier for them to remove the individual dots from the sheet.
Peeling the stickers off the backing sheet and then placing them onto the template is a great way to increase a child's hand/eye co-ordination, concentration and attention to detail in addition to fine motor skills.
Once the letter D is finished, have your children run their fingers across it in the correct letter formation. Even though the dot stickers are quite thin, as you run your fingers along the letter D you can feel the individual stickers and the texture change as you go over them.
More sensory ideas for the letter D
If you can't get dot stickers, or just want other options for a sensory D, then use one of the fabrics, textures, patterns or sensory items below, along with the free letter D template to create a different sensory letter D. Each option will provide a different visual and textural sensory effect representing the /d/ sound.
Diamantes - Use some flat backed clear acrylic diamante rhinestones to decorate the letter D template to represent diamonds. Once the diamantes are properly secured to the letter D, children can run their fingers over them to feel the sleek, bumpy surfaces they create. Do not use these with children who are mouthing as they can potentially be a choking risk.
Diamond Shapes - Use a diamond craft punch or cut diamond shapes into paper or foam in different colours and get children to glue them onto the letter D.
Dot Painting - Another way to represent dots on the letter D is by painting them on with either the end of a q-tip or by using your child's fingerprints. Both of these are fun and creative ways for kids to paint without paintbrushes which will keep them engaged with the craft.
Dirt - If you're not worried about getting messy, you can use dirt to cover the letter D. You'll want to cover the template with glue first then lightly sprinkle the dirt on and allow it to completely dry to ensure it sticks. You could also do this using cocoa powder to represent dirt.
Denim - Use an old pair of jeans, or a denim jacket and cut 1 inch wide strips then stick them onto the letter D template. The material will add a rough, thick texture to the sensory D. If you want to do this for a whole class I recommend collecting donations of old denim from parents, sourcing jeans from thrift stores, or you can buy a roll of denim ribbon.
DOWNLOAD FREE PRINTABLE LETTER D TEMPLATE
Click the download template button below to download the letter D template. This will take you to the PDF that can be downloaded to your device and printed.
Please note that this free printable letter D PDF is for personal or classroom use only and may not be shared electronically, uploaded or sold on any platform. If you would like to share or feature this craft in a blog post please link back to this post directly.
COMPLETE 52 PAGE LOWERCASE AND UPPERCASE ALPHABET TEMPLATE SET
If you want to create an entire sensory alphabet you can get my complete set of alphabet templates in a bundle from Etsy. This includes all 26 uppercase and 26 lowercase letters on their own template page. You can print them directly onto paper or cardstock to create quick alphabet displays.
They can also be used as colouring sheets, playdough mats, tracing sheets, or cut out the individual letters and use them as templates for other activities. You are able to print as many copies of the pages as you need, however please note that the PDFs are for personal or classroom use only and may not be shared electronically, uploaded or sold on any platform.
More Sensory Alphabet Crafts
More Letter of the Week Crafts
- Letter A Crafts & Activities
- Letter B Crafts & Activities
- Letter C Crafts & Activities
- Letter D Crafts & Activities
- Letter E Crafts & Activities
Disclosure - This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience, which means I may make a small commission at no cost to you, should you make a purchase.
