Welcome to the Letter Bb Activities page, where you'll find a variety of exciting ideas to help a child explore the letter B! From a fun song to sing, creative process art for making Letter Bb posters, engaging book suggestions, tasty foods, and more, this page offers a playful approach to learning. These activities will help a child recognize the letter B, understand its sound, and connect it to everyday objects. Let's dive into these fun and educational ways to bring the letter B to life!
Phonics songs are an excellent tool for teaching letter sounds as children prepare for reading. Sing the songs slowly, focusing on the sound of each letter. Be careful not to add a vowel to the end of the /b/ sound (avoid saying /buh/). Encourage your child to place a hand in front of their mouth when making the /b/ sound to feel the air movement.
Tune: The Farmer in the Dell
Phonics Song
B /b/ ball
B /b/ ball
/b/ /b/ /b/ /b/
B /b/ ball
Bible Version
B /b/ ball
B /b/ ball
Obey and believe the Bible
B /b/ ball
Glue buttons onto the Bb poster. For a color pattern focus, use blue, brown, and blue buttons in sequence. Invite the child to count the buttons as they glue them down, and explore different patterns like AB or AABB with different colors or sizes of buttons.
Paint a small area of glue on the B poster and press small beads, like seed beads, onto the glue. To enhance fine motor skills, have children use tweezers to pick up and place the beads. You can also extend the activity by sorting the beads by color, size, or shape before gluing them, or by creating a simple pattern with the beads on the poster.
Add pictures, stickers, stamps, or drawings of butterflies to the B poster. Talk about how butterflies start with the letter B and encourage a child to count the butterflies after she adds them to the poster.
You can also introduce a discussion about the lifecycle of a butterfly.
Ideal for home or preschool use, the ABCJesusLovesMe 3 Year Curriculum is designed to build a strong foundation for a child’s learning. With engaging, hands-on activities, this Curriculum focuses on objectives like pre-reading, math, Bible stories, and social-emotional development, ensuring children are confident and eager to learn.
Lay blocks or blue Legos on the Bb poster to form the shape of the letter B. Encourage the child to count the blocks as she lays them down. You can also challenge the child to build the letter B in different sizes or orientations without using the poster.
Color with broken crayons the "b" poster using color that start with the letter "b," such as blue, brown, and black. Then cut along the "black" lines and glue to a brown paper bag.
You could also let them create patterns or mix the colors for added creativity. Extend the activity by asking children to identify objects in the room that also begin with the letter "b."
Using a blue, brown, or black dot marker, create bubbles on the Bb poster. For added fun, mix blue food coloring into bubble solution and blow bubbles so they pop onto the Bb poster. After blowing bubbles, encourage children to count how many bubbles land on the poster.
Bubble Solution Recipe:
1/4 cup liquid dish washing soap
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Mix it all and divide into different bowls or cups, and add food coloring
Paint the letter B on the poster yellow. If appropriate, allow the child to cut thin strips of black construction paper and glue them onto the poster. Another option is to paint yellow and black stripes with their finger, a sponge, or brush to resemble a bumblebee. As you work, discuss creating an AB pattern with the colors and identify other items that have stripes (e.g., zebras, tigers).
Roll play dough into ropes and place them on the Bb Poster to form the letters. This is a great fine motor activity that helps the child understand letter formation. Afterward, use the play dough to create objects that start with the letter B, such as a bear, ball, boy, box, and more.
Provide the child with a pile of various colored pompoms. Have the child pick out the "b" colored pom poms—blue, black, and brown—and glue them onto the Bb poster.
You can make this more engaging by timing how fast they can find the "b" colors or by encouraging them to create a pattern using the selected pom poms. Afterward, talk about the soft texture and compare the different sizes of the pom poms.
Place blue, brown, or black paint on a small paper plate. Blow up a water balloon and tie it. Gently dip the balloon into the paint and then bounce it onto the Bb poster.
Encourage the child to experiment with different amounts of paint on the balloon to see how it affects the prints. They can also try bouncing the balloon in different directions to create various patterns or designs on the poster.
Warning: Do not allow the child to put any parts of the balloon in their mouth.
Place blue, brown, or black paint on a small paper plate. Gently dip a small ball (like the size of a ping pong ball) into the paint and then bounce it onto the Bb poster. You can vary the size of the ball or the amount of paint to create different textures and effects.
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Color the Bb poster, then cut it out and tape or glue it to a box. Gather items that start with the /b/ sound to place in your "Bb Box." These could include a ball, a stuffed bear, or a bottle. Ask the child to say the name of each item as they place it in the box, emphasizing the /b/ sound. For extended learning, sort the items by size or color after gathering them. If possible, introduce this activity with the Jane Belk Moncure book, My B Book.
Use a magazine to cut out pictures of the letter uppercase B and lower b and items that begin with the letter "b." Glue onto the Bb poster. Encourage the child to identify each item they cut out and say its name aloud.
Use a yellow stamp or yellow paint to add yellow fingerprints to the Bb poster. Then, with a black marker, draw a head, tail, wings, stripes, and feet on each fingerprint to turn them into bumblebees.
- Throw or bounce a basketball or balls into a laundry basket or box
- Toss beanbags into a basket or box
- Play with blue balloons, blocks, or a box
Inflate a balloon and encourage the child to keep it in the air by hitting it. Every time he hits the balloon, have him say “B is for balloon!” Warning: Do not allow the child to put any parts of the balloon in their mouth.
Cut 1-inch wide strips of paper. To fold the paper accordion-style, fold one end over about an inch, then flip the paper over and fold it again in the opposite direction. Continue folding back and forth until you reach the end of the strip. When he was in preschool, Little Man had a blast bouncing the folded paper up and down, happily saying "boing" with each bounce!
Go on a nature walk or search for plastic bugs indoors. For additional fun, give the child a magnifying glass. Each time the child spots a bug (or pretend one), say “B /b/ bug!”
Using two copies of the Bb Poster, color and cut out the uppercase "B" letters (you'll need to color one uppercase "B" on the reverse side). Tape the two "B" letters together (one facing forward, one backward) to form butterfly wings. Glue pom-poms along the center to create the butterfly’s body and add a pipe cleaner for the antennae.
Invite the children to "fly" around the room like buzzing bees, flapping their arms as wings. Encourage them to say "/b/ /b/ /b/ /b/" as they fly. As the adult, join in by flying around too. After a bit of flying, call out, "Bees, come to the hive!" and have the children quickly fly back to you, the beehive. Repeat several times, varying how long they buzz around before calling them back.
This activity not only reinforces the letter "B" sound but also helps children practice listening skills, following directions, and responding with first-time obedience. For added fun, you can change the speed or style of flying to challenge their listening and coordination skills!
Ask the child to think of an object that starts with the letter "B." Ask the child to draw it. If the child has trouble getting started, assist the child in determining the main shapes of the object. For example, a house is a triangle on top of a square.
Write the name of the object. Name each letter in the word together.
If the child knows the correct formation of the letters, invite the child to copy over the letters with their finger, or write with a broken crayon or short pencil.
Remember to focus on encouragement rather than critique. Even if the drawing isn’t exactly how you’d do it, positive feedback helps build their confidence.
Hide small stuffed bears around the room and have the child go on a “bear hunt.” As they find each bear, have them say "B /b/ bear."
Tie with the book and activity: Going on a Bear Hunt
Paint the bottoms of your child’s feet and press them onto paper, with the left foot on the right side and the right foot on the left side. Leave a small gap between the footprints to draw the butterfly's body, adding a long oval for the body, a circle for the head, and antennae on top.
Use blocks to build towers or structures. Each time a block is placed, ask the child to say the letter "B" or name something that starts with "B" (e.g., boat, ball, bear).
Set up a target using the Bb Poster. Invite the child to toss bean bags at it. For every successful throw, assist the child to say, "B /b/ bean bag."
Give the child a pile of buttons in various colors. Ask them to find and place only "B-colored" buttons—brown, blue, and black—on the Bb Poster. As they work, reinforce the lesson by talking about how each color starts with the letter "B" and encourage them to say the color names aloud.
Then count how many "B-colored" buttons found, helping with both letter and color recognition, as well as basic counting skills.
Turn tears into smiles with the unique ABCJesusLovesMe Handwriting Curriculum. The key to successful penmanship is in the process - a process where each level is a building block for the next. Ideal for both classroom or home use, prepare the child for a lifetime of beautiful penmanship.
Set up a simple bowling game using plastic bowling pins or recycled bottles as pins. Each time your child knocks down a pin, have them name a word that starts with "B." Alternatively, tape a picture of an object that begins with the /b/ sound to each pin, and encourage the child to say, "B /b/ ___" (naming the image on the pin).
Pretend to be bunnies hopping around. As the children hop, the child can chant “B /b/ bunny” or hop in a pattern like two small hops, one big hop, all reinforcing the /b/ sound. Read with bunny books, shared below.
My "B" Book by Jane Belk Moncure - Be sure to use the phonetic sound of the letter and not the letter name when reading the book. When we come to a letter, I have my child read the phonetic sound of each letter.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. is a beloved children's book that features a rhythmic, repetitive pattern as it introduces different animals and colors. Each page invites young readers to anticipate what comes next, making it engaging and interactive. Eric Carle’s vibrant illustrations perfectly complement the simple text, making it a great tool for teaching about animals and colors.
We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen follows a family as they embark on an adventurous journey through various obstacles—like tall grass, a river, and mud—in search of a bear. With repetitive, rhythmic text and playful illustrations, this interactive story encourages children to participate as they chant and mimic the actions, making it a delightful read-aloud that reinforces the letter "B" with "Bear" and "Bear Hunt."
There is a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems is a humorous story featuring Elephant (Gerald) and Piggie. Gerald is distressed when a bird lands on his head, and his frustration grows as more birds arrive and build a nest. Piggie remains calm and helps Gerald find a solution to his problem. The simple, repetitive text and playful illustrations make it an engaging read, teaching children about problem-solving, patience, and friendship with a touch of humor. Spend time focusing on the pictures and do a picture walk through the story to fully appreciate the humor and emotions conveyed through the artwork.
Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt is a beloved interactive book for babies and toddlers. It features simple text alongside touch-and-feel activities, like patting a bunny's fur, playing peek-a-boo, or feeling Daddy’s scratchy face. The sensory experiences in the book encourage exploration and engage young readers, making it a classic introduction to books for the very young.
Help your preschooler discover the joy of books with a carefully chosen list of the best books and simple tips to make storytime fun and full of learning. This free packet provides easy ideas to keep your child engaged, grow their love of reading, and build important pre-reading skills—making reading together one of the best gifts you can give!
Because a Little Bug Went Ka-choo by Rosetta Stone is a delightful, rhyming story that shows how one small action can set off a chain reaction. When a little bug sneezes, it causes a series of events that affect various animals and people in humorous and surprising ways.
Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey tells the story of little Sal and her mother as they pick blueberries on a hillside. Meanwhile, a bear cub and its mother are also gathering berries nearby. This charming tale gently intertwines the two adventures, highlighting nature and the sweet innocence of childhood, while offering plenty of opportunities to emphasize the letter "B" with words like "Blueberries" and "Bear."
Have You Filled a Bucket Today by Carol McCloud teaches children the importance of kindness and empathy. The story introduces the concept of "bucket filling," where each person carries an invisible bucket that gets filled with positive actions and words. When we are kind to others, we fill their bucket, and when we are unkind, we dip from their bucket. This simple, yet powerful message encourages children to be kind, respectful, and considerate toward others, helping them understand the impact their actions have on those around them. This book needs to be read in every home and classroom.
Barnyard Dance by Sandra Boynton is a Franz family favorite! A lively, rhythmic board book, children are invited to join in the fun of a barnyard dance. With its catchy, rhyming text and playful illustrations, the animals—such as cows, pigs, and chickens—take turns dancing to a cheerful beat. The interactive, upbeat tone encourages children to clap, stomp, and move along with the animals, making it a fun and engaging read.
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis is a delightful tale about a little rabbit who sees endless possibilities in an ordinary cardboard box. To others, it might just look like a simple box, but to the rabbit, it's a race car, a rocket ship, and much more. With its imaginative spirit and playful illustrations, this book encourages children to use their creativity and reminds them that anything can be whatever you imagine it to be.
The Berenstain's B Book by Stan and Jan Berenstain is a silly book filled with B words. The tongue-twister text will have everyone laughing. Read this or any of The Berenstain Bear books to focus on the Letter B!
- Banana (bread), blueberries (muffins, pancakes)
- Bologna
- Butterscotch pudding or chips, brownies
- Bear (teddy grams, gummy bears)
- Biscuits
All Printables Free for Immediate Family Use or with a Current License Only
