tactile alphabet

I have so many projects that I'd like to do for the bean.  It seems like every time I go on Pinterest I find something else to add to the list.  Making the bean a set of sandpaper letters has been on my to-do list for a while now.  Even though I think he is still far from being able to actually read and spell with these letters, he loves books and we read throughout the day.  So, I think it would be great to go ahead and get him acquainted with the alphabet and to give him something tactile to use in his learning.

I would LOVE to have a set of these really nice Montessori sandpaper letters, but the price is a little steep for my taste.  So I started thinking about how I could (cheaply) make them myself.  I came across this post at innerchildfun.com and thought it was a great alternative.  Here is my version:

I used these adhesive felt letter stickers and these small wooden cards that I got from Hobby Lobby (love that place!!).

The cards measure about 2" x 4" and came in packs of four for about $1.50 a pack.  I gave the edges a light sanding before sticking on the letters.  I did use a couple of tiny dabs of superglue on the back of each letter, just to make sure they don't peel off.

And that was it!  I love the way they look. The size is perfect for little hands and I think they will end up being really durable.  I'm going to store them in a cute little black drawstring bag that I have in my craft stash (I think I got it with a set of pillowcases at some point??).  Oh...and BONUS...I have enough letter (and number) stickers left over to make another set.  I would like to make a lowercase set, too eventually.  I'll have to keep an eye out for lowercase letter stickers.  But for the time being, these are exactly what I wanted!