My favorite alphabet book of all time hands down is, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I love to include in my classroom library a magnetic version of the alphabet tree. This is a seriously easy DIY you can complete in an afternoon. My students love building words on the sides of this tree. I have even used it in centers work with my first graders by adding magnets to the back of word cards and watching them make sentences and write them in journals.. This is a fabulous addition to any early education classroom!
How to Make a Magnetic Alphabet Tree:
- at least 3 of the same brand coffee cans
- brown spray paint for metal
- Green paper for leaves
- Glue gun and LOTS of glue sticks OR brown duct tape the same color as your spray paint
- Magnetic letters
Wash out and remove the tables from your coffee cans.
Spread out coffee cans on newspaper and spray paint according to the spray paint’s directions. (Mine took 3 coats. I am kicking myself for not choosing a darker brown.)
Place a heavy object in the bottom can. This is to keep the alphabet tree from tipping over from being top heavy. I chose a rock from my garden. My grade partner used sandbox sand.
Hot glue the coffee cans together using A LOT of hot glue. This is where hindsight is 20-20 and it would be a good idea to use brown duct tape. But I’m an old dog and they didn’t have brown duct tape back when I first learned to do this. ;P …. I would use duct tape, but if you can’t find any hot glue works you just have to use a lot of it to fill in the space between the rim of the lower can and the bottom of the can you are placing on top. Like this:
Cut out leave shapes from green paper and glue them to the lid of the top can. (If you are planning on using this for a long time foam paper is a good choice, or you can laminate the leaves before gluing on.)
Add magnet letters and let the fun (aka ninja-learning) begin!
If you make your own version of this tree I would love to see it. Please permission add your creation and link in this blog post’s comment section! OR please submit any tree images to MaryCarr@CarrberryCreations.com and I will add them here for you.
Have fun creating your own DIY magnetic alphabet tree!