How to Help Kids Differentiate b and d

Learning Letters: Differentiating Lowercase “b” and “d”

May 6, 2022

Megan Hundley, M.A., CCC-SLP

With lowercase letters b and d looking alike, it’s understandable that kids would have trouble with differentiation. However, this difficulty of differentiation can often lead to confusion when both learning to read and reading to learn. As a therapist who provides reading intervention, differentiation of these letters is something I find myself teaching on a weekly basis. Below are my favorite tips and tricks I have found to help!

Tip #1

This video is a fantastic introduction to b and d when working on discrimination. This video uses kinesthetic learning and provides a hands-on method for kids to remember the difference between b and d. This catchy song is sure to stick in kiddos minds! You can also trace the letters on each hand when making the “thumbs up” gesture for an extra layer of practice!

Jack Hartmann - The Difference Between b and d

Tip #2

This free poster by Inspired Elementary is a great visual cue to help master recognition. This funny poster helps remind students which way b and d go. The poster can be printed in both half and full pages to be used at school or at home when completing homework assignments.

Find the free poster here.

If you have any concerns regarding your child's reading or writing skills, we would love to help! Please give us a call at (859)-353-3666 or visit our website !

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Coloring is more than just a fun activity, it is a powerful tool therapists use to help children build important developmental skills while keeping therapy engaging and playful. Coloring can support communication, movement, coordination, focus, and creativity all at the same time. Best of all, children often do not even realize how much they are learning because they are having fun! We recently hosted a coloring contest in our clinics, and the kiddos had so much fun showing their creativity! At the end of this post, we've included two coloring page designs that you can download, print, and color at home or on the go!