Alphabet activities for preschoolers can make learning fun. Children are born as little explorers, wanting to learn all about the world around them. At this age, play is their work. When provided with the right resources their play becomes a fun learning experience.
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Alphabet Activities
Below you will find a collection of alphabet activities, ideas, and resources to help your child learn the letters of the alphabet in a fun way, continuing their work as play – and learning a number of skills along the way.
Alphabet Books
Make reading a huge part of your child’s life. Find the best preschool books to read aloud to your child every day. Look for things your child is interested in and then find books about them.
Below is a list of some of the best alphabet books for kids – look for them at yard sales, thrift stores, and the library.
- Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr
- Dr Seuss’s ABCs by Dr. Seuss
- Bob and Larry’s ABCs (Veggie Tales) by Phil Visher
- A to Z by Sandra Boynton
- Z was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg
- Alphabet Mystery by Audrey Wood
- ABCs of Art by Sabrina Hahn (An interesting way to introduce letters and art masterpieces)
- ABC Animals!: A Scanimation Picture Book by Rufus Butler Seder
- An Alphabet Eye Spy (Poke-a-dot book) by Melissa and Doug
- I Spy Letters by Jean Marzollo
- The Alphabet Book by P.D. Eastman
- Sing the ABCs by Cali Books (A fun interactive book that you can sing along with.)
Alphabet Games and Resources
Alphabet Activities On the Go
- Look for letters everywhere – around the house, in stores, on buildings, on vehicles.
- Postcards to a distant relative. This was one of my favorite activities with my daughter and her Great Grandfather. Working her way from A -Z, we looked for a postcard starting with that month’s letter. When she found one she would dictate highlights of what was happening in her life and mail it off to him.
Alphabet Fun with Food
- Letter Cookie Cutters for Food Let your child use letter cookie cutters to cut out letters in foods like jello, a sandwich, watermelon or cranberry sauce. You can also use your letter cookie cutters to cut out letters with playdough.
- Make letters with snack foods: pretzels, Goldfish, cheerios,
Alphabet Arts and Crafts
- Paint with sponge letters
- Letter ink stampers
- Make a book of letters. have your child cut out letters and pictures for each letter.
ABC Writing Practice
Children can practice writing their ABCs in a number of fun, hands-on, ways. Start with the letters in their name and go from there. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
- Write in the sand ( beach sand, sandbox, dirt, kinetic sand you use at the table)
- They can use their finger, sticks, paintbrush, shells, a toy car
- Write in rice ( on a plate or in a shallow box)
- Paintbrush dipped in water. Write letters on a chalkboard with a paintbrush dipped in water.
- Bonus Lesson: Have your child watch the letters disappear. Introduce your child to the word evaporation. Preschoolers LOVE big words!
- Use finger paint
- Write letters in shaving cream – like finger painting, but less messy. Squirt some on the table and let them write in it. (If they play with the shaving cream long enough, it will also evaporate.)
- Use sidewalk chalk
- Chalkboard
- Magna Doodle
- Doodle board, Boogie boards or LCD writing tablet
Looking for worksheets? Check these Letter Worksheets for Preschoolers on our Etsy store. Use the code ABCWORKSHEETS50 and get them for 1/2 price.
Alphabet Shows for Preschoolers
Here are 8 of my favorite alphabet shows that teach the letters of the alphabet and a love of reading for preschoolers. Most of these can be found on YouTube or Amazon.
- Sesame Street
- Super Why
- Leapfrog Letter Factory
- Word World
- Martha Speaks
- Electric Company
- Reading Between the Lions
- Reading Rainbow
More Fun Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers
- Awesome Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers by How Wee Learn
- 50 Easy Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers by Happy Toddler Playtime
- 25+ Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers by Natural Beach Living
- 60 Easy ABC Activities for Preschoolers by Taming Little Monsters
- 50+ Alphabet Activities for Kids by Busy Toddler
ABC Songs
Looking for ABC songs that teach the letters of the alphabet and letter sounds? I’ve compiled a list of preschool favorites on a Spotify playlist for your little one to enjoy.
Also, be sure to check activity ideas for each letter of the alphabet A- Z
These are all such great suggestions. I like the idea of writing in sand; I think my son will love that! Thanks for sharing!