Preschool Alphabet Games and Activities

Let’s face it, trying to learn 26 abstract squiggles can’t be easy. And just when your child thinks they are getting it, you show them another 26 ‘big letter’ abstract squiggles to remember too. No wonder it takes a while for children to differentiate their b’s from their d’s.

Learning about letters and letter-sound connections is, however, an important part of developing preschool literacy skills. By developing strong literacy skills at an early age, your child is more likely to have later success in reading and writing.

So do you want to try and make this whole process easier and more enjoyable for you and your child? You have come to the right place. Keep reading to find some great alphabet games which will help your child master their letters whilst having lots of fun along the way.

When you play these games a good rule is to play little and often. Your child's attention span will be quite short at this age and you should stop playing a game when your child has had enough. I find it useful to keep a few games handy in the kitchen (where I seem to spend most of my time!) so that I can grab a game quickly whenever my son is keen to play.

Start with a few letters at a time, and introduce more as your preschooler starts to learn them. Also, be aware of whether you are using the sounds which the letters make or the letter names. Phonics teaching recommends using sounds first rather than letter names, since this helps at the next stage when your child starts blending letters together to make words.

First you can try these early literacy activities for learning letters. These fun alphabet games will help your child recognise the letters of the alphabet and the sounds which the letters make. You will find details of simple letter games which you can play with letter cards or magnetic letters as well as more creative preschool alphabet activities and on-line games also.

Remember also to keep playing alphabet games as you read to your child. For example, point out letters as you are reading and ask your child what the letter is and to give you a word that begins with the sound that letter can represent. Here are some of our favourite preschool books which we read again and again.

Below you can find some other alphabet games and crafts which my sons and I have enjoyed. Follow the links and you will find step-by-step instructions for each activity.

Alphabet Activities
My son had great fun mastering his letters with these alphabet games including animal letters, alphabet puzzles and alphabet bingo, mazes and dot-to-dot.

Fishing for Letters and Words
Try playing this simple fishing game with your child or children. It was a perfect way to simultaneously practise letters with my 3 year old and words with my 5 year old. Both boys enjoyed themselves and it was quick and easy to set up.

Thank You Cards
Turn the chore of writing Thank You cards into a fun activity for your child, whilst also helping them with letter and sound recognition. Decorate blank cards with the words 'Thank You' made up of letters cut out from left over wrapping paper.

Letter Game for Budding Photographers
Take one camera and one clipboard and you have yourself a fun letter game to help young children learn their letters and start to practice their writing skills.

I hope you and your child have fun with these alphabet activities.

When your child is ready for more, why not try some of these entertaining word games. Or find out which literacy activities for early readers are most popular with visitors of this site.