letter games
1. LETTER CONCENTRATION
You will need some small 3 x 4 inch blank cards for this game.
P ick six or seven letters that your child is familiar with and print the letters on two cards, each.
M ix up the cards.
T hen turn the cards face down on a table.
T ake turns with your child, turning over two cards.
W hen you have a match, you get to keep the card set.
I f you do not have a match when you turn over two cards, you must turn them back over and lose your turn.
I t is important to remember where each letter was when turning over cards.
T he person with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
2. LETTER BINGO
M ake a set of letter bingo cards for your child using the letters that he knows and the new ones he is learning.
R ather than using the Bingo letters at the top of the cards, you may want to make each column a different color at the top.
T his way your child can be concentrating on the letters in the game rather than mixing them up with the letters at the top.
3. LETTER LOTTO
This is a letter game your child can play by herself.
M ake two cards 9 x 9 inches square.
U sing a pencil and a ruler, mark the squares into 9 – 3inch squares.
C hoose nine letters your child is familiar with and write them in the nine squares on both cards.
T ake one of the cards and cut out the nine small squares.
G ive the large card to your child and the stack of small cards.
H ave your child pick up a small card and find its mate on the large card.
C ontinue until all of the letters are matched up.
4. FLASHLIGHT LETTERS
G et a flashlight and turn off the lights in a room with your child.
U sing the flashlight, make giant letters on a wall.
H ave your child name the letters that you make
5. LETTER BAG
You will need some alphabet magnet letters for this game.
T ake a small bag and place two letters in the bag, that your child is familiar with.
C all out one of the letters and have your child reach into the bag and find the letter called.
W hen your child is able to distinguish between two letters, start putting three letters in the bag and so on, up to five letters.
6. FLOOR LETTERS
W hen your child is learning a new letter, take masking tape and create the letter on the floor.
L et your child play on the letter, however he wishes.
7. LETTER SEARCH
S pread out an old newspaper ad section.
S it with your child and name a letter.
H ave her point at any of this letter she finds.
C ircle the letters as she finds them.
H ow many did she find?
8. LETTER CLOTHESLINE
You will need a small clothesline and some snap-type clothespins for this activity.
S tring up a small clothesline between two straightbacked chairs. (Position it near a
wall so that it’s not out where others could run into it.)
T ake 10 clothespins and write a different letter on each clothespin. Place the clothespins on the line.
C ut out sock or shirt shapes from construction paper and write one of the same letters on each article of clothing. Place the paper cutouts in a small basket.
L et your children take turns matching the letters on the clothes to the letters on the clothespins.
Variation: Write capital letters on the clothes and lower case letters on the clothespins for children who are familiar with the two cases.
9. FINISH THE LETTER
O n a piece of paper draw partial letters, leaving off small sections.
G ive your child the paper and a pencil and have her finish the letters.
10. PLAY DOUGH LETTERS
G ive your child some play dough.
S how him how to roll the dough to make long snakes.
N ow using the rolled dough, encourage him to create a chosen letter.
I f child is unfamiliar with the letter let him see the letter written out.
11. LETTER BASKETS
W hen introducing a new letter to your child, set out a laundry basket with a letter
card attached to the front.
H elp your child find items in your home that begin with the sound of the featured
letter.
12. ALPHABET MATCH-UPS
Buy commercial magnet letters and let your child match up capital and lower case
letters. Younger children can just match up letters that are the same shape
13. FISHING GAME
A fun way for children to practice beginning concepts, such as; numbers, colors and
shapes, is to let them play with a magnet fishing pole.
F or the handle of the fishing pole, you can use a wooden spoon or a cardboard tube.
T ie a string around the tube and then attach a strong magnet to the other end of the
string. (I like the small round magnets with the hole in the middle, however, small
horseshoe magnets work great also.)
C ut some fish out of light weight cardboard or construction paper
A ttach a paper clip to the mouth of each fish.
L ay the fish on the floor and let your child try catching them with his fishing pole.
You can adapt this basic game to teach different concepts.
COUNTING - Have your child practice counting as he catches each fish.
NUMBERS - Write numerals and corresponding dots on each fish. Have your child read the number written on each fish she catches.
COLORS - Cut fish out of different colors of paper. Have your child try to catch only blue fish or yellow fish. Or - just have her name each fish color as she catches it. SHAPES - Cut different shapes for your child to catch, such as; circles, squares, triangles and rectangles. Have your child identify each shape he catches.
LOOKING FOR LETTERS
L ooking for letters as you drive along is great for children just learning to read.
H ave your child look for the letters in his name.
C all out a letter and see who can find one first.
L ook for words in signs that your child may know what they say.