12 Awesome Alphabet Activities For Prekindergarten and Preschool Kids + 2 Alphabet Worksheet Bundles

The alphabet forms the basis of your child’s education: you can’t get more fundamental than the ABCs!

That’s why you can give your kids a head start toward mastering literacy, by introducing them to the alphabet from an early age. Of course, they don’t need to be writing novels by the time they start school! But an understanding of basic letters will hold them in good stead as they begin their formal education.

Ready to help your little one learn the alphabet? These are the activities and worksheets you need to know about…

The 12 best alphabet activities for young kids

As with any educational activity at a young age, the key is to make it fun and hands-on. These activities for prekindergarten and preschool kids definitely check those boxes.

Alphabet maze

Create a simple maze out of tape, and on it write each letter of the alphabet in order. Have your child walk a doll or ball through the maze, reading out each letter as they go.

Once they’re comfortable, add in some “wrong” letters (in non-alphabetical order) and see if they pick up on the mistake.

Letter lineup

Write out 5-10 random letters on a chalkboard or on the pavement outside. Ask your child to identify a particular letter in the lineup. Give them a water pistol so they can squirt the correct letter, erasing it.

This hands-on experience is way more involved than just getting them to point at the letters and is especially great for kinaesthetic learners.

Eye spy

This classic game is a great way to practice letters, once your kid has a good grasp of the alphabet. Choose an object in the room and say “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…”.

It will help them get used to the sounds letters make inside words — but maybe hold off using any silent letters like “knife”!

Sensory bag

Write out the letters of the alphabet, in random order, spaced out on a piece of card. Then put the card in a clear plastic zip bag filled with rice — it’ll all make sense in a second, promise!

With the sealed bag laid flat on a table, your kids can move the rice around through the plastic looking for letters. Have them call out the letters they find, or cross them off a list as they go.

Pipe cleaner letters

Parents know that pipe cleaners can go a long way in keeping young kids entertained. Here’s how to make it educational!

Ask your child to form letters (or even short words, once they’re at that level) with colored pipe cleaners. It’ll really help them remember how each letter is shaped and will build their confidence in writing them out. It’s also a great exercise for developing fine motor skills.

Salt letters

After they’ve done it with pipe cleaners, kids can move on to drawing letters in a salt tray before progressing to a pencil and paper. It’s another great hands-on trick to get them really acquainted with shaping letters.

Musical alphabet

This one’s like musical chairs.

Write out the letters of the alphabet on separate bits of paper and set them out in a circle. Turn on music and have your child dance in the middle; when the music stops they must identify the letter they’re standing next to. Have them sound it out, and maybe even name a word beginning with that letter.

DIY giant letters

Cut out letter shapes from old cardboard boxes, then wrap them in colorful paper or tape. From here, there are so many things you can do with your giant letters. Hide them around the house and then go ask your child to find a specific letter. Spell out short household words like cat or bed. Or, instead of making letters, cut out different shapes that form letters, and have your kids do the construction themselves.

Twister

Revamp your Twister mat by adding letters to each colored square, and onto the spinning board as well. So instead of yelling out “left hand, green”, it’ll be “left hand, W”! If you don’t have a Twister board, you could use an alphabet mat, or just make your own 4×4 square grid on the floor with painter’s tape.

Letter sponges

Turn bath time into an impromptu English lesson with alphabet letter sponges. You can buy some online or really easily make your own with cheap dish sponges. They stick to the tub and tiles, so as they’re bathing get them to spell out their name, or put all the letters in order on the wall.

Clothespin capitals

Teach your kids the difference between upper and lowercase letters with this fun little game.

Write the lowercase alphabet onto wooden clothespins, and the uppercase letters onto index cards or paper. Have your child peg each letter to its corresponding capital. Easy!

Scavenger hunt

This is a good one to keep the kids busy while you’re working or cooking. It’s a little more advanced, but ideal for preschool kids. Give them a letter of the alphabet, and ask them to go find something in the house beginning with that letter. So if you say B, they could get a book, banana, or bag.

Alphabet worksheets for prekindergarten and preschool

Once you’ve introduced your kids to the letters of the alphabet, completing worksheets can be a great way to help solidify the information in their minds. Our two worksheet bundles are full of fact and info sheets, with activities that’ll get children comfortable with writing letters in no time.

Alphabet letters -This bundle is good for kids who are still beginning to learn their ABCs. It’s got a fill in the blank quiz sheet, as well as a word search and a simple crossword puzzle. Download and print it here.

Alphabetical order – Once your kids know their letters, you can start teaching them the order of the alphabet. Start off by singing the alphabet song, and then have them complete this worksheet pack that’ll get them to test their knowledge. Download and print it here.

Once your kids have mastered the alphabet, we’ve got a ton of printable worksheet bundles to help them gain confidence with spelling, handwriting, and reading.