An alphabet chart is a simple, yet effective tool for early literacy! You can grab my FREE Alphabet Chart (pictured above) in my Resource Library (scroll down for the link)! I have included both color and black and white versions, as well as a different chart for long vowel pictures.
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1. Warm-Up! Read Letters, Sounds and Pictures!
This is a simple way to use the chart as a review or warm-up to keep skills sharp! Simply have your child state the letter, sound, and picture name while going through the whole alphabet. This will help get the correspondence of letters and sounds down.
Example: “a, /a/, alligator.”
Pro Tip: I like to use fun “pointers” for this activity, such as witch fingers, or a mini magic wand.
2. Which Letter is Missing?
I like to tell kids they are being “letter detectives” for this one! (You can even give them a little magnifying glass to add to the fun). Simply cover a box of your choice with an object or Post-it Note and have the child guess which letter is covered. This is a great exercise to increase speed of recognizing placement of letters in the alphabet.
Bonus: For an extra challenge, use a timer to see how fast they recognize which letter is covered!
3. I Spy
Who doesn’t love a game of “I Spy!”? You can play with the pictures on the board and have your child name the corresponding letter or sound that matches! For example: you would say, “I spy with my little eye a cat.” Child would respond, “C” or “/c/”.
4. Letter Bingo
Call out letters or sounds. Have your child use an object to mark each sound or letter that is called out. When they get a full row or column, they win!
5. Alphabetical Order
Print, laminate (if desired) and cut up alphabet boxes with pictures. Have your child place the letters in alphabetical order.
6. Guess the Letter
Another “letter detective” game! Give clues about a letter to your child and have them guess which one you are talking about. Examples: “This letter is a vowel.” “This letter is next to the letter_______.” “This letter comes before_______.”
7. Color the Letter as it is Learned
Each time you introduce a new letter, have your child color the letter on the black and white copy of the chart! Keep the chart somewhere where it can be easily referenced for future use.
8. Letter Magnet Match
Have your child use letter magnets to match to each picture. Great for letter recognition practice!
Bonus: For an extra challenge, use the chart with pictures only (no letters)!
9. Picture to Letter Match
Print the chart with pictures only and the chart with letters only (laminate if desired). Cut up the pictures and have your child match them to the letters on the page!
I hope you find this resource useful! Alphabet charts can be an awesome way to practice early letter and sound recognition with your child. Click here to download my Alphabet Chart Freebie from my Early Childhood Resource Library!
Have another way to use an Alphabet Chart? Drop it in the comments below!
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