Teaching your child the letters and sounds of the alphabet is a key building block in their early learning journey. In fact, it’s part of the first two steps in the process of learning to read! According to the five pillars of reading—a framework many educators use—two of the initial steps are phonemic awareness (the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words) and phonics (connecting letters to the sounds they make). These skills form the foundation for everything that follows in reading, and learning letters and sounds is where it all begins. In this post, we’re sharing 5 fun ways to teach letters and sounds to your preschooler or kindergartener! These activities will help build the skills they need to start decoding words and become confident readers—all while having fun!
5 Fun Ways to Teach Letters and Sounds
1. Flashcards: A Classic with a Twist
Don’t get it twisted—flashcards do NOT have to be “boring.” In fact, they’re a tried-and-true method for teaching letters and sounds! When choosing flashcards, opt for ones that feature both pictures and letters—like "A" with an apple, "B" with a ball, and so on. This connection between the letter and the object not only reinforces the sound but also helps your child visualize the meaning. Our printable flashcards are perfect examples of this format, and they can be reprinted and used as many times as you’d like! For fresh ideas on how to make flashcards even more fun, check out our "5 New Ways to Use Flashcards" for exciting games and activities!
2. Letter Hunts: Explore Your Environment
Who knew that a simple walk around the house or neighborhood could turn into an exciting letter hunt? Challenge your child to find items that start with different letters. For example, “Can you find something that starts with the letter ‘S’?” As you go along, make the sounds of the letters and emphasize how they connect to the objects you're finding. This activity helps your child relate sounds to the world around them and makes learning feel like a playful scavenger hunt.
One super fun way to do this could be with our “....” activity idea! This is perfect for if you are driving, grocery shopping, or doing any activity where you need your focus in multiple places and maybe don't want to hand your child a device/screen!
3. Alphabet Sensory Bins
Sensory bins are a super easy and fun way to engage your child’s senses while they practice letters and sounds. Simply fill any bin you have lying around with rice, dry pasta, sand, leaves, or any other materials from around the house or outdoors that are safe for your child to touch and play with. Then, hide small letter-shaped objects or toys inside (you could even mix in our tiny printable flashcards)! As your child digs through the bin, ask them to find a certain letter or say the sound that matches. You can even add a twist by turning it into a letter-sound quiz and asking, “What letter makes the ‘/p/’ sound?” Sensory activities like these are perfect for reinforcing letter-sound associations in a tactile, hands-on way!
4. Playdough Letter Creation
Hands-on learning can be a game-changer for your little one, and what better way to practice letters than with play dough? Help your child roll, squish, and shape the dough into different letters. As they form each one, say the letter’s sound out loud. To make it more challenging, ask them to “write” words with the play dough or challenge them to create letters in the shape of objects that begin with those sounds, like a “T” for tree. It’s a fun and creative way to reinforce letter shapes and sounds! Our printable alphabet dough mats make this even easier by giving your child a reference to shape the letters on!
5. Sing and Sign the Alphabet
Songs and rhymes are perfect tools for helping children remember letters and sounds. But what if you add sign language into the mix? Teaching your child American Sign Language (ASL) for each letter as you sing the alphabet song can create an additional visual and kinesthetic connection to each letter. Not only will this reinforce letter-sound recognition, but it will also introduce your child to a new and valuable language skill. Plus, the movements make it even more engaging!
Your Turn!
Incorporating these 5 fun ways to teach letters and sounds into your child’s learning routine is a fantastic way to strengthen their phonemic awareness and phonics skills! Starting to practice letters and sounds early is key to building the foundation for becoming a strong, confident reader. Making the process engaging with methods like these will turn learning into an adventure, all while helping your preschooler or kindergartener unlock the world of reading. Happy learning!
Show us the ways you practice learning letters and sounds using #PlaygroundPressKids !