Playful Ways to Learn Alphabet Letters

We've already written about how we don't do letter of the week with our kids. A common question we hear often is then how do we teach the letters of the alphabet? How do our kids practice both letter identification and letter sound relationships in a playful way? We're sharing our favorite ways to play as we learn letters!

Teach kids letters of the alphabet in a playful and natural way!

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When others ask us what we have done to have a five year old that is reading well ahead of grade level and a two year old who already knows his letters and sounds, I hesitate. First of all, part of this is just who they are as individuals. But then, I really need to step back to think about it because I'm sure that my background in early childhood education and teaching experience factors in at least a little bit.

We never push our kids so please don't imagine me working furiously with flash cards with a toddler! Yet, we have set up a literacy rich environment where letters are always a focal point in a fun and engaging way. If it's not obvious to me what we've done to raise early readers, that means it's also a gradual and natural process for them which is exactly what we strive to provide.

Excitement about letters and reading is contagious! Our kids see me get giddy about alphabet themed snacks in the grocery store. Mr. SPS has always shown them the letters on his shirts while naming them since they were babies in his lap. They see us read constantly including mail, books, magazines, notes to each other within our family, and signs when we're out and about. There is no doubt that they are mirroring the literacy love that they see modeled for them.

We are not a family that limits screen time too strictly (Mr. SPS is a web developer and I obviously also have a career that is hosted online!) but we do focus on intentionally educational choices. We especially love and recommend LeapFrog, Super Why, and of course, Reading Eggs.

Around the house, we have letter manipulatives everywhere! I recommend presenting kids with uppercase and lowercase letters simultaneously so you can constantly have conversations about what you notice as you are matching and comparing letters. We love letter magnets, letter foam bath toys, letter beads, and letter popsicles just to name a few of our favorites! To be honest with you, I hardly ever pass up any letter themed toys or materials.

Finally, we've founded our whole website here on creating play based learning activities that our kids enjoy. Here are our favorites that involve letter naming though you can also work on letter sound relationships, spelling simple words, and much more! Be sure to pin this page as I'll update and add more alphabet activities as we inevitably continue to play and learn with letters!