Is your young child learning about the alphabet? Learning the letters of the alphabet, which provides the foundation for understanding written language, is an important first step for young children when beginning to learn to read. Before learning the graphemes that spell sounds, children need to know the names of the letters. Activities such as handprint and footprint crafts can be particularly useful for teaching letter names. By engaging in hands-on activities that incorporate the letters of the alphabet, children are able to make connections between the letter shapes and the letter names.
Hands-on activities are particularly beneficial for young children because of the engagement of multiple senses. By engaging in activities that involve touch, sight, and hearing, children are able to better understand and remember what they are learning, which is particularly important for young children whose verbal or cognitive abilities may not yet be fully developed. By providing opportunities for children to explore the alphabet through hands-on activities, parents and caregivers can help children to develop important literacy skills and build a strong foundation for future learning.
A letter is a character or symbol in an alphabet. Letters are the raw materials for making graphemes and markers. Most children learn to read between the ages of 6 and 7. Some children are ready at age 4 or 5. Knowledge of letters is required before learning to read. Teach your toddler or preschooler the ABCs with fun handprint and footprint crafts for each letter of the alphabet. (Click the links for detailed instructions for each alphabet craft.)
Also check out Teach a Student to Read: Letters and Graphemes, which is a preschool workbook the precedes the Teach a Student to Read reading program.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
This post was originally published on March 8, 2015 and updated on April 23, 2023.
Image Credits
All Images © 2014 or 2017 Heather Johnson