You can find many more Alphabet Activities here.

ABC Sorting Tray

I found this divided tray in a kitchen store. I labeled each section by writing a letter on a sticker dot and placing the matching foam letters in each section of the tray. I placed the letters in a bowl and children sorted and matched the letters into the sections of the tray. When I want to change out the letters in the tray, I just remove the sticker dots and add new ones. I usually try to use letters that are similar, so that children are challenged and use visual discrimination skills to find the differences in the letters. For example, I might use Q, O, D, C, and G since those letters are similar in shape, or I, T, J, or W, V, U.

Alpha-Band

Label each rhythm instrument with a letter. An easy way to make instruments is to put rice inside a plastic Easter egg, and hot glue it closed. We sing the traditional Alphabet Song, or another alphabet song, such as Dr. Jean’s “The Alphabet’s in My Mouth” or “Who Let the Letters Out”, or Jack Hartmann’s “Animal Alphabet Cheer”. Children shake their letter shakers only when they hear their letter called out in the song.

Letter Basketball

This is one of my prekinders favorite letter identification activities every year. To prepare this game, I cut copy paper or newsprint paper in half, and write letters on several pieces. I make enough papers for each child, plus one or two extra. I make a line with masking tape on the floor and place the trash can about 4 feet away. As each child has a turn, I tell them which letter to find. They pick up the letter, crumble the paper into a ball, and stand on the tape to toss it into the trash can. If they miss, they get as many chances as needed to get the “ball” in the basket and can move closer if needed. We always cheer when they make it in the basket! This game could also be played with alphabet bean bags if you have them.

Candy Letter Match

Write pairs of letters on sticker dots and place them on the bottom of several Hershey’s Kisses. For my Pre-K kids, I usually put out about 5-10 pairs of letters at a time. Children take turns lifting two Kisses at a time. If the letters match, they keep those Kisses. If they do not match, they have to put them back. At the end of the game, all of the Kisses are put in the middle of the table, and children can choose about 3 pieces to eat. We use this game to practice matching uppercase to uppercase letters, lowercase to lowercase, or uppercase to lowercase, depending on what we are working on.

Letter Hunt

Children choose any 10 letters from the letter manipulatives (use foam letters, magnetic letters, letter tiles or other letter manipulatives). Go through a stack of shuffled letter cards, calling out each letter to the children. As the letters are called out, children look to see if they have that letter, and if they do, the letter is put back in the letter basket. We see who is first to clear all of their letters. It’s very similar to a bingo game. In Pre-K, we play until everyone has cleared all of their letters because our goal is learning letters, not competition with the little ones.
*To teach letter sounds: Call out a word and have children identify the first letter of the word.

ABC Sorting Box

Label a craft storage box with letter stickers. Children sort letter manipulatives into the sections of the box. These are magnetic letter tiles in the picture.

Letter Matching Uppercase to Uppercase

For this activity, each child chooses a colored letter box. Children work in pairs to match the letters that are the same. These letters came from a set of foam letters that are sadly no longer available from Lakeshore (bring them back, Lakeshore!) However, you could do the same activity by using handmade cards with the letters written in two different colors. You might also consider using paint chips (paint sample cards) in two different colors and making A-Z sets in the two different colors by writing on the cards with a black marker.

Letter Matching Uppercase to Lowercase

Children work in pairs to match the uppercase and lowercase foam or magnetic letters that are the same. You could also use purchased or handmade letter tiles.

Stamping Game

Write about ten letters on a piece of paper for each child. Put the same ten letters in a bowl or bag, and pass it around the table. Each child has a turn to pull a letter out of the bowl or bag, and announce the letter to the group. Children find the letter on their paper and stamp it out with a rubber stamp or bingo dot marker. You can find themed printables for this Stamping Game here. These are editable!

Other ways we play this game:

• I put every letter of the alphabet in the bowl or bag and children determine if the letter is on their paper or not.
• I place small objects in the bowl and children identify the beginning letter (e.g. B for ball).

Alphabet Bingo

Each child looks for the letter the teacher calls out on their bingo card. If they have it, they cover it. Play until a card is full.

Alphabet Soup

Children take turns scooping up a letter from a bowl with a spoon or soup ladle. The child identifies the letter, and walks around the room searching for the letter somewhere in the classroom.
*To teach letter sounds: Children search for an object in the room that begins with that letter.

Letter Clips

Children squeeze the clothespins and clip them to the sides of the box. I wrote letters on dot stickers and placed the dot stickers around the sides of the boxes. I wrote letters on the clothespins so the children would match the letters on the clothespins to the letters on the boxes. This is similar to activities where children clip clothespins to a paper plate or cardstock circle; however, in my experience, those were flimsy and awkward to use, which is why I like the box better. Any sturdy box could be used (shoe box, postal box). The boxes in this picture were stacking gift boxes that held chocolate covered nuts (a Christmas gift), and they worked out perfectly. (By the way, Sam’s Club has these chocolate covered nuts in the same stacking boxes every year, and they are awesome!)

Memory Game

Place about three letter manipulatives on a tray, cover them with a cloth, and take one away. When the letters are uncovered, children guess which letter is missing. Children find the letter that is missing among their own set of letter manipulatives. If the children are very interested in writing, they can write the letter that is missing on a dry erase lap board. To increase the difficulty of this game, try using 4 or 5 letters. Another options is to place three letters on the tray, cover them, and ask the children to recall all three letters that were on the tray.

Alphabet Path Games

I made these path games using stickers bought in a craft store (scrapbooking section), and I made individual mats with about 10 letters on them. Each child gets a mat, a game piece, and some plastic chips to cover the letters on their mat. They roll the dice and count out the spaces to move their game piece. If their game piece lands on a letter that is on the mat, they cover that letter with a chip. Play continues until they have covered every letter.
Other ways we use the path games:

• Children identify the letter they land on, then find that letter somewhere in the classroom.
• Children find an object in the classroom that begins with that letter’s sound.

You’ll also like these resources…

Originally published Sep 28, 2009

The post Alphabet Letter Identification Activities appeared first on PreKinders Preschool Activities.

This easy experiment is perfect for introducing young children to observing, predicting, and experimenting while also giving them a fun hands-on sensory experience. Best of all, it uses inexpensive materials you may already have in your classroom or kitchen.

Materials Needed:
Pie pans
Whole Milk
Food color
Toothpicks
Medicine droppers
Liquid dish detergent

Set Up:
Pour a small amount of liquid dish detergent into each paper cup (children can share cups). Pour milk into each pie pan. You only need to pour enough milk in the pan to cover the bottom

Procedure:
When the group is ready, drop one drop each of 4 colors of food coloring around the edge of the pan. The milk does not change color if we keep the pan still.

Children add one drop of liquid dish detergent into the middle of the pan with a medicine dropper. The colors will swirl! After they watch the colors swirl for a bit, give them a toothpick to dip in the soap, then dip in the pan repeatedly to make the colors swirl some more. Instruct children to dip their toothpick into the milk, but not stir.

This activity is always a favorite because children get to observe a chemical reaction right before their eyes. The dish detergent reacts with the fat in the milk, causing the food coloring to move and swirl around the pan. It almost looks like fireworks or tie-dye!

Extension Ideas:

• Ask children to predict what will happen before adding the soap.
• Compare what happens when using one drop of soap versus several drops.
• Use heart-shaped or seasonal trays to connect the activity to holidays or themes.

Science Skills:
This activity encourages children to observe, predict, experiment, and describe what they see. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to introduce simple science vocabulary such as “reaction,” “mix,” “swirl,” and “observe.”

Teacher Tip:
Have extra paper towels nearby because children usually want to repeat this experiment several times! It’s also helpful to place the pie pans on trays to catch spills and make cleanup easier.

This colorful science activity is always a hit with preschoolers because it combines hands-on exploration with a little bit of “wow!” Children love watching the colors dance across the milk, and teachers love that it’s easy to set up with simple materials. Activities like this help young children build curiosity, observation skills, and a love for science through play and discovery.

Originally published April 2, 2008

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Here are some favorite picture books about Plant, Seed, and Garden books for Pre-K kids. I only list books my Pre-K students and I truly enjoy and find educational.

Visit the Valentine Activities page for lots of Preschool & Pre-K lesson ideas.

Search for these at your library or click the book covers to go to Amazon. All book links are Amazon affiliate links. (Don’t forget to look for used or paperback books to lower the price.)

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting

This book tells the story of a girl and her father who secretly plant a colorful window box garden as a birthday surprise for Mom. As they buy flowers, ride the bus home, and plant them together, the story celebrates family, gardening, and a thoughtful gift made with love.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle follows the journey of a tiny seed as it travels through the seasons and grows into a beautiful flower. Through simple storytelling and colorful collage illustrations, the book introduces children to the life cycle of plants.

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert shows a mother and child planting bulbs, seeds, and seedlings that grow into a vibrant garden of colorful flowers. With bright collage illustrations, the book introduces children to the colors of the rainbow and the basics of how flowers grow.

Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Tops & Bottoms by Janet Stevens is a humorous trickster tale about a clever Hare who makes a deal with a lazy Bear to share the crops from Bear’s land. Through Hare’s smart planning, Bear repeatedly chooses the wrong half of the harvest—tops or bottoms—leaving Hare with the best vegetables each time.

The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis

The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis retells a traditional folk tale about a farmer who grows a giant potato that is too big to pull from the ground alone. One by one, family members and animals join together to help until, working as a team, they finally pull the enormous potato free.

Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie de Paola

Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola tells the humorous tale of Jamie O’Rourke, the laziest man in Ireland, who receives a magical potato seed from a leprechaun. When the potato grows bigger than anyone expected, Jamie and the villagers must figure out how to deal with the enormous harvest.

There’s a Pest in the Garden by Jan Thomas

There’s a Pest in the Garden by Jan Thomas is a funny story about a pest that keeps eating the vegetables in the garden. With silly humor and lots of repetition, Duck tries to come up with a plan to stop the problem.

How a Seed Grows by Helene Jordan

This book explains how a tiny seed grows into a plant or tree. With clear illustrations and simple explanations, the book helps children learn about the stages of plant growth and what seeds need in order to grow.

One Bean by Anne Rockwell

This book shows what happens when a single bean is planted and carefully observed as it grows. Through simple text and clear illustrations, the book guides young readers step by step through the stages of a plant’s growth.

Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn

Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn tells the story of Lola, who is inspired by a book of poems to plant her own flower garden. With help from her mother, she plants seeds and patiently waits for the flowers to grow before celebrating with her friends.

The Turnip by Jan Brett

The Turnip by Jan Brett retells a classic folktale about a badger family and their friends who work together to pull a giant turnip from the ground. With detailed illustrations and a humorous twist, the story shows how teamwork helps solve a big problem.

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons introduces children to how plants grow, from pollination and seed formation to germination and flowering. With clear diagrams and simple explanations, the book helps young readers understand the life cycle of plants and how seeds grow into flowers, fruits, and trees.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner

This book follows a girl and her grandmother as they plant, tend, and harvest a garden through the seasons. While plants grow above the soil, the book also reveals the busy world of worms, insects, and other creatures working underground to help the garden thrive.

The Flower Thief by Alice Hemming

The Flower Thief by Alice Hemming tells the story of Squirrel, who becomes very protective of a new spring flower he discovers. With help from Bird, Squirrel learns that flowers need space and sunshine to grow and bloom.

Jack and the Beanstalk by Carol Ottolenghi

This fairy tale goes well with a theme on plants. Jack and the Beanstalk by Carol Ottolenghi retells the classic fairy tale of Jack, who plants magical beans that grow into a towering beanstalk reaching high into the clouds. Jack climbs the beanstalk and discovers an exciting adventure waiting above the sky.

More Resources:

Get it here

Get it here

Get it here

Get it here

Originally published April 2010. Updated March 2026.

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These are our favorite books about Weather for Pre-K kids. This list contains Amazon affiliate links.

Visit the Weather Activities page for lots of Preschool & Pre-K lesson ideas.

Rainy Weather Books

The Rain Came Down, by David Shannon

The Rain Came Down by David Shannon tells the story of a rainy day that causes chaos as everyone in town becomes grumpy and frustrated. When the rain finally stops and the sun comes out, the town returns to normal and everyone begins to smile again.

Rabbits and Raindrops, by Jim Arnosky

Rabbits and Raindrops by Jim Arnosky shows how a group of rabbits reacts when a rainstorm passes through their woodland home. Through gentle storytelling and nature illustrations, the book helps children notice how animals experience and respond to rain in the wild.

Mushroom in the Rain, by Mirra Ginsburg

Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg tells the story of several animals who take shelter together under a tiny mushroom during a rainstorm. As more animals squeeze in, they discover that there is somehow enough room for everyone to stay dry.

It’s Raining, by Gail Gibbons

It’s Raining by Gail Gibbons introduces children to what rain is, where it comes from, and why it is important. With clear explanations and colorful illustrations, the book explores storms, raindrops, thunder, and ways to stay safe during rainy weather.

A Rainbow of My Own, by Don Freeman

A Rainbow of My Own by Don Freeman tells the story of a little boy who imagines what it would be like to have his very own rainbow. Through gentle illustrations and simple text, the book captures the wonder of a child’s imagination after a rainy day.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, by Judi Barrett

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett tells the imaginative story of the town of Chewandswallow, where food falls from the sky instead of rain. When the weather begins producing larger and more dangerous food storms, the townspeople must find a way to escape the chaos.

Rain, by Manya Stojic

Rain by Manya Stojic follows animals on the African savanna as they sense an approaching rainstorm using their different senses. With rhythmic text and vibrant illustrations, the book shows how the long-awaited rain brings fresh water and new life to the dry land.

Windy Weather Books

The Wind Blew, by Pat Hutchins

The Wind Blew by Pat Hutchins is a lively rhyming story about a powerful wind that sweeps away everything in its path—from umbrellas and balloons to scarves and wigs. With playful repetition and bright illustrations, the book follows the windy chaos until the wind suddenly changes its mind.

Kite Day, by Will Hillenbrand

Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand follows Bear and Mole as they build a kite on a windy spring day and watch it soar high into the sky. When a storm snaps the string and the kite flies away, the friends discover it has landed in a tree where it protects a nest of baby birds from the rain.

Like a Windy Day, by Frank Asch

Like a Windy Day by Frank Asch tells the story of a young girl swept into a playful windy-day adventure. Through lively illustrations and imaginative storytelling, the book shows the wind as powerful, wild, and full of surprises.

Why Does the Wind Blow?: Weather with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle

Why Does the Wind Blow? Weather with The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle introduces young readers to what causes the wind to blow. With simple explanations and Eric Carle’s familiar illustrations, the book helps children explore the science of weather in an easy-to-understand way.

Gilberto and the Wind, by Marie Hall Ets

Gilberto and the Wind by Marie Hall Ets tells the story of a young boy who befriends the wind and discovers its many moods. As Gilberto plays outside, he experiences how the wind can sail boats, fly kites, blow dust, and even turn umbrellas inside out.

Cloudy Weather Books

Clouds, by Anne Rockwell

Clouds by Anne Rockwell helps children learn about different kinds of clouds and what they can tell us about the weather. With simple explanations and colorful illustrations, the book encourages kids to look at the clouds in the sky to help predict changes in the weather.

Clouds by Tomie dePaola introduces children to different types of clouds and the stories people have told about them throughout history. With simple explanations and gentle illustrations, the book helps young readers observe clouds and learn how they can signal changes in the weather.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk, by Charles Shaw

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw invites children to guess what different white shapes in the sky might be, such as a rabbit, bird, or ice-cream cone. With simple text and bold blue-and-white illustrations, the story encourages imagination as children discover that the shapes are actually clouds.

Little Cloud, by Eric Carle

Little Cloud by Eric Carle follows a small cloud that drifts away from the others and changes into different shapes like a sheep, airplane, and clown. Through simple text and beautiful collage illustrations, the story celebrates imagination and encourages children to look at clouds and discover shapes in the sky.

Stormy & Severe Weather Books

Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane, by Terri Sabol

Oscar and Emmy Weather a Hurricane by Terri Sabol follows two cats, Oscar and Emmy, as they experience a hurricane and learn what happens during the storm. The story explains hurricanes in a simple, reassuring way while showing how families prepare and stay safe during severe weather.

Tornadoes, by Gail Gibbons

Tornadoes by Gail Gibbons explains what tornadoes are, how they form, and where they are most likely to occur. With clear illustrations and simple text, the book helps children understand this powerful type of weather and how people stay safe during storms.

The Wonder Of Thunder, by Sharon Purtill

The Wonder of Thunder: Lessons From a Thunderstorm by Sharon Purtill introduces children to thunderstorms in a friendly and reassuring way. Through simple explanations and colorful illustrations, the book shows how thunder, lightning, wind, and rain are natural parts of weather that help the earth.

Originally published June 2012 | Updated March 2026

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Find more activities for your farm thematic unit here!

Farm Alphabet Puzzles (Free Printable)

Start with this fun freebie! The Farm Alphabet Puzzles are designed to help children recognize letters in both uppercase and lowercase. Each puzzle has a farm scene that kids will piece together by matching letters on the puzzle pieces to the letters on the mat. It’s a hands-on way to practice alphabet skills while also building visual discrimination and problem-solving.

There are 6 puzzles in this download with 3 uppercase letter puzzles and 3 lowercase letter puzzles. Print the puzzles and mats and cut apart the puzzle pieces. Perfect for the Literacy Center, arrival activities, or small group. Children can work on them independently or with a partner.

Click below to download your free set of Farm Alphabet Puzzles and add a little farm fun to your alphabet practice!

Download the Farm Alphabet Puzzles Here

Rhyming on the Farm

Rhyming is one of the best ways to boost phonological awareness. In this activity, children listen for pairs of rhyming words and match them. This set includes farm-themed pictures, such as pig (wig), goat (boat), barn (yarn), eggs (legs). It’s playful, silly, and gets children listening carefully to the sounds in words. Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

Farm Syllables Activity

Clap it out on the farm! In this activity, children practice breaking words into syllables. They’ll count syllables with farm vocabulary words, and clip the number of syllables in the word. This helps them tune into word parts and preparing them for later reading and spelling. Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

Sequencing Farm Stories

Sequencing activities help children learn how stories have a beginning, middle, and end. In this farm sequencing set, children put picture cards in order to show the chick hatching from an egg. Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

I Spy Listening Skills

“I Spy” is a classic favorite for preschoolers, and this version helps children practice listening carefully to sounds. The farm-themed I Spy game encourages children to focus on details and follow directions—all important pre-reading skills. The I Spy Listening Games are one of the most popular PreKinders resources! Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

More Alphabet Fun

This alphabet activity lets children explore letters with tractors. Children will match the letter on the tractor to the letter on the mat. Have children match uppercase to uppercase or lowercase to lowercase, or mix it up and match uppercase to lowercase. Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

With this cow spinner alphabet game, children will spin the spinner, say the letter, and find the letter on their mat. You can have children stamp it with a bingo marker or use manipulatives to mark the letters. If they land on a cow, children get to say “moo” like a cow! Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

Beginning Sounds on the Farm

This activity focuses on listening for the first sounds in words. Children match the pictures on the tractors to the correct letter, strengthening their phonemic awareness and preparing them for future reading success. Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

Farm Themed Journal Pages

Writing and drawing in journals is a wonderful way for preschoolers to begin expressing their thoughts and ideas. These farm-themed journal pages give children a simple prompt or picture to spark their creativity. Journal pages help children practice early writing skills, fine motor control, and storytelling—all while keeping with the fun farm theme. Get this activity in the Farm Math & Literacy pack here.

Bring Farm Literacy to Your Classroom

These farm-themed activities are an easy way to make literacy practice engaging and hands-on for your preschoolers. From free alphabet puzzles to rhyming, syllables, sequencing, and beginning sounds, you’ll have everything you need to cover a wide range of early literacy skills.

 Download the free Farm Alphabet Puzzles to get started right away.
If you’d like even more ready-to-use activities, check out the Farm Literacy Bundle with printables for rhyming, syllables, sequencing, I Spy listening skills, and more.

With these resources, literacy time becomes meaningful, playful, and fun—just the way learning in Pre-K should be!

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Free Printable: Position Word Mats

These Fall Position Word Mats are easy to prepare and fun for kids. Just print the mat, give children pom poms, and read the sentences to the group. Children will move the pom pom to the correct spot on the mat.

For example:

• Put a pumpkin under a haystack.
• Put a pumpkin beside the mouse.
• Put a pumpkin between two wheels.

The children love moving their pom poms around the scene while they practice spatial concepts. It also sneaks in some fine motor practice while they pinch and move the pom poms – you can have them use tweezers with them, or just fingers for the pincer grasp.

Download the Freebie Here

More Fall Position Word Activities

If your students enjoy the free mats, you’ll definitely want to check out the Fall Position Words Activities Pack. This set includes a variety of activities to give children repeated practice with this concept.

Keep reading to see what’s included.

Two Bingo Games: Owl and Squirrels

A Fall twist on bingo that helps children practice position words.

Printable Position Words Book

Use at Circle Time to introduce or review & add the book to your Reading Center.

Picture Mat

Move pieces (like apples and pumpkins) around a fall scene to show positions. Use the black and white pages for a cut and glue activity.

Two Real Object Card Sets: Pencil/Cup Set & Spider/Jar Set

Students use real classroom objects to show positions. Use a real cup and pencil for one activity and a toy spider and jar for another.

Play Dough Mats

Children make play dough pieces to show objects in different positions.

Many of these activities are perfect for small group learning, and some can be used in  centers or circle time. Each activity reinforces the position words in a new way, so children get lots of practice without ever getting bored. This pack can be used throughout the Fall months.

Find the Fall Position Words Pack on Teachers Pay Teachers here

Why Position Words Matter

Position words aren’t just a vocabulary lesson—they’re a big part of everyday life. Think about how often children need to understand directions like “Line up behind your friend” or “Put your paper on the table.” Practicing these words now helps children follow directions, build comprehension, and develop important spatial awareness. And when the activities are hands-on and fun, the learning really sticks.

I hope your little learners enjoy these free pom pom mats! They’re such a simple way to make positional words meaningful. And if you’re ready for more, the full pack gives you everything you need to keep practicing all season long.

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