Learning the alphabet is a top priority for our littlest learners. It’s the foundation on which literacy is based. By using different methods such as letter tracing, learning letter sounds, and letter recognition we can make sure that our little learning readers get off to a great start! There are more great tips in this earlier blog post.
letter tracing activities
There are so many different ways for your students to learn to form letters. Letter tracing can be done on paper, in sand, salt, shaving cream … the possibilities are almost endless! Making it fun is crucial.
- Sand Tracing – this is a simple, but fun sensory activity. And it’s really easy to set up. All you need are small index cards, markers, shallow trays or bins, and sand of course. To set this up, write letters on the index cards with markers. Place the cards in the front of the tray and then dump a thin layer of sand into the tray. Kids can then trace in the sand the letter indicated on the card. Let them practice each letter a few times before moving on to the next tray. You can have multiple trays set up for this, or just have the student “erase” the letter and use another card.
- Q-Tip Letters – your students will love this! You’ll need Q-tips, washable kids paint, markers to match the paint colors, and white poster board or card stock. Use the markers to write the letters of the alphabet on the card stock. Place the different paint colors in separate small containers, with a Q-tip for each color. The kids can dip the Q-tip in the paint and use it to trace the letters of the same color. This is a great activity not only for learning the alphabet, but also for colors, fine motor skills, and eye-hand coordination.
- Shaving Cream Letters – this one can get a bit messy, but kids do love it! You’ll need cookie sheets or some other shallow tray, and shaving cream! Spray a bit of shaving cream in the trays and let your students spread it out into a thin layer. Then they can simply trace letters in the shaving cream! You can also use a bit of food coloring in the cream to jazz it up a bit. Or if you want to contain the mess a bit, squirt some shaving cream and a few drops of food coloring into a plastic baggie and seal it up. Squish the bag until the shaving cream is fully colored. Then kids can trace the letters on the baggie instead of on a tray.
use toy cars and “roads” for tracing
If you’re looking for a print-and-go resource for letter tracing, check out my Letters of the Alphabet Road Tracing activity!
Your students will have fun tracing the alphabet and learning correct letter formation using these fun letters of the alphabet ‘roads’! Just add a toy car to trace along the lines provided and follow the steps in number order. This fun set includes both upper case and lower case letters. Encourage students to name and sound the letters as they trace.
Use the letter sheets to spell out their name. A fun way to learn letters and simple spelling at the same time!
You might also like these Alphabet Practice Handwriting Worksheets.
Do you have a fun activity for letter tracing? We’d love to hear!
