Fun letter learning games

Jun 20, 2011 8:49 AM by Kori Ellis

Posted in Parenting / Family Fun / Family Activities

Alphabet Games
For Kids

Before your child learns to read, they need to know all their letters. Help your wee one learn their alphabet (and have some fun too) with these letter learning games!

Mom and preschooler on computer

Children love games that are associated with their favorite cartoon and TV characters. By playing these fun letter learning games, you'll be able to keep their interest while helping to improve their language, spelling and reading skills.

Swiper's Spelling Bee

If your kids love Dora the Explorer, head over to NickJr.com, where they can play plenty of different games surrounding the Dora theme. One of our favorites is Swiper's Spelling Book. With this game for ages 4-6, a picture appears on the screen with the word spelled next to it. Dora reads the word aloud, but then Swiper swipes the letters. Your child will then need to fill in the blanks with the correct letters.

What starts with the letter __?

All the fun games aren't online. You can play a variety of learning games at home with your child without the computer or TV. It's a great opportunity to bond, as well as help your child with his letters. This game is simple. Point out three objects in your house, and then ask your child, "What starts with the letter __?" If your child doesn't know right away, help them sound out each word to discover the correct answer.

Letter ups and downs

When kids first learn their letters, they often have difficulty grasping the concept of uppercase (capital) and lowercase letters. Britain's BBC offers a fun game that allows them to match the uppercase letters with their corresponding lower case ones. Another game to try is Alphabet Falls over at PBS Kids.

Letter of the day

Every day of the week, declare a letter of the day at your house. Throughout the day, have your child name as many words as they can that begin with the chosen letter. This game can do more than just reinforce their knowledge of letters, it also allows your children to get creative and improve their vocabulary. Online, find some fun reading and vocabulary names at Golden Books' Fun Factory.

>> Download free printable alphabet and letter coloring pages here!

Make a list

For kids who are a little older, you can play this fun alphabet game. It's perfect to play while traveling or at home. Start by selecting a letter and a subject. For example, C and animals. Then, each child has to name an animal that starts with C, taking turns. The first person who gets stumped is out of the game. The game continues until one child is left. Then, that child chooses the next letter and subject. For more reading fun, see the language activities from Scholastic.