Are you looking for FUN, DIY active learning activities to keep your preschoolers busy during this pandemic? Are your virtual lessons lacking in kinesthetic movement opportunities and you know your kiddos need to move in order to learn?
Here’s our top 10 DIY ways you can help preschoolers and kindergartners learn their alphabet that also incorporate movement. The only thing these lessons require are the ABC’s of Movement® activity cards. Our activity cards are also available to download online as a pdf.
1. Obstacle Courses
When we think obstacle course we think physical development activities for preschoolers. True, they are good for boosting gross motor skills, strength, and coordination of large muscles. However, they are also a fun, stimulating way to learn the alphabet. Plus, they can be as basic or elaborate as you want. For example, a basic alphabet obstacle course would involve young preschoolers moving through an area while stepping over pillows or pool noodles, crawling under tables or chairs, or through a tunnel; all the while locating (and identifying if they are able) ABC’s of Movement® cards along the way. If you’re wondering what’s on the cards, you can learn more here!
A more elaborate activity would be to infuse the cards into the obstacle course like we did in this obstacle course we made! Any way you set it up, obstacle courses are an affordable, fun, activity for kinesthetic learners.
2. Feed The Hungry Puppy
Feed the hungry puppy is a fun letter recognition game for kids. Make your own hungry puppy (or kitty, or cow depending on what you have available), dump magnetic letters in a dish, and the game begins. Kids really enjoy this one! They get so excited when it’s their turn!
In addition to alphabet letter recognition and language and literacy development, this fun gross motor game helps children develop social emotional learning by taking turns and waiting their turn.
3. Beach Ball Play
Beach ball play challenges children’s hand-eye coordination. When combined with alphabet movements, there is enhancement of a variety of gross-motor skills. Learning outcomes also include listening skills, cooperative learning, and spatial awareness.
Beach ball boogie is an easy outdoor activity for preschoolers. After inflating a beach ball, write alphabet letters and movements on the beach ball and take turns tossing and catching. When you catch the ball, you identify the letter that is facing you and everyone performs that ABC’s of Movement® activity.
4. Yoga
Practicing yoga has been found to have many benefits on children’s physical and mental health. Basic yoga activities promote self-regulation of emotions and behavior, and gives children a positive outlet for their physical energy. There are tons of yoga products available for purchase. Why buy separate yoga cards when you can use your ABC’s of Movement® cards?
Rather than use them for movement exploration, the cards can be used to perform simple yoga poses and letter recognition activities together. Yoga ABC’s is the perfect way to get kids to learn their letters, practice attentive breathing, and learn mindfulness.
5. Find The Letter & Swat It
This is a great game you can find on Hands On As We Grow. It’s a great active way to learn the letters! Rather than taking time to make your own letters to swat, just use your ABC’s of Movement® cards.
6. Spinner Games
All you need for this active DIY approach to learning letters is a spinner and your ABC’s of Movement® cards. To play this active preschool early literacy learning game, children take turns spinning, identifying the letter, choosing the corresponding ABC’s of Movement® card, and leading the group in the movement.
To further support your literacy instruction, use the information on the back of the cards!
7. Grab Bag
Kids really enjoy activities that involve grab bags! They love not knowing what they’re going to pick out!
ABC Grab & Go is another simple, fun DIY way to learn the alphabet. Make a grab bag, fill it with alphabet letters, have your ABC’s of Movement® cards handy and Music – Any fun music will work however, The ABC’s of Movement® music album is specifically designed to be used along with the activity cards.
8. Move & Groove
Kids love moving around and dancing, I found this super fun activity on No Time For Flashcards called Move and Groove, it’s an entertaining DIY alphabet game that gets kids moving and grooving while they learn their letters.
9. Alphabet Basketball
Okay, you’re going to love this one! Did you know that you can turn a child’s size basketball hoop (or laundry basket) into a preschool alphabet game?! School Time Snippets shared this awesome game.
If your child needs assist in finding the correct letter, providing a visual model, like the ABC’s of Movement® cards may assist them in finding what letter to look for.
10. Dice Games
There are tons of dice games that you can play with your little students. ABC Dice Game can be used with any dice you have available. Print off the free printable, grab your ABC’s of Movement® cards and have fun moving and learning the alphabet.
Want to see move to learn videos? Visit our YouTube page to see many of these alphabet activities for preschoolers in action. Teaching the ABC’s with these active lessons are an exciting, fun way you can enhance your child’s literacy skills through movement and music at home or school.