The Ultimate Guide of Alphabet Activities: 25 Hands-on, Sensory-based ways to practice (letters, shapes, numbers or words)
- Gina
- Sep 19
- 11 min read
In this BLOG post I will teach you all of my favorite ways to practice writing.
Learning the alphabet doesn’t have to mean sitting still with flashcards or tracing letters on a worksheet. One of the most powerful ways children absorb letter knowledge is through movement, touch, and play.
This post rounds up 20 hands-on, sensory-rich activities that turn alphabet learning into a full-body experience, perfect for preschoolers, kindergartners, and any child who thrives through exploration.
Whether you're a parent, educator, or caregiver, these ideas will help you spark curiosity, build foundational literacy skills, and make letter learning irresistibly fun. I included as many printable resources as possible throughout the post.
Click HERE for our favorite alphabet tools for learning and play!
A Play Filled Life is part of an affiliate program and may receive a small commission on eligible products at no extra cost to you.
Magnetic Letters
Materials:
Magnetic Chips and wand (Linked HERE)
Step 1: Download and print the alphabet cards.
Step 2: Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Use your finger to trace the upper/lowercase letter.
Step 4: Place the magnetic chips around the lines and curves of the letter. Use the wand to swipe them away, mimicking the way you would write the letters!
Magnets are a choking hazard. You get to decide what is safe and manageable in your home. Always monitor young children.
Salt Tray Writing
Materials:
Step 1: Sprinkle a thin layer of salt on the tray. It should be just enough to cover the surface.
Step 2:Print out alphabet cards.
Step 3: Use your finger or a dry paint brush to practice writing the letters.
Wikki Stix Letter Building
Materials:
Wikki stix
Alphabet Cards (FREE download HERE)
Step 1: Download and print the upper and lowercase alphabet cards.
Step 2: If possible, laminate for durability. Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Use the Wikki Stix to build the letters, right on top of the cards. Follow the straight and curvy lines with the wikki stix. Talk about the name of the letter and the sound that it makes.
Step 4: Pull the wikki stix off and save again for next time.
Shaving Cream Writing
Materials:
Sensory tray or baking sheet
Shaving cream
Alphabet Tracing Cards (Click HERE)
Step 1: Download and print the upper and lowercase alphabet cards.
Step 2: If possible, laminate for durability. Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Squirt shaving cream on your sensory tray. You want just enough to cover the tray in a thin layer; if you use too much it will be hard to write in!
Step 4: Using your finger, practice drawing the letters in the shaving cream. Wipe away and keep practicing!
If your child is sensory sensitive, use a dry paintbrush to draw in the shaving cream, instead of their finger.
Hole Punch Letter Cards
Materials:
Hole punch
Scissors
Hole Punch Alphabet cards (FREE download HERE)
Step 1: Download and print the hole punch alphabet cards.
Step 2: Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Use your finger (or a pencil) to trace the upper and lowercase letters in the center.
Step 4: Look around the card and find the letters that match. Use your hole punch to stamp the matching letters!
Don't have a hole punch? Use a marker to cross out the matching letters.
Q-Tip Letter Tracing
Materials:
Q-tip
Washable paint
Upper and lowercase alphabet cards (FREE download HERE)
Step 1: Download and print the hole punch alphabet cards.
Step 2: Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Use your finger to trace the upper/lowercase letter.
Step 4: Dip your q-tip in paint (even better fine motor work if you cut the q-tip in half! It puts fingers into the pincer grasp) and trace the letters.
Play Dough Letter Building
Materials:
Step 1: Download and print the alphabet cards.
Step 2: Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Use your finger to trace the upper/lowercase letter.
Step 4: Roll the play dough into "snakes" and use it to form the letters. Talk about the letter name, the sound it makes and words that begin with that letter.
Want to make your own play dough? Try the BEST play dough recipe ever. Click HERE!!
Chalkboard Write and Erase
Materials:
Chalkboard
Chalk
Sponge (cut into small pieces)
Alphabet cards (FREE download HERE)
Step 1: Download and print the alphabet cards.
Step 2: Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Depending on the child's age, have them write the letter with chalk or write it for them, if they are not quite there yet.
Step 4: Wet the sponge and squeeze out the excess water. Use the sponge to trace the letter, erasing the lines as you go. This is a fun and simple way to work on fine motor skills and writing practice.
Loose Parts Letter Building
Materials:
Step 1: Download and print the alphabet cards.
Step 2: Cut out the cards and determine which letters you are working on.
Step 3: Use your finger to trace the upper/lowercase letter.
Step 4: use loose parts to form the letters. We used counting bears (Linked HERE) but you can use anything that you have: craft pom poms, small plastic animals, gems, rocks, erasers etc.
I-Spy Bottles
Materials:
Plastic bottle with lid
Dry rice
Letter beads
Alphabet mats (FREE download HERE)
Step 1: Download and print the alphabet cards. Laminate for durability, if possible.
Step 2: Pour rice into your plastic bottle, leaving about an inch at the top.
Step 3: Fill with letter beads. Put the lid back on securely and shake well to mix the beads into the rice.
Step 4: Move the I-Spy bottle around, searching for letters as you do. Once you find the letter, cross it off your alphabet mat.
There are FOUR different alphabet mats: bold uppercase letters, bold lowercase letters, tracing lowercase letters and tracing uppercase letters.
Play Dough Alphabet Puzzles
Materials:
Play dough
Sensory tray or baking sheet
Upper or lowercase letters
Step 1: Flatten your play dough onto the tray.
Step 2: Take the letters and smoosh them into the dough, then remove them and place them on the side. There should be letter imprints!
Step 3: Now you have a puzzle! Look at the imprints and match the letters in the dough.
Step 4: Be sure to talk about the names and sounds of the letters as you go!
Want to make your own play dough? Try the BEST play dough recipe ever. Click HERE!!
Alphabet Stamps
Materials:
Play dough
Sensory tray or baking sheet
Upper or lowercase letter stamps
Step 1: Flatten your play dough onto the tray.
Step 2: Use the stamps to smoosh and stamp into the dough.
You can use them to just play: simply stamping and smooshing is such great fine motor work and exposure.
If you want to extend your learning:
Call out a letter and have them find it and stamp it.
Call out a letter sound and have them find it and stamp it.
Call out a word- have them determine what letter the word starts with and stamp it.
Want to make your own play dough? Try the BEST play dough recipe ever. Click HERE!!
Sensory Bin Search & Find
Materials:
Step 1: Pour your base into your sensory bin or bowl.
Step 2: Add in your letters and mix around.
Step 3: Print out the alphabet mats and choose which one to use. You can match upper to uppercase letters, upper to lowercase and/or work on writing.
You can use them to just play: simply stamping and smooshing is such great fine motor work and exposure.
If you want to extend your learning:
Call out a letter and have them find it and match it.
Call out a letter sound and have them find it and match it.
Call out a word- have them determine what letter the word starts with and match it.
For added fine motor work, use tongs or tweezers to pick up the letters and place them on the mat!
If you want to learn how to dye a dry sensory base, read our blog post HERE!
Letter Writing- Etch-A-Sketch
Materials:
Mini Etch-A-Sketch (I bought this at the Dollar Tree)
Sharpie
Letter Tracing Cards (Linked HERE)
Step 1: Print out the cards and laminate for durability (if possible).
Step 2: Use the sharpie to draw two horizontal lines, with a dotted line through the middle, as shown.
Step 3: Pick a few letters to work on. Trace the letters with your fingers. Say the letter name and sound. Point to each word and say it slowly, identifying the beginning sound.
Step 4: Use the etch-a-sketch to practice writing the letters!
Pony Bead Letter Making
Materials:
Play dough
Sensory tray or baking sheet
Pony beads
Tweezers or tongs
Alphabet cards (FREE download HERE)
Step 1: Print out the cards and laminate for durability (if possible).
Step 2: Pick a few letters to work on. Trace the letters with your finger. Then, use the pony beads to form the letters in the play dough.
Step 3: Once you have formed the letters with the beads, use your tongs to pull them out, one at a time.
This is a TON of fine motor work. If you have a beginning learner or a child with emerging fine motor skills, you may want to start by pushing the pony beads in for them.
Alphabet Beads Sensory Bin
Materials:
Sensory bin or bowl
Dry sensory base (rice, beans, chickpeas, pasta)
Alphabet beads (linked HERE!)
Step 1: Pour your base into your sensory bin or bowl.
Step 2: Add in your letter beads and mix around.
Step 3: The beads come with string. String the beads on as you play.
You can use them to just play, simply scooping and pouring and exploring the beads and sensory bin.
If you want to extend your learning:
Call out a letter and have them find it and string it.
Call out a letter sound and have them find it and string it.
Call out a word- have them determine what letter the word starts with and string it.
If you want to learn how to dye a dry sensory base, read our blog post HERE!
Sensory Bag Writing
Materials:
Step 1: Print out the cards and laminate for durability (if possible).
Step 2: In the Ziploc bag, squirt just enough paint to create a thin layer inside the bag. Get out all of the air and seal it. Use the tape to secure it closed and/or tape it down to your surface.
Step 3: Pick a few letters to work on. Trace the letters with your finger. Then, use your finger to trace the letter on the sensory bag.
This is a great mess-free way to incorporate sensory play into learning!
Alphabet Ice Painting
Materials:
Sensory tray or bowl
Watercolor paints
Paintbrush
Alphabet mold (linked HERE)
Step 1: Fill the ice mold with water and freeze until solid.
Step 2: Once frozen, pull them out of the mold and place into your sensory bin or bowl. You can pull them all out or you can just take a few and save the rest in the freezer!
Step 3: Use the watercolors to paint!
Fizzy Alphabet
Materials:
Alphabet Ice cube tray/mold
Sensory tray or bowl
Baking soda
Water
White vinegar
Pipette or medicine dropper
Food coloring (optional)
Glitter (optional)
Step 1: Grab an alphabet silicone mold.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix 2 cups baking soda and 1/2 cup of water. Mix.
Step 3: Fill the mold with the mixture. Freeze for a few hours until solid.
Step 4: Once frozen, place in a sensory tray or bowl. In a cup or bowl, mix together half water and half white vinegar. If you are using food coloring, squirt 3-5 drops in now.
Step 5: Use a pipette or medicine dropper and squirt the mixture onto the letters. Watch as they bubble and fizz!
Alphabet Oobleck
Materials:
(2) cups Cornstarch
(1) cup Water
Sensory bin or bowls
Spoon
Food coloring
Glitter (optional
Plastic letters (our favorites linked HERE!)
Step 1: Pour corn starch, water, and food coloring in a tub or tray and mix well.
Step 2: Add in your favorite scoops or bowls and PLAY!!
Make observations as you play:
How does it smell?
How does it feel?
What happens when you add more water to the Oobleck bin?
What does it look like as it dries?
What letter did you pull out?
What sound does it make?
APFL TIP: If you let Oobleck completely dry out and harden, you can store it in an airtight container. The next time you want to use it, simply add water to reactivate!
Dot Marker Alphabet
Materials:
Butcher paper or construction paper
Dot markers
Marker
Materials linked HERE!
Step 1: Roll out the paper and write the alphabet (upper or lower). You can even start small with just a few letters.
Step 2: Use the dot markers to trace the lines of the letters.
Alphabet Soup
Materials:
Sensory tray or bowl
Water
Scoops
Bowls
Letters
Step 1:Fill the sensory tray or bowl halfway with water.
Step 2: Add in letters, scoops and bowls. PLAY!
Sprinkle Writing Tray
Materials:
Sprinkles
Sensory tray or bowl
Step 1: Gather your materials.
Step 2: Pour a thin layer of sprinkles into the sensory tray or bowl.
Step 3: EXPLORE!
Kids can push the sprinkles around with their hands or use a clean/dry paintbrush. They can doodle, make lines, curves or swirls. They can work on letters, numbers or shapes. They can even start working on writing simple words!
Frozen Letters
Materials:
Ice cube tray or bowl
Trinkets that can be frozen
Sensory tray or bowl
Tools to rescue the objects
Step 1: Grab a plastic or metal bowl, an ice cube tray, a silicone mold or a cake/baking pan.
Step 2: Add in your favorite trinkets (plastic animals or figurines, legos, gems, pom Poms, shells, rocks, alphabet letters- literally anything) & add water. Food coloring is optional, a few drops go a long way.
Step 3: freeze for a few hours (length will depend on size and shape that you use.)
Step 4: when frozen, place in a sensory tray or bowl, add medicine droppers, pipettes, squirt bottles or wooden mallets. Also add a few cups or a bowl or warm water.
Step 5: rescue your treasures!! Squirt, squeeze & bang away until they are free of the ice!
Post-It Note Hunt
Materials:
Butcher paper or construction paper
Post-it notes
Marker
Step 1: Use the marker to write the letters on the butcher paper. Hang it up for some vertical play work or tape it to the floor.
Step 2: Write the letters again on the post-it notes. You can either work on matching upper to uppercase words or upper to lower.
Step 3: Hide the post-it notes around the house.
Step 4: Search, find and match!
Tag us @aplayfilledlife if you try any of these fun and engaging learning activities!
More FREE alphabet resources:
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