Choose colorful paper as the background for the letters of the alphabet. Construction paper comes in a variety of colors. If students are creating their own pop-up alphabet, allow them to choose which colors to use. They may choose a different color for each letter. For a sturdier pop-up alphabet, use heavier weight paper.
Fold the background sheet in half. On the outside fold, mark the center. From this center mark along the fold, measure an inch each way and mark. From each of these marks, away from the fold, draw a 1 1/2 inch line. Cut on these lines and fold the cut portion up against the rest of the paper.
Open the sheet and gently push the center portion to the inside. Crease the fold of the center cut so it creates a box-like shape. Against the front of this box, you'll glue your alphabet letter. Young children will need assistance with creating this box.
View different colors and styles of letters. Alphabet letters are the focal point of this pop-up project. Some fonts are bold, some whimsical and some classic. Choose alphabet letters that will best appeal to the children. Look for bold colors and letters that stand out. If children are making their own set of pop-up alphabets let them choose their font. Do keep all the fonts of a set the same.
Recreate on paper the style of alphabet letters you choose. A heavier-weight paper gives more body to the finished letters. Recreate the letters by printing them on a computer, transferring them with carbon paper or drawing them freehand. Make letters 4 inches wide and 5 inches tall.
Color the letters. The color of the letter should not clash with the background color. If children are making their own sets, use letter outlines and let the children color their own using crayons, markers or paint. For fancier letters, let them use glitter pens. Let children color their alphabet letters before cutting them out.
Attach the alphabet letters to the front part of the box you created with your background sheet. Do this with glue or double stick tape. If using glue, let dry before opening and closing the sheet to make the alphabet letter pop-up.
Create the whole alphabet. Instead of just one letter, print out the entire alphabet, making sure the whole is no longer than the width of the background. Color and fasten to the box. For the whole alphabet you might wish to create a wider box by marking 2 inches from the center fold.