For a simple game children can play on their own, give them flash cards with capital letters and lowercase letters. Set up a classic matching game by placing the cards upside down. The child must turn the cards over one at a time, only keeping them flipped over if he finds a match.
You can also have the students match up other things to the letters, such as matching letters to a picture of an animals with the matching first letter in their name.
For another individual alphabet activity, give each student a word search made up of the students' names. Simplify the puzzle by keeping all of the names in a horizontal row so the chilldren will easily be able to find their name. Go around and help the children search, encouraging them to start by looking for the first letter in their name.
For an alphabet version of Tic Tac Toe, pair up the students and have each one pick a letter, or you can use the first letter of their name, as children are often able to recognize the letters in their name first. Instead of X's and O's (unless the children chose those), use the chosen letters and explain that they must get three of their letters in a row. This game is best for older preschoolers who have better logic skills to figure out how to win.
Another table game preschoolers can play is alphabet bingo. Give each child a bingo card with random letters. Call out letters and tell the children to cover their board if they have it. To keep it simple, have the children cover their entire board before calling bingo.
Divide the class into two teams and send them on an alphabet scavenger hunt in the class. Encourage the children to work together to find as many objects around the classroom that they think they know the first letter to and that they can safely pick up. For example, the students may grab glue, a crayon, a pencil, a book. At the end of the allotted time, the students present their findings and say what the item is and what the first letter is. You do not have to make it a competitive game; if one team gets more than the other team, congratulate both and give them an equal prize.
Another team game to play that's ideal for preschoolers learning to write also requires two teams. Have each team line up. Call out a letter and the first person from each team runs to the board to write the letter. Alternatively, you can write the letter on the board and have the children say what the letter it is and copy it on the board to make it easier.
One alphabet game to play during circle time requires you to spread letter cards on the floor and have the children stand in a circle around them. Play an upbeat song and have the children march around the letters. When you stop the music, they must pick up the letter closest to them and say what it is when you call on them. Ask them to make the sound the letter makes as well.
A variation of this game would be alphabet musical chairs. Put out only the amount of letters that there are children in the class and take away one. Play the music and have them march around the circle until the music stops. The children must grab a letter and call out what they have. Whoever doesn't get one is out. To keep the child from getting upset, allow each child who gets out the chance to stop the music for the next round.