Use games to help preschool children learn their ABCs. Print the letters of the alphabet on index cards, mix them up and have children arrange them in alphabetical order. Print uppercase letters on one set of index cards and lowercase letters on another set of index cards, and have children match the lowercase letters to their uppercase counterparts. State a letter of the alphabet and have children state words that begin with the given letter. Have children match pictures of items to the letters they begin with. Through the use of games, preschool children can learn the letters of the alphabet and the sounds these letters make, providing them with a foundation for reading instruction.
Introduce preschool children to counting with games. Write numbers on the bottoms of the cups inside an egg carton and have children fill each cup with the correct amount of jelly beans. Use sidewalk chalk to write a series of numbers on the ground and have children hop from number to number, stating each number out loud as they do. Write different numbers on index cards, lay them on the ground and have children throw a bean bag on the cards and say the name of the number their bean bag lands on.
Color recognition is a topic that children should gain a mastery of during preschool. Using games as a means of teaching color recognition can help children master this topic. Create a matching game by drawing different-colored circles on two sets of index cards; scatter the cards on the ground and have children take turns matching the colors together. State the name of a color and send children out on a scavenger hunt to find an item in the color you stated. Have children race to sort toys, crayons, markers or other objects into the same colored piles.
Shape identification is yet another topic that children are introduced to during preschool, and using games can help children learn how to identify different shapes. Use masking tape to create different shapes on the floor and have children hop onto each shape, saying the name of the shape as they hop onto it. Play a game of shape basketball; draw a shape on a board and if a child correctly identifies the shape, he can shoot a ball into a clean trashcan. Have children try to guess the shape you are thinking of by providing them with clues that relate to a particular shape.