The first letters children often recognize are the ones found in their own names. Provide each student with a page that has his name printed across the top. Have the children walk around the room, looking for the letters in their names. Encourage them to look at book covers and signs and posters on the walls. Once they become proficient at finding the letters in their names, extend the game. Fold their pieces of paper in half. When they find letters that are in their names, they can print them on the top half of the paper. When they find letters that are not in their names, they should write them on the bottom half.
Use this game to teach children the letters of the alphabet in sequence. Have the children sit in a circle. Say the first letter of the alphabet then roll a tennis ball to a child. The child says the next letter of the alphabet and rolls the ball to someone else. Continue the game until the alphabet has been completed. To make the game more challenging, roll the ball and say the correct letter plus a word that begins with the letter.
This game promotes letter recognition. Create or purchase two sets of ready-made alphabet flashcards. Shuffle both sets of cards and spread them out face down on a table or carpet. Have children take turns flipping over two cards. If the letters match, they get another turn. If they do not match, they flip the cards over and the next child takes a turn. Play this game first with only uppercase letters, then move on to using lowercase letters. Make the game more challenging by having children match the correct lowercase letters to their uppercase partners.
Have the children play alphabet bingo to encourage letter recognition. Create or purchase ready-made bingo cards that contain one letter on each space. Provide the children with plastic chips or pennies to use as markers. Choose a letter from a set of alphabet flash cards. Children that have the letter on their cards can cover it with a marker. The first child to cover every letter on her card wins.