Make a simple fishing pole for a letter fishing game. Tape a strong magnet to one end of a a 24-inch long length of string, then tie the other end of the string to a yardstick. Cut 26, 4-inch long fish-shapes from colored craft foam sheets or construction paper. Write one letter of the alphabet on both sides of each fish. Slip a paper clip onto each fish shape. To play, lay a hula hoop on the floor and place the fish inside the hula hoop. Let children take turns holding the fishing pole to catch a fish from the hula hoop pond. Catch a fish by placing the fishing pole magnet onto one of the paper clips. Read the letter aloud. Play the game until all the letters are caught.
Switch off the classroom lights so children can play an in-the-dark game to learn the ABCs. Seat children on the floor facing a blank wall and place your chair behind them. Use a flashlight to "write" a letter in light on the dark wall. Ask children to name the letters that you write in light. Try a variation of the game. Ask children to stand or clap hands if you write the first letter of their first name on the wall.
Draw a line through the center of a sheet of paper to make two long columns. At the top of the first column, write, "Letters in my name." At the top of the second column, write, "Letters not in my name." Make one for each child. Clip the papers to clipboards. Give each child a clipboard and a pencil. Let children walk around the room looking for letters in their first names on posters, charts or other printed items. When a child finds a letter contained in his name, he writes it in the first column. If he finds letters that are not in his name, he writes them in the second column. The first child to discover and write all of the letters in his name is the winner.
Choose a letter of the alphabet to play the starring role in an ABC game. Designate a large area of the floor for a "beginning letter pile." If you choose the letter, "A," tell children that they must run around the room to pick up objects that begin with "A," then bring them to the spot to create a pile. Blow a whistle to begin the game. Time the grab-and-pile portion of the game for five minutes. Add more minutes if finding things is difficult for the children. When time is up, sit in a circle around the "beginning letter pile." Name each object to make sure that it begins with the correct letter. Write the names of the collected objects on a chart. Repeat the game with a new letter.