Letter Games

Five Little Letters - Place magnetic letters on the overhead or on the board and use as you sing this song to the tune of "Five Little Ducks."

        Five little letters went out one day (Hold up 5 fingers.)
        Over the hills and far away. (Move hand up and down.)
        When the teacher called /m/, /m/, /m/, /m/, (Make sound.)
        Only the letter "M" came back. (Remove the letter "m.")
Continue singing about the other letters.

Do You See? Sing this song to the tune of "Do You Know the Muffin Man?" Children take a pointer and try to identify the letter on a class alphabet or environmental print.
        Do you see the letter ____?
        The letter ___, the letter ___?
        Do you see the letter ___
        Somewhere in the room?

       Yes, I see the letter ___, (Child responds as she points to the letter.)
       The letter ___, the letter ___.
       Yes, I see the letter ___.
       It is in our room.

Hint! You can let individual children do this or let every child get up and find that letter on some classroom print.

Who Took the Letter? Adapt the chant "Who Took the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?" to letter activities. Remove a letter from your classroom alphabet or hide the letter with a piece of construction paper. Begin by slapping thighs and clapping hands to the beat as you say:

       Who hid the letter in the alphabet?
       Name (teacher or child) hid the letter in the alphabet.
       Which one?     Which one?     (Children repeat.)
       Could it be?     Could it be?    (Children repeat.)
       It's _____! (Children call out missing letter.)

Letter Shine - Here's a game to play with a flashlight. Turn off the lights in the classroom and sing this song to the tune of "This Little Light of Mine."

       This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
       This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
       This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.
       Shine on (letter), (letter), (letter.) (Child shines the flashlight on the appropriate letter.)

Rest and Shine - Make letters on ceiling tiles with painter's tape. Turn off the lights and play alphabet songs as children lay on their backs and rest. Give children flashlights to shine on the letters as they are sung.