We do lots of literacy activities in our house! If I had to pick one resource that we use more than any other, it would be magnetic alphabet letters by far. Next to books, it is my favorite item for helping to build literacy skills.
Today, I’m sharing some of our favorite magnetic alphabet games that I hope will inspire you to pull out those little plastic letters and start playing.
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Magnetic Alphabet Games and Activities
You don’t need a lot of materials for the games and activities, but a good set of magnetic letters is very helpful. I’ve had experience with lots of magnetic alphabets over the years. By far, our favorite letters are the Lowercase Alphamagnets
Letter Cookies
All you need is a cookie sheet, spatula, and letters for this game of letter identification practice. Lay the “cookies” (aka letters) on the cookie sheet, Lift each cookie off the tray and name the letter. You could also name a word that starts with that letter. Transfer the cookie to a plate. How many “cookies” can your child identify?
School Bus Letter Pick Up
This game doesn’t require magnetic letters, but since we have them we use them! My boys love to watch for the school bus to come each morning. We created a little bus stop for the letters to wait for the bus. As each bus (color foam cut-outs we got from Target) pulls up to the stop, they name the letter that is boarding the bus. You could also say the sound the letter represents.
Fishing for Letters
For this game, we use a fishing pole from one of our puzzle games. Turn all of the magnetic letters over so that the magnet side is facing up. Take turns fishing for a letter. As you catch a letter, name the letter and say the sound the letter represents.
Runaway Letter
Runaway Letter is a game I shared before. It is one that my 3 year-old created. It is still our most played magnetic letter game. You’ll definitely want to check it out!
If You Know the Letter Sound
Here is a fun song to sing with your magnetic letters to work on letter sounds.
More Magnetic Alphabet Games
Other bloggers have created some fun magnetic letter games too. Here are a few of my favorites.
Magnetic Letter Rainbow Color Activity from Fantastic Fun and Learning is a perfect springtime activity.
I love the idea of taking magnetic letters outside. Sugar Aunts shares how to use Magnetic Letters on the Garage Door.
Print out free Magnetic Alphabet Build-a-Word sheets from This Reading Mama.
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Related Posts
5 More Magnetic Alphabet Games
For more great ABC ideas, check out The Measured Mom’s newest book.
ELaine says
Thank you for making it clear not to add the extra sound when articulating certain letters. I am a Primary grade reading teacher, and kids who have heard or say lEtter sounds with the extra ‘uh’ at the end, sometimes struggle to Decode because of this.
Jodie Rodriguez says
Yes Elaine, I’ve seen this time and time again too. Thank you for all the work you do.
Cheryl Dusek says
I give the children assorted letters in a container.I will give the either a word, a sound, it comes before or after clues. The first one to find it puts the letter on the magnetic art easel then the other children add there same letters. As we play we sort the letters, put them in ABC order, count them and see which letter has more or less.
We also use them to match words on picture cards.
We learn bout beginning middle and ending sounds. And how changing where the letter goes can change the word.
My website is cdmaybe1day.com. (The website box would not take the information) There is information on my book Maybe One Day What Do You Want To Be? and its matching Activity Guide which makes learning fun. The guide is filled with academic based concepts through creative arts ideas. All activities are aligned to pre kindergarten and kindergarten common core standards.
Cassie says
These look like great ideas. I just wrote a post on teaching ABCs to a toddler with magnetic letters. I’ll have to use some of your ideas, too!