Alphabet Guessing Game
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Teaching early literacy skills can feel overwhelming at times. If you take the time to find creative ways to introduce letter sounds to your students, you can really have fun with it! There are so many resources, games, and tools for teaching the alphabet. This Alphabet Guessing Game is an effective activity you can do with your students for letter and sound practice!
*Pair with our Beginning Sound Centers & Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten!
Alphabet Guessing Game
This Alphabet Guessing Game is perfect for Kindergarten or review in 1st grade because there are a variety of ways to play. You can choose to use this activity as a whole group or small group review game. It can also be played with a partner as a challenge activity.
Supplies Needed:
Get started by gathering the supplies. One of the best things about this game is you’ll use what you likely already have on hand!
You can use magnetic letters that stick to your whiteboard or felt letters that stick to a felt board. You can also use alphabet flashcards or laminated ABC cards.
I like to use either a basket or small grab bag to place the letters inside of!
Ways to Play
In the beginning, we play this game using just the letters and sounds that we have already learned. Then as we progress throughout the year we add in more letters.
If your students are ready for it, you can play this game with all the letters of the alphabet.
Below are some of the ways we like to play!
Whole Group and Small Groups
In a whole group or small group setting, I model the activity for the students. Once they are familiar with the objective, I set them up in pairs to play as a partner game.
Using either a whiteboard or felt board, I secretly grab a letter out of a grab bag. I don’t let my students see the letter.
Next, I begin giving my kids clues about the secret letter. I say things like, “This letter says, ‘a’.” or “This letter is at the beginning of the word ant, apple, and alligator.“
The first student who guesses the letter gets to keep the letter card or we place it up on the felt board or whiteboard. I call up a different student each time to pull a letter out of the grab bag and I am sure to remind them that they aren’t allowed to peek at the letter.
Partner Work
Once the students have mastered the rules of the game, they can play in partners!
To play, players place the letter manipulatives in a grab bag. Player #1 pulls a letter out while shielding it from the eyes of player #2.
Player #1 then gives clues to player #2 so that he/she can guess the letter. The game continues until all letters have been guessed.
RELATED RESOURCE: Alphabet Easy Readers
Another hands-on variation of this alphabet guessing game is to give your students a set of alphabet flashcards or laminated ABC cards instead of letter manipulatives.
The players turn the cards face down and scatter them about.
Player #1 draws a card while hiding it from player #2. Then he/she gives clues about the letter.
The game continues until all letters have been guessed.
This alphabet guessing game is an easy and effective way to add tons of letter fun to your lessons!
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