It always amazes me how fast summer goes by. But once school starts, it’s time to break out one of my very favorite early childhood education themes: apples!

So if you’re working with early learners who are practicing letter recognition, here’s a set of fun apple letter matching puzzles that can help!

These are fantastic for early literacy centers.

They’d also make good morning tub activities!

Keep reading to see how to get your copy of these literacy skill builders.

And, for more apple early learning fun, check out my Apple Counting One to Ten Puzzles too!

Printable Apple Letter Matching Puzzles

To use these apple letter matching puzzles, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper or cardstock
• Laminator (optional)
• Colored pencils (optional)
• Scissors

This set of letter matching activities includes 26 apple puzzles.

Each features an uppercase and lowercase version of the same letter.

After you’ve printed the puzzles, cut them apart for students to practice matching the letters to their partners.

A full blackline version is also included!

How to Use Letter Puzzles to Build Literacy

These are perfect for centers or small groups. You can cut them out as one piece if you are teaching letter recognition.

As students look at each apple, they can learn to recognize the uppercase and lowercase version of each letter.

Once they’re ready, it’s time to practice!

Cut the puzzles apart and students can match up the letters they just learned.

To make sure the puzzles last, you may want to either laminate them or print them on white cardstock.

Or both!

If you’re working with very young learners, print an extra set of the puzzles and leave them whole. Then put them on a ring as an answer key.

Students can check their work as they go!

If you use the blackline version, you can let your class color in the puzzles before matching them up.

Scroll down to get your set of these Apple Alphabet! Letter Matching Puzzles!

Need more apple-themed resources? Take a look at these!

The post Uppercase and Lowercase Apple Letter Matching Puzzles appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

But I do love snowflakes. They are incredibly intricate and, even though they’re fragile, each one is unique.

Each one!

That always blows my mind.

So I thought snowflakes would be a fun theme for a brand new English and Spanish letter matching activity!

This early literacy resource is a perfect addition to winter literacy centers!

And what’s even better is that it offers hands-on uppercase and lowercase alphabet recognition practice in two languages.

Awesome for ELL learners!

Read on to see how to get your copy.

And, for more winter early learning inspiration, take a look at our list of 15 fun books for kids about snow!

Snowflake English & Spanish Letter Matching Activity

To use this snowflake English and Spanish letter matching activity, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Laminator (optional)
• Hook and loop adhesive coins (optional)
• Dry erase markers (optional)

This resource includes 29 Spanish snowflake uppercase letter cards and 29 Spanish lowercase letter circles for matching.

The English version features 26 uppercase cards and 26 lowercase circles.

And there’s a full answer key in both languages!

Plus, there’s a blackline version of both snowflake card and circle sets.

How to Use the English and Spanish Letter Matching Activity with Students

So – how can you use this with your early readers?

My personal favorite is to set it up as a reusable center activity.

Add hook and loop adhesive coins to the back of the lowercase letter circles. And then add them to the center of each snowflake card.

Students can match up the lowercase letters to the uppercase letters over and over again.

If you cut out the answer key cards and place them on an O ring, you can keep the answer key at the center for self-checking!

You can also use this as a one-time cut and paste activity.

Students can use child-safe scissors to cut out the lowercase circles and glue them onto the correct snowflake uppercase letter cards.

If you decide to use the blackline set, students can color the cards in for themselves!

Another option is to laminate the uppercase snowflake cards.

Then students can practice writing the matching lowercase letters with dry erase markers.

This is a good option if you have students who have already learned their lowercase letters and you need to differentiate the activity.

You can also print the resource at half-size.

The smaller page size makes it an ideal size to place in morning tubs!

Get a look at this resource in action below!

Scroll down to get your copy of this Snowflake English and Spanish Letter Matching Activity!

Try some of these other winter learning ideas for early grades!

The post Snowflake Spanish Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching Activity appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

The change between what students can do on the first day and what they can do on the last day is remarkable.

And that’s because we teach so many concepts during kindergarten that form the foundation of what our students will learn for years afterward – from reading to counting to working well with others.

Early literacy, in particular, is one of my passions. When we help our students learn to read, we help them learn how to learn.

And, if we can make it fun, they’re even more likely to stick with it. Which is why I’m sharing this list of 10 hands on literacy ideas for kindergarten!

Turning literacy into an interactive lesson is the best way to make sure our early learners stay engaged.

After all, we want them to learn to love reading, right?

These resources are excellent for building literacy skills and having fun at the same time!

Read on to see the full list and how to get a free early literacy resource too.

Need ideas for teaching math in kindergarten? Take a look at this list of fun counting books to read with kids!

10 Hands On Literacy Ideas for Kindergarten

Apple CVC Word Building Activity

Help your kindergartners practice phonics and spelling with this fun apple-themed word building activity!

Use the word cards at centers and let students practice threading the CVC words for themselves. Check out this resource.

Use highlighters for phonics practice.

When you’re working with printed worksheets, add a little fun by letting students use highlighters!

They can write a new word and then highlight isolated letter sounds, such as the beginning sound, the vowel sound, the ending sound, and more.

Cupcake Uppercase and Lowercase Letter Matching

Working on recognizing uppercase and lowercase letters?

This hands-on cupcake letter matching activity is a perfect activity for early centers! Check out this resource.

Use magnetic or foam letters at centers.

Letting students move letters around is a fun way to show them how word sounds change, depending on the position of each letter.

Hand out individual magnet boards and let the kids spell out words for themselves. Here is a great magnetic letters kit for early readers. (affiliate link)

Use sidewalk chalk for outdoor literacy practice.

When the weather’s nice, take the class outside for the day’s reading lesson!

Draw a few vowels on the pavement and let the kids run to the vowel sound you say. You can also write a few CVC words on the concrete and let them find each one, based on how it sounds.

Sign Language Alphabet Learning Cards

Help your early readers practice recognizing written letters while learning sign language! And they make a fantastic addition to your collection of hands on literacy ideas for kindergarten.

These printable sign language alphabet learning cards are excellent for building hand-eye coordination and learning to spell in ASL! Check out this resource.

Vowel Houses Short Vowel Sound Activity

If you take a few minutes to prep a reusable activity, you can set up a center lesson that kids will use again and again.

This Vowel Houses CVC Word Activity is fantastic for centers! Students can practice placing the pictures in the correct houses by reading the words and listening for the vowel sound. Check out this resource.

Rhyming Word Puzzles

Kindergarten is the grade for learning about rhyming words. These printable rhyming word puzzles are awesome for centers and morning tubs!

Plus, they come with a non-labeled set, so students can practice listening for the rhyming sound and reading it. Check out this resource.

Use a whiteboard to introduce early ELA skills.

As your students build reading fluency, you’ll start introducing them to what sentences should look like – capitalizing first letters, ending with the right punctuation, and so on.

I like to use a whiteboard to write sentences incorrectly and then ask my students what I need to change. They love pointing out my mistakes!

Cookie and Cupcake Themed Alphabet Practice

If you need a quick take-home activity for students, this cookie and cupcake themed alphabet practice set is perfect!

These alphabet worksheets feature five literacy activities for early readers that help them practice recognizing and using letters – with a fun dessert theme.

To get your copy of these printable Sweet Treats! Literacy Worksheets, click the image or the link below to have them sent directly to your inbox – free!

You’ll also get our newsletter this Sunday night!

>>> Cookie and Cupcake Alphabet Worksheets <<<

Did you like this list of hands on literacy ideas for kindergarten? Try some of these other ideas for building early literacy skills!

The post 10 Hands On Literacy Ideas for Kindergarten appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Of course not! The more apples, the better!

So I’m excited to share this fun (and hands-on!) apple-themed CVC word literacy activity!

It’s a perfect lesson for strengthening phonics, fine motor skills, and following directions – all in one fall-themed activity for early readers.

Read on to see how to use this early literacy skill builder with your students!

And, for more fun with apples this fall, take a look at our Apple Orchard! Digital Comparing Numbers Activity too!

Apple CVC Word Literacy Activity for Early Readers

To use this apple CVC word literacy activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer paper
• Scissors
• Lacing alphabet letters
• Pipe cleaners
• A copy of our Apple CVC Word Cards (link at the bottom of post)

It only takes a few minutes to set up this literacy activity.

Start by cutting apart the Apple CVC word cards.

Afterwards, pull out a few pipe cleaners and let students find the matching lacing letters for each word.

They can pull a CVC word card and then lace the letters onto pipe cleaners to spell out each word.

After students are comfortable spelling out the words, use different color lacing letters to highlight separate phonetic sounds.

Isolate the vowel sound by using a certain color for the middle vowel letters.

Then practice identifying beginning and ending sounds with different color letters too!

This is a fantastic way to incorporate fine motor skills along with literacy in a fun fall theme!

Scroll down to get your set of apple CVC word cards for use with this literacy activity!

Try some of these other apple learning ideas for early grades!

To get your set of Apple CVC Word cards for this Apple CVC Word Literacy Activity, click the image or the link below to download them directly to your computer!

>>> Printable Apple CVC Word Cards <<<

The post Apple CVC Word Literacy Activity for Early Readers appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

It’s so fun to watch them learn to recognize one word, then two, then a full sentence!

And if you can add a hands-on element, it’s even better.

So I thought this fun space-themed color by sight word activity would be a cool resource to add to early literacy lessons!

This is a true no-prep activity. Simply print the pages and you’re finished.

Perfect for teaching small groups, working at literacy centers, or learning at home!

Read on to see how to get your copy. And, if you’re looking for more early literacy ideas, don’t miss our Rhyming Word Puzzles!

Space Sight Words! Color by Sight Word Activity

Sight word reading can be a very helpful step toward literacy.

When young readers can remember important and commonly used words, it builds their confidence – which is critical to building a love for reading.

Which is why learning sight words is definitely worth the time, even at young ages.

This literacy and art activity can help!

To use this sight word color activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Crayons or colored pencils

Each coloring page features six sight words and color codes for each picture.

Students simply color the picture according to the color for each sight word.

There are five different pictures in all.

Since students will be reading and rereading the words again and again, this is an excellent retention lesson.

Plus, they’ll get a fun art activity in the meantime!

Scroll down to get your copy of this Space Sight Word Color Activity!

Don’t miss these other early literacy activities!

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For perspective, I’ve been living in Georgia since I was 18 months old.

Naturally, the plants in our neighborhood are growing like crazy. And, so, I thought it was a great time to introduce these fun “Water the Flowers” find the letter worksheets!

Whether you live in a rainy climate or not, these alphabet worksheets are so fun for little ones to use during spring!

And they’re great for reinforcing letter recognition skills at any time of year.

Keep reading to get your set – free! And, for more ways to teach early letter recognition, pick up my A to Z Race! Finish the Alphabet Worksheets too!

Water the Flowers! Find the Letter Worksheets for Kids

To use these flower-themed find the letter worksheets, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Crayons or Dot markers
• Laminator (optional)
• Dry erase markers (optional)
• Playdough (optional)

This product includes nine find the letter worksheets.

Each letter (uppercase and lowercase) has a row for students to read the letter on the “flower” and spot the matching letter on “raindrops”.

If you’ll use these as a one-time activity, simply print them and pass them out for use with colored pencils, crayons, or dot markers.

Or turn them into a morning tub activity by laminating the pages.

Then let students “dot” the raindrops with playdough, dry erase markers, or pom poms!

Scroll down to get your set of Water the Flowers Find the Alphabet Worksheets!

Try some of these other early literacy activities!

To get your copy of our Water the Flowers! Find the Letter Worksheets, sign up for our email newsletter!

You’ll get access to these printables, plus lots more, in our exclusive Subscriber Library!

Just use the widget below to get started and then watch for your welcome email!

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After all, when we teach early readers to decode CVC words, the short vowel sound in the center is what separates the two consonants.

But early learners tend to remember concepts best when they get to incorporate movement in each lesson. 

So these interactive vowel houses make a wonderful short vowel sounds activity for increasing phonics skills!

This is a fantastic activity for literacy centers or morning tubs! You can reuse the vowel houses and let students practice matching up the correct sounds again and again.

Read on to see how to get your copy! And for more fun with short vowels, don’t miss our printable short vowel flashcards!

Vowel Houses! Short Vowel Sounds Activity

To use this Vowel Houses! short vowel sounds activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Child-safe scissors
• Colored pencils
• Glue stick
• Laminator (optional)
• Hook and loop sticky dots (optional)

This product includes five different vowel “houses” – one for each letter.

Each house contains four CVC words with short vowel sounds, as well as matching pictures for each word.

Students can color the houses and pictures and then practice placing each picture above the correct CVC word.

You can use these with scissors and glue if you’ll only be using this activity once.

Or you can laminate the houses and pictures and attach hook and loop sticky dots for a reusable phonics activity!

Scroll down to get your copy of this Vowel Houses! CVC Short Vowel Sounds Activity!

Stop by to see these other fun activities for ELA!

See more ways to teach language arts on my Fun Language Arts Ideas for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of this Vowel Houses! CVC Short Vowel Sounds Activity, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Vowel Houses! CVC Short Vowel Sounds Activity <<<

The post Vowel Houses! Short Vowel Sounds Activity for Kids appeared first on Look! We're Learning!.

Actually, I think every child born before 1985 or so learned it that way.

I thought I could teach my kids the alphabet in the same way. And they did learn to recite the song. But, when it was time to actually start reading, I’d forgotten to help them match up the letters with the sounds in the song.

We had to go back to the beginning and memorize what each letter looked like and then go back and review the order from the song.

These finish the alphabet worksheets for kids make that process just a tad easier. 

These are simple to use with early learners. Plus, they’re free!

Keep reading to see how to score your copy! Want more ways to work on learning the alphabet with kids? Take a look at our Consonant and Vowel Phonics Flashcards while you’re here!

A to Z Race! Finish the Alphabet Worksheets for Kids

To use these finish the alphabet worksheets for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper I used Astrobright paper here.
• Pencils

This product includes three different finish the alphabet worksheets.

All three have several letters of the alphabet missing, so it’s up to students to fill in the blanks!

Plus, each alphabet worksheet has a different theme, including space…

dinosaurs…

…and the circus!

If you’re working with these themes with your class, you can use one of these worksheets with each unit!

An answer key for each worksheet is also included.

Scroll down to get your copy of our Finish the Alphabet Worksheets for Kids free!

Take a look at these other early literacy learning ideas!

See more ways to teach early learners on my Learning for Little Ones Pinterest board!

Ready to get your hands on these Finish the Alphabet Worksheets? Click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store and get them free!

>>> Finish the Alphabet Worksheets for Kids <<<

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It’s been a very long wait. Very, very, very long. Really felt like last winter was the longest in history.

I try to keep my kids learning and reading over the summer, but even that can get a little boring if I’m not careful.

So, I thought they’d have a little more fun keeping up with their progress with a cute ice cream printable summer reading log and I’m sharing it with all of you today!

This summer reading set is so fun for tracking books and pages read, labeling books with your kids’ names, and keeping up with where the kids left off in their reading.

Read on to see how to get your copy free! Woohoo!

And, for more ice cream-themed activities for kids, take a look at our printable Ice Pop Patterns Math Activity!

Ice Cream Printable Summer Reading Log

To use this ice cream printable summer reading log, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Cardstock
• Colored pencils
• Child-safe scissors

This printable literacy kit contains four activities for little readers!

The printable reading log is an awesome way to track what kids read over the summer. They can fill in the date, the book they’re reading, the length of time they read, and the number of pages covered.

You can print as many of these summer reading logs as you need to keep up with all of the books your kids read.

The kit also contains eight bookplates that kids can use to label their special books. If you have several kids (like I do), this is a must. Cuts down on the “she took my book!” complaints.

And, if you’re a bookworm, you already know the vital importance of bookmarks.

So this literacy kit includes eight of them for kids to use as they read!

Four are color and four feature line art so kids can color the bookmarks themselves!

If you’re a teacher, these printable summer reading log activities would be awesome for take-home packets too!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Ice Cream Printable Summer Reading Log!

Check out these other literacy ideas for students!

To get your copy of this printable Ice Cream Summer Reading Log, click the image or the link below to head over to my Teachers Pay Teachers store and score it free!

>> Ice Cream Printable Reading Kit <<<

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Personally, I’m for whatever helps a child learn to read. 

Some of my kids took to reading right away. Others learned beginning sounds, digraphs, and suffixes before learning to read fluently. 

So I thought these printable phonics flashcards might be useful to some of you as well!

These would be excellent for literacy centers, phonics reviews, and even “I Have, Who Has?” games! Plus, you can print them once and then use them over and over again.

Find out how to get your set of phonics flashcards for kids below! And, for more fun with early literacy, check out our Rhyming Word Puzzles!

Phonics Fun! Printable Phonics Flashcards for Kids

To use these printable phonics flashcards, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

• Printer (with ink)
• Printer Paper
• Scissors
• Laminator (Useful if you plan to reuse the cards)

These printable phonics flashcards for kids include a complete set of vowel flashcards, featuring letters and pictures that have the correct beginning sound for each letter.

Long and short vowel sounds are included.

So, for letter A, there are two flashcards: one featuring a picture of an acorn (for long A) and another featuring a picture of an alligator (for short A).

Consonant sounds are included in this set of printable phonics flashcards too!

Letters that have more than one sound, such as G, have a flashcard for each type of sound: hard and soft.

In the example of G, one flashcard shows a picture of grapes (for hard G) and another shows a picture of a gingerbread man (for soft G).

Even tricky letters like X are included! One flashcard shows a word that begins with X (“xylophone”) and another shows a word that ends with the X sound (“fox”).

Color and line art versions of all the flashcards are included as well!

Scroll down to get your copy of our printable phonics flashcards!

Stop by and see these other early literacy learning ideas!

 

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