Your preschool students may gleefully chime in when singing the "ABC Song," but may not know each and every letter yet. Roughly 60 percent of 4-year-olds know half of the upper case letters and 30 percent can identify all of them, according to the PBS Parents website. You can help your preschoolers to build their letter identification skills through reading, playing naming games, using manipulatives such as puzzles and artsy activities.
Involve your preschoolers in the reading process, encouraging them to look at the books, point out the letters and talk about the pictures. Help alphabet identification with letter-themed books. Try a classic such as "Dr. Seuss's ABC: An Amazing Alphabet Book!" Go with a character tale such as "Thomas' ABC Book" by Rev. W. Awdry or combine letter learning with another concept such as nutrition with Lois Ehlert's "Eating the Alphabet." Point out the letters in the books, asking the children to name them and make the sound out loud.
Play an entertaining, yet educational, game that encourages your preschool-aged students to pick out and name letters. Start by choosing a letter and asking the children to say words that begin with it. For example, M is for mop, mommy, mud or marble. Write the words on a piece of poster board or a white board. Ask the children to point to the letter -- in this case M -- in the word. Build on this by asking the preschoolers to find items in the room that begin with the letters -- in an "Eye Spy" type of format. Every time a students "spies" a letter object, write the word on a piece of paper and tape it to the object. Have the children go back and identify the letters around the room.
If you think that puzzles are only for math or fine motor skill building, think again. You can use puzzles, and other similar manipulatives, to help preschoolers develop their letter identification abilities. Use large-scale floor puzzles that feature pictures of the alphabet or smaller-sized versions that fit on a play table. As the child builds, ask her to say the name of the letter. By piecing together the puzzle she'll become more familiar with the shapes of the letters. If you're looking or other manipulative-type options, try letter stacking blocks or felt alphabet pieces on a flannel board.
Instead of dull worksheets that include rote letter-writing activities, spice up alphabet identification with an artsy adventure. Your preschoolers can copy or trace letters, or you can add imagination to your plan and up the creativity factor. Start simple with markers and crayons and then move on to other art materials. For example, have each child paint the first letter of their names with tempera and a craft stick or use sponges to dab color over letter lines. You can also take the learning outside and have the children draw their "first letter" with sidewalk chalk.