Here are short lists of fun and engaging activities parents can do at home to help preschoolers reinforce their alphabet and math skills:
Help Support Your Preschooler's ELA Concepts
1. Alphabet Scavenger Hunt
Write each letter of the alphabet on paper or sticky notes.
Hide them around the house.
Encourage your child to find them and say the letter name and sound when they do.
2. Letter Matching Games
Provide uppercase and lowercase letter cards.
Have your child match the uppercase to the lowercase letters while saying their names and sounds.
3. Letter Sound Hopscotch
Create a hopscotch grid with letters instead of numbers.
Call out a letter sound and have your child hop to the corresponding letter.
4. "I Spy" with Letters
Play a game of "I Spy" by saying, "I spy something that starts with the letter B" or "I spy the letter R." This a great way to pass the time while driving in the car!
5. Story Time Letter Hunt
During story time, choose a book and have your child point out a specific letter on the page.
Help Support Your Preschooler's Math Concepts
Encourage counting throughout the day: toys, snacks, steps, etc.
Add variety by counting forward, backward, or skipping numbers.
2. Shape Scavenger Hunt
Go on a hunt around the house to find objects shaped like circles, squares, triangles, etc.
Talk about the shapes’ names and attributes (e.g., sides, corners).
3. Snack Math
Use snacks like pretzels or grapes to practice counting, addition, or subtraction.
Ask questions like, “If we eat two, how many are left?”
4. Build with Blocks
Use blocks to practice counting, comparing heights, or building specific shapes.
Introduce ideas like "taller," "shorter," "more," and "less."
5. Laundry Sorting
Involve your child in sorting laundry by size, color, or type.
Practice counting pairs of socks or items in each pile.