Rock Through the Alphabet - Preschool Literacy Program

The National Education Association is sponsoring a Read Across America event to celebrate reading on and around Dr. Seuss's birthday (March 2, 2007). Join us as we Rock Through the Alphabet with our Preschool Literacy Program in honor of Dr. Seuss's birthday! Each week the Preschool Education website will feature activities and curriculum ideas for each letter of the alphabet. Get your preschoolers excited about learning the alphabet by including alphabet art, alphabet books, and alphabet math in your preschool program.

General ABC

ABC Tic Tac Toe
This variation of the typical tic tac toe game will help preschoolers to recognize the letters in the alphabet and teach them valuable pre-writing skills. Preschoolers can also use alphabet stamps for this fun alphabet game.

Word Search for Your Name
This literacy activity will teach preschoolers to recognize the letters in their name. Preschoolers will love using a word search puzzle to find the letters in their name.

The Letter A

Rock Through the Alphabet - A is for Apple
A is for Apple and preschoolers will love learning about the letter "A" through these simple hands-on activities. Teach preschoolers about the letter "A" with exciting circle time activities, arts and crafts projects, math and science activities, music and movement, and pretend play.

Rock Through the Alphabet - Letter "A" Apple Stamping
Preschoolers will love learning about the letter "A" with this fun stamping activity. With only a few minutes of adult preparation, you can create fun letter "A" stamps out of apples. Your preschoolers will enjoy stamping the letter "A" all over their paper.

Rock Through the Alphabet - Applebet
This colorful ABC story by Clyde Watson tells the story of a little girl named Bet and her mother as they get the apples on their farm ready for the county fair. This preschool book goes through not only the letters of the alphabet, but hard and soft sounds and blends as well. This is a wonderful book to introduce preschoolers to valuable reading skills.

The Letter B

Rock Through the Alphabet - Letter "B" Mask
Create this innovative mask with your preschooler using an upper case letter "B". Your preschooler will love decorating their mask with magazine cutouts, stickers, and stamps. Add an exciting dimension to story time by incorporating this mask into your reading.

Preschool Book Review - The Bear Came Over to My House
This entertaining rhyme by Rick Walton can be sung to the tune of The Bear Went Over the Mountain. Preschoolers will love the crazy antics of the friendly bear as he tries to play with a little girl and her dog. Present and past tense verbs are subtly included on each page and will teach your preschooler valuable pre-reading skills.

The Letter C

Preschool Theme - Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Alphabet
Preschoolers will love this fun theme that goes with the classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Book Boom. Teach preschoolers the letters of the alphabet with this rhythmic book. Preschoolers will learn upper case and lower case letters.

Rock Through the Alphabet - Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Palm Trees
These Palm Trees use more than your palm. This preschool art activity gets preschoolers painting with their hands and arms! This is a great add on activity to go with the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom but it can also be used on its own.

Preschool Book Review - Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
This whimsical alphabet rhyme will have preschoolers singing along with the story. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom teaches preschoolers the upper case and lower case alphabet. The simple and bright illustrations are appealing for preschoolers and will have them asking for this book again and again.

The Letter D

Taking Care of Teeth - Preschool Dental Health
February is Dental Health Month. Take the opportunity to teach preschoolers about the importance of good dental health. This curriculum theme will have preschoolers motivated to take better care of their teeth. Fabulous science activities will show preschoolers what really happens to their teeth if they don't take care of them.

Preschool Book Review - Big Shark's Lost Tooth
Chomp is a lemon shark who has just lost a tooth, but he lives deep in the ocean. How will the Tooth Fairy ever find him? The fantastic illustrations and undersea setting bring a new dimension to the story of the Tooth Fairy.

The Letter E

Preschool Emotions Poster - Take pictures of the preschoolers in your class making faces showing different emotions. Make a poster using the photos and label them with the emotion that each preschooler is showing.

Preschool Theme - E is for Emotions
This preschool theme will teach preschoolers all about the feelings and emotions that they experience every day. Emotional education is an important part of a well rounded preschool education.

Preschool Book Review - A is for Angry
This amusing alphabet book by Sandra Boynton creates an alphabet of emotion. Each letter of the alphabet has a corresponding emotion and animal. Preschoolers will love having names for all of the emotions that they experience in their lives.

The Letter F

Fishing for ABC's
This fun preschool alphabet activity uses items found around the house and it an exciting way to teach preschoolers to recognize the ABC's. Preschoolers can learn about reusing materials as they save the lids from frozen juice containers while preparing to make this game.

Preschool Art - Paper Plate Fish
Preschoolers will love making this paper plate fish. This simple preschool art project teaches preschoolers important small motor skills. The bright colors will make this preschool art project a great addition to a preschool fish theme or a preschool bulletin board.

Preschool Book Review - The Rainbow Fish
The Rainbow Fish is a classic story that preschool children can really relate to. Preschoolers love watching as Rainbow Fish learns what being happy is all about. Partner this book with Rainbow Fish A,B,C for a wonderful lesson that will appeal to your preschoolers and teach them important kindergarten readiness skills.

The Letter G

Alphabet Children's Poster
Create a tactile preschool educational experience by allowing preschoolers to use their bodies to form the letters of the alphabet.

Preschool Book Review - The Graphic Alphabet
The Graphic Alphabet is a wonderful preschool alphabet book that will bring a new twist to the traditional alphabet book. Preschoolers will love the innovative pictures and the wonderful way the letters forms add to the meaning of each page.

The Letter H

Preschool Theme - Signing Hands
The Signing Hands Preschool Theme introduces preschoolers to American Sign Language and the deaf culture. Preschoolers will learn what it means to be deaf and how they can use sign language to talk with their hands.

ASL I-Love-You Craft
Preschoolers will learn about the ASL sign for I love you with this easy paper craft. This open ended art projects gives preschoolers the freedom to use their own imagination to decorate the craft.

Preschool Book Review - The Handmade Alphabet
The Handmade Alphabet beautifully illustrates the manual American Sign Language Alphabet. Preschoolers reinforce alphabet concepts and learn about the deaf culture.

The Letter I

Preschool Theme - Bugs and Butterflies
Preschoolers are intrigued by all of the creepy crawling things in the world around us. The Bugs and Butterflies preschool theme provides preschoolers with the opportunity to learn hands on about the role that insects play in our world.

Miss Spider's ABC
From the favorite series by David Kirk, Miss Spider's ABC has the same wonderful illustrations that preschoolers have grown to love. This entertaining book is a wonderful introduction to the ABC's and a great exercise in phonemic awareness.

The Letter J

Preschool Book Review - Jambo means hello
Jambo means hello, a Swahili Alphabet Book is a wonderful introduction for preschoolers to the east African culture and language. Each letter of the alphabet includes simple Swahili vocabulary and a pronunciation guide. Each page depicts life for people living in east Africa with beautiful illustrations and simple cultural facts.

Plastic Egg Maracas
When Easter is over do not get rid of those plastic easter eggs! They can be used for so much more then just storing candy. Make these easy musical maracas out of plastic easter eggs for preschoolers to practice their rhythm and movement.

The Letter K

Preschool Book Review - Katy No-Pocket
Poor Katy Kangaroo has no pocket to carry her baby in like the other mother kangaroos do. Little Freddy can't keep up with his mother when she hops. Katy asks all the other animals how they carry their babies, trying to find a solution to her problem.

Letter K Kangaroo Pockets
This preschool alphabet activity will help preschoolers to recognize the sound that the letter K makes and identify objects that start with the letter K.

The Letter L

Animal Mama Preschool Matching Game
This simple preschool activity strengthens preschoolers memory skills and it can be a wonderful activity to go along with reading the preschool book Is Your Mama a Llama?.

Preschool Book Review - Is Your Mama a Llama?
This classic book will appeal to preschoolers with it's playful rhyme and simple riddles. Lloyd the llama finds out what kind of animal all of his friends have for a a mama as he goes exploring.

The Letter M

Preschool Flower Pots
This simple preschool project teaches preschoolers about the growing process and makes a wonderful gift for mothers day. Preschoolers love watching as their flowers get bigger each day.

Love You Forever
This classic book by Robert N. Munsch is an essential part of any preschool library. It tells the story of a mothers love for her baby, no matter how big he gets.

The Letter N

Navajo Fry Bread
Navajo Fry bread is a traditional food of the Navajo people and a delicious snack for hungry preschoolers. Preschoolers will enjoy trying food that the Navajo people eat as part of their regular diet.

Navajo ABC
Navajo ABC teaches preschoolers about the Navajo culture as they learn the alphabet. Beautiful illustrations give preschoolers a glimpse at life as a Navajo.

The Letter O

Spray Bottle Splatter Painting
Splatter painting is a fun twist on painting with a paintbrush. Preschoolers will develop fine motor skills as they create their splatter paint artwork.

Preschool Book Review - Old Black Fly
Old Black Fly is a surprising twist on the traditional alphabet book. This wonderfully rhythmic book can be sung to preschoolers to add some extra fun to story time.

The Letter P

Chopstick Painting
Preschoolers love experimenting with different art techniques. Hand them a pair of chopsticks to practice their painting skills with something a bit different.

Preschool Book Review - Zen Shorts
Michael, Karl, and their sister Addy have an unexpected new neighbor, a giant panda bear named Stillwater. They quickly become friends with Stillwater and discover that he has some wonderful lessons to teach them.

The Letter Q

Preschool Book Review - Q is for Duck
Q is for Duck, an alphabet guessing game, is a fun twist on the traditional alphabet book. Preschoolers will enjoy the exciting alphabet riddles in this interactive book.

N is for Name
Preschoolers love experimenting with different textures. You can use textures to help preschoolers learn to write the letters in their name by laminating a name strip with their name written in a simple font.

The Letter R

Preschool Cloud Puppets
Puppets are a great addition to circle time activities and music time. Preschoolers are more interested in activities that they can play a hands on roll in. Preschoolers will enjoy making these easy cloud puppets that can be used in a weather theme or incorporated into the singing of any rain related song.

Sing About The Rain
Preschoolers love to be a part of the songs that they sing. Making a simple cloud puppet can help preschoolers to act out their favorite songs about the rain.

Preschool Book Review - The Rain Came Down
Everyone has experienced days where nothing seems to go right. In "The Rain Came Down", the rain seems to put everyone in a bad mood and cause all kinds of problems.

The Letter S

Sensory Activity - Salt Writing
This simple preschool sensory activity can be done using basic household supplies and a little creativity. Preschoolers will love the feel of the salt on their fingers and can use this activity to practice writing their letters and numbers.

Preschool Book Review - Snakes!
Snakes! is the story of a boy who is not afraid of anything, anything that is, except snakes. He imagines that there are snakes everywhere and being used for everything he can think of. Will this almost fearless boy learn to overcome his fear of snakes?

The Letter T

Preschool Pretend Play Activity - Road Map
Preschoolers love to create worlds of their own imagination. This simple activity uses materials you can find around the house and will turn preschoolers into busy city planners. This activity will keep preschoolers busy for hours, creating and playing.

Preschool Book Review - Alphabet City
Stephen T. Johnson shows preschoolers the city in a whole new light. There are no words in the book but the vivid illustrations depict the letters of the alphabet hidden throughout the city. This unique alphabet book will have preschoolers looking for the letters of the alphabet in places that they never would have dreamed of before.

The Letter U

Preschool Theme - Under the Sea
As the weather warms up, preschoolers will love learning about the ocean and everything that lives under the sea with this exciting preschool theme.

Preschool Book Review - The Rainbow Fish
The Rainbow Fish is a classic story that preschool children can really relate to. Preschoolers love watching as Rainbow Fish learns what being happy is all about. Partner this book with Rainbow Fish A,B,C for a wonderful lesson that will appeal to your preschoolers and teach them important kindergarten readiness skills.

The Letter V

Preschool Flower Pots
This simple preschool project teaches preschoolers about the growing process and makes a wonderful gift for mothers day. Preschoolers love watching as their flowers get bigger each day.

Preschool Book Reivew - The Carrot Seed
The Carrot Seed is a classic preschool book with a very simple story that teaches a very important lesson.

The Letter W

Make a Preschool Alphabet Wall
This simple and ongoing preschool activity will help preschoolers recognize each letter of the alphabet and the sounds that they make. The alphabet wall will keep growing as preschoolers learn more about each letter of the alphabet.

Preschool Book Review - The Turn-Around, Upside-Down Alphabet Book
This innovate alphabet book reads in a circle. Preschoolers will look at the letters of the alphabet in an entirely new way and they turn the book on its side and upside down to see the many things that the letters of the alphabet appear to be.

The Letter X

Preschool Pirate Activity - Photo Treasure Hunt
Pre-reading activities involve more than simply teaching preschoolers their ABC’s. An important part of reading is the ability to recognize that symbols (such as letters and words) stand for something else. Preschoolers can practice this essential pre-reading skill by learning to communicate through symbols. This exciting treasure hunt activity will encourage preschoolers to “read” each picture and determine what action they need to take.

Preschool Book Review - How I Became a Pirate
How I Became a Pirate is an absorbing tale that will have preschoolers wanting to yell "Arg!". This imaginative tale about a day at the beach will open preschoolers eyes to all the possibilities in the world around them.

The Letter Y

Preschool Literacy Activity - Yarn Letters
Preschoolers love experimenting with different mediums. This preschool literacy activity requires very few supplies and really gets preschoolers excited about learning to write the letters of the alphabet.

Preschool Book Review - I Like Myself!
I Like Myself! is a wonderful preschool book that helps preschoolers learn about their own emotional needs. Emotional development is an essential part of a quality preschool education and is often neglected in favor of educational development.

The Letter Z

Preschool Book Review - The Z was Zapped
Written by Chris Van Allsburg, the author who brought us other classics such as Jumanji and The Polar Express, The Z was Zapped succeeds in meeting high expectations. This dramatic imitation of a stage play introduces preschoolers to all of the letters of the alphabet in an entirely new way.

ABC Tic Tac Toe
This variation of the typical tic tac toe game will help preschoolers to recognize the letters in the alphabet and teach them valuable pre-writing skills. Preschoolers can also use alphabet stamps for this fun alphabet game.

Around PreschoolRock.com

Preschool Alphabet Soup Craft
Mmmm! Alphabet soup! This preschool construction paper craft uses letters of the alphabet to create imaginary alphabet soup on a real paper stovetop. Get cookin’ with your preschooler as s/he searches newspaper and magazine ads for letters of the alphabet – the main ingredient in this educational preschool craft.

Alphabet Ball
This exciting game will help to teach your preschooler the alphabet in no time. Have even more fun with this game by inviting more preschoolers to play!