For years my kids’ favorite things included goldfish crackers and play dough. There’s just something about those smiley fish crackers that make them irresistible. Play dough activities are so much fun and can help teach many skills. So, I decided to put the two together and created this adorable and free set of Alphabet Fish Play Dough Mats for early learners!
*Pair with our Alphabet Centers and Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten!
Alphabet Fish Play Dough Mats
This printable Alphabet Fish Play Dough Mat set is perfect for use in small groups, literacy centers, or even independent practice. It includes a fish tank mat for building play dough letters and 26 colorful fish cards. Each fish card has both the uppercase and lowercase letter printed on it.
How to Prep and Play
Prep for this activity couldn’t be easier! Start by printing the entire set of alphabet fish cards and cutting them apart on the gray dotted lines. Laminate the fish cards and the fish tank page. If you do not have access to a laminator, just stick the fish tank page in a dry erase pocket sleeve or page protector to make the activity reusable. Time to play!
Simply pick a fish card and identify the letter on it. Then, build the letter out of play dough on the fish tank mat.
The great thing about the alphabet fish cards is that you can choose to work on uppercase letters, lowercase letters, or both!
The activities that end up being a favorite in my classroom grow with my preschoolers. This means that different leveled learners can all play the same activity.
Extend the Activity
If your students have mastered letter recognition and letter sounds, it’s time to move onto creating CVC words with the alphabet fish cards. The fish tank play dough mats are large enough to fit simple CVC words.
To engage those reluctant learners to join in and take a turn with the play dough mats, turn it into a fishing game! Add magnets to the back of the fish cards and put them into a pile on the floor or table. To make a fishing pole, use a wooden dowel or ruler and attach a string with a paperclip at the end. The paperclip acts as the hook on the fishing pole and will be attracted to the magnets on the back of the fish cards.
Go fishing for the letters before building them with play dough on the fish tank mats. This will make the activity even more inviting and fun!
Grab Your FREE Copy
Ready to practice the alphabet in a fun, hands-on way? Grab your free copy of the Alphabet Fish Play Dough Mats by clicking the large, yellow download button below!
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I like this set! Being able to have one mat and the letters separate means less paper and laminating! Thank you!
Just so many wonderful ideas! Can’t thank y’all again for sharing!!!
Great resource!!! Thank you so much – my kiddos will love this!