Fishing for Letters Alphabet Matching Game
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Learning the alphabet is a big job! Unlocking letters and sounds is a huge step in the process of learning to read. That’s why we love to make practice fun! This hands-on, engaging, and free Fishing for Letters Alphabet Matching Game can also double as a sensory activity and “Seek and Find” game. It is super fun for your preschooler or kindergartener – or any child who is working on mastering letters and sounds!
*Pair with our Ocean Centers and Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten!
Fishing for Letters Alphabet Matching Game
To play this game as shown you will need:
- clear bin (shoe box size or bigger)
- clear stones/glass gems for the “water” – you can find them HERE or at craft stores (*You know your children best – if you have children that may put things in their mouth, I recommend blue pom poms, tissue paper, or something similar instead!)
- fish cards and recording sheet (download below)
I dumped out a lot of the gems into the bin to make “water” for the fish. The variety of colors makes this really eye-catching and the gems are smooth and flattened, which makes them great for sensory exploration!
When we played, I kept it simple and just added the gems. But, you could add other water-themed items as well like fish, rocks, fake plants, etc.
I printed and laminated the fish ABC cards and stuck them in the gems. You can bury them beneath the gems, stick them halfway out – it’s up to you. I even bury some flat so that my students have to dig around for them a bit. They love that!
We played this game in small groups. Right now I am playing it with my kids who need some more practice to master those letters and sounds.
Depending on the time of year and the needs of my class, I may have it out as a literacy center choice, parent volunteer center, etc. I think that about 3 kids at a time in the bin is ideal unless you have a bigger bin!
Playing the Game
As soon as the kids saw the sensory bin they were ready to play! We reached in, grabbed a fish, and said the letter name and sound.
I also had my kids make up some words with that letter sound, depending on what level of challenge they needed.
Then, we hunted on the recording page for the matching bubble (matching uppercase and lowercase) and colored it in!
When we play in a small group setting we take turns grabbing a fish, but then we ALL color the corresponding bubble. We kept playing until all of those bubbles were filled in!
Grab Your FREE Copy
Ready to go fishing for some letters? Get your own free copy of this fun alphabet matching game by clicking the large, yellow download button at the end of the post!
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Can’t wait to set this up in my classroom! Great idea!