Summer is upon us, and we have sun and sand on the mind! If you have a beach near you, I hope you get to spend some time there. If not, why not incorporate some beach-themed resources into your learning activities? This free Sand Pail and Shovel Alphabet Match for Pre-K & Kindergarten is a fun way to work on recognizing uppercase and lowercase letters this summer!
*Pair with our Summer Centers & Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten!
Sand Pail and Shovel Alphabet Match
I love to use summer-themed printables not only at the end of the school year, but also when we start back to school, as summer is often still on the brain. Alphabet matches are appropriate for my kids pretty much all year in Kindergarten, but especially at the beginning of the year. This Sand Pail and Shovel Alphabet Match is an engaging and hands-on way to practice letter recognition!
How to Prep
To get the game ready, I printed out the pieces and laminated them (so that I can use them several times), then I cut them apart to use in a small group or as a literacy center.
When I play this game in June, I typically put out all the pieces, as we have had exposure all year to letters Aa-Zz. Earlier in the year, however, I would start with just a few letters to match up at a time.
Sometimes I like to add a fun summer-themed twist by placing all of the bucket letter cards in a real sand bucket for kids to pull from.
Teacher Tip: For younger learners or for students just being introduced to the alphabet, I would print double copies of either the pails or shovels, and have them match like letters rather than uppercase and lowercase.
RELATED RESOURCE: Alphabet Centers and Activities for Pre-K & Kindergarten
How to Play
In my small groups, we started by laying out the shovels in alphabetical order from a-z, leaving the buckets in a pile.
Then, we took turns pulling a bucket and saying the uppercase letter and sound. Finally, we searched for its matching shovel with the lowercase letter and paired them up!
We kept playing until all of the buckets and shovels had been matched. Then we put the pieces back into the bin and onto our shelf for another round later on!
Grab Your FREE Copy
Ready to “head to the beach” and work on matching letters? Grab your free copy of this fun alphabet match by clicking the large, yellow download button at the very end of the post!
More Beach Themed Fun!
Looking for more fun kids activities with a beach theme? Look no further – some of my favorite kid bloggers have shared some awesome activities. Check them out below!
Beach Letter Find Printables from 3 Boys and a Dog
Kids’ Books about the Beach from Look! We’re Learning!
Ocean Books for Kids from The Jenny Evolution
Beach Scavenger Hunt Printable from The Moments at Home
“At the Beach” Emergent Reader from The Kindergarten Connection
Sand Pail and Shovel Alphabet Match from The Kindergarten Connection
Beach Letter Dot Printables from Living Life and Learning
Colorful Sand Paintings from Schooling a Monkey
Sand Science Experiment from iGameMom
15 Things to Do at the Beach with Kids from FrogMom
Easy Egg Carton Sea Creatures from Homeschool Preschool
Printable Beach Bingo Cards from Year Round Homeschooling
Beach Pail 1-20 Number Recognition from Something 2 Offer
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