Make an Alphabet Memory Game

What You Need:

• 78 blank index cards
• Markers
• Glue stick
• Scissors
• Old magazines

What You Do:

1. Have your child write each of the uppercase letters on the index cards using a marker. (If your child has trouble with this, write the letter lightly or using dotted lines for them to trace.)
2. Now do the lowercase letters! Draw a yellow line under letters that can be read upside down, such as n, u, b, p, m, and w.
3. Have your child flip through old magazines to find small pictures to cut out. Ask your child what letter sound each picture starts with. Look for pictures for each letter of the alphabet. Monitor your child as they cut out the pictures, and show them how to glue each one to its corresponding index card. (Keep track of which letter sounds you need to find by putting the completed picture card next to a corresponding letter card. If you cannot find a picture for a certain letter, try drawing one with the markers.)
4. When the glue has dried, your child is ready to play a game! There are two games (described below) that they can play with these cards.

Game 1: Alphabet Memory Game

1. Put the picture cards aside. Mix up all of the uppercase and lowercase cards.
2. Place the cards face down on the table or floor in a grid-like pattern.
3. Have your child choose two cards anywhere on the grid.
4. Are the letters a match? Big A with little a? If so, your child gets to remove those cards from play and keep them. They also get another turn!
5. If they don't match, turn them back over, and the next person takes a turn. Even if the cards don't match, encourage your child to remember where those cards are in case they need to find them again!
6. Keep playing until all of the cards have been matched. The person with the most matches wins the game.

If your child does not know which letters match, you may want to have a piece of paper with uppercase and lowercase letters available for reference.

Game 2: Letter Sounds Memory Game

This game is played the same way as Alphabet Memory Game, except you use one set of alphabet cards and the picture cards. Try to make a match by finding the picture's beginning letter!

Your child can play this game with a parent, friends, or siblings, or even alone! Set a timer for a few minutes and see how many matches they can get.