Linking Chain Letter Recognition Worksheets
These free printable letter recognition worksheets are the perfect hands-on tool to teach uppercase letters! If you’re looking for a playful letter recognition activities to introduce the alphabet, these colorful worksheets are a hit with preschool and kindergarten learners.
Kids use plastic learning links to build each letter, then trace it and connect it to a beginning sound image. It’s a multi-sensory activity that combines letter recognition, handwriting practice, and fine motor skills—all in one engaging printable.
Learning letters should be fun, colorful, and interactive—and these worksheets check all those boxes! You read that right! These are interactive letter worksheets!
Each page features a large uppercase letter made from linking chains, ready for children to build with real plastic links. Below the letter, kids trace and write, then reinforce learning with a picture that connects the letter to its sound.
These alphabet pages bring movement and excitement to early literacy learning and they pair beautifully with our pack of hands-on alphabet worksheets for preschoolers.
Read this: 20+ Free Alphabet Worksheets for Preschoolers
What Kids Learn from This Activity
These free printable Letter Recognition Worksheets and letter recognition activities are a fantastic way to introduce the alphabet while building foundational preschool skills. Kids explore each letter with hands-on materials, while also strengthening the skills they’ll need for reading and writing success.
Skill #1: Letter Recognition
These worksheets provide a visual and tactile way for students to explore uppercase letters. As children build each letter using colorful plastic links, they’re reinforcing the shape and structure of the alphabet in a meaningful, hands-on way. This type of physical interaction supports memorization and helps children retain what they’ve learned.
Each page also includes a beginning sound image, helping kids connect letters to their sounds—an early phonics skill that sets the stage for future reading.
Skill #2: Fine Motor Development
This activity is an excellent way to build fine motor strength and coordination. As children connect and manipulate the plastic links, they’re using the small muscles in their hands and fingers—muscles needed for holding pencils, using scissors, and performing other classroom tasks.
After building the letter, children practice tracing it using lines at the bottom of the page, reinforcing proper letter formation and pencil control. This step-by-step structure not only supports writing readiness but also encourages focus and attention to detail.
Shop our Alphabet Books and Worksheets
Easy-to-use worksheets and books for home or classroom learning.
Build the Alphabet with Free Printable Letter Recognition Worksheets
This alphabet activity turns ordinary letter practice into exciting hands-on learning with a fine motor twist.
What’s Included
- 26 full-page uppercase letter worksheets
- Each worksheet includes:
- A colorful link-formed letter
- A beginning sound picture
- Letter tracing lines
Additional Materials
- Plastic learning links (variety of colors)
- Crayons, pencils, or dry-erase markers
- Laminator or dry-erase sleeves (optional)
- Letter posters or alphabet flashcards
The Set Up
Print the worksheets on cardstock or regular paper. Laminate the pages or place them in sleeves for reuse. Set up trays with linking chains and writing tools. Kids will trace, build, and say each letter as they complete the activity.
How to Teach Letter Recognition Using These Worksheets
These free printable Letter Recognition Worksheets make alphabet learning fun and accessible. Here’s a detailed guide to using them in your classroom or at home.
Step 1: Introduce the Letter
Show the worksheet and say the letter name and its sound. Talk about the beginning sound picture and how it connects (e.g., “C is for cat”).
Step 2: Build the Letter
Invite your child to trace the letter with their finger first. Then, use plastic links to build the letter directly on the printable. Encourage them to match link colors or follow a pattern for extra fun.
Step 3: Trace and Write
Once the letter is built, have your child trace it using a crayon or dry-erase marker. Follow up by writing the letter along the lines at the bottom of the worksheet.
Step 4: Practice the Sound
Point to the beginning sound image and say it together. Ask your child to name more words that start with the same sound. This blends phonics and vocabulary naturally.
Extend the Learning with Alphabet Worksheets
The fund doesn’t stop there. Try some of these ideas for making letter learning last even longer.
- Sort letters by straight vs. curved lines
- Match letters to items around the room that start with the same sound
- Build their name with links using individual letter pages
- Use rainbow tracing for extra color and fun
- Laminate and hang finished pages for reference
- Create a morning letter-building station with rotating letters
- Use alphabet flashcards to find matching worksheets
- Have students work in pairs to build and trace together
- Add themed counters or stickers to “decorate” the letters after tracing
- Use as part of a weekly letter study routine
Read this: Free Alphabet Worksheets to Prevent the Summer Slide
Letter Recognition Printables
These worksheets fit perfectly into your phonics preschool lesson plans. They support hands-on learning, and here are even more alphabet printables.
- Letter Recognition Printables for Preschool
- Letter Recognition Worksheets for Preschoolers
- Free Printables for Teaching Letter Recognition
- FREE Printable Apple Alphabet Letter Recognition Strips
- Letter Find Worksheets for Letter Recognition
Hands-on Letter Recognition Activities
Looking for hands-on alphabet activities? These resources build on the same early literacy skills.
- Research-Based Interventions for Letter Recognition
- Preschool Alphabet Recognition Activities
- Toddler Alphabet Recognition Activities: Playful and Fun
- Activities To Teach Letter Recognition
- 7 Hands-on Ways to Teach Letter Recognition
- Button Letter Craft for Letter Recognition
Shop our Letter Recognition Printables
Easy-to-use printables for home or classroom learning.
Get Your Free Printable Letter Recognition Worksheets Here
Want to try this in your classroom or at home? Enter your email address to receive your free printable Letter Recognition Worksheets straight to your inbox. Print, prep, and get ready to build the alphabet—one link at a time!
FAQ
These letter recognition activities are great for preschoolers, pre-k, and kindergarten-aged children. They’re especially helpful for kids beginning to learn uppercase letters and those working on writing skills. Students may need help with tracing and building at first.
Yes! You can still trace and color the letters even without the links. Try using mini erasers, buttons, or string to build the letters instead. The activity remains effective for letter recognition and handwriting practice.
Print all pages and store them in a binder with sheet protectors or a file folder system. You can also laminate and keep them in a literacy center. Label each page with the letter so students can easily find the one they’re working on.
Yes! Start with the letters in your child’s name or the most common ones (like A, M, S, T). You can introduce new letters weekly or focus on small groups of letters. This makes the learning process more manageable and meaningful.
I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
