Looking for a fun alphabet activity for the summer? This ice cream themed letter sequencing activity is perfect for preschoolers. Not only is it a great way for young learners to learn the alphabet, but it’s also great for working on fine motor skills!
Grab this free alphabet sequencing activity at the end of this post! And be sure to check out all my summer theme preschool activities!
Ice Cream Letter Sequencing Printable
The weather is officially predictably nice, and kids are out and about after school playing in the neighborhood parks, which means the ice cream truck is back.
I hear the familiar tune that’s been around for as long as I can remember. It’s the same tune as when I was a kid, and probably the same as when my dad was a child as well.
“The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin. Probably one of the most well-known pieces of music in modern history, and the namesake of my elementary school. I also spent years growing up playing different versions (difficulties) of the song on the piano.
I hear that song and it stays with me for days. Especially if it’s coming from the ice cream truck, because for days after it crawls past my house I hear my kids begging, “Can we get ice cream from the ice cream truck??” I guess the gallon of generic brand Neapolitan ice cream in my deep freezer just isn’t as exciting.
So when I heard the bell-like music of the ice cream truck playing an old favorite, I knew what that song would mean before it even came to a stop in front of our house. It meant that there were ice creams waiting for me and my kids at the end of the driveway! Sometimes I even surprise my preschoolers with ice cream from the truck!
Maybe this is one reason why I spend some time every summer doing an ice cream theme with my preschoolers and kids. To me, ice cream is filled with good memories. It’s kinda nostalgic for me, but what joy it is to see the smiles on everyone’s faces as they lap up their ice cream before it melts on those unbearably hot days!
Why Do We Teach Alphabetical Order or Letter Sequencing?
I asked myself that question as I was developing this summer alphabet activity for my preschool-aged son. Throughout my teaching history, we’ve spent time teaching letter sequencing in preschool and kindergarten…or letter order or alphabetical order. (It’s all the same thing.)
But why?
What are the benefits of being able to take a set of 26 letters and place them in order from A-Z? Here are some things I found out:
- Being able to put letters in order is a form of sequencing like “first, second, third” or “first, then, next.”
- It builds letter knowledge fluency skills.
- Ordering letters helps with letter naming and even sound retrieval.
- It’s fundamental for dictionary work, which also means it’s a foundational skill for using an index or any other kind of alphabetized list.
More Letter Identification Activities for Preschoolers
Each of these printable resources include all 26 letters of the alphabet.
How to Use Ice Cream Missing Letters Printables
With a little ice cream on your table, you can have hours of fun with this activity. All it takes is some creative and a few items to set up!
This simple ice cream printable will help preschoolers learn the correct order of the alphabet. It would be a great addition to summer theme or ice cream theme lesson plans.
Materials
- Free Ice Cream Missing Letters Printable
- letter manipulatives such as letter beads
- dry erase marker
- dry erase sleeve
The Set-Up
This activity is fairly easy to set up. All you need to do is print the ice cream missing letters printables on card stock. Then set it out on a table with some letter beads. Another option is to place it in a dry erase sleeve and provide a dry erase marker. Or better yet, offer both of them! Letter beads and a dry erase option.
Then invite your preschoolers to have some fun learning the letters of the alphabet!
Create an Entire Ice Cream Preschool Theme
I love teaching in themes at my preschool. So when we do an ice cream theme each summer, here are some of the toys and manipulatives I include in our preschool centers:
Using the Ice Cream Alphabet Printable
Kids will love these ABC ice cream mats. They come with two different mat designs: one for uppercase letters and another for lowercase ones, and a few variations of each. The kids just have to pick their favorite, then fill in any missing letters with the letter beads or by writing them using a dry erase marker. Or get the best of both worlds and offer letter manipulatives AND dry erase markers!
Each row of ice cream cones starts with a different letter so that students can learn letter sequence starting anywhere in the alphabet.
Help for Struggling Preschoolers
Alphabetical order may not come naturally to all preschoolers. Here are some ways to help out your struggling learners.
- Use the included alphabet mats as a reference for finding the missing letters.
- Start by singing the alphabet song with each row on the mat until your preschooler finds the correct letter.
- If having all the letter manipulatives out at once is too overwhelming, preselect the letters that match on the mats and only have those available to choose from.
- Or, just have your preschooler practice matching the letters on the alphabet reference mats.
This ice cream themed letter sequencing activity isn’t just a great way for young learners to learn the alphabet; it’s also an excellent opportunity to work on their fine motor skills. The best part about this fun summertime activity? It can be adapted based on your child’s age and skill level, making it perfect for kids at all levels of development!
Don’t Forget Picture Books!
You know how the best preschool themes always have high quality picture books that help teach. Here are some of my favorite children’s books about ice cream:
Get Your Free Ice Cream Missing Letters Printable Here
With several variations in this download and the suggestions above, you’re sure to find something that works well with your little one. Just fill out the form below and the printable will be sent to your email!
You Also Might Like These Ice Cream Printables for Preschoolers
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.
