Letter Identification Game: Rainbow Letters Race to the Top
Are you ready to take your preschool literacy instruction up a notch with fun letter identification games – rainbow letters race to the top? Letter recognition activities, like interactive games are sure to get your students excited about learning those all-important letters of the alphabet.
Simple games like letter hunts, matching activities, and movement-based challenges help make learning stick. Plus, when children are having fun, they’re more likely to stay engaged and build confidence. Try out this rainbow race to the top letter recognition game!
Preschoolers are naturally curious, which makes learning letters the perfect opportunity for play!
Instead of relying on rote memorization, letter identification games bring a little extra fun into early literacy. When kids get to move, explore, and interact with letters in a hands-on way, they build confidence without even realizing they’re learning.
Think about how much more fun it is to hop from letter to letter in a game of alphabet hopscotch than to simply look at flashcards. Or how exciting it can be to go on a classroom scavenger hunt to find hidden letters. Even simple activities, can make a big difference in helping kids connect with letters.
This race to the top letter recognition game is simple, but really fun, and even more effective at teaching kids their letters and sounds.
Read this: Fun Games to Help with Letter Recognition.
Rainbow Letters Race to the Top Letter recognition Game
The game is simple. And effective. And fun.
Your preschoolers will learn the alphabet in no time.
What’s Included
This printable includes graphs that are in alphabetical order as well as graphs that have random letters (with uppercase and lowercase mixed). All together, there are 10 different graphs with corresponding dice to make this letter identification game versatile and differentiated!
Additional Materials
- free printable alphabet game
- blank dice
- small manipulatives like floral stones or buttons
The Set Up
Print out the game boards and laminate them. The printable includes a die for each game, but if you don’t want to take the time to assemble the paper die, you can just write the letters on a set of blank dice like these. That’s what I do.
If making your own dice, write the corresponding letters in lowercase. This way, preschoolers can practice matching uppercase and lowercase letters as they play
Set out the game sheets on a tray and set out a small bowl of manipulatives along with the dice.
How to Play Race to the Top Game
Start by selecting a game sheet to play.
There are two different versions on the game. One version features letters in alphabetical order, with six letters to a sheet. The second version features letters in the order that corresponds to the Daily Lessons in Preschool Phonics curriculum.
Follow the play of the game like this:
- Select a game sheet for play.
- Roll the corresponding die.
- Identify the lowercase letter name on the die.
- Make the corresponding sound.
- Fine the uppercase letter on the game sheet and cover with a small manipulative.
- Continue play until one column has reached the top of the grid.
Since this game teaches graphing skills as well as alphabet knowledge, it is a great combination of both math and literacy working together! Check out our preschool daily lessons in graphing unit for more graphing math activities.
More Race to the Top Games
- Zoo Animal Race to the Top Counting Game
- Apple Race Math Game
- Fall Roll and Graph Game
- Snowman Race to the Top Math Game
- Race to 20 Math Games
More Letter Identification Games
- I Spy Letters
- Sunglasses Alphabet Activities
- Don’t Feed the Monster Alphabet Game
- Letter Sounds Alphabet Board Game
- Koala Letter Recognition Game
- Alphabet Clip Strips
How to Teach Letter Sounds
Teaching letter sounds in preschool begins and ends with fun! Learning letter sounds and identifying letter names should be made fun, stress-free, and easy. One of the best ways to do this is by using letter recognition games.
There are a couple of important strategies to utilize when teaching letter recognition in preschool.
- Explicit instruction in letter naming
- Sorting activities to differentiate letter shapes
- Letter formation
- Exposure to letters in a variety of text formats
- Use visuals, such as alphabet cards and beginning sound cards.
- Practice “think aloud” strategies, which means to talk out-loud about the things you want your preschoolers to know and notice about each letter
Read this: Strategies for Teaching Letter Recognition in Preschool.
FAQ About Letter Identification Games
They build early literacy skills, helping children recognize uppercase and lowercase letters, associate letters with sounds, and prepare for reading.
Most children can start around age 3, but games can be adapted for toddlers or older preschoolers based on skill level.
Yes! They also improve fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and early phonics awareness.
Daily practice, even for a few minutes, is ideal. The key is to keep it fun and engaging rather than feeling like a drill.
Get Your Free Letter Identification Game!
If you think your students or children will enjoy Rainbow Letters Race to the Top, you can get your free copy by clicking the giant red button below
Rainbow Themed Books for Kids
These bright and cheery rainbow themed books are so fun to read… we have each one of these books in our library and the rainbow theme is definitely a favorite with preschoolers!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that at no cost to you, I may earn a small sum if you click through and make a purchase.
- Hardcover Book
- Sweeney, Monica (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Freeman, Don (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 12/14/1978 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
- Rose, Olena (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 29 Pages – 02/28/2021 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)
- Hegarty, Patricia (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 22 Pages – 02/09/2021 (Publication Date) – Rodale Kids (Publisher)
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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.
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My kids love the rainbow letter race. Do you have a number one?
Ooh…I don’t have a number one but that is a great idea! Going to make one now!