Homemade felt alphabet letters will entertain and teach your early learner. These colorful letters are easy to make, and provide opportunities for language and sensory experiences.
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Homemade letters of the alphabet are a good option to have in your toolkit. They’re easy to make, and can be used for circle time or independent play.
Felt for making letters of the alphabet can be purchased online (affiliate link) or in a craft store. Felt is colorful, soft, and easy to cut. It provides quiet, mess free play. Felt cutouts are easy to store, and durable enough for kids to use over and over.
Related: Preschool Literacy Activities.
DIY felt letters of the alphabet
The letters in this tutorial are upper case, approximately 5 in. ( 12.5 cm) in height.
You can make letters any size you want, depending on available felt, the size of your felt board, or the activities you plan to provide.
Use different colors of felt to make the letters, or make them all one color if preferred.
Instructions for making felt letters
Step 1.
Print the letters onto the felt with chalk. (affiliate link)
- I pressed firmly so the letters would show up in the photos (dark blue felt on the left in the photo). If you press lightly the chalk is easier to dust off when the letters are completed.
You can turn reversible letters like M and T over after you cut them out so the chalk isn’t visible. The play value of the felt alphabet won’t be diminished if a little chalk is left on the letters!
Step 2.
Complete an outline of each letter with chalk – like our letter P in the photo – to provide a cutting line to make a block letter.
You can see the resulting letters – V, K, and D in the photo – after cutting them out of the felt along the chalk line.
Your letters are ready to use in circle time or free play activities with your preschoolers.
Make your own felt board to display the colorful felt letters, and to invite preschoolers to a circle time activity.
Ideas for using felt letters of the alphabet
1. Make beginning words with two or three familiar letters.
2. Sort letters by color.
3. Sort letters into groups such as: letters with straight lines; letters with circles.
4. Spell your name.
5. Make a series of letters on the felt board with one letter missing.
- Which letter is missing in the series? (A-B-?-D)
Tips for teaching ABC’s
How can we, as teachers and parents, introduce ABC’s in thoughtful and age appropriate ways?
The short answer from me is to introduce the letters of the alphabet with activities that are hands-on and interactive.
I discuss this further in this post, How to Teach Letters of the Alphabet Without Really Teaching.
When it comes to teaching letters of the alphabet, encourage interaction with materials. Kids will learn by observing, interacting, and playing.
Fun activities that are a part of everyday play will spark interest and curiosity in your early learner.
Visit our Literacy board on Pinterest for more crafts and activities.