As I start preschool teaching remotely, I am trying to find innovative ways to re-create my favorite in-class activities for remote preschool. One of my favorite literacy activities at preschool is my letter sorting rainbow with magnets. It’s a great letter sorting activity for preschool because it’s so easy to differentiate.
During free choice, my preschoolers go and sort the letters by color. As they sort, they talk about the letters, I talk about the letters, and we learn as we play. Without fail, children will find some familiar letters which they recognize and usually name out loud, and others will be thrust in front of my eyes with a ” What’s this one Ms. Allie?” if they don’t know. What I love about this activity is that it’s so customizable in a classroom. Some children will simply match the colors without any focus on the letters at all, while others will try to find and match up the letters in their names. Preschool is all about meeting each child where they are, and with this letter sorting activity, you can do that even with distance learning.
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Letter Sorting Activity For Preschool
Gather your materials. You will need a printable of a rainbow ( print mine for free here), some colored label stickers, and a sharpie.
Now depending on your students’ needs and abilities, choose from the options below. I have included instructions for caregivers if you are using this for remote learning.
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Color Sorting
Prep for Teachers:
If your students are not interested in letters at all yet, there is no need to push it. Send home the printable and stickers and let then work on color sorting and those fine motor skills while they peel and stick those labels.
Remote learning directions for caregivers:
This simple color sorting activity is a no-mess activity that works on your child’s ability to discriminate colors while working on fine motor skills as they peel and stick them onto the rainbow. As they work, talk about each color, narrate what they are doing. For example, saying, “Look, I found a red circle. I’m going to put my red circle on the red part of the rainbow!”
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Letter Sorting
Prep for Teachers:
Write out letters on all the color stickers. They can be upper, lower, or a mix of cases. I’ll be using the letters in my students’ names. Whatever works for your students. Send them home and have your students peel and stick them on the correct color of the rainbow.
Remote learning directions for caregivers:
This letter sorting activity is a no-mess activity that helps to develop your child’s ability to discriminate colors while working on letter recognition and fine motor skills as they peel and stick them onto the rainbow. As they work, talk about each letter, narrate what they are doing. For example, saying, “Look, you found a blue E, I’ll put my blue E on the blue part of the rainbow!
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Upper/ Lowercase matching
Prep for Teachers:
Write out letters on all the color stickers making sure you write out one set of upper and one set of lower in the same colors. Send the stickers home in separate snack-sized and labeled zip locks, so it’s easy for the parents to do this activity with their child.
Remote learning directions for caregivers:
This letter sorting activity is a no-mess activity that helps to develop your child’s ability to recognize both the upper and lowercase forms of letters. Your child will also be working on their fine motor skills as they peel and stick them onto the rainbow. Start with one baggy of letters, matching them up to the colors of the rainbow. Next, grab the other baggy and explain to your child you need to match these up too. Remind your child that letters come in two sizes, and you will help them figure out which belong together. As you pull each letter out, name it saying something like, “Oh, I found the lowercase j, it’s green. Can you find the uppercase one on the rainbow? Great! Put this one where it’s supposed to go!” Feel free to do step 1 on one day and step 2 another if it’s getting too long. There is no need to push. This should be fun.
How To Use This Letter Sorting Activity For Your Literacy Center
My favorite way to do this activity is on my magnet board ( as pictured above). Still, while we try to limit sharing materials too much at preschool until COVID-19 is under control, you could use these printables as a free choice activity at your literacy center. Place the stickers in a divided tray, some with letters, some without, and have the rainbows out on trays for children to use as they see fit. I would join in and offer differentiation as we play.
Need more rainbow ideas? Check out these great rainbow-themed ideas for preschool
Rainbows are rad because you can learn so much about colors and weather while exploring these beautiful arches! Find more great activities here.
Preschool Thematic Units
Need more simple preschool lessons to send home for remote learning or use for homeschooling? Check out my Build Preschool Thematic Units!
Remember to choose activities that won’t overwhelm parents. Some parents are eager and enjoy this role of teaching at home, and others are trying to balance working at home full time and caring for young children. It’s tough, know your audience. My thematic units have been super helpful for me as I plan because they have printable materials that are easy to send home ( don’t worry, these aren’t worksheets). Directions for activities are already written out so I can easily share them with families.
Check out my library of affordable thematic units here.
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