No Time For Flash Cards

preschool activities, preschool crafts, and preschool books.

  • Blog
  • About
    • Terms Of Use
    • Disclaimer
    • Holiday Gift Guide For Kids
    • Advertise
    • In The Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Bloglovin
  • Preschool Activities
  • crafts for kids
    Preschool Crafts
  • Preschool Books
  • sensory alphabet activity
    Letters & Numbers
  • For Teachers
  • Toddlers
  • Preschool
  • Kindergarten
  • Elementary

September 17, 2012 | 36 Comments

Move & Groove – Gross Motor Alphabet Game

alphabet for startersThis is a super simple alphabet game that gets kids moving and grooving while they learn their letters. This is part 14 of our Alphabet For Starters series, a series of alphabet activities that use play and exploration to introduce and learn letters. We did the game as a lower and uppercase match but you can adjust it for your needs and child’s abilities. To be honest I wasn’t exactly sure if I was at the target level of learning for my daughter , I wanted it to be challenging but attainable so I enlisted her brother to help. He loved being her guide even though she only needed him a couple of times. Soon he had the controls and I went to warm up my coffee. Here is how you can make your own gross motor alphabet game.

  1. Gather your materials. You will need some paper or card stock , a marker, painters tape and some good music your kids will dance to. Ours was Call Me Maybe . alphabet for starters no time for flash cards
  2. Start buy pushing some furniture out of the way and making letters our of the painter’s tape right on the floor. Don’t feel like you have to do all the letters. Every lesson doesn’t need to cover every letter. I admit I did mostly ones that were easier to make with tape. gross motor letter games
  3. Write the lowercase letters on the paper. ** Adaptations ** You can also write the same uppercase letters and simply have your child match them or for even older kids you can write a word and have them find the first letter.alphabet for starters
  4. Invite the kiddos. To have them start I have them find the first letter of their own names- hands on heads, eyes on me.
  5. Music starts and they dance !alphabet for starters
  6. Music stops and I hold up a letter.
  7. They find the match.
  8. Dance again! Match again.
  9. This went on for a long time and after it was apparent that my daughter understood and could do most of the letters herself my son wanted to be what he called the ref. So they played solo.
  10. I went for coffee and popped my head in every now and then. We’d play again but my daughter sneaked into the living room after dinner last night and tore up all the letters. Maybe sometime this week I will put new ones we didn’t have down and we’ll play again. It was a hit and both my 5.5 year old and 2 year old liked it which is not always the case.

50 Alphabet Books

Reading alphabet books has made a world of difference for both my son and my daughter learning their letters and choosing good, interesting and visually awesome books helps. These 50 alphabet books are my favorites . Many have themes and choosing a theme that appeals to your child is a great way to get more reluctant lap sitters or book listeners involved.

Filed Under: Age Preschool, Age: Toddlers, Alphabet activities, Alphabet For Starters, games, Gross Motor Activities, Letter Recognition, Letters & Numbers | 36 Comments

Like this post? Share it with a friend!

Become an Email Subscriber

Sign up above and receive all new No Time for Flashcards posts directly in your email inbox.

You may also like these posts

name recognition activities
Next Post: 15 Fantastic Fine Art Projects For Kids
Previous Post: Kids Craft Linky {Add Your Post!}

36 Comments

  1. Mud Hut Mama says

    September 17, 2012 at 1:32 am

    This looks like so much fun! I love the photo of your kids dancing.

    to Mud Hut Mama" aria-label='reply to this comment to Mud Hut Mama'>reply to this comment
  2. YourTherapySource says

    September 17, 2012 at 3:19 am

    Very cute idea. I always love any game where movement is combined with learning. Here is a tip to make it easier to set up – buy a roll of rug gripper at dollar store. Cut it up and write the capital letters on each square of rug gripper. Now you can lay them on the floor and they won’t slip. Just pick them up and store in a plastic bag for the next time you want to play.

    to YourTherapySource" aria-label='reply to this comment to YourTherapySource'>reply to this comment
    • admin says

      September 17, 2012 at 7:30 am

      I could kiss you – Thank you for this tip!

      to admin" aria-label='reply to this comment to admin'>reply to this comment
      • Dana says

        October 29, 2013 at 2:09 pm

        Or use large pieces of craft foam. Great idea…I’m going to try it for a children’s program at the library where I work.

        to Dana" aria-label='reply to this comment to Dana'>reply to this comment
    • Debbi Heiderich says

      September 17, 2012 at 11:23 am

      Great idea, that way this game could come out at any time!

      to Debbi Heiderich" aria-label='reply to this comment to Debbi Heiderich'>reply to this comment
  3. Cassie says

    September 17, 2012 at 7:20 am

    I love tape letters! My girls love them!

    to Cassie" aria-label='reply to this comment to Cassie'>reply to this comment
  4. Sheryl says

    September 17, 2012 at 7:48 am

    I have some one-on-one time with my 5 YO tonight…we are going to do this!! Thanks!

    to Sheryl" aria-label='reply to this comment to Sheryl'>reply to this comment
  5. nopinkhere says

    September 17, 2012 at 9:58 am

    love games that work for multiple ages at once–I’ve got a 6yo and a 3yo

    to nopinkhere" aria-label='reply to this comment to nopinkhere'>reply to this comment
  6. Christy says

    September 17, 2012 at 10:58 am

    What a great idea. I love it. We will totally be doing this soon.

    to Christy" aria-label='reply to this comment to Christy'>reply to this comment
  7. Trisha @ Inspiration Laboratories says

    September 17, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    I love that you added dancing to this activity for even more movement.

    to Trisha @ Inspiration Laboratories" aria-label='reply to this comment to Trisha @ Inspiration Laboratories'>reply to this comment
    • admin says

      September 17, 2012 at 3:17 pm

      How can anyone stand still when such rad music is playing? It was a great way to get them to shake off those mid afternoon crazies.

      to admin" aria-label='reply to this comment to admin'>reply to this comment
  8. Sara Sweetman says

    September 17, 2012 at 7:12 pm

    Fun!! I love that this can so easily entertain (& teach) kids of different ages! This will definitely go in our “school time” schedule this week!

    to Sara Sweetman" aria-label='reply to this comment to Sara Sweetman'>reply to this comment
  9. Michelle says

    September 17, 2012 at 10:20 pm

    Its a great kind of idea I love all the tips you shared here..

    to Michelle" aria-label='reply to this comment to Michelle'>reply to this comment
  10. Lisa says

    September 18, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    Love this idea. And I think for numbers I will do stickers on a card that they have to count and find the right number for on the floor! Awesome!

    to Lisa" aria-label='reply to this comment to Lisa'>reply to this comment
  11. Carmen Sanchez says

    September 20, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    Happened upon your blog. Lovely and so creative. But I especially loved that Guatemalan dress on that darling little girl.

    to Carmen Sanchez" aria-label='reply to this comment to Carmen Sanchez'>reply to this comment
    • admin says

      September 20, 2012 at 2:10 pm

      Thank you – we sadly have never been to Guatemala but we bought it at a market in San Antonio, Texas last spring. It finally fits!

      to admin" aria-label='reply to this comment to admin'>reply to this comment
      • ashley says

        June 24, 2013 at 8:21 pm

        do y’all live in TX too? I’ve been sort of following your site for some time now.. I have a soon to be five yr old girl and she will LOVE this game! THANKS!

        to ashley" aria-label='reply to this comment to ashley'>reply to this comment
        • Allison McDonald says

          June 24, 2013 at 8:30 pm

          No but my husband grew up in Texas and we visit as often as we can.

          to Allison McDonald" aria-label='reply to this comment to Allison McDonald'>reply to this comment
  12. Elena says

    January 13, 2013 at 9:46 am

    This is a wonderful idea, thanks for share it. I love it.

    to Elena" aria-label='reply to this comment to Elena'>reply to this comment
  13. despina says

    July 26, 2013 at 1:57 am

    Thank you sooo much for sharing the super easy and yet so so much fun idea!! After recognising the letters, dancing and retracing each letter shown, we took our cardboard outside on the veranda and started drawning upon the letters with chalk. Lovely!!!! We actually played with the letters of our names and so F. (3y.) quickly associated her letter with her name and tried associating other letters with names of relatives or friends!! She even wrote the first letter of her name!! Lovely blog, brilliant ideas, thank you very much once more!!!!

    to despina" aria-label='reply to this comment to despina'>reply to this comment
    • Allison McDonald says

      July 26, 2013 at 8:19 am

      That is so awesome!

      to Allison McDonald" aria-label='reply to this comment to Allison McDonald'>reply to this comment
  14. Patrick says

    July 30, 2015 at 5:09 pm

    You could also try simple words, e.g. “happy” “laugh” “jump” on the floor and use flash cards that have pictures for each of the words, might be more suitable for the 3+ ages

    to Patrick" aria-label='reply to this comment to Patrick'>reply to this comment

Trackbacks

  1. Move & Learn the ABC's Indoors » The Pleasantest Thing says:
    October 22, 2013 at 2:32 am

    […] Move & Groove with the ABC’s […]

    to Move & Learn the ABC's Indoors » The Pleasantest Thing" aria-label='reply to this comment to Move & Learn the ABC's Indoors » The Pleasantest Thing'>reply to this comment
  2. Active Field Trip Ideas says:
    January 1, 2014 at 11:40 am

    […] active breaks in between sights and activities. Include active sight word games or racing quiz […]

    to Active Field Trip Ideas" aria-label='reply to this comment to Active Field Trip Ideas'>reply to this comment
  3. Active Learning Activities for Boys and Girls - No Time For Flash Cards says:
    March 12, 2014 at 12:24 am

    […] Letter Games Move & Groove Letter Game Gardening For Letters – Dig and Learn! Sidewalk Chalk Letter Game Build With Letters Letters […]

    to Active Learning Activities for Boys and Girls - No Time For Flash Cards" aria-label='reply to this comment to Active Learning Activities for Boys and Girls - No Time For Flash Cards'>reply to this comment
  4. 20 Family Fitness Ideas for Spring - Outdoors and Indoors | Simple Kids says:
    May 13, 2014 at 4:42 am

    […] kids with special needs expand emotion vocabulary, too.) 3. “Move and Groove” alphabet game – I love this gross motor movement game from No Time for Flash Cards. You can modify the game to test math equations, science facts, and […]

    to 20 Family Fitness Ideas for Spring - Outdoors and Indoors | Simple Kids" aria-label='reply to this comment to 20 Family Fitness Ideas for Spring - Outdoors and Indoors | Simple Kids'>reply to this comment
  5. Hop to the Number | tellmethestoryofjesus says:
    December 20, 2015 at 1:52 pm

    […] wished I had a paved driveway for sidewalk chalk games, but thanks to blogs like No Time for Flashcards, I now have my solution: Painter’s Tape!  I can put it on my walls and floors without fears […]

    to Hop to the Number | tellmethestoryofjesus" aria-label='reply to this comment to Hop to the Number | tellmethestoryofjesus'>reply to this comment
  6. 14 Literacy Activities That Get Kids Moving - No Time For Flash Cards says:
    February 28, 2016 at 11:56 pm

    […] Move and Groove Alphabet Game  […]

    to 14 Literacy Activities That Get Kids Moving - No Time For Flash Cards" aria-label='reply to this comment to 14 Literacy Activities That Get Kids Moving - No Time For Flash Cards'>reply to this comment
  7. Motor Build Game | Ergamen Games says:
    April 20, 2016 at 12:25 pm

    […] Gross Motor Alphabet Game – No Time For Flash Cards – This is a super simple alphabet game that gets kids moving and grooving while they learn their letters. This is part 14 of our Alphabet For Starters series, a series … […]

    to Motor Build Game | Ergamen Games" aria-label='reply to this comment to Motor Build Game | Ergamen Games'>reply to this comment
  8. 30 Engaging Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers - Homeschool Preschool says:
    July 6, 2017 at 2:01 am

    […] Move and Groove Gross Motor Alphabet Game (No Time for Flash Cards) […]

    to 30 Engaging Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers - Homeschool Preschool" aria-label='reply to this comment to 30 Engaging Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers - Homeschool Preschool'>reply to this comment
  9. Alif, Ba, Ta..! (Arsyad Belajar Hijaiyah 6) – Pengeja Semesta says:
    September 13, 2017 at 8:31 pm

    […] dari sini. Biasa.. Pinterest helps a lot. […]

    to Alif, Ba, Ta..! (Arsyad Belajar Hijaiyah 6) – Pengeja Semesta" aria-label='reply to this comment to Alif, Ba, Ta..! (Arsyad Belajar Hijaiyah 6) – Pengeja Semesta'>reply to this comment
  10. Letter Recognition and Discrimination Ideas, FREE Activities, & More says:
    October 12, 2017 at 11:42 am

    […]   Alison at No Time for Flash Cards has a great activity for kinesthetic learners. Check out her blog to see what it’s all about! {I could see this one being great outside with sidewalk chalk, or […]

    to Letter Recognition and Discrimination Ideas, FREE Activities, & More" aria-label='reply to this comment to Letter Recognition and Discrimination Ideas, FREE Activities, & More'>reply to this comment
  11. Why I Am The Artful Parent and Not Pioneer Woman says:
    January 20, 2018 at 2:48 am

    […] watch how she turns Halloween activities into math lessons and learning the alphabet into a game, and I think, I should be doing that too! After all, I always thought that I would homeschool. But […]

    to Why I Am The Artful Parent and Not Pioneer Woman" aria-label='reply to this comment to Why I Am The Artful Parent and Not Pioneer Woman'>reply to this comment
  12. Letter Recognition and Discrimination Ideas, FREE Activities, & More says:
    October 27, 2019 at 3:54 pm

    […]   Alison at No Time for Flash Cards has a great activity for kinesthetic learners. Check out her blog to see what it’s all about! {I could see this one being great outside with sidewalk chalk, or […]

    to Letter Recognition and Discrimination Ideas, FREE Activities, & More" aria-label='reply to this comment to Letter Recognition and Discrimination Ideas, FREE Activities, & More'>reply to this comment
  13. 30 Hands-On Engaging Preschool Alphabet Activities says:
    April 20, 2020 at 8:13 am

    […] Move and Groove Gross Motor Alphabet Game – Build letters on the floor with painters tape. Call out a letter (or hold up a flashcard) and have your child go stand on it. This is a fun way to get the whole body involved in learning the alphabet. No Time for Flash Cards […]

    to 30 Hands-On Engaging Preschool Alphabet Activities" aria-label='reply to this comment to 30 Hands-On Engaging Preschool Alphabet Activities'>reply to this comment
  14. 10 Ways to Teach the Alphabet That Incorporate Movement - ABC's of Movement says:
    May 28, 2020 at 8:32 am

    […] love moving around and dancing, I found this super fun activity on No Time For Flashcards called Move and Groove, it’s an entertaining DIY alphabet game that gets kids moving and grooving while they learn […]

    to 10 Ways to Teach the Alphabet That Incorporate Movement - ABC's of Movement" aria-label='reply to this comment to 10 Ways to Teach the Alphabet That Incorporate Movement - ABC's of Movement'>reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search For Activities

Now In Paperback!

Buy NOW

All Activities

Become an Email Subscriber

Sign up above and receive all new No Time for Flash Cards posts directly in your email inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Bloglovin

Copyright © 2008-2023 • No Time For Flash Cards - ACM Media LLC • Site Design by Emily White Designs