This was a rainy Sunday alphabet activity for preschoolers thrown together with an old favorite pretend play prop. It’s a great alphabet activity focused on pretend play and part of our Alphabet For Starters series. My son and I made this mailbox years ago, and it had been a while since I’d dug it out of my son’s closet to play. We added in some envelopes and letters and got down to the serious business of play!
This alphabet activity for preschoolers can work at home or at preschool. I’d use this as a free choice activity inviting students to create the mail first then set up a post office after. For more great alphabet activities check out this post!Â
- Gather your materials. You will need a super cool mailbox like this one we made from a box, some envelopes, small squares of paper, markers, plain labels, and a bag or purse to use as a mailbag.
- Start by having your child write some letters.
- While they do that write out the envelopes with upper and lowercase letters.
- Fill them with the letters your child writes. I filled a few with other letters as well.
- Next add stamps. Ours were added haphazardly after my daughter demanded we find some. I just wrote STAMP on some plain labels.
- Pop them on the envelopes.
- Time to play.
We put each letter in the mailbox stopping to read each envelope as we did. 
- When we were done, she lifted the box, and the play turned into receiving mail.
- She loved opening them.
Some were filled with the letters she wrote, and some had more letters of the alphabet on them. Label what they open as they do. As we played, some of the letters were pretend invites to parties, others were letters from grandparents, and one was a bill that cracked me up. 
Alphabet Books for Preschoolers
Find our 50 favorite alphabet books for kids in this big round-up of books. Do you have a favorite?
Everyday Preschool – Over 170 simple learning ideas!
If you want more ideas like this alphabet activity for preschoolers that are simple and effective, buy my book Everyday Preschool on Amazon.Â
Anna says
You are truly the master of creating simple activities that make learning fun for the littlest ones. Thanks for another great idea!
Carole Haché says
Thank you so much for the wonderful activities!!! Just loving it !!!
Julie says
So many fine motor and cognitive skills to be worked on in this activity!!! Love it!
Jamie says
This is a great idea! My son has learned his uppercase letters but needs help recognizing lowercase letters. I think this will be a great idea- to match the lowercase letters into the uppercase envelopes then into the mailbox. Maybe even have him practice writing the uppercase letter on the envelopes. So many ways to expand this idea. Thank you!
Jessica @ Play Trains! says
We love playing Mail. The letters on the envelopes are a great idea! We’ll have to add that in.
Malia {Playdough to Plato} says
I LOVE this idea! Sharing on Playdough to Plato’s FB page Friday.
Catherine@Momma's Fun World says
What an awesome idea!! I love this. Pinned and sharing on FB. Can’t wait to do this with my 2 kids. They will love this. Thanks 🙂
Joanna says
I love this idea, I am going to use it when we are talking about occupations. I also do similar activity, where I have three boxes like that but they have letter on them. Children have to run with their envelop, which also has a letter on it, to the correct mail box.
admin says
We love that – we did that here https://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2010/09/post-office-letter-sorting.html
Dori says
I cut the stamps off mail we receive and recycle them by having the kids use glue sticks to put them on their “mail” I also recycle the envelopes that come in some of the mail and have the kids use those.They love writing mail to their friends in class as well as to other family members!
Shannon Arney says
I love this idea!
Claudia says
Freebie stickers (that can come in donation and membership request mailings sent from animal, nature or other organizations) make colorful “stamps” for Mail Activities. Ask friends or family to save free stickers … before you know it, you’ll have a bunch to use. Kids also love to “sort” and “deliver” the envelopes and postcards (that were deposited into the pretend mail box) to cubbies or bins. Delivery can even take place using a shoulder, shopping-style bag! With explanation and depending on age/ability, the “stamps” can be “cancelled” before delivering takes place, too. Thank you notes or drawn postcards are other discussion topics and possible activity in this category.
Allison, I just discovered your wonderful website today and I l-o-v-e it. Really nice work … great activity ideas and book info! Kudos.
Emily @ Kids Toys Go says
Very nice idea! Wonderful alphabet activity. Love it. Let’s try it. 🙂
Shannon Arney says
We did this last week and my kids LOVED it. We did capital letters on the envelopes and lower case on the cards. They matched up, wrote a little note and mailed. Such a great idea. Thank you!
Hajera says
Letter mailing activity is really cool! I hope my students would love to do this activity. Thank you very much for sharing.