A to Zoo Alphabet Game

We are having a wonderful time reviewing the alphabet with A to Zoo from Mother Goose Time! We just covered the letter “B” and made some fantastic bird puppets.

Each child got two bird puppets and designed their bird’s feathers and facial characteristics with markers. Glue dots were used to attach the birds to craft sticks to create the puppets. Feathers were provided, but we forgot to add them and I didn’t remind them….LOL

The kids decided they were dancing puppets. Happy to oblige I used Amazon Music to put on “Rockin Robin” by Billy Day and we had a dance party. I love how easy it is to learn and have a good time, while Mother Goose Time does all the hard work of gathering themes, ideas, and supplies!

A to Zoo Alphabet Game

After our puppets were all danced out we played the “A to Zoo Alphabet Game.”

Object of the Game

Name an animal that begins with your chosen letter.

Supplies

• A to Z Animals Storybook
• Letter labels
• Craft sticks (optional, but helpful for discerning between b, d, p, etc.)

Set Up

• Attach each letter label to a craft stick.
• Place the Storybook and the Letter Sticks on the table.

Independent Play

• Encourage children to choose a letter stick and hunt for that letter in the storybook.
• Repeat with another letter stick.

Extension

Invite children to work in pairs and ask and answer questions about the animals they see.

Observe

Did the child turn the pages front to back and comment on the book content? Did he identify any letters in the book?

Our Experience

We played the “big kid” version of the game where you pull out a letter of the alphabet and name an animal that starts with that letter. We didn’t glue the letters to the sticks, but used them loose. Now, I recommend gluing them to the sticks. It would have made it easier for my younger learners to discern which direction the letter should be pointing. Without the stick it was easy to confuse “p” and “b” for example.

Having kids use the A to Zoo alphabet book was genius. Even if my youngest couldn’t come up with an animal that began with the letter he selected he was still able to play. He turned the pages of the book until he found his letter. He then named that animal. There were a few mis-identifications of animals, but that only added to the fun. “U” for urchin as in “sea urchin” was hilarious!

My big kids loved playing this game and coming up with animals from the letters in the alphabet. My youngest was so very thrilled to be able to play a game that his older sister and brother enjoyed that he was fine with having to use a life line for occasional assistance.

Even Daddy joined in playing this game coming up with a bevy of unusual and potentially made-up creatures that made the kids laugh.

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Happy Learning!

As a blog ambassador for Mother Goose Time, I am happy to share preschool curriculum ideas, activities, and crafts with my readers.  Mother Goose Time provides our family the opportunity to use their curriculum free of charge in exchange for honest and authentic stories based on our personal experience.