Recognizing Alphabets - Matching Centre

I have been trying to put out different activities every other day in the literacy centre. Here is an alphabet centre that was donated to me by a teacher (I hit a jackpot with it because it was free!!!) If you are unable to buy it, I think it is super easy to create it as well (take a large bristol board, add pocket cards, label them with letters, cut out letters small enough to fit into the pockets and you are done!)

I only put out letters for now in a basket. As the weeks go by, there are picture cards with the whole word. The first letter is highlighted so they may match it and put it in the right pocket.

I put this centre on a round table. It is easier for more children to participate at one time rather than up on the wall or board. 

Here are my kids working away! I did not even model this activity to them. They all knew what was expected which is super easy!

What are the children learning?

• communication and social skills as they use this centre with other children and learn to take turns
• sorting skills as they take the letters and sort them accordingly
• matching skills as they match the letters accordingly
• hand-eye coordination as they use their eyes to match the letters and use their hands to insert them into the pockets
• literacy skills as they recognize their letters (both upper and lower case)
• math skills if they are counting how many letters are in the alphabet
• observation skills as they figure out the differences between upper and lower case letters
• gross motor (large muscles) as they use their hand to insert the letters and insert them into the pockets