Simple, Playful Activities to Help Your Child Feel Ready for the Classroom

Back-to-school season is the perfect time to get little learners excited about letters and numbers! Whether your child is starting preschool, kindergarten, or just needs a quick refresh, learning the ABCs and 123s doesn’t have to feel like schoolwork. With the right mix of play and practice, your child will feel confident, capable, and school-ready.

Here are 5 fun and easy ways to build early literacy and math skills before the first bell rings!

1. Make It a Movement Game

Young kids learn best when they move! Turn learning into a physical activity to keep them engaged.

📌Try This: Write letters or numbers on sticky notes and place them around the room. Call out a letter or number, and have your child jump, hop, or tiptoe to find it!

Bonus idea: Sing the ABCs while doing jumping jacks or count hops out loud on a trampoline.

2. Use Everyday Moments

Learning doesn’t have to happen at a table. Look for natural opportunities throughout your day.

• 🍌 At breakfast? Count banana slices.
• 🚗 On a walk? Spot letters on street signs.
• 🛒 At the store? Name the items that start with “B” or count apples into the cart.

Little learning moments add up in a big way.

3. Sensory Play with Letters and Numbers

Bring the ABCs and 123s to life with hands-on play using different textures and material

📌Try This:

• Write letters in sand, shaving cream, or salt trays
• Use playdough to form numbers or spell their name
• Fill a bin with rice and hide letter magnets inside for a seek-and-find game

The more senses involved, the more memorable the experience.

4. Sing It, Dance It, Shout It!

Music and rhythm help children remember patterns and sounds, making it one of the best ways to teach the alphabet and basic counting.

📌Try This: Sing the alphabet backward (or with silly voices), count to 20 with a beat, or make up rhymes like “5 little ducks” or “A is for alligator, chomping on the grass!”

Check out your favorite learning songs on YouTube—or even better, make your own!

5. Get Creative with Crafts

Letter and number crafts help kids connect shapes with meaning and strengthen fine motor skills.

📌Try This:

• Make a collage for each letter (e.g., glue pictures of apples on a big “A”)
• Use dot markers to trace numbers
• String beads in ABC or 123 patterns

These hands-on projects are fun, calming, and educational all at once.

Conclusion

Helping your child get ready for school doesn’t require flashcards or long lessons. By turning everyday moments into playful learning opportunities, you’ll build their confidence, reinforce key skills, and show them that learning is fun. The ABCs and 123s are just the beginning of a lifetime of curiosity and joy!

🎥 Watch & Learn with Schoolhouse Sprouts!

Want more fun with ABCs and 123s?

📺 Subscribe to Schoolhouse Sprouts for playful videos that teach letters and numbers through songs, movement, and fun!