Is your toddler ready to learn the letters of the alphabet? Well, if so, this is a simple, fun, easy and inexpensive activity that I am using with my toddler twin girls, and I am super excited to share!

This simple letter sorting cardboard and bottle cap activity will help your toddler in so many ways. Your toddler will be working on:

1. Identifying the letters of the alphabet, and for toddlers who already know their letters, it is an excellent way for them to get exposure to the corresponding sound of each letter. Also, some kids learn the uppercase/lowercase letters separately and will gain exposure to both with this simple activity.
2. Developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills as the toddlers are expected to select a bottle cap and find the letters on the back of the butterfly (or whatever shape you choose).
3. Identifying colours and counting the number of letters they need to find or can find. For those parents with older kids looking for a challenge, how about simple addition or subtraction questions? For example: “You were able to find and reproduce the sounds of 16 letters of the alphabet how many more do you need to find?

What is letter recognition?

Letter recognition or alphabet recognition is the ability to:

• Identify the similarities and differences among the 26 letters of the alphabet.
• Say the letter names.

Why should children learn the letters of the alphabet and their corresponding sounds?

Children who know the names of the letters and their corresponding sounds are operating at an advantage:

1. Children who know letter names learn the sounds of the letters much more quickly, and can express when objects in their environment begin with a particular letter.
2. Children who can easily name the letters of the alphabet and reproduce the sound of each letter have an easier time learning to read, which is a skill all children must possess.
3. As they learn the letter names and sounds, children become more confident to discover more about the letters and words around them.

So you know that teaching the letter names and sounds to your toddler/toddlers is essential, and this simple alphabet matching activity that you can make at home will help you to do just that.

You will need:

1. Cardboard – any kind will do. (I used a box from Amazon)
2. Sharp scissors or X-Acto knife (This is for adult use only.)
3. Paint
4. 26 Bottle caps
5. Circular colour coded stickers (The ones I used I got from the Dollar store.)
6. A pencil to draw the shape of your choice.
7. A hot glue gun
8. Self-adhesive stickers if you want to get fancy.

Step 1: To start, you will need to consider what shape you want your alphabet matching activity to be. With the shape of choice in mind, you will need to source a piece of cardboard that will be the right size for your shape of choice and to make a base. I used an old Amazon box and chose to use the shape of a butterfly because my girls love butterflies. I also decided to draw a butterfly that was big enough for both girls to use the activity at the same time instead of making two which would be double the work. When choosing the shape, if your toddler is able to communicate what shape they would like, then by all means, allow them to choose.

Step 2: Use your pencil to gently outline the shape of your choice on a piece of the cardboard. When you have your shape outlined, use the cap from a water bottle to strategically place 26 circles for the letters of the alphabet on your shape. When you draw your circles, ensure that you are leaving space for your toddler to comfortably grasp and place each bottle cap when identifying the letters of the alphabet.

Step 3: After you have finished outlining your shapes, using an Exacto knife or scissors, cut out your shapes. I decided to keep the small cardboard circles that were removed from the butterfly to use as counters or as part of a future craft project.

Step 4: Now, it is time to paint. If you have children that are old enough, allow them to decorate the shape in the colours of their choice. I painted the butterfly myself because the cardboard requires about 3-4 coats for the colours to be vibrant, and I do not believe my girls were ready to meet that challenge. 

Step 5: When your shape is dry, you will need to place it on top of the reaming piece of cardboard that should be big enough to make a base for each individual hole in which you will place your bottle caps. Use a hot glue gun to attach your shape to the base. (If you are decorating with self-adhesive stickers now would be a good time to add them.) I used a base, so my girls are able to grip each bottle cap and remove when the need arises to correct any misconceptions.

Step 6: Cutaway all excess cardboard in the same shape of your choice or you can leave a decorative border. I decided to place our butterfly in the sky hence the reason for the blue paint.

Step 7: On your colour-coded sticker of choice use your permanent marker to write the uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet on each. Remove and place the stickers in the 26 holes on your shape. I chose not to place the letters in alphabetical order to provide a challenge for the girls.

Step 8: Place stickers on your 26 bottle caps, writing a letter of the alphabet on each. Your fun, simple and inexpensive alphabet sorting activity is now completed. It is time to Enjoy!

Now it is time to learn through play! I placed the bottle caps in a small container and encouraged the girls to take one at a time. This way, I can check and record what they know and any misconceptions I need to address during our play. Also, allowing them to take too many bottle caps can become a distraction for them.

Guide the activity by starting a conversation asking your toddler open-ended questions:

• What letter do you have in your hand?
• Do you know the sound that letter makes?
• Can you tell me the name of one object that begins with the letter “c”?
• What colours do you see on the butterfly?
• What shapes do you see?
• how many letters will we be matching/finding? (Count with your child.)

If you decide to try this simple letter sorting activity, I would love to see it. Please share it on on my Facebook or Instagram page.