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Welcome to Week 1. This is your low-prep, print-and-go Intro to Letters plan. Each day includes a quick 5-minute mini lesson, one simple activity, and free printables that support it.
Best for: kindergarten centers, homeschool, preschool review, and busy parents who want a simple plan without a lot of prep.
How to Use This Page (Choose Your Path)
- Teachers: Use the Week at a Glance, print the weekly packet, then run the daily mini lessons.
- Homeschoolers: Do 1 day per day, or combine Days 1–2 and Days 3–4 for a 3-day week.
- Parents: Scroll to Parent Plan for the simplest version.
Jump To Day: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Week at a Glance
Week: 1 | Focus: Introduction to letters | Goal: help children notice that letters have names and help us read and write
- Day 1: What are letters?
- Day 2: Letter hunt
- Day 3: Names are special
- Day 4: Fine motor + letter play
- Day 5: Quick check + celebrate
This post is part of my Free Kindergarten Literacy Curriculum series. If you’d rather skip scrolling and grab everything in one organized download, you can shop the printable packets below.
Weekly unit PDFs include teacher scripts, printables, and extension activities or the Full curriculum bundle includes the full units (A–Z)
Shop Welcome to Letter Unit PDF
Shop Weekly Unit PDFs
Shop Full Curriculum Bundle
Print This Weekly Packet (Low Prep)
If you only print a few pages, these are the best ones for Week 1:
- Alphabet Overview Page (Day 1)
- Circle the Letters Worksheet (Day 1)
- Dot the Alphabet Page (Day 2)
- Build My Name Cut and Paste (Day 3)
- ABC Simple Letter Mini Book (Day 5)
Optional: Add one fine motor or tracing page for Day 4 extra practice.
Daily Mini Lessons + Printables
Day 1: What Are Letters?
Mini Lesson Script (5 minutes)
Show children the alphabet.
Say:
“Today we are learning about letters.”
“Letters help us read and write.”
“You can see letters in your name, in books, and all around you.”
Pause and ask:
“Where have you seen letters before?” (books, signs, TV, food boxes, shirts, etc.)
Say: “Yes! Letters are everywhere.”
Point to a few letters and say: “These are all letters. Each one has a name.”
Point to a few familiar ones (A, B, first letter of a student’s name if possible):
“Some of these might already look familiar to you.”
“Do you know any of these letters?”
Let children respond (no pressure to be correct).
Say:
“That’s okay if you don’t know them yet. We are just getting started.”
“This week, we are going to start noticing letters and getting to know them.”
(Optional)
Sing the alphabet song together.
Then say:
“Letters are special because they help us read words and write words.”
“Later, we will learn the sounds letters make too, but today we are just getting to know them.”
Do This (2 minutes): Give students an alphabet chart or alphabet overview page. Invite them to circle the first letter in their name, color any letters they recognize, point to a favorite letter, or trace 2–3 letters just for fun.
Teacher Tip: This is an introduction day. Keep it playful, interactive and low pressure.
Day 1 Printables: Alphabet Overview Page + Circle the Letters Worksheet
Day 2: Letter Hunt
Mini Lesson Script (5 minutes)
Say: “Yesterday we learned that letters help us read and write. Today we are going to look for letters all around us. Letters are not only on worksheets. They are in books, on signs, on food boxes, and all over the room.”
Hold up a few objects or labels and point out letters you see.
Do This (2 minutes): Invite students to spot letters around the room, in books, on labels, on posters, or on containers. Ask: “Can you find a letter from your name?” or “Can you find a letter you remember from yesterday?”
Teacher Tip: Let this feel like a scavenger hunt.
Day 2 Printables: Dot the Alphabet Page
Optional: Letter Tracing Alphabet Pages
Day 3: Names Are Special
Mini Lesson Script (5 minutes)
Write a child’s name in large letters.
Say: “Our names are made of letters. These letters come together to spell a name. Some letters belong to your name, and some do not.”
Point slowly to each letter as you read the name aloud.
You can also say: “The first letter in your name is very special.”
Do This (2 minutes): Invite students to trace their name, build their name with magnetic or cutout letters, color the first letter of their name, or cut and paste the letters in order.
Teacher Tip: Names are amazing and one of the most powerful early literacy tools because they already feel familiar, and are likely to have been seen and recognized by the child as meaningful. This is a great time to build on that meaning and use it as a stronger introduction to the importance of letters.
Day 3 Printables: Build My Name Cut and Paste + Decorate the First Letter of Your Name
Day 4: Fine Motor + Letter Play
By today, students have:
- Talked about what letters are
- Looked for letters in real life
- Explored letters in their names
Today is about strengthening and applying those skills.
Mini Lesson (2–3 minutes)
Say:
“Before writing gets easier, our hands need practice. We can build strong hands while we trace, color, dot, and play with letters. Today we are practicing with our hands and our eyes.”
Center Menu (choose 2)
- Center 1: Match Upper and Lowercase Letters
- Center 2: Mermaid Paths
- Center 3: Prewriting Skill Builder Cut & Paste
- Center 4: Pencil Control Dog or Cat Page
- Center 5: Rainbow ABC Tracing
Center 1 Printable: Match Upper and Lowercase Letters
Center 2 Printable: Mermaid Paths Beginner Pencil Control
Center 3 Printable: Prewriting Skill Builder Cut & Paste
Center 4 Printable: Pencil Control Dog or Cat Page
Center 5 Printable: Rainbow ABC Tracing
Day 5: Quick Check + Celebrate
Mini Check (2–3 minutes)
Ask: “What are letters for?”
“Can you find the first letter in your name?”
“Can you point to a letter in this room?”
“What letter do you remember?”
Celebrate: Finish the week with something fun like the alphabet song, one more letter hunt, decorating a favorite letter, or making the mini book together.
Printables: ABC Simple Letter Mini Book
Optional: Add a simple craft or sensory extension
Hands-On Ways to Reinforce Intro to Letters
These optional activities help strengthen letter recognition through sensory play, fine motor practice, movement, and creative expression. Use them during centers, small groups, or as a fun Friday extension.
Super Simple Parent Plan (3 Days)
- Day 1: Alphabet overview page + circle the letters worksheet
- Day 2: Dot the alphabet page + look for letters around the house
- Day 3: Build my name activity + mini book or one extension activity
Ten to fifteen minutes per day is enough. Repeat your child’s favorite activity if they ask.
Week 1 Complete
This week, your learners practiced:
- Recognizing letters around them
- Noticing that letters have names
- Looking for familiar letters
- Spotting letters in real life
- Recognizing that names are made of letters
Strong literacy grows one letter at a time, and this week built a solid foundation.
Looking for More Support?
At SlySpoon.com you can also find:
- Additional letter weeks
- Themed tracing pages
- Dot marker worksheets
- Literacy centers
- Sight word practice
- Seasonal printables
New resources are added regularly, and everything is designed to stay simple, structured, and low-prep.
A Quick Thank You
Thank you for showing up for your learners. Whether you are teaching in a classroom, homeschooling, or supporting your child at home, early literacy matters, and your support makes a huge difference in your little learner’s life.
-Brittney
Sly Spoon