halloween is the perfect time to bring some spooky (but not too spooky!) fun into your preschool lessons. our halloween-themed abc flashcards are a fantastic way to help little learners practice their letters while staying engaged in the spirit of the season. here are five playful ways you can use our abc flashcards at home or in the classroom to bring the spooky vibes to your little learners.
1. abc seek-and-find
what kid doesn't love a good hide and seek game? in this game, hide some of your halloween abc flashcards around the house or classroom. i like to hide the cards alongside of an item that starts with the same letter--the P is for pumpkin card under the pillow, the R is for rose card under the rug--you get it. this adds an extra twist to the game and gives your littles the chance to practice their letter sounds.
2. ghostly letter toss
turn your alphabet learning into a fun physical activity! place some or all of the abc flashcards on the floor, spread out so they're all visible and not too close together. give your preschooler a soft "ghost" (like a white beanbag or a crumpled white piece of paper) and ask them to toss it onto a letter. once they land on a letter, they then say the letter name or the sound and think of another word that starts with that letter. this game reinforces letter recognition while engaging their bodies for double the fun.
3. magical spooky story telling
this one is still a big hit with my 7 year old, who is well past abc learning, but there's just something about these not-so-spooky abc flashcards that makes weaving a magical, spooky story irresistible. pick five to ten random abc flashcards and have your little one create a halloween-themed story using the words on the cards--like one about a ghost who's making a lovely toadstool tea in her kettle while her pet cat plays with a feather. let your child’s creativity run wild as they mix learning and imaginative play. this has been known to turn into a full morning activity, with drawings and dramatic reenactments. and as a variation, you can use the full deck and take turns building the story, one sentence at a time.
4. monster mash alphabet race
here's another great one to get those wiggles out. scatter all of the abc flashcards across the room or outdoor space. your preschooler is a friendly little monster, and their mission is to gather the letters in alphabetical order during their monster dance party. each time they pick up a letter, they do a fun 'monster move' (stomp, growl, make silly face, do a dance) while saying the letter or letter sound. you can play halloween music in the background to keep the energy high, and the game continues until they’ve collected the whole alphabet in the right order. for an added challenge (and a pretty good guarantee that they'll want to play again) you can time them and have them 'beat the clock' in their next go around.
5. witch's brew writing game
this one is a great way to encourage handwriting practice. for this game you'll need a witch's cauldron (a bowl or bucket) and a magic wand (something to write with) and a spell book (something to write on). place some abc flashcards in the witch’s cauldron and have your preschooler pull out a card. you could have them say a magic word and wave their magic wand for extra spooky flair. then, using the card they've drawn, they can write the letter in their spell book, or, for more of a challenge, a potion ingredient that starts with that letter. repeat for all of the letters in your cauldron and then read back your magic spell.
i really hope you try out some of these silly games, perfect for little learners who love spooky season. whether you’re helping little monsters master their letters or turning your classroom into a halloween adventure, our halloween abc flashcards are the perfect tool to keep kids engaged and excited. you can grab your own set here and let the spooky learning begin. i hope you have a fang-tastic halloween full of learning, laughs, and a little bit of not-so-spooky fun!