In honor of school starting and our recent Bus Tours this summer we wanted to feature Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Has your child discovered the character Pigeon by Mo Willems yet?

This post contains affiliate links to Amazon Books.

We’re excited to welcome you to the Virtual Book Club for Kids featuring Mo Willems!

Each Virtual Book Club for Kids Co-Host will be sharing their own Mo Willems inspired post today!  That’s 16+ Activities to go with his books!

Water Color with Pigeon and the Bus

To start our Mo Willems fun we first drew the bus inspired by Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems. Then we printed out coloring pages provided for free on the Mo’s website. Then it was time to paint!  

Using crayons or markers would work too but sometimes it’s that little extra element that makes a project seem special to a child. Once it was dry it make the perfect backdrop for our ABC Game!

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Letter Activity

Finding a match is a fun way to being to learn letters and letter sounds with a child. Use some images to discover which letter starts with that letter. We gather a few sets of letters as most usually have just one of each letters.

You could also very easily print out on paper or on your computer different types and colors of letters to add variety to the sorting game for kids.

Ask your child What Letter can get on this Bus?

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Create Your Own Name Bus 

We used some special letters to practice forming the letters in my daughter’s name, spouse, siblings. Another way we will use it soon it to from Word Families. Words that rhyme like -at -an -op -it will be a fun place to start to learn to read and rhyme. You could make word cards to for your child to copy onto the bus.

Ask your child What letters belong in your name?

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Create Your Own Family Bus

Who’s in your family? Create a special bus for Pigeon to drive with your family inside of it! My 3-year-old had fun using watercolors to paint our hand-drawn bus and including our family members inside too!

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Mo Willems Printables

We printed out a Pigeon from one of Mo Willem’s Websites Pigeon Presents! There are a bunch of resources on the Grown Up’s Section. While you’re there check out the Bus Facts Page. We hand-drew the bus to use for this project.

Here are a few more fun ways to learn to draw with Mo Willems.  

Here’s a quick video of “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”

Check out this Knuffle Bunny Costume Idea for Kids

Pigeon and Bus Activities inspired by Mo Willems: Printables, Activities and Crafts!

• Handprint Pigeon 
• Paint Chip School Bus 
• Pigeon on a Bus Snack
• Bus Craft 
• Letter B for Bus 
• Pigeon Activity Guide from Mo Willems 
• Pigeon Needs a Bath Activity Ideas and Video
• 50+ Mo Willems Activities  
• Check out Mo’s Interview on the Today Show  and why he feels our kids need to be doodling! 

How to Join the Virtual Book Club for Kids 

We’d love to see the Mo Willems inspired activities that you do with your child or class!   Come share your activity Idea and photos on our VBC Facebook Page or in the Comment Section.

Mo Willems Activities from the Virtual Book Club for Kids Co-Hosts

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Activities 

• Cardboard Box Bus Craft & Number Game for Kids by Toddler Approved
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus Activity by Coffee Cups and Crayons 
• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus: Puppets, Crafts and Storytelling by Playing with Words 365
• Letter B is for Bus Craft by Royal Baloo
• Pigeon Rhyming Race Activity by Growing Book by Book 
• Pigeon Handprint by Mama Miss 

Knuffle Bunny Activities 

• Mo Willems Inspired DIY Bunny Costume Felt Headband by The Educators’ Spin On It 
• Knuffle Bunny Activity Mats by ready-set-read 

The Duckling Gets a Cookie Activities 

• Counting Chocolate Chips – Duckling Get a Cookie by 3 Dinosaurs
• Nut Free Alphabet Cookies by Rainy Day Mum
• Sticky Cookie Craft by The Pleasantest Thing
• The Duckling Gets a Cookie Math Games by Inspiration Laboratories
• The Ducking Gets a Cookie Printable Clothespin Activity by Lalymom 

September Featured Author: Mo Willems

• Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
• Knuffle Bunny
• The Duckling Gets a Cookie

You’ll find even more ideas shared for Books and Activities by following along!

Leave a comment below for us if you’re joining the Virtual Book Club for Kids!

You may also enjoy these activities…

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ticonderoga. All opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links included in this post.

Teaching young children to learn to write is one of my most favorite things to do. Giving a child the right writing tools to be successful is an important step. A large size round No. 2 pencil is easy for small hands to hold making them ideal for children in the early stages of their writing development.

Have you bought your Ticonderoga pencils yet for your beginner writer this school year?

Using a Beginner Pencil for Handwriting

In my Kindergarten classroom, I prefer to teach how to properly write using large diameter pencils. This back to school season we’re kicking off our writing with a very special pencil from Ticonderoga Pencils, just for beginning writers ages 7 or younger.

The larger pencil is so much easier for little hands to hold as they develop their fine motor skills and story writing skills. Plus it helps with learning to form the proper way to hold a pencil which can make a huge impact on handwriting in the future.

BUY NOW ON AMAZON

With oversized beginner pencils the thicker core of graphite helps to prevent the frustrations from the graphite breaking, and they stay sharper longer as your child practices writing with a pencil. It gives them time to be creative and write down their thoughts.

If they make a mistake the erasers remove marks easily without smudging. You’d be amazed how distractive little tasks like erasing can be to beginning writers.

Handwriting Skills for Preschoolers and Kindergartners

Handwriting skills start off at an early age as fine motor skills that you learn through hands-on play. If you have a preschooler at home I’d recommend starting off this school year by heading to your favorite store for school supplies and look for the My First Ticonderoga Pencil. These larger pencils come pre-sharpened plus they come with a bonus sharpener too.

If you’ve never seen them before, you need to know that they are much thicker than regular pencils which helps with easily being able to grip. The pencil’s graphite is big enough to withstand even the hardest writers for smooth writing. These pencils are great for beginning writers who would like a substantial size that is easier to hold on to as they work on proper pencil grip.

How to Develop Proper Pencil Grip

You might be wondering how do I teach my child how to hold a pencil?

You start by developing the skills that are required, which requires a lot of hands on play and exploration. Playground time can make a huge impact in your child’s handwriting as they grow up, so go PLAY! Below I’ve listed some of the things your child will develop for their handwriting skills and proper pencil grip.

• Very young children even start by tummy time to build their postural strength through so they can sit up at a desk eventually.
• Develop shoulder and upper arm strength and stability so they can hold their arm steady whilst they write by playing push and pull games and hanging from the monkey bars.
• When writing you’ll need to stabilize their wrists so activities like painting on an easel or using a rolling pin. Even holding onto swings is important in developing these skills.
• One key element to proper pencil grip is the arch of the palm. Invite your child to play with the trigger of spray bottles, tongs, or hole punches to develop hand grip strength.
• To help develop a child’s pincer grip you can encourage them by threading small beads, using pegs, or pinching playdough.

Continue doing these activities while your child is developing their proper pencil grip.

To set your child up for success it’s important to remember that very young children will not be strong enough to hold small pencils. They are working on the ability to control and stabilize their shoulders/wrists. Because of this kids tend to use chunkier writing tools, like My First Ticonderoga Pencils, and write using whole arm movements. As their strength and control develops, the movement of writing will move from the whole arm, to the wrist, and finally to the fingertips.

The goal is around ages 4-6 years old your child will develop a static tripod grip on their pencil.

This is the ideal grip to help move the pencil efficiently, accurately, and at a good speed. Once your child masters these skills they are ready to start practicing and perfecting their letter formations!

Here are some additional tips to improve handwriting for your child.

Pencil Themed Handwriting Activity for Kids

For a playful idea for a handwriting activity you can create fun letter cards together that are inspired by pencils. The pencil clothespins help to develop hand drip strength and focus on letter recognition too. We used some chubby clothespins from a local craft store and some leftover paint to create these pencil clothespins.

Grab some paper and your beginner pencil for writing fun with your child. Or you can use these pencil themed clips to display your child’s handwriting work for the school year!

Head to the store this back to school season and look for the Ticonderoga large diameter pencils (also called primary or beginner size pencils) for young children (7 and under), or differently-abled individuals and start working on your writing skills.

They’ve spent 100 years of helping families tell their story. Ticonderoga focuses on being #1 in quality just for you!

Looking for more ideas for handwriting and fine motor skills with kids? Try these…

Here’s how to play this letter game!

Disclosure: This book contains Amazon Affiliate links.

We’re kicking off this year’s Virtual Book Club for Kids with Alphabet Week! Our featured book this week is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

BUY NOW: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Written by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
Illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Finding book activities is one of my favorite things to do with young children. This book is so inviting and colorful and draws in a child’s focus every time you read it. Bonus is they are learning the letters of the alphabet while they read it.

Our book activity to go with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom adds some fun with movement and letter recognition and gets your child outdoors.

Plus a printable coconut alphabet for extra playable fun indoors too.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Alphabet Game with Sidewalk Chalk

Materials

• sidewalk chalk
• white paper
• printer
• Coconut Alphabet printable
• small rock
• scissors
• pretend coconut or plastic container

Directions

Print the coconut letters and cut out each letters for game. Place letters into a plastic container to store and be able to sort through.

Before you head outside, ask your child to sort through the letters and place them into alphabetical order with you as you identify the letter sounds and letters one by one.

Now it’s time to head outdoors to make your very own coconut tree with sidewalk chalk. You’re going to want to make it a large coconut tree, the kids will be jumping onto it.

So grab your green for the palm frawns and brown or orange for the trunk of the palm tree. This is a super simple outline to draw.

Once your coconut tree is complete, it’s time to write the letters of the alphabet on the tree, just like in the story. You can have your child use the coconut letter cards for reference for how to write with the colorful chalk correctly.

As your child is writing the letters, talk about their letter sounds too.

Want more sidewalk chalk games? {CLICK HERE}

To play the game have your child draw letters from the plastic basket or if you really want to it play up use a pretend Coconut Shell Cup with Lid, like this on Amazon.

PRINT THE COCONUT ALPHABET HERE

Now that you have select a letter the challenge is to find it as quickly as you can on the coconut tree.

Continue to do this until your child races the clock to find all the letters on the coconut tree. When they find the letter have them jump onto it and shout out the letter name or make it more challenging and have them shout out the letter sound. Add extra fun with this adorable palm tree hat!

NEED MORE IDEAS?

For the second activity have your child jump from each letter Coconut to Coconut in alphabetical order. A fun movement activity as your child learns the order of the alphabet. When they land on the letter, have them shout out the letter sound or a word that starts with that letter.

The last idea is for beginning readers! Grab a small rock for tossing and have them toss the “coconut” rock onto a letter and have them shout what the name.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Printable Alphabet

Looking for more letter activities to go with the book? You might enjoy this post that features Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Activities.

What age is the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Book good For?

This book is perfect for children learning the letters of the alphabet and letter sounds. Preschoolers and Toddlers find this book quite funny. It’s also good for learning alphabetical order and handwriting, which means even Kindergarten and First Graders will find this book enjoyable.

You can even turn it into a STEM activity with all ages as you challenge them to balance letters on a tree. Or use these natural coconut shell cups to create a sorting activity.

What is the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Song?

There is an adorable Chicka Chicka Boom Boom song that you’ll want to listen to and sign along with with your child as you explore this adorable book.

I’m going to warn you it’s a bit catchy and you’ll be singing this one all day!

Want more Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities? Check out this week’s alphabet lesson plan at The Virtual Book Club for Kids.

Here are some additional alphabet themed activities you may also enjoy…

Share your Activity Ideas and Photos as you doing this activity with your child in our Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids Facebook Group!

Are you ready to get started?

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.

One of my favorite alphabet books is Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The playful text and colorful illustrations introduce your child to the letters of the alphabet both upper case and lower case.

Here’s a collection of activities for hours of fun with the alphabet!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activities

There are so many fun ideas to use this this story. In this article you will find some of my very favorite ways to have fun with this book. From alphabet crafts, coconut tree science to even some delicious snack ideas all inspired by the story Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

First start by printing these Coconut Alphabet Letters to get your learning station set up for hours of fun.

Head outside for this adorable Sidewalk Chalk Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Alphabet Game!

Create an adorable sticky coconut tree for this book for allow your child to stick the letters all over the tree just like in the book. You can even use recycled play dough lids, like this alphabet tree, for a more colorful option.

Have some fun with math for your older kids with this multiplication coconut tree. For younger kids just change to number recognition or addition and subtraction.

This resources includes Chicka Chicka Boom Boom printable activities and centers to introduce or review basic concepts, alphabet and math skills in an early childhood classroom.

Chicka Chick Boom Boom Alphabet Sensory Bins

Play dough can be used to set up a sensory experience with just a few items like these featured with letter beads, felt leaves and a few pieces of wood.

We love how these wooden balls are use for setting up a Storytime playdough for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Take a peek at this playdough sensory play with buttons for the coconuts.

Take advantage of your magnetic letters by creating a can coconut tree, they your child can spend hours and hours attaching their letters Chick Chicka Boom Boom Magnetic Tree.

Use your magnetic door or side of the refrigerator for a larger than life Alphabet Coconut Tree.

Get the printable Coconut Tree with Letters or use this one.

Make this Sensory Activity with Kinetic Sand and this printable We recommend using these magnetic foam letters, plastic letters or wooden letter.

Make a interactive coconut tree with this glass gem coconuts.

Make very own Chicka Chicka Boom Boom DIY sensory bottle. This sensory bottle is super simple and so much fun to make. Perfect for your little Chicka Chicka Boom Boom fan!

Add a little water play to this story by creating an alphabet soup letter bin with your foam or magnetic letters and water.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Snack Ideas

Make this adorable fruit snack inspired by the story with apple palm frawn, banana stem and mandarin oranges for the sandy grown. Plus add the letter crafts to tie in the story.

You might even want to consider making coconut bread. Here’s the recipe.

Create a delicious snack with letters by baking alphabet cheese crackers or even alphabet graham crackers.

Love the letter cereals that are available. You can use them to make this Coconut Tree Snack with apples and a pretzel rod.

Look at how cute adding letters to any plate makes for the perfect snack, even at a playdate or birthday party.

Here’s an easy recipe to make with kids for Alphabet Cookies!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Craft Projects

Create this simple activity with alphabet stamps and by drawing a coconut tree or finding a printable one online. You can make it a matching game too with alphabet cards.

With foam letters stickers you can create so many fun projects for this book. One easy one is a Toilet Paper Role Coconut Tree.

Pull out the paint for a handprint Coconut Tree or a hand painted version. Then you can pull out your alphabet stamps to create your very own Painted Alphabet Tree.

With a few green muffin tin liners and foam letters you can create this adorable Letter Coconut Tree Craft.

Make your own name with this adorable Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Name Craft using foam letters. (I told you they can be used for so many things with this story.)

Grab your empty paper towel role and your leftover dot stickers for this alphabet coconut tree in spired by this story. Or you can grab some paint to create this colorful alphabet tree the foam bowl is a brilliant way to capture the letters.

Learn the letters of your name by making a coconut name recognition tree with clothespins.

A simple activities for even your toddlers is it invite them to this paint the alphabet matching game.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Science Activities

Take this story to a whole other level by exploring coconuts together. Head to the story and purchase a coconut. Make it a science discovery experience by pulling out your magnifying glass.

Explore coconuts with your 5 Senses using these ideas. You could even make your own coconut cloud dough to play with the dried shell.

Add a little more fun to your coconut science by building your very own Coconut Tree STEM Challenge with popsicle sticks and a paper tube.

Or add a little fun to building with block and try this Chicka Chicka Boom Boom STEM Activity.

Make your own Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Board Game a simple–kind of a mix between Candy Land & Trouble.

Get ready for some sensory fun by making your own Alphabet Slime and add a coconut tree confetti to go along with the story.

There are so many ways to create activities to go along with the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I can’t wait to hear about which one you try first.

Many of the gorgeous photos featured in this post came from Little Miss Kaye, a member of our Virtual Book Club for kids. Thank you so much for allowing us to share on our site. Take a moment and go take a look at her gorgeous instagram account with inspiring ideas with her preschooler.

We invite you to share your Chicka Chicka Boom Boom photos in our Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids Facebook group and join along each week with our themed activities and books. Join Here

Here are some additional activities your child may enjoy…

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is one of my most favorite books to start the school year off with for children in early childhood classroom and in your home while working with toddlers and preschoolers.  

It’s all about having fun with the english language and with the alphabet!  It’s also the quickest way to see what letters your child knows and needs to learn.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and Joh Archambault

Chicka Chicka ABC (Chicka Chicka Book, A)

Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 (Chicka Chicka Book, A)

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letter Activities

Here are several Chicka Chicka Boom Boom letter activities for your child to explore the alphabet. Have fun with your coconut tree!

How to Make a Coconut Tree for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Story

Paper Towel Roll or rolled up brown construction paper makes the perfect tree. Then attach some green palm branches for the palm frawns.  If you have alphabet stickers you can attach them to the tree as you tell the story.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree Letter Stamping

One a light colored sheet of paper have your child glue a brown stem for the trunk of the palm tree and create 3 to 5 green palm tree branches to glue on top of the trunk.  Once the glue is draw encourage your child to stamp with ABC stamps.  

I found mine for $1 at Michaels or the Dollar Spot at Target.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Letters Manipulatives

We found a little bag of letters from Creatology at Michaels but any little letters or magnetic letters would be fun to retell the story with.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Snack Time

Using Graham Crackers and Alphabet Cereal or Alphabet Crafts by Cheese It you can create a snack Apples work perfect for the Palm tree Limbs.  Use raisins for the coconuts!

You can also make this delicious Coconut Bread Recipe for Kids!

A fun way to explore Chicka chicka boom boom letter activities with your child.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Song

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom… and More Fun with Letters and Numbers (Scholastic Storybook Treasures)

This is a fun little song created by Scholastic to play in the background while you’re crafting and snacking!  It’s available at Amazon.  Here’s the link Chicka Chicka Boom Boom DVD.  

What is your favorite Chicka Chicka Boom Boom letter activity? SHARE

Want more ideas for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom? Try these…

Learning Objective.  Recognizing capital letter names and sounds.

Remembering and knowing the letter names and sounds are part of the early childhood education curriculum.  A strong understanding of the sounds, phonics, can be helpful for children when learning to read.  This Swimming Letters with Dory Sensory Bag activity is great because children can self select the letters of the alphabet they want to work on.  Affiliate links to products

It is a hands-on, multi-sensory activity.

When an adult says the letter name, children HEAR it.

Children look at the letter and they SEE the shape.

Hands move the fish along the letter and kids FEEL the shape.

Swimming Letters with Dory Sensory Bag

Materials Needed:

• 1 Gallon plastic bag
• 16 oz. Clear styling gel (We got ours at the $1 store)
• Glitter glue (optional)
• Small blue plastic fish
• Tape
• Scissors
• 13 pieces of Blue construction paper

Directions to Make Swimming Letters with Dory Sensory Bag

1. First, open the bag. Fill with clear styling gel and a little bit of glitter glue.

1. Then, add the plastic fish with the gel.
   

   

2. Next close the bag. Tape shut.
3. Cut the construction paper in half.
4. Finally, draw and cut out an uppercase letter on each of the half sheets of paper.

How to play Swimming Letters with Dory Sensory Bag

1. Select a letter. Put it UNDER the pre-made sensory bag.
2. Say the alphabet letter name and sound Ex. “This is a letter A. It makes the /a/ sound.”
3. Have your child repeat the letter name and sound.
4. Next, let your child push the fish though the letter. Just like you were writing, have them swim from left to right. (If you watched the movie Finding Dory, she swam through water pipes. My kids did this activity and said, “She’s swimming through the letter pipes.” )
5. Repeat for 3-5 letters.
6. Finally, when the 3-5 letters have been mastered, you can add more. As a parent, I want to make sure learning is fun, not overwhelming. Small amounts are much more manageable.

Variations to the Swimming Letters with Dory Sensory Bag

• Cut out a set of numbers 1-10. Call out and swim the number.
• Put two letters together under the bag to make a simple word: it, at, am. Sound out and swim those words.
• Find sight words with Dory.

Click for directions on how to make and play Finding Sight Words with Dory Sensory Bag

You may also enjoy these activities with your child…

Here’s how to play this Pool Noodle Game. 

Pool Noodle Build Word Towers Activities for Learning to Read

Learning Objective: Read simple 3 letter words.

Materials Needed

• ABC Pool Noodle Beads

Click here for directions on how to make the ABC Beads.

How to Play Pool Noodle Word Towers.

1. Say a simple three letter word.

Here are some sample 3 letter words that follow the classic sound patterns to get you started.

• peg, leg,
• dig, rig, pig,
• pan, man, fan, ran,
• run, sun, fun, bun
• hop, top, pop, bop
• bug, rug, dug, hug
• bit, fit, kit,
• get, pet, set, met
• cat, fat, rat, mat

2. Build the word.

3. Knock the word over.

4. Repeat 1-3.

Challenge: See how many towers you can build using the 26 letters in the alphabet. Each letter can be used only once. (hint – it is more than 2 and less than 6 word towers!)

POOL NOODLE LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

We have several Pool Noodle Learning Activities that you might also enjoy.

• Build a Word Tower with Pool Noodles {You’re Here}
• Pool Noodle Sight Word Boat Races 
• 15 Pool Noodle Activities for Kids 
• Giant ABC Beads with Pool Noodles
• Pool Noodle Boat Matching Game 
• Pool Noodle ABC Basket 
• Base Ten Basket with Pool Noodles 
• Pool Noodle Alphabet Order Obstacle Course 

Click on the images below to see how to make and play these pool noodle learning activities!

Which Pool Noodle Ideas will you try first?

There has been so much letter naming and sounds going on. Of course, my littles decided to play alphabet basketball right away.  There are endless learning possibilities with this letter basket.  Make one for your kids and see how they use it!

Disclosure: Affiliate links included in this article.

Make a Pool Noodle Alphabet Basket for Learning Letters

Learning Objective: Identify the name and sound of letters.

Materials Needed:

• 1 Pool Noodles
• Permanent Markers
• Basket for storage

How to make ABC Pool Noodles.

I let the kids make their own learning materials when possible, this activity is mostly for adults to make. I prepared my alphabet noodles the night before. That way the marker had a chance to dry before the kids played with it. It will smear and may get on clothes and furniture. We did not have any issues when the marker was dry.

1. The adult cuts the Pool Noodles into 26 pieces.

2. Write one letter with Permanent Markers on each noodle. We are working on lower case. You could also use all uppercase.

Learning Ideas for Alphabet Pool Noodles

1. Grab a letter & say it’s name. Throw it into the Basket as a modified basketball game.

2. Sort the letters. Find the letters that use sticks and those that have curves.

3. Find the letters that make up your name.

4. Play I spy using sounds. Example: I spy the letter that makes the sound [a].

POOL NOODLE LEARNING ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

We have several Pool Noodle Learning Activities that you might also enjoy.

• Build a Word Tower with Pool Noodles 
• Pool Noodle Sight Word Boat Races
• 15 Pool Noodle Activities for Kids 
• Giant ABC Beads with Pool Noodles 
• Pool Noodle Boat Matching Game 
• Pool Noodle ABC Basket (You’re here)
• Base Ten Basket with Pool Noodles
• Pool Noodle Alphabet Order Obstacle Course 

Click on the images below to see how to make and play these pool noodle learning activities! 

Which pool noodle games will you try first?

Here’s how…

Bring summer inside with us for hours of literacy fun with shells. We collected quite a few shells from our trips to the beach this summer and I wanted something fun to do with them.

We did color them earlier in to create rainbow seashells! {Click Here for more}.

However now it’s time for some playful learning!

Alphabet Game with Seashells

Let’s create a letter-matching game with Sea Shells!

Collect your shells and use a permanent marker to write the letters. We started with just Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, and Ee. We will eventually add the other letters of the alphabet by using both the tops and bottoms of the shell.  

With 52 characters to learn in the alphabet, it’s always a good thing to start with a limited number to begin with. Once they master those letters you can move on to another set of letters.

We had a letter fun searching for our letters with our water masks!  You could also very easily play this game with sight words or word families too.  

We also used our Clothespin Mermaid Doll from big sister birthday party to help us find the letters.  Sometimes learning is all about playing at our house.

For more Busy Bag Ideas follow our Busy Bag of the Month Series.These summer Ideas would be perfect for your preschoolers!

This post contains Amazon Affiliate links.

Seashell Books for Preschoolers

What Lives in a Shell? by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld

Seashells: More Than a Home by Melissa Stewart

It’s a Seashell Day by Dianne Ochiltree

The Beachcomber’s Companion by Anna Marlis Burgard

A Shell Is Cozy by Dianna Hutts Aston

The Mother’s Day Shell by Amelia Grantham

Seashell Activities:

• Watercolor Seashell Craft
• Alphabet Seashell Game
• Sight Word Seashell Game
• Rainbow Seashell Art Project
• Storytelling Seashells
• Shell Necklace Craft
• Summer Sight Words
• Watercolor Sea Shell Craft
• Words in the Sand Game

You may also enjoy these busy bag activities for kids…

• Ocean Math Fun
• ABC Straw Fun
• Alphabet Letter Bugs

ABC Order with Giant Pool Noodle Alphabet Beads.

Learning Objective: Put letters into alphabetical order.

Materials Needed

• ABC Pool Noodle Beads
• Long string.
• Alphabet chart

Click here for directions on how to make the ABC Beads.

How to play Pool Noodle ABC Order

1. Set the basket of pool noodle beads out with the string. Lay the alphabet chart near the basket.

2. Sing the alphabet song with your child. Point to the letters as you sing.

3. Talk about real life instances when you are using alphabetical order to help you complete a task.

• Looking up numbers in a phone book.
• Finding a word in the dictionary.
• Locating books in the library.

4. Search for the letters in alphabetical order.  Add them to the string together.

5. We tied the letter a on as a base so the pool noodle alphabet beads would not slide off.

6. When you finish beading the alphabet. Tie the Z.

7. Sing the alphabet one more time, pointing at the alphabet beads as you sing them.

Click here to watch a video on how to cut the Pool noodles to size for Pool Noodle Games

Pool Noodle Learning Activities for Kids

We have several Pool Noodle Learning Activities that you might also enjoy.

• Build a Word Tower with Pool Noodles 
• Pool Noodle Sight Word Boat Races 
• 15 Pool Noodle Activities for Kids 
• Giant ABC Beads with Pool Noodles (You’re Here)
• Pool Noodle Boat Matching Game 
• Pool Noodle ABC Basket 
• Base Ten Basket with Pool Noodles 
• Pool Noodle Alphabet Order Obstacle Course 

Click on the images below to see how to make and play these pool noodle learning activities! 

Which Pool Noodle Game will you try first?