Alphabet Hopscotch is a fun alphabet game that will not only get your kids up and moving indoors, but also help to teach them letter recognition.
As a parent, there’s nothing I love more than taking my toddler to a park and letting her run and climb while I relax on a shaded bench.
However, winter is a terrible time to play in a playground.
This January, we’ve been stuck inside and playing chase around the kitchen island is just starting to get a little old.
Or maybe I’m just getting old 😉
I get that you need to keep your kids busy because you feel stressed about all the stuff you need to get done today. That’s why my mission is to…
1. Find fun, quality kids’ activities and show you step by step how to do them.
2. Save you time and energy by using supplies from around the house or show you where to easily get them.
3. Inspire you to be creative and play with your kids in new and exciting ways.
Why Gross Motor Activites Will Keep Everyone Sane
Gross motor skills are the abilities required for whole-body movements and large muscle control.
Think running, jumping, rolling, catching a ball, and balancing on one foot.
Physical activity causes children to develop good gross motor skills and provides exercise that they (and we!) need.
We all know how a good workout can produce endorphins and is great for releasing pent-up stress and frustration.
The same goes for kids!
Yes, winter is a tough time of year for energetic kids. There’s just not enough of a physical challenge indoors for them to further develop their gross motor skills.
Staying locked up in a protected, temperature-controlled environment will drive them insane!
In turn, they will drive US insane!
Let’s prevent the insanity by playing active games with our kids.
Because, let’s be honest with each other.
…
We need some exercise too.
Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?
I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.
Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!
How We Did It: Alphabet Hopscotch Game
I love games and activities that require little to no set-up and this indoor hopscotch game with alphabet letters fit the bill.
We combined learning the alphabet with gross motor activity to keep my two-year-old, Ella, active and interested.
I’ve noticed that if Ella has a difficult time paying attention to directions or isn’t sleeping well for naps, then it’s because she hasn’t gotten enough exercise.
When I notice this happening, I’ll try to work in a gross motor activity, whether it’s playing ring-around-the-rosy, chasing her around the kitchen, or alphabet hopscotch.
Setting Up
Like I said, this game barely has any set up.
I arranged 6 alphabet foam mat puzzle pieces in a vertical line on the floor.
Then I added an extra piece on the sides of the middle four pieces, alternating rows.
So, not your traditional hopscotch set up, but good enough.
Playing Alphabet Hopscotch
I gave my toddler a rock.
I see you all shaking your heads at me.
I was a little nervous too, but the deed was done, and I couldn’t take it back from this happy little face.
So I changed the rules. Instead of throwing the rock…
Me: Ella, I’m going to say a letter, and I want you to put the rock on that letter.
E: OK!
Me: Put the rock on the letter N.
E: This one? *puts it on an M*
Me: No. Ennnnnnnn.
E: *slides rock over*
Me: Ok, now you’re gonna–
E: Wait, I wanna put it over there.
Me: Where?
E: Over there.
Me: OK, sure.
E: Wait, how about over there. *points to C*
Me: *rolls eyes* OK…
… One hour later …
We finally settled on putting the rock on the letter D, and I finally got to explain the rest of the game.
Me: I want you to hop on all the letters to get to the other side, but don’t hop on the letter with the rock on it.
E: OK!
*runs straight through all the letters*
We moved the rock around a few more times, negotiating on the position each time.
I was curious to see what she would do when it was placed directly in her path.
She hesitated, then just stepped over it and kept on running!
Working on Letter Recognition
We worked on letter recognition by naming the letter to put the rock on instead of tossing the rock.
She sometimes needed an extra clue, so I would say the color of the letter in addition to the letter name. That was enough for her to determine which tile to place the rock on.
RELATED: How We Did an Alphabet Rescue Mission for Letter Recognition
Another way we played was by naming letters for her to stand on.
Sometimes I asked her to stand on one foot to help her work on her balance.
Plus it was fun to be a little silly!
Your Turn! Play Alphabet Hopscotch
Play the same way we did, or modify it using one of the suggestions below to fit your family’s needs!
- No alphabet puzzle mat? Try writing the letters on individual sheets of paper or cardboard and taping them to the floor.
- Playing outside? I’m envious. Draw a traditional hopscotch grid and write letters in it instead of numbers.
- Not interested in letters? Try hopscotch with colors or shapes instead!
Looking for an organized guide of fun, easy activities to do with your toddler that also encourages their growth and development?
I’ve created a 3-month activity planner just for busy parents like you! The plan includes 65 detailed, simple, and stress-free activities including: arts and crafts, sensory play, motor skills, and STEM–all using easy-to-find supplies.
Let me help make planning activities for your toddler easy, so you can skip the stress and get straight to the fun!
Additional Alphabet Activities
