Ready to bring some tail-wagging joy to your literacy time? These puppy-themed letter matching clip cards are a playful way to help little learners master letter recognition and build fine motor skills at the same time!
Designed for preschoolers and kindergarten students, this interactive activity makes learning feel like play. With each card featuring an adorable puppy, kids will be excited to join in the fun while practicing their ABCs.
Setting Up The Puppy Letter Matching Clip Cards
Setting up this activity is quick and simple, just print, cut, and go.
Each card showcases a cute puppy holding a big, bold uppercase letter, while the bottom features multiple lowercase letters for students to choose from.
You’ll want to cut out the cards (four per sheet) using scissors or a paper cutter. To save time, stack a few pages and cut several at once. For added durability, especially if you plan to reuse them often, consider giving them a quick run through a laminator.
If you’re aiming to cut down on plastic, don’t worry. These cards work just as well without lamination if you print them on sturdy card stock. They’re also super easy to print again in a different fun theme when they start to show wear.
Playing the Game
Once your cards are prepped, it’s time for the fun to begin! Shuffle the cards and place them face-down in a stack or, if working with multiple kiddos, spread them out on the table.
Don’t forget to give each child a few clothespins to work with.
Next, have learners pick a card, say the uppercase letter aloud, and then mark the matching lowercase letter using one of their clips.
For an added challenge, children can also say the letter sound as they match it. For vowels, encourage them to try both the short and long sounds.
Once your students are comfortable with the activity, it makes a great addition to literacy centers, partner activities, or independent work sessions.
Supplies You’ll Need
(You’ll find affiliate links in the article below.)
- Printable Clip Cards (Down Below)
- Clothespins (Try these bright rainbow clips.)
- Cardstock (For Strength)
- Laminator (optional)
- Scissors
Differentiation and Adaptation
Every learner is different. Thankfully, these puppy clip cards are easy to adjust based on ability and need. This printable actually comes ready with leveled answer choices.
In version one, there are two answer choices across the bottom. The more advanced set features 3 answer choices across the bottom.
If any students struggle with using clips, due to fine motor challenges, offer dot markers, bingo daubers, and dry-erase markers for marking the matches. Please note that the printable will need to be laminated to use these tools.
For students who need to answer via eye-gaze or alternative communication devices, these simple, printable letter cards work well with hook-and-loop tabs for felt boards and talking buttons.
How to Use These Alphabet Clip Cards in a New Way
Want to get your learners up and moving? Turn this clip card activity into a puppy-themed alphabet hunt!
To set up the activity, cut off the lowercase letters from each card to create individual letter cards. Next, hide the uppercase puppy cards around your classroom or home.
Finally, give all your students a lowercase letter card and send them out to hunt for the uppercase match. This is a great way to add movement to your alphabet practice.
More Fun Alphabet Activities For Kids
Activity 1
Activity 2
