Teaching Letter Rr

Are you looking for letter Rr activities to use with your preschooler or kindergartner? Maybe you’re a classroom teacher browsing for more ideas.

Research tells us that a direct, explicit approach to teaching the alphabet is more effective than indirect teaching. Enjoy the crafts, art ideas, and book list, but know that using a scripted routine like the one below is the most efficient way to teach letters and sounds. Make it your own!

How to introduce letter Rr

• Say words that begin with Rr: Say each word after me. (Emphasize the /r/ at the beginning of each word as you say it.) Rat. Rabbit. Rip. Rock. What sound do you hear at the beginning of each word? The sound is /r/.
• Talk about what your mouth is doing as you say the sound: Look at what my mouth is doing as I say /r/. (Tip: When making the /r/ sound, imagine you are about to say rabbit, and stop after the first sound. Your lips should be puckered. Make sure you are not saying /er/.) Now you try. What is your mouth doing? Put your hand on your throat as you say /r/. Is it a quiet or noisy sound? (noisy)
• Introduce the letter on a flash card: (Hold up the letter R card in uppercase or lowercase.) This is the letter R. When we see this card, we say “R spells /r/.” Your turn. (Students: “R spells /r/.”)

How to practice writing uppercase letter R

• Sky-write the letter: To make the letter R, we start at the top. We pull down. Then we go back to the top, around, in, and slant down. Watch me put my hand in the air and write an R in the sky. I pull down. Then I go back to the top, around, in, and slant down. Now you try. Put your finger in the air. Start at the top. Pull down. Then go back to the top, around, in, and slant down.
• Have students finger-write the letter: Make an R by moving your finger on the table. Start at the top. Pull down. Then go back to the top, around, in, and slant down. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “R spells /r/.” Remember to underline the R when you say /r/. (Practice multiple times.)

How to practice writing lowercase letter r

• Sky-write the letter: To make the letter r, we start in the middle, pull down, up, and over. Watch me put my hand in the air and write an r in the sky. I start in the middle, pull down, up, and over. Now you try. Put your finger in the air. Start in the middle, pull down, up, and over.
• Have students finger-write the letter: Make an r by moving your finger on the table. Start in the middle, pull down, up, and over. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “r spells /r/.” Remember to underline the r when you say /r/. (Practice multiple times.)

Other letter Rr activities

Free Printables

More alphabet resources

• Alphabet picture cards from A-Z
• Beginning sound clip cards
• Beginning sound coloring pages
• Beginning sound match mats
• Letter hunt & find worksheets

Find the rest of the alphabet HERE.

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