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
CraftsBook List
Fine Motor
Sensory Play
Math Connections
Free Printables
Little Letter R Book (songs and rhymes) R is for Red (dot sticker page)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.
Looking for a done-for-you alphabet curriculum?
Alphabet Curriculum for Preschool
$36.00
Our curriculum includes lessons for teaching both upper and lowercase letter names and sounds. You’ll get three lessons per letter, built-in review, simple handwriting practice, rhyming, syllable counting, phonemic awareness, and a whole lot more!
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Lou
Hi Anna,
Are your alphabet worksheets editable?
Font changes mainly as I use Victorian Modern Cursive.
Thanks,
Lou
Heather Groth, Customer Support
Hello Lou! While many of our resources are editable, the alphabet worksheets are not.
Jessie
Hi! I love your stuff and have been using it for my preschool. But I noticed that after letter O or P there’s not as much stuff on there as there has been for the other letters. Is it going to stay that way, or are you working on putting other stuff up there? Thanks.
Anna Geiger
No, I finished these over a year ago, so they’re done. But if you click on the links “crafts,” “sensory play,” etc. you’ll find a huge variety of activities. I also sell an ebook with tons of ideas for each letter. https://www.themeasuredmom.com/product/letter-of-the-week-curriculum/
Something else to browse through is this series: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/letter-of-the-week-with-a-3-year-old/
Camilya
Love your page and amazing resources! My 3 year old son loves the math games! Unfortunately, the links for the letter R do not seem to be working. The link to the R book, actually takes you to the U book.
Anna Geiger
Oops – thanks for that correction, Camilya! I I fixed it. We’ll be adding letter R activities in the next two weeks. Still working at putting them together. 🙂
Tiffany
Hi Anna,
Now letter R book takes you to “O”. Is there another link for letter R? It’s the last letter I need to finish my 3 year old’s name.
Thanks,
Tiffany
Anna Geiger
Hmm… what link are you talking about? When I click on “book list” it goes here: https://www.themeasuredmom.com/letter-r-books/
Tiffany
Hi Anna,
It’s is under “This Reading Mama’s free letter” section. When I open the letter-r-activities, under the More Alphabet Resources, it shows letter O instead of the free printable pack for letter R.
I have cleared my cookies, thinking that could be the problem. I will try another web browser.
Thanks,
Tiffany