Are you looking for letter Ss 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 Ss
- Say words that begin with Ss: Say each word after me. (Emphasize the /s/ at the beginning of each word as you say it.) Sun. Sell. Soap. Sing. Seed. Seal. Sap. What sound did you hear at the beginning of each word? The sound is /s/.
- Talk about what your mouth is doing as you say the sound: Look at what my mouth is doing as I say /s/. Now you try. Where is your tongue? Put your hand on your throat as you say /s/. Is it a quiet or noisy sound? (quiet)
- Introduce the letter on a flash card: (Hold up the letter S card in uppercase or lowercase.) This is the letter S. When we see this card, we say “S spells /s/.” Your turn. (Students: “S spells /s/.”)
How to practice writing uppercase letter S
- Sky-write the letter: To make the letter S, we start at the top. Then we pull back, in, around, and back around. Watch me put my hand in the air and write an s in the sky. I start at the top. I pull back, in, around, and back around. Now you try. Put your finger in the air. Start at the top. Pull back, in, around, and back around.
- Have students finger-write the letter: Make an S by moving your finger on the table. Start at the top. Pull back, in, around, and back around. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “S spells /s/.” Remember to underline the S when you say /s/. (Practice multiple times.)
How to practice writing lowercase letter s
- Sky-write the letter: To make the letter s, we start in the middle. Then we pull back, in, around, and back around. Watch me put my hand in the air and write an s in the sky. I start in the middle. I pull back, in, around, and back around. Now you try. Put your finger in the air. Start in the middle. Pull back, in, around, and back around.
- Have students finger-write the letter: Make an s by moving your finger on the table. Start in the middle. Pull back, in, around, and back around. (Other options: sand or salt tray, shaving cream, etc.) Now do the same thing while saying “s spells /s/.” Remember to underline the s when you say /s/. (Practice multiple times.)
Other letter Ss activities
CraftsBook List
Fine Motor
Sensory Play
Math Connections
Free Printables
S is for Submarine (dot sticker page) Little Letter S Book (rhymes and songs)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
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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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Alexandra
I bought the letter of the week curriculumn thinking it would have the “find the letter” pages with the little bubbles but it does not. Where would I find those on your website? Thank you!
Heather Groth, Customer Support
Hello Alexandra! You can find the simplified version at this link, https://www.themeasuredmom.com/simple-letter-find-pages/, and the regular version here, https://www.themeasuredmom.com/free-find-the-letter-alphabet-worksheets/. Let us know if you have any more questions!