Free Printable Crayon Letter Matching Game for Preschool
Looking for a simple back to school center for preschool or kindergarten? This free printable letter matching game uses colorful crayons to help children practice matching uppercase and lowercase letters.
When I was teaching preschool (and kindergarten), I was always looking for themed activities to use in my classroom centers. I loved finding simple games that gave my students practice with an important skill without taking hours for me to prepare!
Eventually, I started creating my own. This crayon letter matching game is one of those activities, and I am happy to share it with you for free.
The crayon theme makes it a fun addition to your back to school preschool centers, but you can use it anytime your students need a little extra alphabet practice.
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What is included in this Free Letter Matching Game?
This printable activity includes three different letter matching options so you can choose the one that works best for your children.
- Uppercase to uppercase: Match two capital letters, such as A and A.
- Lowercase to lowercase: Match two lowercase letters, such as a and a.
- Uppercase to lowercase: Match each capital letter with its lowercase partner, such as A and a.
Each matching pair forms a whole crayon when the two cards are placed together.
All three options include the entire alphabet in both color and black and white. The color version uses six different crayon colors. If you don’t have access to a color printer, print the black-and-white version and color the crayons yourself before you laminate and cut apart the cards.
There are also blank crayon cards in both versions for you to use however you like. Add your own letters or use them to create another matching activity.
That’s what I always want in my centers – lots of different options!
The complete PDF includes 58 pages with all the options. You only need to print the pages you want to use!
How to Prepare your Crayon Letter Matching Game
One of my favorite things about simple preschool centers is being able to prepare them once and use them again.
To get this activity ready:
- Choose your matching option and either the color or black-and-white version.
- Print the pages on regular paper or cardstock.
- Cut apart the cards along the lines.
- Laminate for durability, if desired.
The cards are arranged six to a page for easy printing and cutting. Cardstock makes them a little sturdier, but regular paper works too.
If you plan to use this game in your classroom centers throughout the year, I recommend laminating the cards so they hold up to repeated use. This is the personal laminator I bought as a new teacher and it is worth every penny.
How to use this Letter Matching Game
Place the cards in a basket or spread them out on a table. Have children find the matching letters and put the two halves together to complete each crayon.
Remember, you do not have to set out the entire alphabet at once. Start with a few matching pairs, especially at the beginning of the school year. Add more letters as your students are ready. This keeps the activity from feeling overwhelming.
You could also begin with letters from the children’s names or letters you have already introduced in class.
Choose uppercase matching, lowercase matching, or uppercase-to-lowercase matching based on what your students are practicing. As children make a match, encourage them to name the letter. If they are ready, they can practice saying its sound too.
This printable letter matching activity works well for:
- Back to school preschool centers
- Kindergarten alphabet centers
- Small group letter practice
- A simple learning activity at home (yes, I used this with my own kids at home, too!)
These were the kinds of activities I loved using when I taught preschool. A familiar theme, a simple task, and several ways to use the same game!
Download your Printable Letter Matching Game
Print the pages you need, cut out the cards, and your next alphabet center is ready!
I hope this free printable saves you a little planning time and gives your children a fun way to practice their letters. I loved creating activities for my own classroom, and I am happy to help other teachers by sharing them here.
