Decorating the tree is one of our favorite parts of December, so we turned it into a learning game. Your toddler matches letters as they decorate a paper Christmas tree.
Decorating a Christmas tree is always one of the most fun things to do during December. We had so much fun decorating our tree, and wanted to extend the activity a little bit by creating Christmas tree activities for you kids. This Christmas tree letter match is so your child can “decorate” this Christmas Tree.
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It’s a pretty straight forward activity. After you download the Christmas Tree Letter Match, simply cut out the ornaments on the sides of the Christmas tree. Match the letter on the ornament to an ornament on the tree with the same letter. The letters have a box around them just in case cutting out the ornaments is too hard to do individually. If your child can cut something that small, then have them cut out the ornament rather than the box.
After all of the ornaments are cut out, have your child pick up one at a time and say the letter on the ornament. Then have them find the ornament on the tree that had the same letter and name the letter again. Last, glue the ornament to the tree in the correct spot.
The one thing that is hard with this is if you have been teaching your child that “ch” makes the sound /ch/ like in cheese or cherry or church. It might be a little confusing for them. My child was just starting to get it when I threw Christmas at him which doesn’t make the /ch/ sound. Oh well, the most uniform rule in English is that there’s an exception to every rule, right? It’s always a good time to learn that. 🙂
While the first activity is better for preschool age children, you can also do this Ornament Color Match which is better suited for younger children.
Print the activity page in color, then give your toddler the correct colors of pom poms to match the ornaments. Even if they don’t know their colors yet, this is a great introduction. Each time they pick up a pom pom, say, “That is a red (or whatever color he picked up) pom pom. Can you find a red ornament?” They may just sit there but you can point to the red ornament on the tree and say. “There it is. That is a red ornament. Put the red pom pom on the red ornament.”
By the end your toddler will start to get it. If they don’t really know their colors yet, this is a perfect way to introduce them. This activity would also work well with a child that knows the colors, but still needs some practice.
Curious where this fits in? Our how to teach letters guide walks through it step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I teach uppercase or lowercase letters first?
Start with uppercase. Capital letters are easier to tell apart, so they are less confusing for toddlers. Add lowercase once the uppercase letters feel familiar.
What is the best way to teach letters to a toddler?
Hands-on play. Sensory bins, magnets, crafts, and tracing make letters fun and memorable. Short, playful sessions work much better than flashcards or drilling.
What age should I start teaching my toddler letters?
Around age 3 is typical, but there is a wide range of normal. Some kids show interest earlier, and plenty learn their letters closer to 4. Please don’t pressure your little one before they are ready.