Please welcome Heather from the wonderful blog Preschool Toolkit! Today she’s sharing a fun ABC activity for kids inspired by the children’s book, The Butterfly Alphabet. Children will discover hidden letters of the alphabet and have the opportunity to create their own colorful felt butterflies!
Felt Butterfly Alphabet Activity
Kids can have fun learning the letters of the alphabet with felt butterflies and a beautiful picture book. Discover hidden letters A to Z in this fun matching and fine motor activity.
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The Butterfly Alphabet Picture Book
The Butterfly Alphabet 
This beautiful picture book uses bright illustrations and rhyming verse to introduce a unique butterfly on each page. The author engages all our senses as we explore the colors, imagine the scents and imitate the squeaks of these tiny “acrobats”.
You will be pleasantly surprised to discover a letter of the alphabet naturally blended into the colorful wings of each butterfly. Transfer images of butterflies in The Butterfly Alphabet to this felt activity for matching and fine motor play.
Supplies for Butterfly Felt Activity
- Felt fabric
- Newsprint
Instructions for Butterfly Felt Activity
1. Choose butterflies you like best or find easiest to reproduce in felt.
2. Draw patterns by hand onto newsprint and cut them out. The patterns don’t have to be precise. As you can see, there is variation in the shape of the butterfly wings.
3. Match your butterfly patterns to the corresponding color of felt. Fold the pattern and felt piece in half as shown by the black felt, so both sides will be equal when you cut out the butterfly.
4. Label each butterfly with the letter of the alphabet it represents to help you find your butterfly in the book when you proceed to the next step.
Clockwise: D – L – U
5. Cut out small felt pieces for completing the unique wing design on each butterfly.
Read the story with your child. Trace the large alphabet letters on each page with your finger. When you reach a page with a butterfly you have prepared, place the small felt pieces onto the felt butterfly cutout. Look for the “letter” in the design. Can you see the letter “D”?
Provide opportunities for open-ended play with butterfly cutouts. Kids can create their own designs adding small felt pieces to the wings of a felt butterfly. Talk about the shapes and colors they choose.
Learning through play
1. Place butterfly stickers on a globe or wall map to locate butterfly habitats around the world.
2. How many different colors can you find on one butterfly?
3. Find pictures of a butterfly species in your area.
4. Record measurements of butterflies (i.e. length) and find everyday objects of equal length for comparison.
5. Kids can perform like butterfly acrobats as they twirl around, flutter their wings, and soar up and down.
Learn more about each species in the About section at the end of the book. You’ll find information on habitats, feeding patterns and much more. The author also describes the life cycle in simple language and answers questions such as What is the difference between butterflies and moths?
Were you surprised to see letters of the alphabet in the colorful designs of the butterfly wings?
More from Preschool Toolkit
Find butterfly crafts and activities on the Preschool Toolkit Butterfly and Caterpillar Pinterest Board.
Heather is a former preschool teacher who provides early learning crafts and activities on her blog at Preschool Toolkit. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.
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