Learning Letter Sounds with Kinesthetic Motions {+ Free Printable}

My son showed an interest in letters at a very young age. While he was interested, I jumped at the opportunity to teach him his letter sounds, as they are the foundation of learning. I used kinesthetic motions to go along with each sound. I taught my kindergarten class these same motions, so I knew they were tried and true. 

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A kinesthetic learner is also known as a tactile learner, a hands-on learner, or a doer. Most young children learn best while “doing.” When you put a motion with a sound, kids can visualize the letter while doing something tangible to go with the sound of the letter.

When your child gets stumped on a letter sound, use the kinesthetic motion (without saying the sound) as a clue to jog his or her memory for the sound that goes with the motion.

Download the printable here, or click the image below.

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Make these movements while saying the letter sounds.

A – Cry like a baby

B – Bounce a ball

C – Snip fingers like you are cutting

D – Dig dirt

E – Cup your ear like you can’t hear

F – Flap fish gills on your cheek

G – Gulp water from a cup

H – Feel breath on hand

I – Scratch your arm like you feel itchy

J – Jump

K – Kick

L – Lick a lollipop

M – Rub tummy

N – Wag finger like you are saying “no”

O – Clasp hands like an opera singer

P – Push outwards with hands

Q – Open and close your hand in the shape of a duck bill, as if “quacking”

R – Hook pointer finger like a pirate’s hook

S – Slither hands like snake

T – Move pointer finger side to side like the tick-tock of a clock

U – Punch (lightly) in the stomach

V – With both fists, vroom vroom on a motorcycle

W – Wiggle middle three fingers

X – Open a soda can

Y – Scrunch nose and make a “yucky” face

Z – Zip up a jacket

Check out the printable for reference: