Lowercase Letter Flash Cards
Free printable lowercase letters flash cards, a to z, one big letter per card. There are 26 cards on 3 sheets, 9 to a sheet, so the letters print large enough to see across a table. Go through them on screen below, or download the PDF for US Letter or A4.
Word list and checklist: US Letter PDF · A4 PDF
All 26 cards in this set
- a
- b
- c
- d
- e
- f
- g
- h
- i
- j
- k
- l
- m
- n
- o
- p
- q
- r
- s
- t
- u
- v
- w
- x
- y
- z
How to print these flashcards
- Download the PDF in US Letter or A4.
- Print single-sided. There is nothing on the backs.
- Use cardstock (65 to 110 lb) if you have it. It lasts longer. Plain paper works too.
- Cut once down the middle, then across along the dashed lines. The cards run to the edges of the page, so there is nothing to trim at the sides, and the top and bottom cuts take off the small header and footer.
- For cards that last all year, laminate them and keep each set on a binder ring.
How to practice lowercase letters with flashcards
Hold up a card and ask "what letter is this?" Letters named straight away go on a "know it" pile. Say the others, have your child say them back, and put them back in the stack.
Work with five or six letters at a time, not all 26. Start with the letters in your child's name: they are the ones children care about and spot everywhere.
Make it physical: trace each letter with a finger, hunt for it in a picture book, or lay out the cards and ask your child to put them in ABC order.
Tips for lowercase letters
- b, d, p and q are the classic mix-up. Teach b and d on different days, and use "bed": the b is the headboard, the d is the footboard.
- Lowercase letters are what children read, so this set matters more for reading than the capitals.
- Point out letters that look like their capitals (c, o, s, v, w, x, z) first. They are quick wins before the harder ones like a, g and r.
Who this set is for
Pre-K and kindergarten. Most children start naming letters at 3 or 4. The Common Core asks kindergarteners to recognize and name every upper and lowercase letter.
Common Core standard CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.D: Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to print these double-sided?
No. There is nothing on the back of these cards, so print them single-sided and cut along the dashed lines. The 26 letters fit on 3 sheets.
Should my child learn letter names or letter sounds first?
Both are needed, and most children learn the names first because they hear them in the ABC song. Start the sounds once your child knows most of the letter names. The letter sounds set has the key words on the back.
What age should a child know the alphabet?
Many children know most letters by 4 and all of them by the end of kindergarten (age 5 to 6), which is the Common Core goal. Every child gets there at a different pace.
Why do the a and g look different from a book?
The cards use the single-storey a and g, the shapes children are taught to write. Books often use the two-storey versions, so point out both once your child knows the letter.
Can I print these on A4 paper?
Yes. Use the A4 download. The cards are laid out to fit A4, so nothing gets cut off at the edges.
