Upper and Lower Case Alphabet Flash Cards

26 cards · 3 sheets · Free, no signup

Free printable upper and lower case flash cards, Aa to Zz, 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.

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Word list and checklist: US Letter PDF · A4 PDF

Sheet 1. The cards print on one side only. Cut once down the middle and across the rows.

All 26 cards in this set

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 upper and lower case 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 upper and lower case

Use this set once your child knows most capitals. The capital is the clue for the lowercase letter next to it.
Make a matching game: print two copies, cut the second copy in half down the middle of each card, and match the capitals to the lowercase letters.
Watch the pairs that look nothing alike (Aa, Bb, Dd, Ee, Gg, Qq, Rr). They need the most practice.

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.