Learning the alphabet with monsters: letter drawing activities

Drawing is a great way to learn the alphabet because it connects each letter’s shape to something memorable. Turn letters into characters (an A with arms and legs, a B with big eyes), trace them, draw them step by step, and use them in games. Kids remember a letter better when it has a funny face.

Why drawing helps letters stick

• Shape memory. Drawing a letter as a character makes kids look closely at its shape.
• Motor memory. Tracing a letter’s strokes practices how to form it. See pre-writing strokes.
• Story. A letter with a personality (“grumpy G”) is easier to recall.
• Fun. Kids practice longer when they’re laughing.

10 alphabet drawing activities

1. Letter monsters. Pick a letter and add eyes, arms, legs and teeth. Try a free alphabet monster lesson.
2. Trace then color a letter. Trace the letter shape, then color the monster.
3. Name monsters. Turn each letter of a child’s name into a monster. Great for the first week of school. See back to school art activities.
4. Letter hunt drawings. Draw three things that start with the letter.
5. Monster parade. Each child draws one letter monster; line them up A to Z on the wall.
6. Letter in disguise. Hide a letter inside a drawing and have friends find it.
7. Big and small. Draw a capital monster and its lowercase baby.
8. Feelings letters. A happy H, a sad S, a surprised O. See cartoon expressions.
9. Letter of the week. Draw that letter’s monster every day in a different way.
10. Grid letters. Older kids can copy a letter monster square by square. See what is grid drawing?

For different ages

• Ages 3 to 4: trace and color big letter monsters. See tracing for kids.
• Ages 4 to 5: trace, then try to write the letter next to it.
• Ages 5 to 7: draw letter monsters step by step and invent new ones.

In the classroom

Alphabet monsters work for morning work, centers and early finishers. Each child can own a letter, and the class builds a full alphabet wall together. See art center ideas and early finisher activities.

A book for every stage

Alphabet Monsters comes in all three formats, so the same characters can be traced by a preschooler, drawn step by step by a kindergartner and drawn by grid by an older sibling.

The book that helps

The Alphabet Monsters trio turns every letter into a character: trace them (3+), draw them step by step (5+) or draw them by grid (5+).

Trace Then Color: Alphabet MonstersSee it on Amazon

How to Draw: Alphabet MonstersSee it on Amazon

Draw by Grid: Alphabet MonstersSee it on Amazon

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