I Spy Letter and Number Matching Worksheet for Preschoolers
Finding and circling a target letter, then finding and circling its matching number before writing the letter in a blank space, gives children ages 3-5 combined practice in visual scanning, letter recognition, and number recognition within a single multi-step task. Because the activity moves between two different symbol systems, letters and numbers, children build flexible attention and the ability to switch between related but distinct types of thinking. Writing the letter as a final step also reinforces handwriting practice on top of the visual search components.
Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Look at the target letter and number shown at the start of the row and say each one aloud together. Have your child scan the row to find and circle every instance of that letter, then scan again to find and circle the matching number. Once both are circled, have your child write the letter in the blank space provided at the end of the row. Continue through each row on the page, encouraging your child to double-check their circled letters and numbers before writing.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- •Play an 'I spy' game around the house looking for a specific letter or number on labels, signs, or books.
- •Use magnetic letters and numbers to build the same target pairs practiced on the worksheet.
- •Practice writing the target letters a few extra times on a blank sheet for handwriting reinforcement.
- •Create flashcards pairing letters with numbers for a quick daily matching review.
- •Search a page of a newspaper or magazine for a specific letter and count how many times it appears.
Tips for parents and teachers
If your child circles the wrong letter or number, point out one at a time in the row and ask them to compare it to the target shown at the start, rather than telling them the answer directly. Switching between letters and numbers within the same task can be genuinely tricky at this age, so it's fine to slow down and do the letter search and number search as two separate steps if needed. Celebrate careful, accurate scanning just as much as speed, since thorough searching is the real skill being practiced.
Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
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