A free activity for grown-ups and children

Four first-letter matching cards

Start with just four letters: A, B, M, and S. The picture cards show apple, ball, moon, and sun—the same familiar anchor words used for those letters in Their First ABCs. Print one page to cut into cards, or point and talk together on this page.

This is an optional activity for a shared moment, not a reading test. A grown-up can name each picture aloud so children never need to read the labels.

The words and outlines remain clear in black and white.

How to play together

Print the sheet and have an adult cut around the eight dotted cards. Keep the cut cards together for younger children; you can also play by pointing, with no scissors or printer.
Begin with Aa and Bb plus apple and ball. Name each object and say its first sound together: “apple begins with the short a sound”; “ball begins with the b sound.” Match each picture to its letter.
When those two feel familiar, bring in Mm with moon and Ss with sun. Let your child rearrange the pairs, repeat a favorite, or stop. A wrong match is just a chance to say the names again.

Letter + picture cards

Their First ABCs · family activity

Apple

Ball

Moon

Sun

Adult: cut along the dotted outlines. The printed words are for you to read aloud; children can match by picture and letter.

Keep the conversation going

Ask “Where have we seen a ball?” or “What does the moon look like tonight?” If a child prefers, name the object and let them find its picture without matching a letter at all. The cards work best at the child's pace.

In Their First ABCs, each of these four letters also has an introduction and three short activities. For practical questions about the app, see the parent FAQ.