Alphabet Hide and Seek: Rainbow

Rainbow Alphabet Hide and Seek is a pocket chart guessing game that gives preschool and kindergarten kids hands-on practice naming uppercase and lowercase letters as they search for the hiding pots of gold.

The letters sit on rainbows and the pots of gold are hiding. Kids name a letter to see if a pot of gold is behind that rainbow.

Place the letter cards in a pocket chart and secretly tuck the pots of gold behind a few of the rainbows. Kids take turns naming a letter, like “Is it behind the B?”, then lift the card to check.

Use the uppercase cards, the lowercase cards or a mix. Start with a few letters kids already know and add more as they grow. The recording sheets let kids cross off each letter that has been guessed and write the letters where they found a hiding card.

How to Play Rainbow Alphabet Hide and Seek

1. Place the letter cards you want to practice in a pocket chart. If you don’t have one, lay them face up on a table.
2. While the children close their eyes, hide the pots of gold behind some of the cards.
3. Kids take turns naming a letter and checking behind it until all the pots of gold are found. Then hide them again and play another round!

Circle Time: The whole group takes turns guessing. Count how many guesses it takes to find all the pots of gold.

Literacy Center: Partners take turns hiding and guessing and record their guesses on the recording sheet.

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Easy Ways to Differentiate This Alphabet Hide and Seek Game

Every group has a mix of letter knowledge, attention and turn-taking skills. These simple changes keep the game familiar while meeting each child where they are.

For Children Who Need More Support:

• Start with 3 to 5 letters kids already know.
• Name each letter together before you hide the cards.
• Hide only one card at a time.
• Accept pointing as an answer and say the letter together.

For On-Level Practice:

• Use a full row or the whole alphabet.
• Have kids ask in a full sentence, like “Is it behind the M?”
• Cross off each guess on the recording sheet.
• Switch between uppercase and lowercase cards.

For an Extra Challenge:

• Mix uppercase and lowercase cards in the same chart.
• Have kids say the letter sound along with the letter name.
• Name a word that starts with the letter before checking.
• Write each correct guess on the recording sheet.

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support:

• Use the same small set of letters across several sessions.
• Accept pointing, gestures, AAC or any communication method the child already uses.
• Model the question “Is it behind the ___?” and give plenty of wait time.
• Let kids pull the cards out of the pocket chart for added fine motor practice.
• Play cooperatively when the goal is letter names, not winning.

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Rainbow Alphabet Hide and Seek Is Perfect For:

• Preschool and pre-K
• Kindergarten
• St. Patrick’s Day and spring themes
• Circle time
• Literacy centers
• Pocket chart centers
• Letter of the week
• Small-group instruction
• Special education
• ELL and multilingual learners
• Homeschool

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