Alphabet hide and seek pocket chart game where every Christmas tree could be hiding a string of lights! The Christmas Tree Theme Alphabet Hide & Seek Pocket Chart Cards give preschool, pre-K and kindergarten students a festive letter recognition guessing game that keeps them watching, guessing and naming letters all through December.

Kids scan the alphabet, say letter names out loud and take turns guessing which trees are hiding Christmas lights behind them. Every guess is another chance to practice uppercase and lowercase letters, and the surprise of finding the lights keeps even the wiggliest learners in the game. Bring it out for circle time, rotate it into your December literacy centers, use it with small groups or let partners play on their own once they know the routine.

With this Christmas alphabet hide and seek game, you get

• Uppercase and lowercase Christmas tree letter cards in color and black and white
• Christmas light cards to hide behind the letters
• Differentiated recording pages for uppercase and lowercase letters
• A guessing game you can adjust by choosing which letters and how many to show
• A seasonal letter review that fits right into your December routine

Print, laminate and let the letter guessing begin.

The Christmas Tree Theme Alphabet Hide & Seek Pocket Chart Cards are also included in the Alphabet Hide & Seek Pocket Chart Cards ENDLESS Bundle.

What's Included

Everything you need to run this letter recognition game is included, with color and black-and-white options:

• Uppercase alphabet cards A-Z with a Christmas tree theme (color)
• Lowercase alphabet cards a-z with a Christmas tree theme (color)
• Uppercase alphabet cards A-Z (black and white)
• Lowercase alphabet cards a-z (black and white)
• Christmas light hiding cards to place behind the letters
• 4 differentiated recording pages for uppercase and lowercase letters
• Teacher instructions with setup and play suggestions

All alphabet cards are sized to fit a standard classroom pocket chart (a hanging chart with clear pockets). You can also use them on a table, the floor or a wall.

Why Teachers Love It

• Kids stay engaged: The hidden lights add a surprise to every turn, so children watch closely for the next find.
• Easy to adjust: You choose which letters and how many to display, so the game fits beginners and confident letter namers.
• Partner-friendly: Once you introduce it to the class, students can play independently in pairs.
• Works in many settings: Use it for circle time, small groups, literacy centers or informal letter checks.
• Built-in writing step: The recording pages let students cross off guesses and write the correct letters.
• Timely for December: A Christmas theme keeps letter practice fresh during a busy season.

Skills Students Practice

Primary Academic Skills

• Uppercase letter recognition: Students identify and name uppercase letters as they guess and reveal hidden lights.
• Lowercase letter recognition: Students practice the lowercase letters many children find trickier.
• Visual discrimination: Students scan the alphabet and notice the differences between similar letters, such as b and d.
• Letter naming and oral language: Students say the letter name out loud with each guess.
• Early handwriting: The recording pages ask students to write the correct letters.

Secondary Life & Learning Skills

• Taking turns
• Remembering previous guesses
• Making and checking predictions
• Waiting during group play
• Maintaining attention
• Building confidence during group participation

How to Use It

Step 1: Choose uppercase letters, lowercase letters or a mix. Place the letter cards in a pocket chart, on a table or on the floor. Start with 3 to 5 letters for early learners.

Step 2: Have one student hide 3 to 5 Christmas light cards behind the alphabet cards while the others close their eyes.

Step 3: Students take turns guessing which letters are hiding the lights, saying the letter name with each guess. Reveal the card to check. Students can use the recording pages to cross off guessed letters and write the correct answers. As students grow more confident, add more letters or mix up the order.

Easy Differentiation

Children learn letters at very different rates. Because you choose the letters and how many to show, this game fits every learner.

For Children Who Need More Support

• Display just 3 letters and hide fewer lights
• Start with uppercase letters or letters in a child's name
• Name each letter together before hiding the lights
• Use the color cards for extra visual support

For On-Level Practice

• Display 5 or more letters and hide 3 to 5 lights
• Practice lowercase letters along with uppercase letters
• Use the recording pages to cross off guesses and write correct letters
• Play with a partner or small group as a literacy center

For an Extra Challenge

• Display more letters and mix up the order
• Include similar letters such as b and d in the same round
• Mix uppercase and lowercase cards together
• Let a child lead the game and check each guess

For Speech, OT, ELL or Special Education Support

• Choose specific letters of focus for each child's goals
• Use a short language frame such as "Is it behind the letter ___?"
• Have children point to a letter to guess when naming is still emerging
• Use the black and white cards to reduce visual clutter
• Give extra processing time before each guess

Perfect For

• Circle time alphabet review
• December literacy centers
• Small groups and intervention groups
• Partner games
• Informal letter recognition checks
• Early finishers and indoor recess
• Speech therapy sessions
• Homeschool alphabet lessons

Standards

This Christmas alphabet hide and seek game supports the 2022 Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and Virginia's Early Learning and Development Standards (2021), plus kindergarten literacy and speaking standards in Common Core, the TEKS (ELAR, adopted 2017) and the Virginia English SOL (2024):

Common Core State Standards

• CCSS RF.K.1.d: Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
• CCSS L.K.1.a: Print many uppercase and lowercase letters while writing correct answers on the recording pages.
• CCSS SL.K.1.a: Follow agreed-upon rules, such as listening to others and taking turns, during group play.

Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines

• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.III.C.1: Recognize and name letters while guessing which tree hides the lights.
• Texas Pre-K Guidelines PK4.I.C.4: Interact with peers during cooperative play that shares a common plan and goal.

Texas TEKS

• TEKS ELAR K.2.D.v: Identify all uppercase and lowercase letters.
• TEKS ELAR K.2.E: Form uppercase and lowercase letters on the recording pages.
• TEKS ELAR K.1.D: Work with others by following agreed-upon rules, including taking turns.

Virginia Early Learning and Development Standards

• Virginia ELDS CLLD2.4: Learn how letters work by naming uppercase and lowercase letters during play.

Virginia SOL

• VA SOL English K.FFR.3.A: Identify capital and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
• VA SOL English K.FFW.1.B: Print capital and lowercase letters on the recording pages.
• VA SOL English K.C.1.A.i: Listen actively and follow agreed-upon rules for participating, such as waiting for a turn.

Check out what other educators are saying:

★★★★★ Celinda S. wrote, “My students are using this resource to review the letters we have been learning so far this year.  I like that my students can play this learning game independently in pairs after I have introduced it to the class.”

★★★★★ Alyssa K. wrote, “My preschool students love using this learning activity to find the surprise hidden behind the letters as they are beginning to recognize letters and sounds. It is nice to be able to use specific letters of focus to differentiate for a variety of student's needs. Thank you.”

Add the Alphabet Hide & Seek Pocket Chart Cards | Christmas Tree Theme to your cart and make letter recognition a favorite part of your December routine. Your students will be asking to play "just one more round" before winter break!

Download Details

Please note: This is a digital download that will be available to you directly after purchase. Nothing will be mailed to you.

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• On the "thank you" page after checkout
• In your email
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