Home › Languages › Irish › Tips for parents

How to Teach Your Child the Irish Alphabet: Tips, Games & a 5-Day Plan

The traditional Irish alphabet has 18 letters; J, K, Q, V, W, X, Y and Z appear only in borrowed words. Vowels can carry a long mark (síneadh fada), as in á and é. Irish is spoken in Ireland. This guide gives you a simple plan, games you can play at home with real Irish words, and tips that make study time short, happy and effective.

🌟 Start with these first letters

Begin with a few letters and a picture word for each. Say the letter, say the word, and point to the picture. Repeat each one three times in a sing-song voice.

✍️ Tips for a Latin-script alphabet

• Teach the sound of each letter alongside its name – children read faster when they know what a letter says.
• Point out letters that look like English but sound different (for example accented or special letters). Children who already know English letters love spotting the differences.
• Start with letters in your child's name, then letters that appear in favourite words like mum, dad and pet names.
• Teach capital letters first for recognition, then small letters for reading books.

📅 A happy 5-day starter plan (10–15 minutes a day)

After day 5, keep the same routine with the next group of letters. Always start with a quick review of old letters before adding new ones – children love showing what they already know.

🎲 10 fun ways to practise at home

1. Picture hunt: say a word such as 🐄 Bó and ask your child to find something like it at home.
2. Letter of the day: stick one big letter on the fridge. Every time your child walks past, they say its sound.
3. Body letters: make letter shapes with arms, legs or the whole family lying on the floor.
4. Sand or salt tray: pour salt on a tray and trace letters with a finger – shake to erase and try again.
5. Sound detective: say three words and ask which one starts with the letter of the day.
6. Song time: sing the letters to a tune your child already knows, a few letters at a time.
7. Grandparent call: ask a grandparent or relative who speaks Irish to say a word like Doras and have your child repeat it.
8. Story spotting: while reading a picture book, pause and let your child find a letter they know.
9. Stars chart: collect stars in the AlphabetsLearn games and add a sticker to a chart for every five stars.
10. Draw the word: draw 👨 Fear together and write the first letter next to the picture.

🔢 Bonus: count to 10 in Irish

Count stairs, toys or fingers using these words. Counting out loud every day builds number sense alongside letters.

Hear the numbers · Play Count It · Trace numbers

💡 Making study time enjoyable

• Keep it short. Stop while your child is still having fun – they will want to come back tomorrow.
• Same time, same place. A small routine (after breakfast, before bath) makes learning feel normal, not like a chore.
• Praise effort, not just answers. “You tried so hard!” builds confidence more than “Correct”.
• Mix screen and real life. Play one game on the site, then do one hands-on activity like tracing in salt.
• Let them lead. Let your child choose the game or the letter sometimes – choice makes them proud.

Read more: making study time fun · teaching a second-language alphabet · phonics games · maths games at home

❓ Questions parents ask