Alif Madah (آ)
Urdu Letter Alif Madah (آ) — Preschool Haroof (Free Worksheets)
How to use this page
Work through the steps in order — watch, identify, hear the sound, colour, trace, write, then check. Most children finish in 10–15 minutes; some steps can be split across two days.
1 Watch
Letter Alif Madah (آ) Sound & Shape
Start by watching a short video together. Seeing and hearing آ modelled first gives your child a clear reference point before any activity begins.
2 Colour
Colouring آ gives your child relaxed, hands-on practice with its shape while building fine motor control with a crayon or pencil. This page pairs the letter with a picture for آم (Aam — Mango), helping your child connect the letter with its long “aa” sound while colouring.
3 Identify
Alif Maddah has a distinctive shape: آ. The maddah mark above Alif helps children recognise that it represents a long “aa” sound. These activities ask your child to circle, find, or match آ among other Urdu letters and similar-looking forms.
💡 Say it out loud
While your child works through the sheet, say: “Alif Madd — Aam, Aag, Aadam.” Verbal repetition alongside the worksheet helps your child connect the letter, sound, and familiar words.
4 Connect
Alif Madah says /aa/
Alif Maddah represents a long /aa/ sound, like the “aa” sound in آم (Aam). Say the sound clearly and slowly: “آ — aa — آم.” These activities connect the shape of the letter with its long vowel sound using familiar pictures.
5 Trace
Learn the Correct Stroke
Alif Madah (آ) is one of the seven letters that never connects to the letter after it, so tracing it always means practising it as a fully separate stroke, even inside a word. Tracing helps your child build the correct starting point and stroke direction before attempting it freehand.
6 Write Independently
No Dotted Guide
Once tracing feels comfortable, move to writing آ without the guide. Remind your child to look carefully at both parts of the letter — the Alif and the maddah (آ) above it. If writing feels difficult at first, keep practising gently; repeated practice helps build handwriting control.
ℹ️ Only do this once 1–5 are solid
Blending is the payoff step, not a starting point. If your child hasn’t mastered identification and sound yet, come back to this after another week of practice.
7 Check
A short assessment lets you confirm your child recognises, identifies the /aa/ sound, and writes آ confidently before moving on. This is designed to be completed after your child has worked through at least 3 of the
🏆 Celebrate
Letter Alif Madah (آ) Certificate
Once your child passes the check, print this certificate together. It’s a small moment that makes them want to come back for Letter ا.
Click here to submit 3 completed worksheets and get a free printable certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sound does Alif Maddah (آ) make?
Alif Maddah represents a long “aa” (/aː/) sound. A simple example for preschoolers is آم (Aam — Mango). Say it clearly: “آ — aa — آم.”
What is the difference between Alif (ا) and Alif Maddah (آ)?
Alif Maddah has a maddah mark (آ) above the Alif and is commonly used to represent a long “aa” sound. For early learners, teach the two forms separately so your child can recognise each one confidently.
Why does Alif Maddah have a small mark above Alif?
The small wavy mark is called maddah. It helps show that the Alif represents a long vowel sound. Children can simply learn to recognise the complete shape آ at this stage.
My child can recognise آ but cannot say the sound — is that normal?
Yes. Letter recognition and sound recognition develop separately. Go back to the Connect the Sound step and practise “آ — aa — آم” several times in short, playful sessions.
How many activities does my child need to finish before getting the certificate?
Complete at least 3 activities from this page, then complete the assessment sheet to earn your certificate.