Movement enhances learning the alphabet
Young children learning the alphabet learn and recall with ease when their bodies mimic the shape of each letter as they speak it sounds aloud. Body movements can be as simple as making the letter A by holding up both hands with fingers touching at the top to make the point of the A and thumbs touching below to make the horizontal line of the A.
Body movements can be as involved as whole-body letter made with two or more children! For the letter A, have two children lie on the floor, with heads touching, and one arm extended to the center, the other held by their side on the outside of the A. Or you could have two children make the outside of the letter and another child make the horizontal bridge.
Several years ago, a first grade student of mine had a really hard time remembering how to form an M. He always confused it with a W. We established that the M looks like MMmmmountains, and in addition to this visual reference we added a motion of hands together and down, while elbows arch high up like mountain peaks. Whenever he came to that troublesome letter, if he did his motion, he made the correct sound.
While some children do not heavily rely on movement that mimics the concept that is being taught; kinesthetic learners seem to be unable to learn without mirroring their learning with their bodies. For these children, any time we spend thinking up accompanying movements to learning is so with the time investment.