Are you on the hunt for simple and engaging name practice ideas? In this post I’m sharing 10 name activities that are perfect for preschoolers.
Check them out and let me know which name activity is your favorite!
1. Name Clip
MATERIALS:
- Paper Strip (AstroBrights Sentence Strips)
- Clothespins
- Marker
HOW-TO:
Write your child’s name on a paper strip. Write each letter in their name on an individual clothespin. Ask your child to clip and match each clothespin letter to the correct paper strip letter.
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2. What Letters are in my Name?
I love this simple prep name practice idea because it gives children the opportunity to look at the letters in their name and compare them to those that are not.
MATERIALS:
- Large Sheet of Paper (my favorite art roll paper)
- Mini Sticky Notes
- Marker
HOW-TO:
Write your child’s name at the top of a large sheet of paper. Next, draw a T-chart and label one side “in my name” and the other side “not in my name.” Write letters of the alphabet on individual sticky notes (be sure to include all the letters from your child’s name) and stick them next to your T-Chart. Invite your child to pick a sticky note and identify each letter as in their name or not in their name. For added practice create a “Build It” box at the bottom of the page so they can use the sticky notes to build their name after they are done sorting.
3. Magnet Letter Names
Do you have sets of letter magnets at home? Help your child learn the letters in their name by having them build it with alphabet letter sets.
MATERIALS:
- Various Sets of Letter Magnets
- Sheet of Paper
- Marker
HOW-TO:
Fill a bin with various sets of letter magnets. Write your child’s name on a sheet of paper multiple times. Have your child sort through the magnets and place them on their written names to build their name.
Related: FREE NAME PRACTICE PRINTABLES
4. Tape Letter Names
One of my absolute favorite name practice activities for littles is tape letters! Brining out the tape and making name practice hands-on is definitely the way to go!
MATERIALS:
- Painter’s Tape or Masking Tape
- Blocks or Toy Cars
HOW-TO:
For this activity simply use tape to make giant letters on your floor. Give your child blocks to build each letter in their name or give them a toy car to drive the letters in their name.
5. Post-It Name Match
MATERIALS:
HOW-TO:
Write your child’s name on a long strip of paper or sentence strip. Write each letter in your child’s name on a sticky note. Arrange the sticky notes out of order on a table top and set the name strip close by. Ask your child to match the sticky note letters to the strip to form their name!
6. Loose Parts Build It!
Little kids LOVE creating and building with loose parts. Take a look in your craft cupboard and pull out your favorite loose parts for this name activity!
MATERIALS:
- Loose Parts (mini erasers, pompoms, buttons, pasta)
- Half Page Letter Mats (Find this Resource HERE)
HOW-TO:
Open the letter mats resource and print each half page letter that is in your child’s name. I like to laminate these half page mats so we can use them over and over – great for tracing too! Set out various loose parts and ask your child to form each letter in their name.
RELATED: BUILD A NAME KIT
7. Q-Tip Painted Name
Bring out the paint for this next name recognition and formation idea!
MATERIALS:
- Kids Craft Paint
- Q-Tips
- Paper
- Pencil
HOW-TO:
Write your name in the middle of a sheet of paper. Set out various color paints and add a q-tip to each color. Dab and dot each letter in your name.
8. Cut Paper Names
Let’s get crafty for our next name practice idea!
MATERIALS:
- Construction Paper
- Kids Scissors
- Pencil
- Glue Stick
HOW-TO:
Write your child’s name across a sheet of construction paper. Have your child outline their name with glue. Give them small strips of construction paper. Have them snip and cut each strip into small squares. Have them glue the squares down to outline their name.
9. Play-Doh Name Play
MATERIALS:
HOW -TO:
Roll out and flatten a ball of Play-Doh. Use a pointy tip to write your child’s name in the Play-Doh. I used the back end of a paintbrush. Set out mini eraser or small gems and have your child stick them in the dough to form each letter in their name.
10. Dot-It Names
This is one of my go-to name practice ideas. Dot markers are perfect for little hands and a great way to work on fine motor skills.
MATERIALS:
HOW-TO:
Write your child’s name on a large sheet of art roll paper. Give them dot markers and have them dot each letter in their name.
So what do you think? Would your child enjoy any of these name activities? Let me know if you have any fun ways to practice names!
