In this post you will find all activities for Take the L.E.A.P, “Who am I” – See It. This portion of Take the L.E.A.P is the name recognition portion of this program and was designed to bring our Robins awareness and practice with name identification as well as building and writing their names. From the individual letters that make up their name to stringing them all together, our Who Am I? program will provide children with a solid literacy foundation, a positive sense of self, and continue to fill them with a love for learning.
Use the activities below to guide you as you embark on the journey to name recognition with your children!
“See It” – Fishing for Friends |
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Materials: wooden fishing poles, sentence strips (name cards), magnetic tape, name songs (resource) | |
Purpose: Before children are well prepared to write out their name, they first need to be able to recognize it. The purpose of Fishing for Friends is to give children opportunities to see their name in print, to begin to recognize the sequence of letters that make up their name, and to gain exposure with peer’s names too. | |
Introduction: During community meeting or other group times, sing songs that call on children to recognize their name as you sing/say it out loud. Encourage them to move their bodies as they hear their name sung. Refer to our “Name Song” reference tool for ideas on some songs you can sing! Write out children’s names onto sentence strips and introduce in your community meeting experiences. · Talk about the letters that make up each child’s name. · Initially you may want to add their picture next to their name.
Fishing for Friends: Create a set of laminated name cards and place a piece of magnetic tape on the back. Set out wooden fishing rods and lay name cards face down in an open area. Invite children to “fish” for a name card. Once they caught one, have them flip it over and identify the name of the person on the card. · Can they find that peer and give them their name card?
Extend this experience: Incorporate other opportunities for children to see their name in print throughout the environment. As children become familiar with their names remove the visual reference as an added challenge. | |
“See It” – Sign In/Out System |
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Materials: poster board, child name cards/pictures, Velcro, etc. | |
Purpose: Before children are well prepared to write out their name, they first need to be able to recognize it. The purpose of creating a sign in and out system is to give children opportunities to see their name in print, to begin to recognize the sequence of letters that make up their name, and to gain exposure with peer’s names too. This experience will also add good structure to your everyday classroom routines and management. | |
Introduction: During community meeting or other group times, sing songs that call on children to recognize their name as you sing/say it out loud. Encourage them to move their bodies as they hear their name sung. Refer to our “Name Song” reference tool for ideas on some songs you can sing! Write out children’s names onto sentence strips and introduce in your community meeting experiences. · Talk about the letters that make up each child’s name. · Initially you may want to add their picture next to their name.
Sign in/out System: Create sign in and out system ahead of time with each of your children represented on the board (or however you choose to display it). Introduce the purpose of the sign in and out system and how children should use it. Place your sign in and out system in a community area where it will be easy to find and use. The first few weeks you will want to encourage children to use this system consistently. As they get used to the process, less reminders are needed. As children use this system engage with them about what the sign in and out board is showing. · Can you find your name on our board? · Where is your name? (Home or school?) · Where should we put your name now? · Who else do we see here at school?
Extend this experience: Consider creating a similar system/routine for signing in and out of the learning environments in your classroom. | |
“See It” – Name Games |
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Materials: Name cards, Name Game Resource, other various materials depending on the game being played | |
Purpose: Before children are well prepared to write out their name, they first need to be able to recognize it. The purpose of playing name games is to give children opportunities to see their name in print, to begin to recognize the sequence of letters that make up their name, and to gain exposure with peer’s names too. | |
Introduction: During community meeting or other group times, sing songs that call on children to recognize their name as you sing/say it out loud. Encourage them to move their bodies as they hear their name sung. Refer to our “Name Song” reference tool for ideas on some songs you can sing! Write out children’s names onto sentence strips and introduce in your community meeting experiences. · Talk about the letters that make up each child’s name. · Initially you may want to add their picture next to their name.
Name Games: Gather the materials needed to play various name games. Use “Name Game” resource for some suggested games you can play. Invite children over to play the selected game with you. Give an overview of how to play the game and play a practice round if needed. Play the name game with your class. As you play be sure to talk about: · The letters in our names. · Name recognition.
Extend this experience: Consider setting out different name games for the children to play independently or in small groups as they are interacting in the learning environments in the classroom. | |
“See It” – Hide & Seek |
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Materials: Name cards and painters’ tape | |
Purpose: Before children are well prepared to write out their name, they first need to be able to recognize it. The purpose of playing hide and seek with our names is to give children opportunities to see their name in print, to begin to recognize the sequence of letters that make up their name, and to gain exposure with peer’s names too. | |
Introduction: During community meeting or other group times, sing songs that call on children to recognize their name as you sing/say it out loud. Encourage them to move their bodies as they hear their name sung. Refer to our “Name Song” reference tool for ideas on some songs you can sing! Write out children’s names onto sentence strips and introduce in your community meeting experiences. · Talk about the letters that make up each child’s name. · Initially you may want to add their picture next to their name.
Hide & Seek: Hide name cards for all the children in your classroom throughout the learning environment. *Note: for children who need it, add their picture beside their hidden name card. As they begin to recognize their name in print, you can remove this element. Invite the children to take a hunt around their classroom and find their name. Once they have their name, they should return to the community area. When the final child has returned take a moment to let everyone share their name and the letters that make up their name.
Extend this experience: Challenge the children by making it a race against time to see if they can all find their names within a certain time. Bring your name cards outside and play this game in your outdoor learning environments. | |
“See It” – Name Matching |
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Materials: Popsicle sticks, library pockets, pictures of the children, tri fold poster board (or recycled cardboard) | |
Purpose: Before children are well prepared to write out their name, they first need to be able to recognize it. The purpose of name matching is to give children opportunities to see their name in print, to begin to recognize the sequence of letters that make up their name, and to gain exposure with peer’s names too. | |
Introduction: During community meeting or other group times, sing songs that call on children to recognize their name as you sing/say it out loud. Encourage them to move their bodies as they hear their name sung. Refer to our “Name Song” reference tool for ideas on some songs you can sing! Write out children’s names onto sentence strips and introduce in your community meeting experiences. · Talk about the letters that make up each child’s name. · Initially you may want to add their picture next to their name.
Name Matching: Create a name matching board game using popsicle sticks, small envelopes, and an individual picture of each child. Write each child’s name onto a popsicle stick and secure a picture of them to the front of your small envelopes using Velcro dots. Velcro dots make this an interchangeable game board. Place envelopes onto a sturdy board or keep free in a basket with the popsicle sticks. Set out these materials in your literacy environment and encourage children to match the appropriate popsicle stick with the right envelope. As they are matching each popsicle stick, engage with the children: · Can they identify the name of their peers? Their own name? · Talk about the letters that make up each person’s name.
Extend this experience: Set this experience out in your literacy environment and encourage children to continue to play independently. | |
“See It” – Action Names |
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Materials: Name cards | |
Purpose: Before children are well prepared to write out their name, they first need to be able to recognize it. The purpose of action names is to give children opportunities to see their name in print, to begin to recognize the sequence of letters that make up their name, and to gain exposure with peer’s names too. This activity also encourages movement and actions to help keep children engaged. | |
Introduction: During community meeting or other group times, sing songs that call on children to recognize their name as you sing/say it out loud. Encourage them to move their bodies as they hear their name sung. Refer to our “Name Song” reference tool for ideas on some songs you can sing! Write out children’s names onto sentence strips and introduce in your community meeting experiences. · Talk about the letters that make up each child’s name. · Initially you may want to add their picture next to their name.
Action Names: Draw a name card from the pile and hold it up as you say: “Jump up and down if your name is … [HOLD UP NAME CARD]” Incorporate a different movement/action with each new name card you hold up.
Extend this experience: Create two large dice to leave within your learning environments. On one dice put various action items for the children to do. On the second dice, place Velcro dots so that they can secure name cards to it that match the group of children playing. Encourage children to play together independently as a way to practice additional name recognition with their peers. *Note: using Velcro dots will leave room for children to tailor the name dice to those that are playing at that time. | |
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“See It” – Pick Up Sticks |
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Materials: Popsicle sticks, sensory bin, sensory bin filler |
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Purpose: Before children are well prepared to write out their name, they first need to be able to recognize it. The purpose of pick-up sticks is to give children opportunities to see their name in print, to begin to recognize the sequence of letters that make up their name, and to gain exposure with peer’s names too. This activity also encourages movement and actions to help keep children engaged. |
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Introduction: During community meeting or other group times, sing songs that call on children to recognize their name as you sing/say it out loud. Encourage them to move their bodies as they hear their name sung. Refer to our “Name Song” reference tool for ideas on some songs you can sing! Write out children’s names onto sentence strips and introduce in your community meeting experiences. · Talk about the letters that make up each child’s name. · Initially you may want to add their picture next to their name.
Pick Up Sticks: Write each child’s name onto a popsicle stick and hide within your sensory table. Invite children over to explore and play within the table. Encourage them to search for their names within the sensory table. As they find the different names, ask them: · What name did they find? · What letters make up this name? · Whose name did they find?
Extend this experience: Add pictures of the children into the sensory table and see if they can match the pictures with the appropriate name. |
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