FREE Activities to Work on Learning Names

Learning how to write your name is such a big deal when you're little. Many of us still have Kindergarten students coming to school that still don't know how to write their name or write it correctly. It drives me nuts when students come to me writing their name in all capital letters. Who teaches them how to write that like?? I know uppercase letters are easier to form, but that's not how to correctly write a name. I've even had students argue with me and tell me that's not their name when I show them what it should look like. Here are some activities I use to work on recognizing our names, writing our names, and learning our friend's names too. 

To incorporate fine motor skills and name practice, I use toothpicks. Each student gets a paper with their name on it. They then take a toothpick and poke holes through their name. This could be used for sight words, letters, numbers, etc. throughout the whole school year because the students have so much fun with it. 

Once they are done with their name, they can hold it up to the light and it kind of making it looks like their name is shining like stars.  

Rainbow writing is such a easy way to practice names. I write their name on a piece of paper and they take turns using different colors of crayons to trace their name. Super simple, yet fun!

I teach students "The Plate Song," to learn their name, but also start to recognize their friend's names. We form a circle on the rug, then sing "The Plate Song" and I throw 2-3 plates on the ground. If a student recognizes his/her name, they get to pick up the plate. So simple, but they love it! The song is very catchy too, so after 2 times of singing by myself, most of the kids have already learned it. 

The Plate Song

tune: If You're Happy And You Know It

If your name is on a plate pick it up, (clap clap)

if your name is on a plate pick it up, (clap clap)

if your name is on a plate, then you're doing really great,

if your name is on a plate pick it up!

Lastly, I incorporate sorting into our name unit. This way I can work on names during reading, writing, and math! I created this FREEBIE for you to use your first few weeks of school. It has many activities included to help students recognize their name, as well as their peer's names. Students can work on counting letters, clapping syllables, and sorting! I write student names on flashcards and use pictures of each student for different sorting activities. At the beginning of the year, you may just have students play memory with their friend's pictures, but later in the school year, they could match the picture to a name. These activities could easily be put in a center tub or pocket chart. 

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