Building a Name

Around here, we are big on name activities for preschoolers.  I like to teach my little ones letters and their sounds by using names – their own names, names of family and names of friends.  It is meaningful to them, and simple.  And we really like to keep things simple.  I talk a lot about this idea of using names to teach the alphabet in these two posts: learning to print a name in 5 steps and alphabet recognition activities.  Today I wanted to share another simple way we play with name activities for preschoolers: Building a Name

Name activities for preschoolers: Building a Name!

This name activity is very simple and can be used for so many different things!  I actually leave this activity out all the time with our bin full of Duplo blocks.  I simply took painters tape (masking tape would work as well) and wrote the letters of the alphabet on the blocks.  I did uppercase and lowercase (since we are beginning to work on lowercase letters).  I then stuck these letters onto the Duplo blocks.

I added in some little pieces of paper with names written on them – friends names and family members names.  Now, whenever my preschooler and toddler are playing with the Duplo blocks they have the opportunity to practice building names!

When I first put the letters on the blocks, my preschooler Sammy was very interested in the idea of using the cards and practicing building every name he could.  Now that the novelty has worn off, the blocks often get used just as blocks – which is great!  There is a ton of learning that happens with building too.  Having the letters on the blocks is simply a different avenue of seeing and becoming familiar with them.

Name activities for preschoolers can be so simple and full of play.  It is so nice when play and learning are one and the same – isn’t it?

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