Materials
varies each month (see activity)
Instructions
Help the children learn to recognize and write their own names by doing
the following activities each month. Print each child's name on a separate
sentence strip, glue her photo next to her name, and laminate. Children can
use these name strips throughout the year to trace and if they need help
writing their names. (Older children might want to practice writing their
first and last names.)
September: Print each child's name on a sentence strip. Cut the strips
into three to four piece puzzles. Invite the children to take their
puzzles home for practice.
* October: Use a yellow highlighter pen or marker to print each child's
name on a piece of paper. Invite them to trace over their names with a
pink highlighter pen. If they stay on the lines, their names will
"magically" turn orange.
* November: Print each child's name on white paper using a white
crayon. Press hard. Invite the children to paint over their names with
watercolor. Their names will appear!
* December: Print each child's name using a blue marker. Have them
trace over their names with a yellow marker to make a holiday green.
* January: Have each child trace her name in glue. Encourage them to
sprinkle snowflake confetti or salt on their names for a snowy effect.
* February: Invite children to use rubber alphabet stamps to stamp
their own names on heart-shaped red paper.
* March: Tape red, blue, and yellow crayons together with masking
tape. Encourage the children to write their names with the crayons for
a rainbow effect.
* April: Provide foam alphabet letters and ask the children to find the
letters in their names. Give them sentence strips with their names
written on them, if needed.
* May: Invite the children to practice writing their names using thick
brown paint ("mud").
* June: Print each child's name in glue and let it dry. Invite them to
make rubbings by putting a piece of paper over their name and
rubbing with a crayon.
* July: Encourage the children to trace over the letters in their names
with glue. Let them sprinkle star confetti or red, white, and blue glitter
on the glue. For younger children, print their names on sentence strips
and invite them to put star stickers on the letters.
* August: Have the children use chalk to write their names outside on
the sidewalk.
