Name activities are a great way to start the new school year. Depending on where you teach, you may have some kids who name all the letters in their first and last name, while other kids can not identify a single letter. Luckily, names activities can be differentiated and serve multiple purposes.
Name puzzles are a great first center. I like to store them in these little Dollar Tree containers. You can do first and last names for advance students. For students who need a extra help, you can include a card with the name on it to use as a model. You get these this free name puzzle in my TPT store here.
This letter matching activity is fairly simple. Students match the letters in their name. You can use cubes like I did, or make two sets and cut up one set. This one provides a model for students who need additional support. For your advance students, have them tell you the names or sounds of the letters. You get this template FREE here.
Did you know pulling stickers off of a sheet and placing them on a line is a great fine motor activity? Every child can benefit from fine motor, even if they know the letters in their name. These stickers are from Target. they have similar ones at the Dollar Tree, too. You can grab this editable template here.
You can also have students dab their names. This fine motor activity is really fun. I recommend you have students practice using the dabber on a piece of scrap paper first. It is worth taking 3-4 minutes to discuss how much pressure to use with a dabber. Too much pressure will make a splash….literally! You can have students practice the right and wrong way to use a dabber before you give them the real thing.
Erasers make everything more fun, right? This would be an easy activity for Morning Work Buckets. You can have students build their names and their friends names. You could add tongs to make it a fine motor activity. This is included in the Free Editable Template.
Play dough would be another engaging Morning Work Bucket Activity. Pay dough is great for strengthen those little fingers. Do you want more fine motor tips/ Check out this post.
Building names with tissue paper would make a great wall display. Maybe add in a first day self portrait??? This is harder then it looks and it will take awhile. I model for kids how to do a drop of glue, then add a tissue square with their pencil. Sometimes you can get precut tissue paper in the craft section of the Dollar Tree. I haven’t seen it in awhile so I just cut these squares myself.
Finally, I want to share this letters on the bus craft. This free craft includes a pocket chart activity, too. It is a great way to practice beginning sounds. I incorporate the pocket chart into my whole group lesson everyday for a week. We pick 3-5 kids a day. Then, on Friday we do the craft. It looks adorable for open house. You get this free craft in my TPT shop here.
Hopefully this gave you some great ideas for back to school. Be sure to follow me Instagram for more ideas! @myfabulousclass and on Facebook.
