Kids’ names are incredibly meaningful to them, so I love using names to teach my pre-k students. One of the ways I do this is by making a Name Kit at the beginning of each school year. The children love helping me make it, and they use it often throughout the school year. Included in the Name Kit, among other things, is a simple name book.
Are you following Fun-A-Day’s Name Activities Pinterest board?
The name book is super easy to put together, and the children enjoy helping me make it. It teaches a variety of early literacy concepts, such as:
- Letter identification
- Letter sounds
- Left to right progression
- High frequency words (names)
making name books for preschool
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Grab some construction paper, then cut it in half horizontally. I usually use basic white paper, but I’m sure colored paper would be fine too.
Fold the strips of paper in half to make mini book pages. The strips of paper can be cut in half again, vertically, but I usually just fold them. Grab enough strips to create the right number of pages for the child’s name. Staple along the left-hand side.
On the front cover, write the child’s first name. On each subsequent page, write one letter from the child’s name. Be sure to write the letters in the same order as they’re found in the name. Each letter gets its own page! Be sure to write both the capital and lowercase version of each letter.
They have the child choose clipart to add to each page. I use D.J. Inker’s Alphabet Smiles download for this, as it matches my classroom word wall. Other clipart would work just as well, though! I tend to use the black and white version, but colorful clipart is also an option!
Once everything is put together, the name book goes into the child’s Name Kit – ready to read over and over. When I read it with the children, we say the name of the letter, the letter sound, and the picture. Obviously, some children need more help than others (and that changes as the year progresses). Would your students benefit from making name books?
printable name books
I am so excited to announce that there’s now a printable version of the name books HERE! Jamie of Play to Learn Preschool does a lot with name teaching, too, and she approached me with this awesome collaboration idea! Check out how she uses the editable, printable name books with her preschool kiddos.
What else do you put in child’s name kit at the beginning of the year?
Hi Laurie! Here’s the link for the specifics of the name kits I make with the kiddos – https://fun-a-day.com/name-kits/. I add a name puzzle I make, magnetic letters, a written out version of the child’s name, and the name book. 🙂 I add in last names as appropriate, too.
Love it! Definitely using it in my classroom. Thank you!😄
Thanks, Cherie! Let me know what your students thought of the name books. 🙂
Do you ever add to the name book? Like as they grasp an understanding of each letter add more pictures of that letter (a – apple, but then add acorn or anteater)
I tend to leave the name books as is. They become a familiar, repetitive book the kids can read themselves. So even if they master everything in their name book, they’re still working on other early literacy concepts. I’ve made last name books with the kids who were ready for them, too!
Hi! This is a great idea!
What do you do for names that start /ch/ or /th/?
Do you do a character for that or just the /c/ and /h/ separate?
Thanks
Tracy
Thanks for the kind words, Tracy! I’ve done it both ways, depending on what the focus is. With the first run of name books, the focus is on individual letters and letter sounds. So I keep the letters separate at that point. I sometimes go back and work on chunks within their names on individual letter names and sounds are well in hand.
I can’t seem to figure out how to type in the names of my students
Sorry to hear that, Wendy! My first suggestion is to check that you’ve got the most up-to-date version of Adobe Reader. That can cause annoying issues if not. Then use your cursor to highlight “Name 1” and type in the child’s name. Do the same with all of the rest of the names that you want to use. Hope that helps!
How would you make a book for “Emmett”?
It would have 6 pages…?
Would both the “m’s & t’s” have the same picture?
I LOVE this!
I would definitely make sure it had 6 pages. In terms of the picture, that’s up to you and Emmett. If you think it would make it easier for him to understand by keeping it the same picture, that’s what I would do. But if he wanted a different picture, then I would go that route. 🙂
I really enjoy as well as very grateful for you sharing your great ideas and resources for preschoolers. I am just wondering why it says that you can download a free editable book then once you try to download it takes you to a purchase page?
Thanks so much for the kind words, Dee! I just double-checked the text of the post, and there’s no reference to the editable name books being free. They are definitely available on Teachers Pay Teachers and are an amazing resource, though! You can, of course, always make your own based on the directions here in the post. I hope that helps a little bit! 🙂
This is such a great tool. In my preschool class we have a quiet time and using these name books and the other name ideas will give them a quiet activity to do during that time.
Thanks so much, Kathy! Let me know what your preschoolers think about the name books. 🙂