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Home / Early Learning / Literacy / Name Kits for Kindergarten and Preschool Name Practice

Name Kits for Kindergarten and Preschool Name Practice

Shared by Mary Catherine 30 Comments

These name kits are one of my favorite early literacy activities that help teach young children their names. They are a simple and easy tool that I love using every year!

a folder with 'my name kit' printed on the cover surrounded by name kit pieces that spell the name sam

Related: 15+ Name Activities for Preschool

Table of Contents

  • Name Kits for Preschool Name Practice
    • Materials Needed for the Name Kits
    • Parts of the Name Practice Kit
    • Storing Our Name Practice Kits
    • Additional Name Practice Activities with the Name Kit
  • Done-For-You Preschool Resources
  • Free Printable Name Card and Cover

Name Kits for Preschool Name Practice

I like to work a lot with students’ names when I’m teaching. Their names are incredibly important to the children, as are their friends’ names. If it’s meaningful to them, the kiddos are much more active and involved in the learning process!

Four and five year old children are learning how to write their names, so this is a logical offshoot of that.  

At the beginning of the year, my students and I make these “name kits” to keep in their book boxes for the year. I include a few different items in each child’s name kit, and each can be tailored to the specific needs of individual children. These are perfect for preschool and kindergarten name practice, and of course homeschool!

Materials Needed for the Name Kits

You can make adjustments to the name kits based on what you have on-hand or what you’d rather include in them.

Here’s what we used (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):

  • Sentence strips
  • Magnetic letters that spell their names
  • Small zipper baggies
  • Name Books
  • Small manila envelopes (6 inches x 9 inches)

Parts of the Name Practice Kit

a name written out several ways for practice around an envelope labeled, 'tyler's name kit'

Related: 10 More Preschool Name Activities

First, neatly write the child’s name on a sentence strip and laminate it. The student uses this as a reference for how his name should look. Laminating it helps it last all year, allowing the child to trace over my writing using a dry-erase marker.

Next, make a name puzzle. This is basically the child’s name written on a sentence strip, laminated, and cut apart into individual letters. This allows the student to explore name practice by putting her name together in the correct manner.

The next “ingredient” is magnetic letters. I love to have the students pick these out themselves. These are the letters in his name, of course, and go into a baggie for the name kit. I find that snack-sized bags are large enough for most children’s names, but sandwich-sized would work well, too!

Magnetic letters are just a different take on the name puzzle.  The letters are a bit more tactile, and they allow for use on magnetic easels/boards.

spelling out the name 'sam' in magnetic letters next to the pieces of a preschool name kit

Lastly, the students also make a name book for inclusion in their name kits. These books are simple to make, but are very engaging to the kids! Their name is written on the cover, and then each letter of their name gets its own page in the book.

You can make the name books yourself or with your kids, or you can grab our printable version! They are entirely editable and customizable, and each letter gets its own fun picture for reference. Thanks to my friend Jamie of Play to Learn Preschool for making these with me!

cover image for editable name books

Storing Our Name Practice Kits

To hold all the pieces of the name kits, I use a small manila envelope. I cut off the metal tab on the back, then run it through the laminator for added durability (this works with my school’s big laminator but doesn’t always work with a small home laminator).

Then I use scissors to gently cut through the laminate on the back of the envelope, thus opening it up. A simple, unlaminated, envelope would work just as well!

a manila envelope that has been laminated

Don’t miss the free printable (found below) for a cover for the kit! It includes the words, “My Name Kit” and the child’s name. It’s completely editable and customizable.

I use the name kits as a fun way for teaching young children about their names, their friends’ names, letter names, and letter sounds. Do you use name kits with your students?

Additional Name Practice Activities with the Name Kit

There are so many opportunities for hands-on learning with the name kit!

You can pair the sentence strip name with kosher salt poured into a tray to make a sensory writing tray!

This is super easy to set up and a great way to practice early writing skills in preschool and kindergarten. It’s also another great way to practice the letters in their names.

a card with the name Sam on it above a salt tray with a finger writing the name Sam

Additionally, you can make a name practice sensory bin. Colorful dyed scented rice is fun to use if you have some on-hand, or plain works just as well.

You could even use colored popcorn kernels or dyed chickpeas! I fully admit that I’m a bit addicted to colorful sensory materials – they’re irresistible for kids, and it’s so easy to make your own!

Dump the rice (or corn or chickpeas) into a basket or bin. Then add the pieces of the name puzzle and the magnetic letters from the name kit. Add cups, scoops, tweezers, or other fun tools as desired.

Encourage the children to sift through the rice to find each of the letters in their names! Can they match the letters to the example on the sentence strip and put them in the right order? As they add letters underneath their name, talk about the letter names, sounds, and formation.

There are a ton of other ways to play with this sensory bin! Check out some additional ideas we explored when we used an Earth Day sensory bin for literacy practice.

Done-For-You Preschool Resources

Let Preschool Teacher 101 make your teaching life easier with fully fleshed out lesson plans, math activities, literacy plans, and even more.

Click on the images below for more information about each resource. Be sure to check out the membership options while you’re there.

two printable name activities and a smiling cartoon boy holding the letter c with the text, 'name activities editable'
First Letter Name Activities
two printable name activities and a smiling cartoon boy holding the letter c with the text, 'name activities editable set 3 build it'
Build It Name Activities
Write it name activities cover
Write It Name Activities
cover image for editable name books
Editable Name Books

Free Printable Name Card and Cover

Members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community can grab the name kit cover, as well as a name card/puzzle. They’re both editable so you can make a set for each of your students. Fill out the form below and get the printable sent to your email.

If you’re not a member, no worries. Add your information to the form to join, and you’ll get the printable as a welcome gift.

If you can’t see the above form, click here to access it.

Originally posted July 5, 2012. Updated to include video, new images, and a free printable.

two version of a kindergarten name kit with the text 'preschool and kindergarten name practice kit'

Filed Under: Literacy Tagged With: Free Printable, Name Activities, Names

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  1. Mackenzie says

    August 23, 2012 at 9:41 pm

    Another great idea! This one is completely new to me… love it! 🙂 Thanks for sharing on Play to Write Series this week! 🙂
    Mackenzie

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      August 23, 2012 at 10:05 pm

      Thanks for hosting and for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Dawn G says

    February 25, 2013 at 8:33 pm

    Don’t know how I got here, but so glad I did. I found you today and started a kit for my 3 3/4 yo today. I got my letter cards and clip art from 3dinosaurs.com and am using various writing fonts. I am so excited to have something for him to practice his name with.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      February 25, 2013 at 8:56 pm

      Well, I’m glad you ended up here too! Isn’t it funny sometimes that we can’t retrace our steps when searching around the internet? Let me know how the name kit goes for your son! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
  3. Katherine Collmer says

    April 29, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    Mary Catherine, This is an amazing idea! I love the mixture of visual and tactile teaching strategies! Thanks for sharing – I will do the same!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      April 29, 2013 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks so much, Katherine! 🙂 I love the name kits, too, especially because there are different activities the kids can (mostly) do on their own. Then I can build on those activities during one-on-one time or small group time.

      Reply
  4. Michelle says

    July 18, 2013 at 3:51 pm

    Thanks for the great idea. I am working on putting together name kits for my daycare preschoolers! I can’t wait to have name kits and book boxes for them all in the fall. How do you store all the Name Kit items in the Book Boxes? I want a neat simple way to keep them all together. I was just thinking of ziplock baggies but would love other suggestions.
    Thanks! I love exploring your blog!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      July 18, 2013 at 4:31 pm

      Yay, so happy I could be of help! After all these years, I still love using the name kits with my students. Honestly, I just store the kits in whatever is on-hand. I’ve done ziplock baggies and envelopes in the past, we well as construction paper stapled into pockets. Nothing fancy whatsoever — my advice is to make sure the kids can open the kits on their own. Let me know how things go this year! 🙂

      Reply
  5. JDaniel4's Mom says

    July 22, 2013 at 5:25 pm

    This is a great idea! I bet they use the kits over and over again.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      January 1, 2014 at 10:42 am

      Thank you!! Yes, they DO use these name kits over and over and over!! 🙂

      Reply
  6. The Activity Mom says

    July 28, 2013 at 8:36 am

    Love this!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      July 29, 2013 at 3:26 pm

      Thank you!! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Dawn Mills says

    October 26, 2013 at 2:30 pm

    Thank you so much for this idea for the name kits as well as the entire web site! I am in my first semester of college to be a kindergarten teacher and was looking around for ideas and came across your web site. Lots of great ideas!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 4, 2013 at 9:17 pm

      Dawn, you totally made my day . . . thanks so much for your kind words. My goal is to create a place where we (as educators and parents) can share resources and ideas! Good luck on your college career. I loved teaching kindergarten, so I bet you will too! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Tricia says

    June 14, 2016 at 9:57 pm

    I love these ideas! I make laminated names for the children to keep in our writing center, as well as traceable laminated names, to practice, as well as name puzzles for school and home, but the magnetic letters and the envelopes to keep them all together will be great additions to our name work this year in my Head Start classroom-Thanks!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      July 23, 2016 at 5:38 pm

      Thank you, Tricia! 🙂

      Reply
  9. Jennifer says

    July 31, 2017 at 7:05 pm

    I love your ideas! Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      July 31, 2017 at 10:38 pm

      Thanks so much for the kind words! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Amy says

    September 24, 2017 at 2:08 pm

    This came up on my main Pinterest page as a suggestion. I LOVE this & will be doing this for my childcare kids this week. They love having their very own (fill in the blank) to work with. I’ll let them personalize & sticker up their envelope to add to the fun.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      October 15, 2017 at 12:39 pm

      Oh Amy, I love hearing this! Thanks so much for the kind words. 🙂

      Reply
  11. Lori says

    August 1, 2018 at 10:05 pm

    I have done name strip but love the name kit idea. Thanks hope you have a great year.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      October 7, 2018 at 11:58 am

      Thanks, Lori! I hope your year is going well!

      Reply
  12. Normae says

    May 21, 2019 at 5:17 pm

    Great idea for kindergarten at beginning of year. I can see doing similar packs for sight word practice too.

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      May 22, 2019 at 1:57 pm

      Thanks, Normae! Yes, that is a great idea in regards to sight words!!!!

      Reply
  13. Shelia Meadows says

    October 4, 2020 at 10:11 am

    I love the idea of each child having their own kit for practicing names. Great independent activity!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      October 4, 2020 at 5:42 pm

      Thank you! Yes, it can definitely be a great independent activity for kids. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Leara says

    November 13, 2020 at 12:25 am

    If you call your kid by a nickname should they learn that first or the whole name? Example: Allison or Ali?

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      November 17, 2020 at 12:59 pm

      My son goes by his middle name, so I started with the name he was most used to. That’s the same approach I’ve used with past students as well. But I also liked to touch base with the children’s parents to make sure we were on the same page. Once the shortened name or nickname was understood, I’d move swiftly forward to the child’s full name. Just my opinion, though. 🙂

      Reply
  15. Lauren Aiello says

    August 5, 2022 at 1:23 pm

    Hello! Thanks for this fun activity kit for working with kids and their names. Question for you. When you say there are editable files, do you have pictures for different sounds letters or combinations make, like a long vowel sound, or for two or more letters making a sound, like “Ai” in Aiden or “ah” in Leah. The “i” and “h” in these examples wouldn’t make a sound so you wouldn’t need a separate page, but it would be helpful to keep them with the “a” in each example. Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • Mary Catherine says

      September 3, 2022 at 10:17 am

      So sorry for the delayed response, Lauren! The free editable file for this is the cover for the name kit. When I use the name kits for preschoolers, I like starting out with focusing on the individual letters – teaching those letter names and letter sounds (since kids are so invested in the letters in their names, names make such great teaching tools). After that, talking about the combinations and the different sounds within individual kids’ names.

      Reply
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My name is Mary Catherine, and I love to share meaningful {and fun} learning activities for kiddos! Feel free to browse and stay awhile!

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