Name writing is an important skill to learn in early childhood. Read about how to make and use your own preschool sign-in book so kids can practice name writing.

Names are the . . . well, name . . . of the game in preschool! To get the kids started, I’m a big believer in using hands-on, multi-sensory activities to teach kids about their names.

And lots of fine motor practice, of course, along with hand strengthening ideas like play dough.

In addition to all that, preschool children need the chance for basic name writing practice, too.

Enter the preschool sign-in book, a surprisingly simple idea that has always been a hit with the kiddos. I can attest to the fact that kindergartners get a lot of benefits from it, too.

Why Use a Preschool Sign in Book for Name Writing?

Signing into class every day may seem silly to an adult, but it’s actually quite meaningful for children.  First, because it’s all about THEM — their name, and they are doing the writing.

Secondly, it’s part of a book that the class works on together.

It’s a super fast way for the kids to work on learning their names. Finding their names in the sign-in book helps them learn to identify what their names look like in print. Taking the time for name writing every morning gives them a no-pressure way to practice writing their names.

The sign-in book also allows me to keep a record of each child’s progress when it comes to name writing and recognition. I sometimes jot notes to myself in the margins of the book once the kids are done. These notes might include comments about the children’s pencil grasp, if they wrote their name in order and left to right, or if they need more help with letter formation. At the end of the year, the sign in book shows each child’s name writing progress from the beginning of the year.

I love looking back through the book at different parts of the year.  I look at how the children wrote their names the first week of school, and I usually compare that to how they’re writing in December, then February, then May.  In addition to helping me see the changes in their name writing, it’s also a helpful tool during parent conferences.  Such a simple way to show parents what a great job their kiddos are doing in preschool!

How to Make a Sign-In Book for Your Classroom

This sign-in book is pretty simple, and I like it that way!  It has a front cover that says “Our Sign In Book”, and there’s a laminated back cover as well. The front cover is printed out, mounted on colorful construction paper, and then run through the laminator. To make a back cover, I just laminate a second piece of construction paper. Take my word for it, if you want your sign-in book to last the year, make sure to laminate the front and back covers!

The actual name writing sign in sheets get placed between the covers, and everything’s held together with loose-leaf rings.  For the sign-in sheets, I use a very basic grid with 8 rectangles to house the students’ names.  I usually just type it up in a Word document, but sometimes I simply write their names within the rectangles.  The names are at the top of the rectangle, with room underneath for the kids to sign in.

Since it’s held together by loose-leaf rings, it’s easy to add more sign-in sheets as the year progresses.

You can grab your own free printable version of my sign-in book below. Bonus – it’s now editable!

Teach Name Writing Using a Sign-In Book

At the very beginning of the year, many children are still learning the correct formation of their names.  Because of this, I sometimes use a yellow marker to help them out.  Underneath the type-written name, I write the name again in the yellow marker.  Then, when a child is signing in, he can trace over the letters I wrote in yellow.

Much of the time, I am sitting next to the child, walking him through the name writing process.  This includes moving from left to right when writing, and I also focus on the correct letter formation.  Despite how much detail I’m going into here, it really is a quick process.  Some children need more help than others, and that’s perfectly fine!

If you are teaching your children or your students how to write their names, I would like to stress one point. PLEASE teach them to write their names with the first letter capitalized and the rest lowercase.  This is how they’ll usually write and see their names.  Plus, they’ll need to write their names this way in elementary school, so why not do it this way from the start?  Yes, I’m aware that this is a hotly contested topic in the early childhood field. To each her own, so let’s not fight about it if you disagree with me. We’re all working hard for our students!

Grab Your Free Editable Printable Sign-In Book

Click on the button below to grab your own copy of the sign-in book. It comes with a front cover, as well as multiple sign-in sheet pages. The cover and the name writing pages are editable so you can include your own class name, as well as the individual students’ names.

When you download the free printable, you’re agreeing to my my terms of use. You also get to join my email list, which gives you access to subscriber-only freebies and fun, meaningful preschool ideas in your inbox throughout the month.

More Ways to Explore Name Writing and Recognition

The sign-in book is just one of many strategies to help children learn to read and write their names. It’s also just one of many ways preschool children can sign into their classrooms. Here are more name activities to check out:

DOT NAME WRITING

MARSHMALLOW NAME WRITING

ICY NAME EXPERIMENT

Originally published August 12, 2013. 

Three heart name crafts the kids will love to make this Valentine’s Day.

I’m often asked about how to teach young children letters, especially since disagree with using “letter of the week”.

To answer that question, I always reference using hands-on, engaging activities and real experiences. And I always, always, always suggest starting with children’s names.

Why use the kids’ names to teach? Because kids’ names are important to them. Which makes total and complete sense when you take a moment to think about it.

3 Heart Name Crafts for Preschoolers

With Valentine’s Day approaching, why not try some heart name crafts with the children?

We came up with a few different ways to use hearts to make kids’ names. Pick your favorite and try it with the children!

Sticker Names

For this heart name activity, you’ll want to grab some fun stickers. We used glitter foam hearts, but a simple Valentine’s Day sticker book would work just as well.

Write each child’s name on a large piece of construction paper in pencil. Depending on your students, they could write their names on the paper instead. Just make sure the names are large enough for the stickers.

The children give their fine motor skills a workout peeling the stickers and placing the stickers on the letters in their name.

While the kids are making their sticker names, talk about the letters. Encourage the children to apply the stickers to the letters based on correct letter formation. Talk about the sounds each letter makes, and come up with other words that start with those letters.

Hole Punch Names

Of the three name activities, I think this one is my favorite. We used a heart hole punch from a local craft store, along with small squares of scrapbook paper.

Again, start with the kids’ names written on a large piece of construction paper.

Have the children hole punch hearts out of their favorite colors of scrapbook paper. This will help them with fine motor skills and hand strengthening, depending on the hole punch you use.

Once the hearts are punched out, it’s time to make the names. Have the children add glue to each letter individually. Then they can add the heart cut outs.

As mentioned above, this is a great time to chat about letter names, letter sounds, and letter formation.

Printable Heart Names

While the other two heart names were focused on letter formation, this one is focused on name formation. Since the letters are already printed, the kids use them to explore putting the letters in the correct order to make their names. A bit like a Valentine’s Day version of an early childhood name kit.

Print out the heart letters needed for the child’s name. If the hearts are too large for you, just reduce the size before printing. I’d suggest laminating the letters if you want the children to use them over and over again.

Grab an envelope and write the kid’s name on the front. Then add the heart letters to the envelope. Call the child over and explore putting the letters together to form the kiddo’s name. Talk about the letter names and letter sounds along the way.

To extend the activity, add some magnetic letters for the child to to manipulate and match to the heart letters. You can also have the child write his name on a white board or in a sensory writing tray.

Alternatively, you could use the heart letters to make a slightly different heart name craft. Perhaps turn the hearts into flowers and let the children draw the stems and an environment. So many different ways to use them!

Do you have any fun name crafts you love doing with the children?

Preschool Lesson Plans for Valentine’s Day

Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes book suggestions, printable plans, over 30 learning activities (both whole group and centers) related to the theme, and corresponding printables.

Grab the Hearts Preschool Lesson Plans and the Valentine’s Day Preschool Lesson Plans

You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers

Even More Heart Activities for the Kids

Be sure to check out these other fun heart ideas to try with the kids! You’ll find the links below the photo.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Heart Letter Puzzles // Pocket of Preschool

Valentine Hearts Ten Frame Clip Cards // Mrs. Jones Creation Station

Heart Digraph Puzzles // The Kindergarten Connection

Printable Valentine’s Math Activities // Stay at Home Educator

Alphabet Hearts // Playdough to Plato

Valentine’s Day Emergent Reader // Sweet Sounds of Kindergarten

Heart Syllable Sort // Recipe for Teaching

Candy Hearts Count and Clip Cards // Modern Preschool

Heartbreakers Sensory Activity // Sugar Spice and Glitter

CVC Hearts // The Primary Post

Valentine’s Day Number Recognition Bingo Game // Schooling a Monkey

Valentine’s Day Activities (Heart Craft & Cutting Practice) // Fairy Poppins

Heart Counting Cards // Powerful Mothering

Sorting Hearts Fine Motor Tray // Teach Me Mommy

Candy Heart Estimation Station // The STEM Laboratory

Contraction Conversation Hearts // The Simplified Classroom

Chocolate Heart Play Dough Mats // Fantastic Fun and Learning

Jar of Hearts: Editable Sight Words to Read and Write // Liz’s Early Learning Spot

Hearts Make Ten Game // Sara J Creations

Heart Roll, Cover and Write Mats // Fun Learning for Kids

Heart Ice and Oil Density Experiment // Science Kiddo

Candy Heart Sentences // Pages of Grace

Heart Sight Word Match // The Letters of Literacy

Heart Name Crafts // Fun-A-Day

The post 3 Heart Name Crafts for Preschoolers To Make This Valentine’s Day appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

I do a lot with names throughout the preschool year, and Christmas is no different. This little beaded wreath craft was inspired by last year’s candy cane name ornament.

It’s a simple and fun way for the kids to practice a variety of early learning skills, too.

These name wreaths would also make a wonderful homemade gifts for family members!

Are you following my Christmas for Kids Pinterest board?

Simple Wreath Craft Kids Can Make

Materials

Green pipe cleaners
Red and green pony beads
Letter beads
Red ribbon

Directions

Have the kiddos choose which pony beads they’d like to use for their wreath. They may need some help sorting through the letter beads to find the right letters for their names.

Once all the beads have been chosen, let the children plan out where the beads will be placed. Some kids may want their names in the middle of the wreath, with colorful beads surrounding the name. Others might want to integrate the letter beads into the other beads. This is also a great time to practice patterning!

Once the beads are decided on, let the children start beading their pipe cleaners! (Of course, some kids might not want to plan out their beads first. If that’s the case, let them get beading right away.)

After all the beads have been added to the pipe cleaners, bring the ends together and twist them. Some children can do this themselves, while others may need help.

After the pipe cleaner is made into a circle, add a red ribbon bow to the top! Kids can use their wreaths as ornaments, decorations, or even bracelets.

Skills Taught

As I mentioned above, this wreath craft is a fun way for the children to practice early skills. Here’s a peek at what this simple idea works on:

• Letter identification
• Names
• Left to right progression
• Patterns
• Color recognition
• Fine motor skills

How would your children like this name wreath craft?

Christmas Resources for Preschool Teachers

Save time planning (and, really, you can use all the time you have around the holidays!) with already done-for-you resources from Preschool Teacher 101. There are lesson plans, math and STEM activities, and literacy resources just for you! Be sure to check out the membership options for even more savings. You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Click on the photos below for more information about Christmas resources:

The post Make a Beaded Name Wreath Craft with the Kids This Christmas appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

Here’s how to set up a fun and meaningful winter activity for preschoolers using a name snowman. Be sure to grab your free printable version of this activity at the bottom of the post.

Working with 4 and 5 year old children, I tend to use names a ton in my teaching.  I find it fun to create new ways for children to have fun learning their names, their friends’ names, the letters and sounds in their names, etc.

With a snowy theme for winter, I knew I wanted to do something with snowmen and names.  Combining arts and crafts, letters, children’s names, and snowmen is a perfect winter activity for preschoolers to try.

Related: Free Printable Snowman Game

The Name Snowman is a Simple and Fun Winter Activity

This name snowman craft turned out to be a blast for everyone involved – the kiddos, me, and the other teachers!

Listening as the children worked to create snowmen from their names made me smile!

Remember, you can grab a free printable of this activity at the bottom of this post.

Materials to Make a Name Snowman Craft

• various colors of construction paper
• wiggly eyes
• stick-on eyes
• craft jewels
• wide variety of pom poms
• buttons

We started with some pre-cut circles out of white construction paper, and some of the children cut their own out as well. They were all about 3 to 4 inches across.  I also traced some hat shapes on different color papers.

Related: Symmetry Snowflake Craft

How the Children Made Their Name Snowman

When the children sat down at my table during centers, I explained the plan.  Each letter in their first names would have its own “snowball” (white paper circle).  The face of the name snowman would also get one snowball.

Each child created his snowman’s face and hat first, and there was a lot of creativity at play!  We had upside-down hats, wiggly eyes on hats, huge button noses, and so many more interesting creations.  It’s always nice to see each child’s personality and individuality come across in activities like this.

Once the snowmen faces and hats were complete, I had each child write the letters in her name on “snowballs”.  The kiddos did a wonderful job writing just one letter on each circle.

Only 1 or 2 children needed help putting the letters in the correct order or writing certain letters.

Related: Sensory Writing Tray for a Preschool Arctic Theme

Winter Activity for Preschoolers with a Focus on Literacy

Then it was on to assembling the name snowman.  The kids stacked the letters in their names, then added the snowmen’s heads on top.  They all turned out even cuter than I thought they would!

In addition to the fun, creative side of this project, the children touched on many valuable educational tidbits:

• The letters need to be in the correct order to form their names.  “Where’d my ‘e’ go?  I can’t spell my name without the ‘e’!”

• Some children have longer names than others.  “Hey, your snowman is taller than mine!  How many letters are in YOUR name?”

• There are some commonalities within the children’s names.  “My name ends in ‘-er’ just like his name!”

• Capital letters versus lowercase letters.  We discussed this as the children were writing their names, but the kiddos didn’t always apply it correctly while writing (and that’s okay).

• Letter formation.  There was much discussion about the different ways we form the letters of the alphabet.

The extra circles were set out during center time so the kiddos could make even more snowmen, with and without their names. Have you ever made a name snowman with your students?

Related: Super Sparkly Fake Snow Recipe

Name Snowman Video

Here’s a video to show you the multiple ways kids can create their own name snowman.

Remember, you can grab the free printable version at the end of this post.

[VIDEO COMING SOON]

Free Printable Name Snowman Activity

As I mentioned above, I’ve also created a printable version of this activity. I definitely think the hands-on crafty version is worth doing with the kids. But having a printable name snowman could be used a few additional ways!

Materials for the Printable Name Snowman

Name snowman printable (grab the printable at the end of this post)

Laminator (optional)

Prepping the Printable Version

Once you have your printable name snowman, open up the file in Adobe Reader. It’s an editable printable – this means you can change it before printing it, so that each child has a customized name snowman.

Bring your cursor to the snowman’s hat. Highlight where it says “name” and type in the name of the child. Then go to the snowballs. Highlight the letters there and replace them with the individual letters in the child’s name.

Next, print out the pages that you will be using.

Cut the pieces apart. You’ll likely want to laminate the pieces, unless you plan to have the kids write on each individual snowball.

How to Use the Printable Name Snowman

There are a few different ways you can use this. It all really depends on what you’d like to do with the kids. Here are a few suggestions:

• Make each child a name snowman baggie. This baggie will contain the individual pieces of the snowman. Have the kids assemble their snowman during centers or small groups.
• Combine the name snowman craft with the printable version. Let the kids design the hats for their snowman, but use the printable snowballs with the individual letters on them.
• Print out the snowman’s head and hat (with the kid’s name on it), but keep the snowballs blank. Let the kids write their letters out before assembling the snowmen.
• Turn the snowmen into a math graph, comparing the number of letters in their names.

There are really so many ways you can use this printable!

Preschool Snowman Lesson Plans

Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 learning activities related to the theme, and we’ve provided different versions for classroom teachers and home preschool families so all activities are geared directly toward your needs.

This set includes active hands-on learning ideas, book suggestions, and the following printables:

• • Measure the Snowman Activity
  • Roll a Snowman Game
  • A to Z Build a Snowman Activity (focusing on uppercase, lowercase, and beginning sounds)
  • Snowman Pattern Cards
  • Roll and Cover Snowman Math Game Boards (numbers 1 to 12)
  • 1-20 Snowman Counting Mats
  • My Snowman Emergent Reader
  • 0-35 Snowman Counting and Calendar Number Cards

Get your snowman themed lesson plans:

Preschool Classroom | Home Preschool Families | Teachers Pay Teachers

Get the Name Snowman Free Printable

[There was a snafu with the original printable. A new one will be available once this is addressed.]

Originally published December 3, 2012. Updated with a video and a free printable.

The post Name Snowman Preschool Craft Perfect for a Snowman Theme appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

Make a name marshmallow craft with your preschoolers this winter (or any time, really).

Related: Name Snowman Preschool Craft

I’m not the only teacher who sometimes ends up with stale items sometimes, right?

You know what I mean. When you’re cleaning out your classroom cabinets and you find an old bag of marshmallows that fell behind everything, way in the back?

No, it’s just me? Well, at least my shortcomings will help give you some ideas should you ever find yourself in this situation!

In the middle of a winter purge of my teaching cabinet, I found a broken partially-filled bag of marshmallows. I set the bag on the back counter to deal with after school. One of my students saw the bag from across the room and asked, “Hey, Miss Mary Catherine! Why do you have baby snowballs in a bag?!”

I have to admit, I just love that he called the mini marshmallows “baby snowballs”! That comment sparked the idea for these marshmallow names.

That, and the fact that I hate wasting anything and was trying to figure out how to use the old, stale marshmallows.

Name Marshmallow Craft for Preschool

Related: Painting with Marshmallows

Marshmallow Craft Materials

Blue construction paper (I used 9″ x 12″, but I’d suggest the larger size of 12″ x 18″ )
Marshmallows (the little ones)
Glue
White crayon

How to Prep the Marshmallow Names

First, cut the construction paper in half horizontally. Because I used 9″ x 12″ paper, I ended up with strips of paper that were 4.5″ by 12″.

This wasn’t long enough, so I ended up stapling pieces together. In hindsight, I realized I should have used the larger pieces of construction paper.

Once the paper strips are reader, write each child’s name using a white crayon. Make sure to write the letters large enough so that the marshmallow letters don’t overlap.

Related: The Mitten Printable Emergent Reader

Name Marshmallow Craft Directions

Once the name strips are prepped, it’s time to introduce the activity to the children.

Call the kids over and show them the name strips. Explain that they’re going to make their own “snowball” names using old mini marshmallows.

Since actual snowballs would melt, the mini marshmallows are a great stand-in. And they create a lot less puddles.

Inevitably, at this point at least one of those kids will ask if they can eat the marshmallows. Just accept that this will happen (and be sure to have a small stash of fresh mini marshmallows the kids can have a taste of). Reiterate that the marshmallows used for their names are old and wouldn’t taste all that good.

In small groups, call the children over to work on their marshmallow names. Have them trace over the first letter in their name and then add marshmallows over the glue.

Some of the children may need some help, and that’s okay! Squeezing the glue is a real hand workout for preschoolers. It’s a great way to strengthen those muscles.

Related: Printable Preschool Winter Words

Related: Symmetry Snowflake Craft

What Does this Marshmallow Craft Teach?

The marshmallow names were super duper easy, but so much learning was involved.

I am a huge fan of simple, but meaningful, learning activities! Below are just some of the early learning concepts the children explored with the name marshmallow craft.

The kids practiced left to right directionality. This is a great way for them to learn that we read and write from left to right.

A ton of name learning takes place here, too! The children see their names start with a capital letter, with the rest letters lowercase. They work on correct formation of each of the letters in their names. It’s very simple to mention where to start and where to go as they are gluing the marshmallows to the paper. The order of the letters in their names is also observed and practiced here.

Basic letter concepts can also be taught and explored with the marshmallow names. Chatting with the kids about the letters in their names can lead to some great conversations. “Gabriella, your name starts with a G. G says /g/ just like goose. I wonder what other words start with your letter?” Children love talking about things that are related to their names, and so much learning can be integrated here.

Once the marshmallow names are completed and all dried, they are a wonderful spark for comparing and contrasting. I spent quite a bit of time talking with the children about how many letters are in their names, who had the longest name, who had the shortest, etc.

Related: Snowball Names Fine Motor Literacy Activity 

Have you ever tried making marshmallow names with your students?

Winter Themed Teaching Resources for Preschool

Want to save time planning for preschool? Check out these preschool teaching resources from Preschool Teacher 101. Click on the photos below for more information on each item. Even better . . . take a look at our membership options for more ways to make your teaching life better.

• Preschool Winter Lesson Plans
• Snowman Preschool Lesson Plans
• Preschool Snowflake Lesson Plans
• Hot Cocoa Math Activities
• Arctic Lesson Plans
• The Mitten Lesson Plans

Originally published January 15, 2014

The post This Marshmallow Craft Helps Teach Children Their Names appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

This candy cane ornament craft is one of my favorite Christmas activities for preschoolers. My students love it every year! Make sure you add it to your list of preschool Christmas ornaments.

Are you following Fun-A-Day on Pinterest?

Related: Huge List of Candy Cane Crafts and Activities

In the craziness of the last week of school before Christmas break, I have often brought out the pipe cleaners and beads. I loved playing with these materials when I was little!

While I now know how many skills are being practiced, back then all I knew was I was having a blast.

In this particular craft, the children work their fine motor skills, creativity, patterning, and I even add a literacy twist by including their names!

Three cheers for Christmas crafts that teach! So much learning and so much fun at the same time.

Candy Cane Ornament Craft

Related: Beaded Name Wreath Craft for Kids

This name craft is super flexible and adaptable for your students’ interests and needs. I’ve used it with small groups, put it in a literacy center as an independent activity, and have made it with my own little one at home!

It’s perfect for preschool, but kindergarten and older kids still love it, too.

Materials for Beaded Candy Cane Ornaments

I know the traditional candy canes are red and white, but I generally include beads of various colors for the kids to choose from.

You can, of course, keep things super simple with your students if you prefer!

Here are the items we usually use:

• Colorful pony beads
• Alphabet beads
• White pipe cleaners

Preparing to Make Candy Cane Christmas Ornaments

Related: Beaded Name Hearts Fine Motor Valentine Crafts

I think center time is perfect for making these candy cane ornaments. You can also make them during small group time.

To prep, set out the pony beads, letter beads, and pipe cleaners. I usually place the materials in a tray or small bowls.

If possible, I suggest having multiple sets of materials. This way, all of the children can reach what they need.

When everything is set out, I sit down at the center with the kiddos and start to make my name as a candy cane ornament.

Watching me do so always leads to a variety of children wanting to make their own, of course!

I’ve found it’s best to have the children design their name candy cane ornaments on the table before using the pipe cleaners. This will allow them to make any changes before threading the beads.

If needed, bring your students’ name cards over so they can ensure they’re spelling their names correctly.

Completing the Candy Cane Ornaments

Once the students like how their candy canes are designed, have them grab a pipe cleaner each.

First, you’ll need to help the children bend over the edge of the pipe cleaner to prevent beads slipping off.

Then you can show the kids how to add the beads to the pipe cleaners.

Once all of the beads have been added, have the kids bend the opposite end of the pipe cleaner over. Again, this helps to prevent the beads from falling off the pipe cleaner.

Related: Pony Bead Christmas Tree

If you like, this can be a little more open-ended! Present the materials to the kids and let them create as desired. We end up with a variety of candy cane name ornaments by the end of the day!

Some are done as patterns, alternating between letter beads and colored beads. We have great discussions about what patterns are, how the letters have to be in the correct order to spell our names, and our favorite colors.

Others ornaments are strings of random letters, while still others are made of just the letters in the kids’ names.

Related: Beaded Shamrocks for St. Patrick’s Day

No matter the final product, the children always have a blast while learning and creating with this easy candy cane craft!

Learning with the Candy Cane Names

It’s up to you to decide how you want to treat these candy cane names.

Do you want the children to choose how they make the ornaments? Or would you prefer that the candy canes be focused on a concept like name spelling or patterns?

The sky’s the limit here, really. Here are some of the ways the children can create their own beaded candy canes:

• Using a random assortment of pony beads and/or letter beads
• Making patterns using the colorful pony beads
• Making their names with the letter beads
• Creating patterns with both the colorful pony beads and the letter beads
• Making candy cane name ornaments for their friends and family members
• Sorting the pony beads by color and creating candy cane ornaments using just one color (they can make their names this way too)

Related: Contact Paper Christmas Tree Sensory Bin

Done-For-You Resources for Preschool Teachers

Save time planning (and, really, you can use all the time you have around the holidays!) with already done-for-you resources from Preschool Teacher 101.

There are lesson plans, math and STEM activities, and literacy resources just for you! Be sure to check out the membership options for even more savings.

Click on the photos below for more information about Christmas resources:

Make sure to check out some amazing name resources as well:

Have you ever made a candy cane ornament craft with your students? If so, leave me a comment to tell me how did you and the kids made it!

Originally published December 23, 2014. Updated to include video and new images.

The post Beaded Candy Cane Ornament Craft Preschoolers Can Make appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

This pony bead Christmas tree craft will make the perfect Christmas keepsake to send home with students. Plus, they’ll love having their names as part of the ornament. Be sure to add it to your list of Christmas activities for preschoolers.

Related: Baking Soda Christmas Tree Experiment

I don’t know about you, but I love to decorate for the holidays using the kids’ creations. This hand-crafted Christmas tree is no exception.

It can be used as an ornament for the Christmas tree, a magnet for the refrigerator, or even as a keychain for their backpacks.

Perfect if you’re looking for gifts the kids can make their families for the holidays!

Pony Bead Christmas Tree

Preschoolers LOVE the holiday season. It’s such a magical time of year for them. And, I have to admit, I get such a kick out of watching their excitement.

Even though this activity is super simple, the kids will still absolutely have a blast making their own little name tree.

Related: Christmas Tree Art Using Dyed Pumpkin Seeds

Students will not only adore this Christmas craft, but they’ll also learn so much in the process of making it. Here are just a few early learning concepts that can be explored with this activity:

• Fine motor skills
• Name recognition
• Letter identification
• Shape recognition
• Color identification
• Simple patterns

This list is not, in any way, exhaustive. You can include more concepts as they come up in your classroom.

Beaded Tree Craft Materials

As I mentioned earlier, this activity is pretty simple and straight forward. Sometimes the simplest activities leave the most room for children to be creative.

An added benefit of such a simple activity is that it doesn’t require too many materials.

Here’s what you need to get started making the pony bead Christmas tree:

• Pipe cleaners
• Green pony beads
• Letter pony beads
• Number pony beads (optional)
• Yellow button
• Hot glue gun

I suggest putting a bowl or two of beads out at the table. It will encourage peer interaction as the students talk to one another about what they’re seeing or what they need.

The materials listed are just what we used in our craft. You can certainly change those up as much as you’d like to better suit your students and lesson plans. Check out the name wreath craft for a variation of this activity.

Now that you’ve gathered all of the materials, it’s time to get creating!

How to Make a Pony Bead Christmas Tree

First, consider giving the kids a few moments to explore the materials. The pony beads and fuzzy pipe cleaners can be a fun sensory experience on their own.

You might notice the children feeling and bending the pipe cleaners, counting out beads, or making shapes with the materials. Some children will even search the beads to find the letters in their names.

Once they’re acclimated to the materials, let the kids search through the letter beads to find the letters in their names (if they haven’t already).

When the letters for their name are in order, have the children slide the beads onto the pipe cleaner, adding in the green as they go.

If you included number beads with the other materials, make sure that the students put the date on their pipe cleaners too.

As long as the children are putting the letters of their name (and/or year) in order, they can really have free reign over the design or pattern they choose. Some will make patterns, while others will just focus on stringing the beads. Either way is just fine!

Then, help the children shape the pipe cleaner into a triangle and have them twist the top points together. You may want to add a dab of hot glue where the pipe cleaners meet, just for good measure.

Related: The Grinch’s Heart Homemade Christmas Ornament

Lastly, hot glue the yellow button on top for your students. If the students did not add the date with number beads, I would suggest writing the year somewhere on the button.

Let your students wrap up this pony bead Christmas tree craft, along with something like the fingerprints Christmas lights picture frame. Together, they will make the perfect Christmas gift to send home for parents.

Christmas Books for Preschoolers

There are some books that every child just HAS to read every year at Christmas time.

So, I thought it could be helpful to include some of my Christmas book recommendations here:

Read a Christmas story, along with one of these preschool Christmas songs, for the perfect circle time.

Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Christmas time is always so exciting. It can also be very hectic. Let Preschool Teacher 101 give you the gift of some extra time this holiday season! We offer complete and comprehensive lesson plans and many other early learning activities.

Click below to learn more about our full set of preschool Christmas lesson plans.

Don’t forget to take a look at our membership options, too! Here are some other available Christmas resources:

The post Pony Bead Christmas Tree Craft Using Kids’ Names appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

Use name kits to help teach young children their name. They are a simple and easy tool that I love using every year!

Related: 15+ Name Activities for Preschool

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:

• 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

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 to last all year, and it allows 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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

The post Name Kits for Kindergarten and Preschool Name Practice appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

Make your own scratch and sniff name art with just a few simple materials! What a great way to explore early literacy concepts with a simple 5 senses activity.

Are you following my Name Activities Pinterest board?

Kids love their names! That’s one of the main reasons I always suggest starting with kids’ names when asked how to teach the alphabet. Children are very interested in their own names, thus making names a meaningful base to teach from.

This scratch and sniff name art came about because many of my preschoolers, at the time, were really into anything that engaged their sense of smell.

It’s a simple, engaging process for the kiddos (which makes my teacher heart happy). Plus, it yields a deliciously-scented name!

Scratch and Sniff Name Art

As I mentioned above, the scratch and sniff names don’t require many materials. I already had everything on-hand (I tend to keep a stash of Jell-O for a wide variety of activities).

Scratch and Sniff Materials

• Glue
• Construction Paper
• Flavored gelatin

And that’s it! You can likely swap out the Jell-O powder for another type of scented ingredient if you’d like. But I tend to have a lot of Jell-O on hand so that’s what we used!

Related: Icy Fizzy Letters ABC Learning

How to Make Scratch and Sniff Names

To start, write the child’s name on a piece of construction paper. Card stock would hold up even better, I’m sure.

Next, help the child trace over the letters in her name with the glue. Some children can do this mostly independently. Others will need help since squeezing and manipulating a glue bottle takes a lot of work.

Related: Scented Water Activities for Kids

After that, let the kiddo sprinkle flavored gelatin all over the name. Encourage them to make sure the glue is entirely covered!

Related: Scented Rainbow Science and Sensory Play

Finally, help the child pour off the extra gelatin powder, then observe what happens next.

We watched as the glue ended up getting the gelatin powder wet. This led to the color of the powder becoming more apparent.

Related: Name Ice Melting Science and Art Experiment

While I’m always a sucker for the color purple, I ended up liking the blue more this time around. It was just more vibrant.

Related: Name Books for Preschool and Kindergarten

Let the scented name dry. Once it is, the name can be put up around the home or in the classroom.

It should remain scented for a while. If the children want to, they can gently scratch at it a little bit to bring out more of the scent.

Learning Included with Scratch and Sniff Names

This super simple 5 senses activity yields so much early learning! Here are some of the concepts it touches on:

• Left-to-right progression
• Letter identification
• Letter formation
• Letters work together to make words
• Sensory exploration – especially seeing, touching, and smelling
• Absorption

Would your kiddos enjoy making scratch and sniff name art? What’s another 5 senses activity that’s always a hit in your home or classroom?

A Few More 5 Senses Activities

If your students enjoyed making their scratch and sniff names, be sure to try out a few of these ideas:

Scratch and Sniff Art from Fantastic Fun and Learning

Bubble Wrap Finger Painting from Childhood 101

Homemade Colorful Lenses from Teach Preschool

The Sound of Seeds Matching Game from Fun-A-Day

Ice Cream Taste Test from No Time for Flash Cards

More All About Me Ideas for Preschool

I think the scratch and sniff name art would also be perfect during a preschool all about me theme. Here are more ideas you can include if you like to teach such a theme:

Erase Me Rhyming Activity via Growing Book by Book

Spell Your Name Sensory Bin via Fun Learning for Kids

All About Me Early Writing Activity via The Educators’ Spin On It

Learning Names in Preschool with ALL 5 Senses! via The Preschool Toolbox

Fun Kindergarten Math Activities Using Their Names via Capri + 3

All About Me Math Race via Still Playing School

DIY My Name Puzzle Printable Template via No Stress Homeschooling

Build my name via Rainy Day Mum

All About Me DIY Puzzles for Preschoolers via Life Over C’s

Save Time Planning for Preschool

Preschool Teacher 101 has so many early childhood education resources that are already done for you, from lesson plans to math to literacy. If the scratch and sniff name art was a hit, I bet your students would love delving into an entire week (or longer!) of 5 senses learning!

Be sure to check out the membership options for even more savings. Click on the photos below for even more resources you might like:

This post was originally published on September 2, 2015.

The post Scratch and Sniff Name Art 5 Senses Activity appeared first on Fun-A-Day!.

Kids can explore a variety of early literacy skills with these butterfly name activities for preschool. Be sure to add them to the rest of your butterfly activities for preschoolers!

Young children need hands-on, meaningful activities to learn. And what’s more meaningful than their names?! Incorporate these butterfly name crafts into your next butterfly theme. Kids will be excited to make the butterfly crafts focused on their names.

Below you’ll find two ideas for name learning activities with a butterfly twist. I even have a few additional suggestions for you, in case you want to tweak things a bit.

It’s no secret that we do a ton of name activities in preschool! Names are important to the kiddos, and learning their names is something every preschooler strives for. A child’s name can be used to teach so many early learning concepts, too.

Butterfly Name Activities for Preschool

As I mentioned above, I’ve got two butterfly crafts for you that are focused on kids’ names. You can make some changes to what we did, or try things exactly the same way.

Materials for the Butterfly Name Crafts

Here’s what we used for the butterfly-inspired name fun (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):

• White paper
• Glue
• Paper straws
• Bowtie pasta
• Rotini pasta
• Liquid watercolors
• Scissors

You can change up the supplies if you need to or want to. For example, use cardstock in place of regular paper if you want a sturdier surface. If you don’t have liquid watercolors, food coloring is a good option.

How to Prep the Butterfly-Themed Preschool Name Activities

We have a lot of colorful butterfly life cycle pasta right now. We used them to make a butterfly sensory bin, as well as a butterfly life cycle necklace. So all we had to do was grab the rest of the materials and we were good to go!

If you don’t have these bits on-hand, grab some pasta and color it:

• First, place the pasta in a bag or container.
• Next, add some liquid watercolors and close the bag.
• Then shake well to disperse the color.
• Finally, let the pasta dry completely.

Related: Butterfly Life Cycle Sensory Bottles

Once the pasta is dry, and you have the rest of the supplies, it’s time to jump into the butterfly name activities for preschool!

Butterfly Name Craft Directions

Let’s take a look at the first butterfly name activity! This one is focused on tracing over the letters in the kids’ names. The children can practice letter formation as they choose which “butterflies” and “caterpillars” to place on each letter of their names.

To begin, write the child’s name on a thick piece of paper or a piece of cardstock. If the student’s name is long, you might need to staple two pieces of paper together.

Next, set out the butterflies (bowtie pasta) and caterpillars (rotini pasta). Have the child trace the first letter with glue, then add pasta as they see fit!

Related: Name Kits

Encourage the child to keep going, letter by letter, until their name is done. This is a great time to talk about letter formation, letter sounds, that we write left to right, and maybe even touch on some butterfly life cycle facts.

Once the names are all done, help your students place them carefully out to dry. When everything is dry, you can post the butterfly name art up on your classroom walls!

Straw and Pasta Butterfly Name Activity Directions

The second of the butterfly name activities for preschool creates individual letter manipulatives that look like butterflies.

To make these, grab some of the colorful “butterfly” pastas – one for each letter in the child’s name. Cut up a paper straw so you have one piece for each butterfly. Your students can help with this, of course! Write a letter on each straw piece until the child’s entire first name is represented. Glue each straw letter onto a piece of butterfly pasta.

Let the child use their butterfly letters to create their name. As with the above butterfly craft name, talk about literacy and science concepts as you go along. The child can make their name, then break it apart, and then remake it to their heart’s content. If the kiddo wants to, they can even glue their butterfly letters to a piece of paper or cardstock to display.

Additional Butterfly Name Activities for Preschool Kids

We had a ton of fun making our names with the colorful dyed pasta. We even tested out making some sight words, too! If your students are ready for that, I suggest you give it a go.

As promised, here are a few other ways you can make names during a butterfly theme. Instead of the pasta, use:

• Butterfly stickers
• Hole punch butterflies
• Butterfly stamps
• Die-cut butterflies
• Kids’ fingerprints made to look like caterpillars
• Even hand-drawn butterflies

So you can see that there are a lot of options! Pick the one that best suits you and your students, and have a blast working on the kids’ names.

Be sure to pin this post for later. And check out my Butterfly Activities Pinterest board while you’re over there.

More Butterfly Literacy Activities

If the butterfly name activities for preschool were a hit, I bet your students would also enjoy the following ideas. Click each link for more information:

• Butterfly Life Cycle Printable Book
• Printable Butterfly Cover Up Alphabet Activity
• Butterfly Playdough Mats
• 10 Little Butterflies Preschool Circle Time Song
• Butterfly Alphabet Matching Cards

Done-for-You Preschool Resources

Planning meaningful lessons for students week after week, all while balancing other teaching responsibilities and a personal life, can be a daunting task. That’s where Preschool Teacher 101 comes in to save you time!

We have over 100 fully-developed lesson plan sets, literacy activities, STEM challenges, dramatic play packs, math games, and more. Click on the images below to check out some that would pair perfectly with the butterfly name crafts: 

And be sure to join the waiting list for The Pack from Preschool Teacher 101 today! Our members get access to all of our products, as well as some exclusive resources!

Originally written April 2015.

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