Names, Names, Names

This is our second week of K1, and we have been focusing on names like crazy.  My least favorite thing in the whole wide world is when kids say "Hey YOU, want to play with me?" or "Him hit me!"  The first few days of school we did a few simple name games each day, because I wanted to make sure they had our routine completely down.  We would say our names in a regular voice, a monster voice, a squeaky mouse voice, jump up and say our name, sit down and say our name, etc. 

This weekend, I found this fabulous idea at Kinder by Kim. I love that it uses pictures as another tool to teach names.

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Personally, I wanted to have a fewer words so that my four year olds could focus first on recognizing their new friends' faces.  Here is my version:

We sing it to a tune that is kinda sorta like "Have You Ever Seen a Lassie?" with my own little twist to make it work.  You can download the text for free on my TPT page by clicking {HERE}.  All I ask is that you pretty, pretty please leave feedback on my account.

I cut the words so that they were 2 1/2 inches high, and the construction paper so that it was 3 inches high.  Then glue them, laminate them and you are ready to go.  I love how this also teaches that there are spaces between each word!  I plan to make name cards for each child to use instead of the pictures when they are ready for a bit more print.

I also came across a great post at Mrs. Lee's Kindergarten through Pinterest.  I was in love with how fast and easy this activity was to prep, and the kids were in love with the Do-A-Dot markers!  Just cut white construction or drawing paper into 6 inch by 12 inch strips and write their names using pencil.  Voila, you have a fabulous, fun center.  Tons of my kids wanted to make more for their mommies, daddies, brothers and sisters.

I said to one little girl "Wow!  Your name looks so beautiful just like a rainbow!"  She replied "No, it actually doesn't look like a rainbow.  Rainbows are red, orange, blue, indigo and violet."  Don't you love it?