name games

Quick Easy And Fun Name Writing Activities

1-2-3 Come Do Some Name Writing Activities With Me

“Elmer” by David McKee, is a wonderful story about the beauty and importance of diversity. This colorful, patchwork elephant, enjoys making others happy and is an instant favorite of my students.

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesInspired by this heartwarming character, and because I’m always looking for quick, easy and fun ways for my students to practice writing their names, I designed some name writing activities featuring a patchwork elephant.

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesThe packet includes:

* Several posters
* 5 worksheets
* 3 different name cards as well as . . .

* Colorful name tags
* Several games plus . . .

* 3 super-cute craftivities
The mosaic letter craft is a personal favorite. 

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesChildren color the squares inside their initial then cut it out.  On another day, they color the patchwork elephant and complete the worksheet.

When everyone is done, children choose their favorite color to glue their creations on. Completed projects make a sweet bulletin board.

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesWhen you take your display down, collate the pages in alphabetical order and add the cover for an awesome class book. 

My Y5s absolutely love painting with watercolors. It's an easy-peasy center for me, so I created an elephant watercolor craft using a coffee filter.

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesStudents can write their name around the circle, or cut out the elephant, mount it to a paper "blackboard" and write their name with colored chalk. 

Writing their name with sidewalk chalk outside the school, is also a super-fun activity for your students.  

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesThe other name craft is a "so proud pennant".  Children write their name on the pennant color of their choice.

They color the patchwork elephant however they want, then attach the pipe cleaner "staff" around his nose. 

The pipe cleaner can be bent up a bit so that this is a free-standing place marker, or keep them flat and scatter them on a bulletin board. 

Besides these craftivities, the packet also includes . . .

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activities* 5 options for a class-made name booklet with inside pages plus covers.

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesThere are two, 2-on-a page booklets. The one pictured in the mosaic craft, as well as this one, which features a child's favorite color as well.

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesMy personal favorite is the big "color me" elephant featuring a child's initial.  And finallly, I've also included ...

* A mini certificate of praise. 

For more name writing practice, check out this other name writing packet in my TpT shop which makes a super keepsake. 

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesAs long as my students were learning to write and recognize their names, I decided to make practicing especially fun, with this assortment of activities.

Since some of my kiddos came in with just a scribble, I also wanted to show their progress and how much they had improved by the end of the year.

I needed a simple assessment tool for the beginning of the year as well, to see where my students were at, that was also fun for them and easy for me.

With these things in mind, I designed several monthly keepsake booklets specifically for name writing practice. 

Finally, I created a "color-me" name writing practice packet too, because my kiddos are simply too young to keep track of a portfolio, and I don't need more work collecting and filing "stuff" for it. 

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, elephant activities, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, back to school bulletin boards, Elmer activitiesBecause coloring is great for strengthening those weak finger muscles, I drew "color me" pictures for each month and put 2-on-a-page to make a "just the right size" booklet.

At the end of each month, they write their name on the appropriate page and give their best effort coloring the seasonal picture.

The booklet provides a wonderful look at the progress children are making, and is perfect to share during conferences.
At the end of the year my students have a wonderful keepsake to take home. 

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, Elmer activitiesToday's featured FREEBIE is from my Name Writing Activities With An Elephant packet mentioned above. 

I've pulled the reminder poster, the "Don't get behind practicing" name cards, plus the 2 "trace me" alphabet bookmarks (one with uppercase letters, the other with lowercase). Use them for practice, then later as an assessment tool. 

Click on the picture to zip on over to grab today's FREEBIE: Name & Letter Practice With An Elephant.  

Elmer the elephant activities, name writing activities, name writing crafts, back to school name activities, back to school ideas, icebreakers, elephant crafts, Elmer crafts, Elmer activitiesWell that's it for today. I'm happily snuggled in my office creating new stuff, as a storm rages outside my window.

We so needed the rain and I love the sound of the thunder.  Wishing you a refreshing and relaxing day.

 "An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest." -Unknown

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Name Writing Activities

1-2-3 Make A Keepsake Name Booklet With Me

My Y5s were simply too young to keep track of a portfolio, and I didn't need more work collecting and filing "stuff" for it, so instead, to show my students' awesome progress, I designed what I call "monthly keepsake booklets". 

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameToday's blog features two name writing activity packets.  First up, is a very simple "color me" booklet.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameBecause coloring is great for strengthening those weak finger muscles, I drew pictures for each month, and for quick printing, put 2-on-a-page to make a "just the right size" booklet.

At the end of each month, students wrote their name on the appropriate page and gave their best effort coloring the seasonal picture.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameThe booklet provided a wonderful look at the progress children were making writing their name, as well as coloring.

It was perfect to share during conferences, and then at the end of the year, my students had a wonderful keepsake to take home.

In celebration, the last page of the booklet is a certificate of praise.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameThe other name writing packet, has  3 keepsake options for you to choose from, along with a variety of other name writing activities to make practicing especially fun.

cThe 1st option, is simply a 2-pager in both color as well as black and white.

Simply staple them together & have your kiddos write their name at the end of each month & then color the small picture. 

Keep these in their writing folder or journal.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameThe 2nd option, is also a two-pager, but has 6 page strips on one page that children cut apart to make an Itty Bitty pencil keepsake name booklet.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameFinally, the 3rd option is a bit like the "color me" name booklet I first discussed, as this one has monthly-themed pages to color as well. 

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameHowever, I’ve also added quite a few extra pages to work on later in the year, that involve a variety of math & language arts skills appropriate for kindergarten.

Such as vowels, syllables, counting, comparing, word work, greater & less than, as well as simple addition.

Besides the keepsake booklets, there are also a variety of name-related worksheets.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameSuch as the three "find your name" worksheets, where teachers write everyone's name on a heart, gum ball, and star. 

For another activity students "rainbow write", "stamp" & "cut and glue" their name. I've included a set of letter tiles to make this easy. 

To get in a bit of ABC order practice, there's also an "alphabetize your classmates' names" worksheet. 

name writing activities, name writing crafts, name writing fun, name writing keepsake bookletMy personal favorite worksheet, is the "I can write my name with a ...." (crayon, pencil, marker, pen, and piece of chalk).

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameSince apples are a big theme in September, I've also included several apple craftivities.

In the first activity, students find their name then give the apple 3 layers of "skin" to reinforce the fact that apples can be red, yellow & green. 

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameI also made matching apple cards.  Glue a student photo on one, and write their name on another to make Memory Match & "I Have; Who Has?" games, as a fun way for students to learn their classmates' names as well. 

I do the other apple craftivity after we read Dr. Seuss's story "10 Apples Up On Top".

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameStudents count how many letters they have in their name, then place that many apples on top of their head, which is either a photograph or self portrait. 

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameThe apples spell their name, and show either an AB-AB or ABC-ABC pattern.  Older students can cut out the larger apple pattern, while younger kiddos cut squares & color them.

Children share their creations with the class, then color in the appropriate number box on the "How many letters in your name?" apple graph.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameCompleted projects make a sweet fall bulletin board.

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameThe "Build your name" activity, where students color the construction bear and glue the letters in their name to the worksheet,  as well as the "puzzle name" also make cute bulletin boards too.

spill and spell your name game, name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameFinally, another fun way for your kiddos to learn how to recognize & write their names, is my Spill & Spell game.

I write the letters of each students' name on colored Popsicle sticks & put them in a Snack Baggie.  They spill them out & put their name puzzle together. 

This simple game reinforces colors & counting too.  Children can also pick a partner and compare their names.

I also pass out extra sticks so that everyone has 6; then I call out a shape and students arrange the Popsicle sticks to create whatever shape I ask for.  It's a quick, easy & fun way to whole group assess.

Students can also practice making a variety of capital letters with their sticks as well. 

This 50-page packet is just $2.95 in my TpT shop.  Click on the link to pop on over: Name Activities & Keepsake Monthly Name Booklets.

While you're there, I'd so appreciate it if you'd follow me.  I only need 30 more followers to hit 600 then I'll post a celebration FREEBIE. I know it seems silly to get all excited about reaching this goal, but that's just me.  Thanks in advance.

I have two featured FREEBIES today.  Both of them come from this packet.  They are the "Apples Up On Top" craft, as well as the "Find Your Name" apple worksheet.  Click on the links to grab them.  

name writing activities, name games, keepsake booklets, name writing practice, learning to write your nameWell that's it for today. Mother Nature has decided to pitch a fit, delivering 40 degree temps today. 

Brrrrr! I'm so not ready to give up the warmth of summer.   Wishing you a snuggly day. 

 "There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!" -Percy Bysshe Shelley.

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