Make Your Own Name Book: A Fun Way to Learn Names and Letters!
Looking for a fun and easy way to help your little one learn family names, letter sounds, and even how to spell their own name? This Make Your Own Name Book is perfect for toddlers, preschoolers, and beginning readers.
Who Am I? Recognizing family names is an important skill and encourages print awareness in young children.
Why It’s Awesome:
Kids love seeing their own name in print! This is a simple project that takes that name love into a learning opportunity. Whether at home or in the classroom, it’s a great way for children to recognize family names, classmates’ names, and review those all-important letter sounds.
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| I found this album at the Dollar Store. You can also add stickers to the cover for a title. |
What You’ll Need:
- 4×6 photo album* (also check your local Dollar Stores)
- 4×6 note cards
- Marker
- Small family portraits (just the faces)
How to Make It:
- Write each family member’s (or classmate’s) name on a 4×6 note card.
- Slip the note card into a photo slot.
- On the back of each card, add a small picture of the person.
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| Sample above. We started our Family “Who Am I Book” with Daddy. His picture went on the back.
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| There I am! The next page is “Mommy”, flip it to check and there I am! Ryan was next and his picture went on the back. |
How to Use It:
- Pre-Readers: Have your child read the name on the front. If they’re stuck, help them out with the first letter sound. They can check their guess by flipping to the back to see the picture! It’s that easy. If the name to read is David and the child says “D,” just flip it over and check! If it’s Dad vs. David you can show them how the sounds are different.
- Readers: Challenge them to read all the letters in each name, reinforcing letter recognition and sounds as they go.
Classroom Tip:
In Preschool through First Grade classrooms they’re perfect for learning classmate’s names too. Kids love to read names in print… especially their own. In the classroom use card stock sentence strips and bind on the side.
- Take a class photo or small school photos for the back.
- Write the name, glue a photo to the back, laminate, and attach a ring or bind.
This also makes a fantastic gift, too! Add some stickers to the cover or print your own. It might turn into a personalized treasure that’s as educational as it is fun. Perfect for home or the classroom—let the name games begin!
My girls love to read all around the house and I think they would enjoy how they can check their answers with the photo on the back. Vicky from http://www.messforless.net
Lovely idea. I must remember this when the twins are a bit bigger.
What a fabulous idea for early readers!! And how fun that they can check to see if they are right!
Your link above for “Click here to learn more about environmental print” takes me to a page that says “Gifts for Tweens” Just an FYI. I was hoping to get some ideas for environmental print. Thx.
All fixed for you Brandi! You should be able to click through to the post on the environmental print book now, which is another great early reading tool.