One of the first letters a child learns and remembers is the first letter of his name. They see it everywhere and it's a letter that means something to them. As kids get ready to enter preschool, it is even more important that they learn to recognize and write their name.

According to Pinnell and Fountas, “Once children learn that their names are words and that they are made with the same letters in the same order each time, they begin to understand the concept of a word”

Children not only learn to recognize their own names but it isn’t too long before children begin to recognize the names of their friends. Recognizing names often begins with finding the letters in their first name but once a child begins to recognize his or her name in its entirety, the child is then able to start using his or her name as a “resource” for extended learning of letters and words. For example, a child can find letters that are alike in their name or count the number of letters in their name or begin to recognize the letters of their name in other words.

This activity really gets children talking about their names and the letters in them!

Steps:

1. Make a chart with several columns numbered 1 through 15 (depending on the length of names of the children/ people involved in this activity

2. Ask one child/ person to come to the chart and have them spell their name and write it across (one alphabet per numbered column). Alternatively you can write the name in capital letter on a colored paper and cut each alphabet out and glue it individually in each column

3. Once all the children/ people have taken turns, compare the names on the chart

4. Ask questions like: "Whose name has fewest letters" "Who's name is longer than yours?"