Learning Letters in Your Name: Group Time Activity

Grade Level: Preschool, Kindergarten
Submitted by: Debbie Haren, Preschool Teacher

Objective

Children will learn to:

• Recognize the first letter of their own name
• Recognize the first letters of classmates’ names
• Identify their own written name
• Notice similarities and differences in classmates’ names

Materials

• Tagboard cut into small rectangular strips
• Permanent marker
• Class list with correctly spelled student names
• A quiet area for whole-group or small-group time

Preparation

On each tagboard strip, neatly write one child’s name using:

• Capital letter for the first letter only
• Lowercase letters for the rest
• Consistent letter spacing to support early reading and visual recognition

Each child should have their own personalized name card.

Lesson Plan

Part 1: Introduce the Name Cards

Begin by showing the group one name card at a time. Use engaging, predictable questions to build recognition:

• “Do you know whose name this is?”
• “Is this friend here today?”
• “What letter does this name start with?”

Repeat daily for several weeks. Children will quickly become confident recognizing not only their own names but also their classmates’ names.

Part 2: Build Group Knowledge

As the weeks go on, students naturally begin helping one another:

• They call out classmates’ names.
• They notice who is absent.
• They eagerly point out starting letters.

This creates a supportive community where young learners practice literacy and social awareness.

Part 3: Increase the Challenge

Once students show strong recognition skills, extend the activity:

• Ask children whose names start with a specific letter to line up, wash hands, choose centers, etc.
  “If your name starts with K, please get your coat.”
• Begin a simple discussion about capital vs. lowercase letters and reinforce why only the first letter is uppercase in names.

Parents are often amazed at how quickly preschoolers pick this up—and how much joy they get from recognizing one another’s names.

Teacher Notes

• Keep handwriting clear, simple, and consistent.
• Leave small spaces between letters so young readers can distinguish them.
• Repetition builds confidence. This routine is perfect for circle time or transition moments.