Teaching using student names is one of the most POWERFUL ways to teach letters and sounds to Preschool, Pre-k, and Kindergarten kiddos.

I teach a multi-age classroom with 3, 4, and 5 year olds.  In the fall, we focus on uppercase letters, so we use name cards with their names in uppercase.  Then, in January, I transition my Pre-k friends to lowercase by using name cards with their names in lowercase letters.  I make an uppercase and a lower colored name mat and a black line mat for every kiddo during back to school.

Hop over to TPT HERE to grab your FREE editable name mats!

Free Editable Name mats

Edit, print, and laminate mats, then have students build their names with various manipulatives & materials!

Material Ideas:

• gems
• mini erasers (if you are like me, you have a ton) I found the set below at Party City
• play dough
• buttons
• any small manipulatives you have on hand
• pieces of paper

Make name art!

Edit and print mats, then have students trace and make names with various writing and art materials!

• Use dot stickers to create a name sticker collage
• Rainbow trace name with markers or crayons
• Paint name with Q Tips
• Finger-paint over name
• Dot name with dot markers or bingo markers
• Trace with dry-erase markers, crayons, chalk, paint, pens, or any other writing tool

I make a few sets at a time, so they are already prepped and ready to go when I need them.

The activities you can do with Name cards are endless. Name mat activities are great for arrival time, table time, in centers, small group, or around the classroom!

Hop over to TPT HERE to grab your FREE editable name mats!

Do you need name cards, too, that include the student’s photo? I have those for you for FREE, too! Click HERE to check them out!

Check out more name activities here.

LOVE these name cards? Pin this image!