Ready for name hide and seek?
Here we go! Name hide and seek is a hands-on way to introduce letters of the alphabet in a meaningful (and super fun) way. What’s not to love about a name activity that also encourages the element of surprise? Did you say nothing? I couldn’t agree more.
This easy indoor activity has us all giggling and learning over morning coffee. Because you know. Breakfast Invitations are the bomb.
RELATED: How do we introduce letter recognition?
Teach your toddler the alphabet, starting with the letters in his name.
Children take ownership of the letters of their names. They are proud to know that the letters they are learning belong to them. This can be a powerful way to learn through play.
Oftentimes, children can relate to those that stick and show up again during independent playtime.
RELATED: Love name activities? Great! Here are 15 activities for name recognition.
My three-year-old LOVES the element of surprise.
Name Hide and Seek did not disappoint his thrill-seeking heart. As he reaches into the bag to scoop up a letter, he predicts which one he was about to grab. I think this is a W, mommy!
As children get more comfortable playing with letters, they will also recognize that some letters have lines, other letters have curves. They will also see that some letters have both! We like to play this alphabet sorting activity to reinforce this practice.
I like to keep a collection of alphabet toys mixed in our everyday play for more opportunities for independent play.
What if I don’t already own magnetic letters?
No letters? No problem! Try adding a different letter on a small piece of paper. Fold it in half and toss it into the bag!
For those that would like to add letters to your home, I have them listed below!
Here is the full supply list
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- Magnetic letter kit – this is a GREAT set!
- White paper roll
- Markers
- Paper bag
Yep! Setting up is faster than you can say the alphabet backward!
First, tape down your white paper to the table.
Next, gather a collection of letters to spell out your child’s name. Remember! You can also use small pieces of paper.
Finally, grab a marker and write your child’s name. Ideally, you want to use an uppercase letter followed by a lowercase. But don’t overthink this! If you only have one or the other, begin with what you already own. You can always revisit this same play idea down the road!
Let’s level up this name activity!
For children who already recognize the letters of their name, begin introducing the letters in your last name.
Another variation is to draw simple pictures and hide the beginning sounds in the bag.
We love name activities for kids! Here are a few other easy ideas that we have done in the past for name recognition: