I saw this idea in one of my colleague's rooms and loved it at first sight. It is so simple and super cheap to make. It is a great letter matching game and the clothespins help build fine motor skills.
What you will need:
- a couple packages of clothespins
- a sharpie (permanent marker)
- printed & laminated name cards (or sight words!)
Write the letters (I used uppercase – you could use both) on both sides of the clothespin.
Make sure you have at least two of each letter and a bunch of vowels!!
The children find the matching clothespin letters and put them on the card – on the corresponding letter.
The children love searching for friends names and then the letters.
My mother did this with us when I was a child. She was a Montessori early educator.
How cool is that! I love how simple it is to create.
Names can be used for number concepts too. Chikdren can fix pegs on each letter of their name saying the letter loud and after reading their name they count the number of alphabet in their name. They can exchange their name cards too. This also helps in developing fine motor skill.
Love this! Making it this weekend…
What an absolutely brilliant idea! Will definitely be making one of these for our group of children . . . thanks so much for sharing!
I have done this for many things. Use for matching letters, either upper to upper or lower to lower or upper to lower or visa versa.
I love using clothespin letters to work on fine motor skills but I have never used them in this way with their name. Thanks for sharing.
I have thought about gathering all the ideas for clothes pins in one place because there is so much!
Yes please do and pass on.
I have used the coloured clothes pins to extend fine motor skills, learning to sort and attach to containers of identical colours. Push pegs are fun for the younger children to be involved in the same activity. I am anxious to try your wooden peg activity, a fantastic idea.
I found a ton of clothespins this weekend cleaning and wondered what to do with them. Yay!
Great idea for children to sign in and/or seat work
Children love their own names and learning others! I love these little tricks to help build that knowledge.
I sing different rhymes with children s names in it , that makes them feel a strong connection to me& the environment around themselves! Thanks!
Was thinking of older children in our preschool who do not sleep for a quiet time activity .
That is a great idea! I think the kids would love it.
I love this activity. I’m going to make it for my center. Simple and exciting.
Easy is always my fave! The kids do love it!
Not only easily done, but reasonably priced! Outstanding!
Love this ide. We have done it previously and children enjoyed it.
What a fantastic idea – I will definately be implenting this!
Its my favourite one.I usually do it with alphabets cut outs but with pegs it helps developing their fine motor skills.
Great idea! Children love this.
Love this! Can’t wait to watch the children enjoy 🙂
My favorite is putting magnetic letters in the sensory table and taking a magnetic wand in it or a few… and then a laminated sheet with all letters and a white erase marker to cross them out! Voila!
Sally,
simply superb idea, very cool i am going to implement it now.
Thank you very much.
I love using our names in 5/10 frames with a blank space under for them to copy the letters. Then we’re mixing literacy and numeracy in one by also counting the number of letters in our names 🙂
My colleagues and I have them roll out their names in playdough, use loose parts to create their name with materials like tiles, buttons, marbles, popsicle sticks, etc. We also do letter fishing with a wooden rod and a string connected with a magnet on the end for them to pick out their letters in a pile and spell it out in front of their friends during circle time. Children feel so empowered when they know how to spell their name and create it out of materials given to them!
I love the idea of this however I’m not a fan that all of the letters are capital letters. I will make one set of pegs and colour them to highlight the capital letter and then the natural colour will be the lower case letters. Thanks for the inspiration
I love the idea of having the child’s name written down as this gives them a meaning that we are interested in them and want to make them feel they belong and can be engaged in an activity that is placed out for them. Hope when we get back to work will incorporate the names when the child is doing an activity or by placing an invitation for them to do.