Name Recognition using Beads

This weeks fine motor activity is a simple name recognition idea. My preschooler is finally showing interest in letters and has been trying to write his name. In letters that are clearly NOT his name. So I have embarked on a mission to show him HOW his name IS spelt. (spelt is UK for spelled) I learnt (totally a word too) something new this week too, when someone pointed out I couldn’t spell. Turns out I can (to a degree) and that my UK based education from South Africa has a few differences.

Anyways!

Back to this cool adventure to learn our name!

This one has simple supply items.

• You will need some card stock. I let my preschooler choose his own color.
• A pencil to write the name with
• White school glue
• Beads of various colors

How do you like our chalk painted table? I’ll have a post up soon about why I did this and what benefits it is bringing to our preschoolers and toddlers learnings.

Use the white school glue to trace out the childs name. Let them do this too! Squeezing glue bottles and aiming it is also a fine motor skill with great hand eye co-ordination thrown in.

This name craft will be great to trace the letters out with our fingers once it is dry and to refer to when writing names. In sight in mind? I hope so.

As you can see my preschooler choose all the red and black beads and totally left the letters alone. Turns out he had other ideas!

So when he started lining them up on the table after I put our new name craft to dry on another counter I grabbed the elastic thread for him. He was more than delighted to make an alphabet necklace.

Tie a bead to the one end so that your child can thread happily without anything falling off. Use only one knot because this is coming off once we have completed the necklace.

Also have your child add their name on the necklace. The other letters on the necklace are random, but if your child is more advanced on learning you could include sight words.

Once complete, remove the holding bead and tie your neck together and trim the excess thread. I have about 2 or 3 knots here.

My preschooler was rather happy with his necklace!

Join us every friday for more fine motor ideas! Join my mailing list.

Pin this fine motor activity for later.

Take a look at what my fine motor co-hosts are up to this week:

• Alphabet Light Table Play from And Next Comes L
• Popper Ball Game from Little Bins for Little Hands
• Watercolor Drip Painted Easter Egg Garland from Stir the Wonder
• Fine Motor Bead Play with Tractors from House of Burke
• 5 Easy Easter Games Using Plastic Easter Eggs on Lalymom

Check out our FABULOUS Fine Motor book!

Know someone who could use this? Share it!