For nine months, you labored (pun possibly intended) over the perfect name for your sweet baby. Maybe you bought a baby book or Googled name meanings long into the night. You paired countless first names with possible middle names. You might have kept it a secret or shared it with the whole world because you were so excited to finally land that perfect name. Then your tiny babe came into the world and you couldn’t wait to shower him with personalized onesies and caps. You and everyone around you gushed the name multiple times per day, possibly just to hear it in real life.
Then your baby started to grow. He started to sit up and then crawl and talk and giggle and one day walk. His chatter turned into real words and now he’s calling you “Mama!”. Now is the time to help your sweetheart learn his (or her) name. Remember the one that you slaved over months ago? Yes, it’s time your kiddo knows how to recognize, spell and write his name, and we’ve got a few tips to get you started:
Recognition:
- Create a name placemat: Write your child’s name in big bubble letters, have the paper laminated and then let your child use it for Play-Doh play.
- Use his snack to spell out his name.
- Paint or color your child’s name at the top of his papers as he’s crafting.
Spell:
- Let your child use your computer keyboard or iPad touchscreen to type his name.
- Grab some letter beads at your local craft store and spend an afternoon stringing the beads to make a necklace or bracelet with your child.
- Hunt for letters on your drive to work or daycare and spell together out loud.
Write:
- Buy some fun new markers and lined paper. Guide your child’s hand as he uses different colors to write his name.
- Use a chalkboard or dry erase board to practice letters. Write the letters as big as possible to make them easily recognizable.
- Fill a small box with sand and let your child trace his name in the sand.
With all the activities above, your child will be sure to learn his or her name in no time!