Toddlers and preschoolers LOVE their names! This week as part of our Move & Learn series I am sharing a flying ghost name game. This game is a fun and active way to practice spelling your name.
During the name game your child will run, crawl, jump, hop, etc. and also learn to identify the letters in her name.
Supplies:
lollipops, small rubber bands, white napkins, markers, white paper, painters tape, and scissors
Directions:
Before you get started you need to prep a few things ahead of time. Start by making little lollipop ghosts using a napkin, a rubber band, and a lollipop. You need a lollipop ghost for each letter in your child's name. Once you've made your ghosts, write a different letter on each ghost to spell your child's name.
Next, cut out some paper ghosts. Write a different letter on each paper ghost to spell your child's name as well. Stick the paper ghosts on the floor around the room.
Once you have everything made, put the lollipop ghosts across the room from the paper ghosts. Invite your child to choose and lollipop ghost and pretend to fly it across the room (holding onto it) and match it to it's correct ghost.
In addition to flying across the room like a ghost, my daughter hopped, crawled, jumped, skipped, and slithered. I even got in on the fun and did some twirling.
When we matched the ghosts we practiced saying the letter names and sounds. C says /c/.
Once we were done matching all of the lollipop ghosts to the paper ghosts, we flew them back across the room and tried to match them again.
When we needed a break from flying, we sat down and sang our favorite BINGO name song. My version goes like this...
"There was a mom who had a girl and CATIE was her name-O...
C-A-T-I-E, C-A-T-I-E, C-A-T-I-E, and Catie was her name-O!'
My son was very jealous when he got home from school and discovered that he missed out on our flying ghost name game. We will need to try it again when he is home.
Our Flying Ghost Name Game is part of the Move and Learn Series that I am doing along with Hands On: As We Grow, The Pleasantest Thing, and Coffee Cups and Crayons.
Make sure to check out this week’s other Move and Learn activities below and then join the four of us next week for even more move and learn ideas!
- Leaf Pile Math from The Pleasantest Thing
- Spider Web Sight Word Match via Hands On: As We Grow
- Ghost Zapper Sight Word Practice from Coffee Cups and Crayons
You can also check out our Move and Learn Pinterest Board for more inspiration!
What a fun activity – love all the learning! One year we made similar ghosts and used them as Halloween party invites!
That sounds awesome & adorable Carolyn! The best part about our lollipop ghosts this year are that my 3-year-old hasn't figured out they are lollipops yet 🙂
Kristina, I like the ghost name toss idea-it is such a coincidence because I just posted a ghostie toss game on my Halloween activities list for this year ( thestay-at-home-momsurvivalguide.com/2013/10/9-halloween-activities-and-crafts-for.html). This is a cute alternative way to create them, as well as a great learning game to use with them. Will have to pin the game! The song you share here is also exactly like one I posted on Dec 11, 2011 ( thestay-at-home-momsurvivalguide.com/2011/12/two-songs.html). That Bingo song is so handy for teaching spelling of names. I love using it! Great minds think alike I guess! 🙂
How fun Jaimi! I love your activities. A ghost toss would be so fun. Ours didn't include any tossing, just flying them around while holding them and then gently placing the ghosts next to their matching letter ghosts. I'll have to make that more clear. Flying lollipop ghosts would be kind of dangerous! Yours are perfect for flying. I may have to use your game at my Halloween carnival this weekend.
I love your two songs post! I agree that it is a great song. We have been using it with our name crafts & activities for years. I wish I could say it was my invention, but it was actually a name song I learned back in my teaching credential program. It seriously is the perfect song and helps kids remember how to spell their names. I love that my daughter has only 5 letters in her name. My son's name (Andrew) was a lot trickier to use when I taught it to him when he was two.
I so appreciate you taking time to comment on my post so that I could become more familiar with your blog. What a great resource it is and what lucky kids you have!
Thanks for clarifying about the ghost "flying". I like that with your construction of them they will fly far-maybe we'll try it outside. I appreciate your kind words. With all of your fun ideas that you share, your children are blessed to have you as well. Take care!
This is so FUN!!!! Totally going to do this one too!
Thanks Megan!!! I love your ghost zapper post too!