THE FIFTH DAY OF BACK TO SCHOOL...

How about some activities to play with names as you nurture phonological awareness.

Willabee Wallabee

Here’s a good chant for rhyming. Substitute the first sound in each child’s name with a /w/.
Willabee wallabee Wohn.
An elephant sat on John.
Willabee wallabee Wue.
An elephant sat on Sue.

Bappy Birthday Bo Bou 

You can also substitute the first sound in each child’s name in the traditional birthday song. It’s silly, but they love it! Nick’s name would be:
Nappy nirthday no nou.
Nappy nirthday no nou.
Nappy nirthday near Nick.
Nappy nirthday no nou.

Batman
Alliterate the first sound in each child’s name as you say it in the Batman chant.
/m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/ /m/  Max!

/h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ /h/ Heather!

                          
*Cut a bat shape out of the front of a file folder. Insert paper and write each child’s name so it appears inside the bat. Hold up children’s names as you say the chant.

Syllables
Invite the children to clap, snap, wiggle their hips, or make other motions for the syllables in their names.
*Use the children’s first and last name to make this more challenging.

Clap a Name

Cut out small hands from construction paper.  Glue them under children's pictures to indicate how many syllables in their names.  Make a book with their pictures and clap your hands!

Rhyme Game

Have the children think of words that rhyme with their classmates names. (They don’t have to be “real” words, as long as they rhyme.)
Example: Sophia, Bophia, Lophia
Sam, Bam, Ram, Lam

Sounds Like…
This is similar to the rhyming game except children think of words that begin like their friends’ names.
Linda...look…lollipop…listen…
Van…vase…violin…viper…

*Sing children's names in the "Alphardy Song" to practice alliteration.
     W for Will /w/ /w/ /w/
     B for Bella /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/ /b/
     H for Henry /h/ /h/ /h/
     C for Carolos /c/ /c/ /c/