How to Make a Name Activity with Letter Rocks

Use this fun name activity to help kids learn to recognize and spell their names. Letter rocks are easy to make and can be used for many hands-on literacy activities for kids.

When the previous owners built our house, they chose to add a pebble border to the tile in the master shower.  When we moved into the house, I found a few sheets of extra pebble border in the garage.  Of course, my mind started thinking about ways to put those extra little rocks to use.  I decided to use them to make a fun and easy name activity for preschoolers.

Let me show you how I did it.

Supplies

I used the rocks from sheets of pebble tile because they were a free supply for me…but you can use any kind of small rock.  You can get nice rocks in craft stores or big box stores.  Just look for vase fillers and you will find some.  You can even go outside and collect some small rocks for free.  I also used a permanent marker to create my letter rocks.

Add Letters to the Rocks

After gathering your supplies, it’s time to add letters to the rocks.  I used a fine-point Sharpie to write my letters neatly.

What’s in a Name?

When completed, kids can put the rocks in the correct order to spell their names.

Additional Ideas

I know that your kids will have so much fun using these letters for a variety of name activities. Here are some ideas.

SENSORY OR WATER TABLE – Use the rocks as part of a sensory or water table.

• Add letter rocks, along with plastic turtles or frogs, and water beads to a container. Pretend that the animals are walking across each of the letters.
• Mix the rocks with sand or pea gravel in a construction themed sensory bin.  Add construction vehicles or small shovels and containers.
• Use the rocks to decorate sand castles.

INCREASE DIFFICULTY– Add additional letters and ask a child to find the ones that are in his or her name.

NAME CARDS – Create additional letter rocks as needed.  Kids can select a name card and then use the letter rocks to spell the name of a classmate or friend.

ALPHABET MATCHING –  Create a set of uppercase and lowercase letter rocks and ask children to find the matching letters.

LETTER SORTING – Create a complete set of letter rocks and ask children to sort them by letter style (all the letters with a circle, tunnel, hook, etc…)

Are you looking for additional rock theme activities?  Check out my article with 20 additional activities with rocks and learn how to set up a geology lab dramatic play area.

Addition Name Activities

Are you looking for additional name activities for preschool?  Check out the following resources in my store.  Click on the images below to check them out.