NAME GAMES
Children love their names and will feel so special when you use their name in one of these chants. These activities will also nurture your classroom community and help the children get to know their new friends.
Who Ate the Cookie?
Child’s name ate the cookie (Hold up name card.)
in the cookie jar.
Who me? (First child responds.)
Yes you. (Class chants.)
Couldn’t be? (First child.)
Then who? (Class chants.)
Second child’s name ate (Hold up another name.)
the cookie in the cookie jar…
•Cut out paper cookies and write the children’s names on them. Store in an empty cookie box and use as you say the chant.
•Cut out gingerbread cookies. Glue children’s faces on the head and write their names on the bodies.
•Make cookies and glue the child’s photo 
to one side and print their name on the other side. Place the cookies face down on the floor. Children try to read their friends’ names and then flip over with a spatula to confirm.
Hickety Pickety
(Clap hands and snap fingers.)
Hickety, pickety bumblebee
Who can say their name for me? Child’s name.
Clap it. (Clap out syllables as you say the name.)
Snap it. (Snap syllables in name.)
Whisper it. (Whisper name.)
No sound. (Lip sinc name.)
Name Cheer
(Cheer each child’s name.)Give me a ‘K’.
‘K’ - I’ve got a ‘K,’ you’ve got a ‘K.’
Give me an ‘i’…Give me an ‘M’
What’s it spell? ‘Kim’ Say it again. ‘Kim’ One more time. ‘Kim’ Yeah!!!
Shakey, Shakey
(Clap hands or slap knees.)
Child’s name, child’s name sick in bed.
Called the doctor and the doctor said,
“Get up child’s name, you’re not sick.
All you need is an exercise trick.”
So hands up, and shakey, shakey, shakey.
Get down and shakey, shakey, shakey.
Turn around and shakey, shakey, shakey.
Sit down and shakey, shakey, shakey.
Hint! When doing these chants, never force children to participate. If you have a very shy child, I would ask them if they would like you to use their name. Often, they want to hear their name, but they don’t want to stand up and dance.
I Am Special
(Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
I am special.
I am special.
Take a look.
You will see.
You will see.
Someone very special.
Someone very special.
And it’s me!
And it’s me!
•Place a hand mirror in the bottom of a shoebox and put the lid on top. Explain to the children that the most wonderful thing in the whole world is in the box. “It’s so special there’s only one like it in the world!” Watch children’s smiles as they open the box and see their faces!
Important Person
(Tune: “Lassie and Laddie”)
Child’s name is important, important, important.
Child’s name is important to you and to me.
At work and at play
He/she does his/her best each day.
Child’s name is important to you and to me.
•Choose one child at a time and hold them in your lap as you sing the song.
Hand Hug
The children hold hands and form a circle. The teacher begins the hand hug by squeezing the child’s hand on her right as she says something positive about them. That child then squeezes the hand of the person on her right and makes a positive comment. Continue going around the circle giving a “hand hug” and a positive comment.