Learn to spell your name puzzles

Learning to spell your name is a milestone for children. As a preschool teacher, what I love about helping children learn to spell their name is the interest it sparks in letters. The letters in a child’s name are meaningful, and learning to spell their name is a significant early literacy step. Investing in expensive name puzzles for your class isn’t a good use of resources as many children won’t be interested or ready for this activity at the same time or perhaps not at all in your classroom. This DIY name puzzle is perfect to make in only a few minutes with supplies you already have. Many children also love learning how to spell their friends’ and classmates’ names, so these super simple learn your name puzzles are perfect for a preschool or kindergarten class. Of course, kindergarten teachers could make these for sight words, as well!

How Do You Make A Name Puzzle?

Gather your materials. You will need some letter magnets with both upper and lowercase letters, and you will probably need at least two sets since many names like mine, Allison, have duplicate letters. If you like the ones I’m using, you can use my affiliate link ( I get a small commission from sales) to get the same letter magnets –> here. You will also need a cookie sheet or metal trays for the magnets to stick to, paper, scissors, and a fine tip marker. I have small bowls for the letter magnets as well, but these are 100% optional.

Cut the paper to fit your tray.

Spell out the name using the magnets on top of the paper.

Trace.

That’s it. Now have the children fit the letters into place.

Have extra paper on hand in case children want to try to make their own; this is especially rad if you decide to make sight word puzzles. You could have a puzzle factory at your literacy center!

More Early Literacy Ideas

If you want more super simple literacy activities like this one that you can use in your early childhood education classroom, you have to check out my newest book Setting The Stage for Rock-Star Readers. It is packed with activities that work and help early educators lay the strongest foundation for literacy as possible for their students.