Kindergarten Sub Activities

Find Your Name Game

• Use the attendance chart to write the name of each student on a name tag. Spread the name tags on one table for the children to see. When they come into the classroom, help them find their name tag and sit down. Prepare and put on a name tag yourself and point to it as you introduce yourself to the children. Talk to them a little about your name (e.g., "My name is made from two words"). Then when you do the attendance, as you call each child's name let him stand up and ask questions about his name (e.g., "What letter does your name start with?").

Name Song

• Teach the students the "Who is Here Today?" song, using the melody to the "Farmer in the Dell":

  "___________ is here today,

  ___________ is here today,

  we all clap our hands and say

  ___________ is here today."

  Let each child stand up when she hears their name as the other children sing and clap their hands. Continue until each child has had a turn to stand up. If there are too many students to do this with at one time, let them know that you will sing the song for half of them at the start of the class and the other half at the end of the class.

Name Art

• On a paper plate, write each child's name three inches high. Pass out their name plates, glue and beans. Let each child trace his name with the glue and then add the beans and let it dry. When the plates are dry, let each child come up to the front of the class and have the whole class spell their name.

Who Ate the Cookie Game

• Play the "Who Ate the Cookie Game." Teach the children the game's chant using one or two children's names.

  Teacher/Class: "Who ate the cookie from the cookie jar? _________ ate the cookie.

  Child: "Who, me?"

  Teacher/Class: "Yes, you!"

  Child: "Couldn't be!

  Teacher/Class: "Then who?"

  Child: "________ ate the cookie from the cookie jar."

  Then have the class sit in a circle and give one child a large cookie made from a paper plate or construction paper with one bite cut out of it. Let the class say the chant using the name of the child with the cookie. Then let the child with the cookie pass it to the next child in the circle and continue the chant around the circle using each child's name. If there are too many students to do this activity at one time, you can begin at the start of the class and finish before the end of your class time.