Social interaction skills
Toddlers clap when they hear their name as part of a song.
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Invite up to three toddlers to join you for a fun song about children in our room. Encourage toddlers to listen for their name as you sing. Invite toddlers to clap when they hear their name. Demonstrate clapping your hands together.
When you sing the name song below, provide a prompt to the toddler whose name you are singing. Examples: nod with eye contact, gently point, lightly tap the toddler’s shoulder. Clap enthusiastically for each toddler you name. It is fine if other toddlers clap, too! The “featured” toddler may or may not clap. This brief activity is meant to be lighthearted and fun. Tune: “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”
If your name is (child’s name), clap your hands.
If your name is (child’s name), clap your hands.
If your name is (child’s name), if your name is (child’s name),
If your name is (child’s name), clap your hands.
Toddlers enjoy hearing their name and being recognized. This short activity can also foster a sense of belonging and acceptance. As indicated in the activity description, some toddlers may enjoy clapping their hands at any point in the song, not just when their name is sung. There also may be toddlers who prefer to sit quietly and enjoy the experience of hearing a song with children’s names. It is fine if toddlers do not clap. Limiting the activity to no more than three toddlers at a time reduces waiting and can help toddlers focus on one or two other toddlers.
Extra support
Enrichment
Social interaction skills
Toddlers together say the names of peers as part of passing a ball around a small gathering.
Invite several toddlers to play a game with a ball. Encourage the toddlers to sit with you in a loose circle. Show the ball and explain we will pass the ball to a friend in our small gathering. We will say the name of the friend who is holding the ball. Then the friend who is holding the ball will pass the ball to the next friend in our gathering. We will say the name of each friend while the friend holds the ball.
Pass the ball to a toddler sitting near you. Describe your action and tell when to say the toddler’s name. Example: “I am passing the ball to Myatt. Now Myatt is holding the ball. Let’s all say ‘Myatt.’” Continue to describe steps and tell when to say a toddler’s name. Example: “Myatt passed the ball to Ian. Now Ian is holding the ball. Let’s all say ‘Ian.’” Lead another complete round if toddlers remain engaged.
Conclude this brief activity by describing what happened. Example: “We said the names of our friends while we passed a ball. We each took a turn holding the ball and hearing our name! We had fun with our friends.”
Your step-by-step guidance is important, including saying the name of the toddler who is holding the ball. Some toddlers will not know or remember the names of other toddlers. Saying each toddler’s name can foster a sense of belonging in the room. Some toddlers will be reluctant to pass on the ball. While some flexibility is certainly appropriate, it may be helpful to remind toddlers that we want to say the name of every child in our gathering. If a gentle reminder to pass the ball is not effective, consider having the ball sit in front of the “featured” toddler and you assume the task of moving it from toddler to toddler. Anticipate that some toddlers may sit nearby and watch. Repeat the gathering several times during the same day so all toddlers have an opportunity to participate in this individual recognition.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: assortment of soft balls in various sizes, laundry basket or medium-size cardboard box
Invite several toddlers to take turns rolling a ball to one another. Encourage toddlers to say their own name when they capture the ball. Describe back-and-forth and turn-taking interactions as toddlers play. Use the participating toddlers’ names frequently as they interact with each other. After ball rolling that involves saying one’s name, introduce more soft balls and a laundry basket or cardboard box for additional ball fun. Toddlers will enjoy dropping the balls into the basket/box and getting them out again.
Materials Needed: medium-size soft ball, music player with lively music
Invite the children to play a game of Hot Potato with the ball. Encourage children to sit in a loose circle and to pass the ball, or “hot potato,” to the child next to them as music is playing. Periodically stop the music and invite toddlers to say the name of the child holding the ball. Continue to play the game, ensuring that each child has a chance to hold the ball and hear his/her name spoken at least one time. Babies may enjoy holding an age-appropriate ball and hearing their name spoken during the activity.
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