Bottle Cap Name Recognition Play for Toddlers and Preschoolers

For today’s #junkplay prompt, we had plastic bottle caps. Since my daughter is currently learning how to write her name, we decided to use bottle caps to make a name recognition activity. This activity is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who want to learn how to read and write their names.

This simple name recognition activity is really very easy and it’s meant for toddlers who still don’t know how to write their own name. More of the play along with learning about letters that form their own name.

Supplies Needed to Make Bottle Cap Name Recognition Activity

Have to say that we have collected quite a pile over time in different sizes and colors but for today’s junk play activity we went with 7 blue and 7 red to set together a name learning play for my toddler. Her name is Izabela and that’s why we used 7 bottle caps, one for each letter in her name.

• bottle caps (from recycle bin)
• alphabet stickers or alphabet cut-outs
• alphabet foam stickers
• stamp pad
• paper

How to Make Bottle Cap Letters and Stamps?

To make bottle cap letters we used 7 blue caps with letters of my daughter’s name printed out on paper and glued on top of the bottle cap. You can also use alphabet stickers for this.

Second set of 7 blue caps was turned into stamps using foam letters also glued on top. Make sure to glue letters backwards, like image in a mirror! And we used green stamp pad but really any stamp pad with washable ink will do!

You can also glue letters inside letter stamps in the right direction to prevent your toddler from getting confused with mirror letters.

How to Play Bottle Cap Name Recognition Activity?

First, we used a tray large enough to hold all the items.

I placed blue caps in the right order on top of the paper to form my toddler’s name and wrote her name under. Place bottle cap letter stamps and stamp pad next to the paper as well.

Stamping Name Activity

She used red letter bottle caps to stamp the letters in a column like shown on the picture.

While she was stamping, we repeated over and over which letter she stamped at that exact moment. This serve to help child remember the image and shape of each of the letters and associate them with a sound.

Matching Letters Activity

We also decided to do a letter matching activity with items we already had on hand.

I invited my toddler to place bottle caps with printed letters over matching stamped letters to extend learning and to repeat letters all over again.

You can remove letters from the top of the paper, mix them up and ask the toddler to match the printed and stamped letters. Lots of repeating is a key to get toddlers to remember which image represents which letter.

Today’s post is part of 60 Day Junk Play Challenge and we had as material prompt today BOTTLE CAPS. You can also use bottle caps to create 5 easy bottle cap busy bags for your toddlers and work on early math and fine motor skills.

To read more about Junk Play Challenge and get involved upcycling your trash for play, stop by our 60 Day Junk Play Challenge page.