| Strategies for Promoting the Development of Personal Identity |
| Activity Focus |
Sample Activities |
| Mirrors |
- Place mirrors strategically around the classroomvertically, horizontally, or diagonallyperhaps even on the ceiling.
- Provide hand mirrors and/or a magnifying mirror in the dramatic play area.
- Consider making or purchasing a pyramid-shaped structure that children can crawl inside with mirrors on the inside surface.
- Use small reflective materials like foil and mirror tiles for collages.
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| Photographs |
- Give each child a small photo album and periodically insert pictures taken at school.
- Frame family photos and display them in the room.
- Print out a sheet of adhesive labels with each child’s photo and use them in ways that allow the children to find their pictures unexpectedly; for example, tape some pictures on small plastic cubes and hide them in the sand table, in a basket of cars, or freeze them inside ice cubes to put in the water table.
- Print out a 4- by 6-inch image, laminate it to poster board, and cut it up into a puzzle.
- Print out 8- by 10-inch photos, put each one on a cutout paper birthday cake, and make a birthday wall.
- Project a child’s picture on a piece of poster paper and let him or her trace the image.
- Photograph the front and back images of each child and make a guessing game chart.
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| Names |
- As with photos, print out sheets of labels with each child’s name on them and use them whenever and wherever possible.
- Play name games at circle/group time or while waiting for transitions; for example, “I’m thinking of a child whose name starts with S. . .” or ” I am . . . and I like to . . . ,” and so on.
- Incorporate finger plays or songs that include the opportunity to insert a child’s name.
- Print names on sentence strips, laminate them, and use them for tracing.
- Write names in glue on cardboard and sprinkle with glitter or colored sand.
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| Accomplishments |
- Start an “underwear club” for toddlers with a pocket folder holding each child’s picture, with a Velcro tab on the back and a matching tab for each child at the top. When a child is toilet trained, he or she posts his or her picture to the club.
- Create a display board with the words, “___________ can . . . ,” and fill in the blanks with the child’s name and what he says he can do.
- Make a class book, “I (or we) can. . . .” For each page, use a photo and sentence dictation from a child or the group about things they can do.
- When children learn their home addresses, mail a note addressed to the child at home; make a special call when they know their phone numbers.
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| Preferences |
- “I like/I don’t like . . .” class book.
- Make a chart that graphs foods children like and don’t like, with each child’s name or picture and smiley or frowny face stickers.
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