22mo–3y10 minFamily timeSocial playFree play
Name Respect Roll-Call
A playful ‘names matter’ routine where you practises saying names clearly and respectfully (no automatic nicknames), helping your child tune in to names, feel belonging, and practise listening in short back-and-forth exchanges.
What you'll need
Essentials
- 2–5 familiar people/toy ‘characters’ with names (e.g., family members, dolls, soft toys, photos on a phone)
- a comfortable space to sit or play on the floor
Nice to have
- paper and marker to write names (adult writes) or draw simple faces
- two containers or areas labelled ‘BIG’ and ‘LITTLE’ (e.g., big bowl / small bowl) for a simple size game
Movement level: low
What you'll do
The 4-step guide, with what to look for at each step, is for signed-in parents.
What this develops
What it practices
- Developing understanding of simple concepts (e.g. big/little).Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Single channelled attention. Can shift to a different task if attention fully obtained – using child’s name helps focus.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
- Listens with interest to the noises adults make when they read stories.Observable behaviour from Development Matters
Where it comes from
- Source
- Development Matters in the EYFS (DfE, 2012)
- Original guidance
- “Ensure all staff can pronounce the names of children, parents and other staff members. Make sure that shortened names and nicknames are not substituted instead.”
- License
- Open Government Licence v3.0
- Attribution
- © Crown Copyright 2012 (Development Matters in the EYFS, DfE)