Paper Towel Roll Name Sort: A Fun and Easy Alphabet Activity

A Simple Learning Activity with Big Benefits

If you’ve ever looked around your house and thought, “Surely, there’s an activity I can whip up with all this stuff lying around,” you’re in good company. That’s exactly how the Random Household Objects series was born. And today, we’re putting one of the most common recyclables to work: the paper towel roll.

This activity—Paper Towel Roll Name Sort—is a toddler-friendly letter recognition game that’s as easy to set up as it is engaging. It’s part fine motor activity, part alphabet activity, and completely doable for busy parents who want their kids to learn without adding extra chaos to the day. Let’s get sorting!

What You’ll Need

• A cardboard box (bonus points if it’s from your latest delivery—recycling for the win!)
• A paper towel roll or toilet paper rolls
• Wooden skewers or craft sticks
• A marker
• Scissors

Yes, that’s it. You probably already have everything on hand, which means no last-minute craft store runs—because we all know how those turn into unexpected toy aisle detours.

How to Set Up the Paper Towel Roll Name Sort

1. Write Your Child’s Name – Using a marker, write your child’s name in large letters across the top of the cardboard box.
2. Poke the Skewers or Insert Craft Sticks – Directly above each letter, push a wooden skewer or craft stick into the cardboard to create a vertical placeholder.
3. Cut the Paper Roll – Using scissors, cut the roll into one-inch pieces.
4. Label Each Piece – Write one letter on each roll piece. If you want to stretch the activity out, make multiple pieces for each letter.
5. Sort & Match – Your child can now pick up the letter pieces and slide them onto the skewer above the matching letter on the box.

The Learning Behind the Fun

This activity isn’t just fun—it’s packed with early learning benefits. Here’s why it’s worth the five-minute setup:

1. Letter Recognition & Learning to Spell Your Name

One of the first words a child learns to recognize is their name. By sorting the letter pieces, they begin to identify each letter in context, reinforcing the order of letters and their individual sounds. Plus, when kids engage in hands-on activities like this, they retain information better than if they were just looking at flashcards.

2. Fine Motor Skills in Action

Pinching, grasping, and placing the cardboard letter pieces onto the skewers? That’s a fine motor workout in disguise. These small hand movements strengthen the muscles needed for writing, buttoning coats, and eventually tying shoes (a milestone that always seems to sneak up on us).

3. A Fun, Low-Prep Activity at Home

Some days call for Pinterest-worthy projects, and other days call for “what can we do with this paper towel roll before I toss it?” This activity is the latter, and we love it for that. It’s a simple kids learning activity that requires no elaborate materials or setup but delivers big on engagement.

Ways to Expand the Activity

Want to keep the fun going? Here are a few variations to mix things up:

• Color Code It – Use different colored markers for vowels and consonants to help your child visually distinguish letter types.
• Make It a Challenge – If your child already knows their name, add in extra letters and let them spell other simple words like “Mom” or “Dad.”
• Go Bigger – Write a short word instead of just a name and have your child sort those letters instead. If they’re ready for more, let them try spelling sight words.
• Try It with Numbers – Swap out letters for numbers and have your child place them in order or sort them into groups.

More Activities Using a Paper Towel Roll 

If you’re on a roll (see what I did there?), don’t stop now. There are plenty of activities using a paper towel roll and activities using a toilet paper roll that turn recycling into fun. Here are a few more ideas:

1. Toilet Paper Roll Color Sort: Cover six toilet paper rolls with different colored construction paper and provide craft sticks to sort into the matching colored rolls, helping your child practice color recognition.
2. Drop Tubes: Tape paper towel and toilet paper rolls at different heights on a wall and let your child drop small balls like pompoms through the tubes, experimenting with gravity and motion.
3. Tube Ball Balance: Stand various paper towel and toilet paper rolls upright and challenge your child to balance ball pit balls on top, enhancing their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
4. Toilet Paper Roll Straw Threading: Punch holes along a toilet paper roll and let your child thread cut straws through, a fun way to improve their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
5. Paper Towel Roll Letter Matching: Write letters on a paper towel roll and create matching letter stickers for your child to pair with the roll, reinforcing letter recognition and matching skills.

Each of these activities will turn a simple paper towel roll or toilet paper roll into a fun and educational tool, using materials you likely already have at home!

The Magic of Using Random Household Objects for Learning

There’s something incredibly satisfying about turning everyday items into a kids learning activity. Not only does it keep costs low (hello, free activities!), but it also teaches kids that creativity doesn’t require a trip to the store.

So, before you toss that empty paper towel roll into the recycling bin, give this name-sorting activity a try. It’s a quick, hands-on way to reinforce letter recognition and fine motor skills—all while using materials you already have at home.

And if your toddler enjoys this? Well, don’t worry. We have five more activities using paper towel rolls coming your way in this series. Stay tuned!

Black Permanent Markers

Wooden Skewer