I made crafts today: recognizing the first-person voice in simple sentences

Outline (brief)

• Hook: A quick scenario in a cozy classroom, noticing how one small sentence reveals who did what.

• Quick primer: What “first person” means in plain language; how it looks in a sentence.

• The core example: Why “I made crafts today” is first person, and why the other options aren’t.

• Why this matters for early childhood education: building narrative skills, self-expression, and language growth.

• Simple activities to practice pronouns with little learners.

• A few extra examples to try aloud or on paper.

• Takeaway: pronouns are more than grammar—they help kids tell their own story.

I saw it the other day in a sun-warmed corner of a classroom: a child proudly showing a collage, and the teacher asking who did which part. The answer came fast and clear, not with big explanations, but with a single sentence. “I made crafts today.” That tiny line is a perfect doorway into how we think about perspective in language. It’s not just grammar; it’s a window into the speaker’s voice, a way for kids to claim ownership of an experience, even a little one like crafting something from colored paper.

First person, second person, third person—what do those terms even mean in real life?

• First person is the speaker talking about themselves or a shared experience. Words like I and we are the flags here.

• Second person zooms in on the listener—often you.

• Third person shifts the action to someone else, using he, she, they, or names.

Now, the sentence in question: I made crafts today. That’s first person. It’s as if the speaker is looking in a mirror and saying, “This was mine.” You feel the connection to the action right away. The other options show different angles:

• She made crafts today. That’s third person; we’re hearing about someone else.

• They made crafts today. Also third person plural; the focus is on others.

• We made crafts today. That’s first person plural, but it’s not about one person alone—it includes others. It still uses I-like ownership, but it’s not the single speaker.

The difference is about who is narrating the action. In the first sentence, the speaker is the one who did the making. The pronoun I ties the action directly to the self. It’s simple, crisp, and personal. No extra steps needed to understand who did what. And that clarity is exactly what educators look for when supporting young learners as they begin to label experiences, recall activities, and tell stories.

Why this little distinction matters when we’re working with young children

Language development hinges on personal expression. Kids learn to connect a verb to an agent—the doer of the action—through pronouns and sentence structure. When a child says I did it, you hear a spark: they recognize themselves as the actor in the scene. It’s more than grammar; it’s a seed for storytelling, memory, and even self-confidence.

In early childhood settings, you’ll see this play out in lots of everyday moments. Snack time turns into a recount of who poured the milk. Block play becomes a story about who stacked the highest tower. When we notice and reflect on phrases like I built this, we validate their sense of agency. That validation matters. Children who feel seen are more willing to take risks with language—experiments in new words, longer sentences, and even a few creative missteps that lead to bigger gains.

Let me explain the value of pronouns with a simple classroom ritual

• Read-alouds that spotlight perspective: after a story, ask, “Who is talking here? Which word tells us that?” A child might point to I or we in the text and connect it to their own voice.

• Picture prompts: show a photo of a child painting and another of the same child with a completed project. Ask, “Which sentence would you say about this image?” If a child responds with I drew a sun, you know you’re hearing first-person perspective.

• Story journals: little ones can dictate or write one-sentence entries like I colored the paper red today. It’s a gentle way to practice the feel of ownership without turning writing into a barrier.

Integrating this understanding into everyday activities

If you’re guiding learners through language, you don’t need grand gestures. Small, meaningful moments add up. Here are a few simple ideas you can weave into daily routines:

• Morning check-ins: “What did you do yesterday? Tell me in a sentence.” A quick turn to I did … helps kids shift from recalling to owning their actions.

• Show-and-tell with a twist: invite kids to share one sentence about their object using I or We. You might model: I brought my dinosaur toy; We made a boat from blocks.

• Craft corners with language tags: supply cards that say I, We, He, She, They. As kids choose a task—glue, color, cut—have them pair it with a pronoun that fits their sentence.

A few extra examples to practice aloud (your mini warm-up)

• I made crafts today.

• We built a lego bridge.

• She painted a picture of a cat.

• They sang a song for the group.

Which one is first person? If you guessed I made crafts today, you’re right. It’s the one that centers the speaker in the action. The others point to others or to a larger group, not the speaker alone. It’s helpful to point these out during turn-taking activities or when reading captions on classroom displays.

Common mix-ups and how to smooth them out

• Confusing We with You or I: If a child asks, “We did it?” you can reply, “Yes, we did it together.” Then gently reframe with a follow-up: “Who did you see? I saw you coloring.” It reinforces the idea that pronouns anchor who did what.

• Shifting perspective mid-story: When a child tells a story about a friend, prompt with, “If you’re telling your own part, how would you say it?” Then model: I climbed the ladder; You climbed the ladder too? It nudges toward self-referenced narration.

• Omission of the subject: Young writers sometimes drop I or We. Make it playful: “Let’s add the ‘I’ back in—say it with me: I …” It’s a gentle cue that keeps sentence structure visible without turning it into a test.

A broader lens: how pronoun awareness supports reading and social-emotional growth

Pronouns aren’t just building blocks; they’re a bridge to social understanding. When children learn to say I or we, they also gain an awareness of belonging and responsibility. They learn that their voice matters—and that other voices matter too. When kids can name their actions, they are more apt to reflect on them: Did I use kind words? Did we share materials fairly? Those moments of reflection nurture empathy and cooperation, both essential in any early learning setting.

Bringing something like this into the larger curriculum

Pronoun practice fits naturally with literacy centers, circle time, and creative arts. It’s not a separate module; it’s a thread that runs through storytelling, writing, and collaborative play. You can weave it into science explorations (What did you observe? I saw …), math activities (I counted five blocks), and even outdoor play (We found a stick, I balanced it on the rock). The consistency helps kids see language as a living tool, not a worksheet artifact.

A few more practice-ready prompts to try

• Look at this photo. Who is doing the action in the image? Create a one-sentence caption using I or We.

• During clean-up, who can say, “I cleaned up the blocks” or “We cleaned up the blocks”? Keep it positive, quick, and repeatable.

• In a short free-write or dictation, ask: “Tell me one thing you did today.” Your student could answer with I colored a tree, or We planted a seed.

Remember, this isn’t about scoring a perfect sentence. It’s about giving kids chances to recognize and claim their role in everyday activities. That sense of ownership is a cornerstone of confident communication, and it grows with simple, steady practice.

A quick recap to keep in mind

• First person is about the speaker: I or We.

• The sentence I made crafts today is a clear example of first person narration.

• In early childhood settings, making this distinction helps children tell stories, recall events, and feel seen.

• Practical activities—read-aloud discussions, picture prompts, and journaling—make pronoun awareness a natural part of daily life.

• A few carefully chosen prompts and games can turn language work into a joyful, social process rather than a chore.

So next time you see a kid proudly show a finished project, listen for that one sentence that ties the action to the speaker. If you hear I did this, you’re listening to a small but mighty step in a child’s language journey. It’s a tiny moment, yes, but it carries a big message: I did this, and I did it with my own two hands. That is empowerment in the most approachable, everyday form.

If you’d like a quick, kid-friendly checklist to keep handy in the classroom, here’s a compact version you can print and post:

• Is the sentence about the speaker? If yes, it’s first person.

• Are we using I or We? Great—that signals ownership.

• Can I connect the sentence to a real action the child performed today? If so, you’ve got authentic language use.

And that’s the heart of it. A simple sentence, a powerful start. The more opportunities kids have to name their actions, the more comfortable they’ll become with language, storytelling, and their own voice in the world. If you’re ever unsure which sentence is first person, ask: who did the action? If the answer starts with I or We, you’ve found the right fit. If not, you’re guiding them toward that personal connection, one sentence at a time.