-
Friday Freebie – Popsicle Fun
Happy Friday! It’s starting to feel like summer, whether you are finishing up the school year or just looking forward to some summer fun, this popsicle number set is a great way to work on number recognition and sequencing while you enjoy some warmer days! It’s from Erin at Creating and Teaching, and it’s adorable so go download a copy!
-
Personalizing our playground with Oriental Trading
I’ve loved Oriental Trading for as long as I can remember, so when they offered to send me some products to review, I jumped at the opportunity! Since my focus has been on creating an engaging playground, I chose Oriental Trading Products that would add value and color to this space. I was like a little kid on Christmas when the box arrived, it included unfinished wood bird houses, bird feeders, wind chimes, blank plastic sun catchers and paint pens, and blank kites. I love all of the unfinished wood because it really gives my students the opportunity to be creative. Before introducing all of the materials to the children…
-
Preschool activities that promote scientific inquiry
It’s Wednesday, and here at Preschool Ponderings, that means time to focus on the standards. Every Wednesday I choose an Early Learning Standard and share a number of activities that can be aligned with that particular standard. Remember, the Standards that I use every day, and am most comfortable with are Ohio’s Early Learning Development Standards – you can review them here, however I’ve found that even if your State’s standards differ, many of these activities can still be aligned similarly. I’ve rounded up some great ideas today! Domain: ScienceStrand: Science Inquiry and ApplicationTopic: Inquiry This standard is all about scientific exploration. It encourages children to engage in investigations, make observations…
-
Personalize your playground with children’s artwork
At school we’ve been focusing on making our playground a fun place for the children to explore. We did some fundraising so that we could purchase a beautiful new sandbox, but I also wanted the children to be able to put their mark on the space. The Reggio Emilia philosophy encourages us to find beauty in our surroundings and create aesthetically pleasing learning environments, so I rounded up some ideas that will add color and whimsy to the playground! Recycled water bottle sun catchers Cement garden balls DIY stones with natural impressions Natural materials garden stones Tin can lanterns Stone and stump games I can’t wait to do some of…
-
Ideas to start your summer off right
Happy Memorial Day! I hope you’re enjoying your holiday weekend and taking some time to appreciate those who’ve served our country! Since today is the unofficial start of summer I wanted to share some posts from last year that list a ton of ideas for summertime activities with the kiddos. These activities are great for the classroom, or for your own children at home! Summer fun at home Summer fun around town Ice cream activities If you’re still looking for fun ideas to fill out your summer calendar, be sure to check out my Preschool Summer Ideas Pinboard and enjoy the rest of your weekend!
-
Friday Freebie – Summertime
We made it to Memorial Day weekend! This is definitely cause for celebration, and I’ve got another reason to celebrate – I’m presenting at the OAEYC Conference in Sandusky Ohio today. If you’re going to be at the conference this weekend I’d love to meet you! I’ve presented at OAEYC a few times, but I’m especially excited this year because the conference is being held at Kalahari Resort and Indoor Waterpark, so I’m taking a mini-vacation with some of my favorite teachers. In honor of the unofficial start of summer I found a really cute freebie for you today. This ABCs of Summer book from Whitney Parlin would be a…
You May Also Like
Easy Alphabet Match Activity
-
Banish boredom with a rainy day box
One of the best things that I’ve done for my classroom is to put together a rainy day box. This is a fairly large tub of games, activities, and art supplies that only come out on rainy days. Now, when I say rainy days, I don’t necessarily mean days that are literally rainy (although sometimes I do bring it out when it’s raining – are you confused yet?), this box is for those days that everyone is just grumpy, or days when the activities I have planned just aren’t working out, sometimes I use it on days when I’m feeling crummy – just to lighten the mood in the classroom.…
-
Activities for practicing shape comparison and analysis
It’s Wednesday, and here at Preschool Ponderings, that means time to focus on the standards. Every Wednesday I choose an Early Learning Standard and share a number of activities that can be aligned with that particular standard. Remember, the Standards that I use every day, and am most comfortable with are Ohio’s Early Learning Development Standards – you can review them here, however I’ve found that even if your State’s standards differ, many of these activities can still be aligned similarly. I’ve rounded up some great ideas today! Domain: MathematicsStrand: GeometryTopic: Analyze, Compare, and Create ShapesThis standard encourages students to look at shapes critically. Children should be able to recognize that…
-
Making chores fun and easy
Yesterday I shared a list of chores that preschoolers can do at home and in the classroom to build confidence, motor skills, and responsibility. Today I’ve got some great ideas for making sure that children want to do their chores. First, I suggest incorporating the responsibilities into your daily routine. When children complete their chores as a part of a regular routine, they are more likely to complete them without whining or complaining. This is because they know what is expected of them, and their chores become a responsibility and not a task they have to complete before they have fun. It is also fun to have your children or…
You May Also Like
Using chores to build responsibility
-
Age appropriate chores for preschoolers
Young children love to help, and encouraging this is a great way to ensure that they develop a sense of responsibility, and understanding that when we all work together, things get done faster. Whether you’re looking to give your children some responsibility at home over the summer, or you could just use a little help keeping the classroom tidy, here are chores that are developmentally appropriate for preschoolers to help with; At home– Gathering dirty laundry– Folding t-shirts and towels– Matching clean socks– Feeding pets– Dusting– Cleaning up play spaces– Cleaning up small messes with a handheld vacuum– Use a damp mop or Swiffer on the floors– Making their own…
You May Also Like
Using chores to build responsibility
