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Friday Freebie – Random Acts of Kindness
Happy Friday! I hope that you had a wonderful week! On Monday I shared a list of random acts of kindness that you can do with preschoolers, today’s freebie is an additional list. You can print this Random Acts of Kindness Freebie out and hang it on the wall so that you can check of each activity as your class completes it. Download your copy from the Kinder Project and have a great weekend!
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Using Question of the Day in the Classroom
One of my favorite parts of every single day in my preschool classroom is when it was time to ask the question of the day. This was my chance to see where my students’ heads were at that day, and to get to know them a little better. I promise that it was a process to get our question of the day to a point where it was successful and the children would respond with thoughtful answers. We had to model how to answer questions, and encourage them to think of their own unique answers instead of repeating the same answer as the person who answered before them. Once the…
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Ideas for making show and tell meaningful
I think that show and tell is a wonderful idea – in theory. I love that children get to share something that is really important to them, and that they get the opportunity to be the expert, even if only for a few minutes. I don’t love show and tell when it turns into “everyone bring the fanciest most expensive toy that you own and brag about it while the teacher spends the day making sure nothing gets broken and no one cries.” Yup, I’ve been there too. I think there are a few really great ways to stay on the positive side of show and tell, and make it…
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Teaching Children to Respect Materials and Belongings
Accidents happen in the preschool classroom all day long – preschoolers just aren’t very coordinated. But we can reduce some of those accidents if we teach our students to treat classroom materials with care and respect. First and foremost, children have to see their teachers modeling how to treat materials with respect. When children see us helping with clean up time, they are more likely to participate. When you return materials to the correct location, the children will start to do this too. Children pick up on your cues and begin to internalize them as expectations. Another great strategy to use when teaching children to respect materials is self-talk. This…
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Random Acts of Kindness for Preschoolers
An overarching theme for preschoolers is empathy. Whether you’re trying to help them understand that others have feelings, or being touched by sweet moments of caring, empathy is part of every single day. One really fun way to involve preschoolers in caring about others is to practice random acts of kindness. Here are some ideas: Make cards for nursing home patients Collect coloring books and crayons for a children’s hospital Bake cookies for police officers or firefighters Write nice messages on sticky notes and leave them all over the school Paint hearts on rocks and drop them when you go on a walk Collect loose change and choose a cause…
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Friday Freebie – Outdoor Games
Happy Friday! I am ready to spend some time outside this weekend, and if you’re planning on doing the same then today’s freebie is perfect! When I’m on the playground I always forget about all of the fun games that I used to play as a kid. I made these cards so that I could easily flip through and help the children choose a new game to learn. Download your set and have a wonderful weekend!
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Outdoor Imaginative Play
The outdoors are the perfect setting for imaginative play because they lend themselves to a number of themes that children love, such as pirates, faeries, the jungle, and camping. I love to include some basic props on the playground that spark that imagination. Here are some of my favorite materials (all links are affiliates): Dancing Scarves Ribbon Wands Play Food Large Plastic Blocks Pool Noodles Large Foam Blocks These are a great place to start because they can be turned into almost anything that a child might need for whatever theme they are acting out.
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Playground Rules
Do you have a strict set of playground rules or are you more of the relaxed “go explore” type? I love to get others’ opinions on this particular subject because most people generally feel very strongly one way or another. I can certainly see both sides. I understand that rules are in place for a reason, and that they can keep children from getting injured. I also understand the importance of being able to explore and be curious. personally I tend to lean towards the “explore” side of things. I fully believe that children learn best from first hand experience and that safety can be maintained as long as I…
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Teaching children how to play outdoors
I hear it more and more often, either programs don’t take their children outside to play because they feel pressured to accomplish learning goals OR they do take the children outside but then the children don’t know what to do once they get out there. It is becoming more and more common for our young children to not know how to engage in an unstructured outdoor environment, which means that it is our job to teach them! As a child I hated playing outside, I was that girl who didn’t like bugs or dirt or sweating. Even though I complained, my mom insisted that I go out and entertain myself.…
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Friday Freebie – Communication Sheet
Happy Friday, and happy long weekend – finally! The freebie that I have for you today is a great way to make sure you are communicating with all of your parents, even when you don’t have time for a conversation with each of them. This daily communication sheet can be quickly filled out and sent home with each child so that parents know what their child has been up to all day, and if there is anything that you need from them. Download your copy and enjoy your weekend!
