Holidays
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4th of July Play Dough
On Friday I shared a free set of 4th of July Play Dough Mats, so today I wanted to make sure I gave you a play dough recipe to go with it. I am very picky about my homemade play dough, I don’t like it to be too oily or too salty, and I really don’t like it when it dries your hands out while you play with it. I tried a ton of different recipes before finally finding my favorite, which is from Kristalynn.com (follow the link to see the entire recipe). You can make it any colors that you want, and it’s the perfect base for adding fun extras.…
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Friday Freebie – 4th of July Play Dough Fun
Happy Friday! How does the summer fly by so quickly?! It’s already time to start thinking about the 4th of July. Today’s freebie can be used in your classroom or with your own children, making it perfect no matter what you’re up to this holiday. Go download this set of 4th of July Play Dough Mats from Preschool Unplugged, and have a wonderful weekend. Check back next week for a ton more 4th of July activities too!
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Fourth of July Round Up
The 4th of July is my all-time favorite holiday, but it has a way of sneaking up on me and I always seem to find myself slightly unprepared. Since it’s coming at us quickly, and it just happens to fall at the beginning of the week this year, I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to share all of my ideas with you! I’m going to start with some past posts for the holiday because the ideas are still great! So as you start your own planning, make sure to take some time to check these out: Teaching Patriotism 10 Ideas for Exploring Fireworks Last Minute 4th…
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Friday Freebie – Branches of the Armed Forces
Happy Friday! I know that many of you are looking forward to the holiday weekend, so here’s a freebie that you can stick away for next year. These Branches of the Armed Services Posters from the Not So Wimpy Teacher are a great way to introduce some new vocabulary words while celebrating our servicemen and women! Download your set and have a wonderful weekend!
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Memorial Day Pinwheels
I have fond memories of summer days playing with pinwheels when I was a child and I love that they are so easy for preschoolers to make and explore. These are a perfect project for Memorial Day because they can be taken to a parade or celebration and they are easy to color coordinate. Start by collecting the following supplies: Scrapbook paper or colored copy paper (avoid construction paper and card stock because they are too heavy to turn in the wind) Sturdy plastic straws Metal brads Next, determine what size you want your finished pinwheel to be. If you are using 12″x12″ or 8″x8″ scrapbook paper, which is already…
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Connecting your class with service members
Memorial Day is the perfect time to think about engaging your students in a service project that is directed toward helping service members and their families. Something that is easy for preschoolers to do is to draw pictures or create thank you cards for servicemen and women who are currently deployed. After your class has created their cards, letters, or drawings you can connect with the following organizations to make sure that our service members receive them: A Million Thanks Operation Gratitude For the Troops Forgotten Soldiers Outreach This project can also be a wonderful family engagement opportunity. Set up a station for parents and family members to write letters…
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Children’s Books for Memorial Day
Memorial Day is one of those holidays that can be really difficult to explain to young children. We all look forward to the unofficial start of summer, but we also want to recognize the true intent of the day, which is to honor our servicemen and women who have made sacrifices for our freedom. Books are my favorite way to introduce this particular day, here are a few that I have used: (all links are affiliates) Memorial Day (Let’s Celebrate) by Clara Cella Memorial Day Surprise by Theresa Martin Golding F is for Flag by Wendy Cheyette Lewison and Barbara Duke Rolling Thunder by Kate Messner Do you have a…
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Friday Freebie – Mother’s Day Questionnaire
Happy Friday! I hope that the spring weather is making your weeks fly by faster! Today’s freebie is another great idea for your Mother’s Day celebration. I love activities that encourage children to share their thoughts and opinions, just like this Mother’s Day Questionnaire from Lisa Markle Sparkles. Children love the one on one time that they get to tell you about their mom, and moms love to read their children’s hilarious answers. It’s a fun little extra to add in with whatever cards you’ve made, and a great way to help children remember exactly what they are celebrating. Go download your copy and have a great weekend!
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Easy Photo Cards for Mother’s Day
I must admit that when it comes to cards, I am a slacker. This is true in my personal life, and in the classroom. In the classroom I tend to be the teacher who gets out the collage materials and lets the children go to town, and then hopes that the glue will dry in time to put the cards in an envelope. If you tend to plan ahead a little better than I do, here are some really cute photo cards that you can try with your students! Cupcake Liner Flower Cards Photo Message Card Photo Card and Flower Sidewalk Chalk Photo Card Chalkboard Photo Card These adorable cards…
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Mother’s Day Keepsakes
If you’ve been reading Preschool Ponderings for a while, you know that my goal for holiday gifts for parents is that they should be something that Mom or Dad will actually want to use. I’ve seen a lot of crazy gift ideas – bracelets made out of toilet paper rolls, candles made out of melted crayons, popsicle stick picture frames – but there are also a ton of really incredible ideas out there too. Here are a few of my favorites: Keepsakes with children’s photos Photo Coasters Photo Pendants Photo Keychains Photo Magnets Thumbprint art Thumbprint Keychains Thumbprint Magnets Thumbprint Vase Things Mom can use at work DIY Notepads Post-It…
