Holidays
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October themes for classrooms that don’t celebrate Halloween
I love holidays and celebrating them in the classroom, but there are many completely valid reasons for not incorporating these into your lesson plans. When it comes to Halloween there can be religious considerations, cultural implications, and economic concerns. Every school has it’s own policy, but if you don’t celebrate holidays in the classroom it can be a real challenge to look for new lesson plan ideas and only find the ubiquitous Halloween ideas. I have a list of 35 fall themes that can be a great starting point for your planning, but these few October themes fit closely enough to Halloween that you can use many of the Halloween…
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Halloween Clipart
Creating this clipart set really helped get me in the Halloween mood! The colors and images are exactly what’s in my brain when I think Halloween. Being able to represent that in a visual way is super exciting for me. I can’t get over the cauldrons, and I’m obsessed with the little apothecary jars. I can’t wait to see what you all create with these. You can find them in my TPT and Etsy shops. Here’s what is included in the bundle:
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Halloween must-haves for teachers
My love of all holidays is no secret – truly one of my favorite things about teaching is the excuse to go all in when it comes to celebrations. Halloween is no exception! From my wardrobe to classroom supplies, I’ve been scoping out all of the Halloween fun. Here’s what is currently on my Amazon wish list (all links are affiliates). Ghost earrings – How cute are these?! I love that they dangle a little, but won’t be too heavy to wear all day. They’re pretty small, so they also won’t be too easy for little hands to grab. Polka Dot Tote – When it comes to celebrations at school…
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Last Day of Summer Party!
I’m happy with any excuse for a party! This one is a little bittersweet – so ice cream felt like the perfect theme. A “last day of summer” party is a great way to help children mark the end of one season and move into the school year with a positive attitude. This can also be a really powerful tool for the classroom. If you have students that have been with you all summer and they’ll continue to stay with you throughout the school year, this can help make that mindset change from summer to the school year. It’s also a great way to say goodbye to children who were…
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All Things 4th of July!
The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays, which is likely because of how close it is to my birthday. I love to go all in when it comes to red white and blue – and this includes in the classroom. I can’t believe that we’ve already made it to this point of the summer! Last week I shared a ton of patriotic resources, but If you’re planning for this week and next week here are ALL of the 4th of July posts that I’ve every written (you know, for inspiration): Children’s Books for the 4th of July 4th of July Bingo 4th of July Fruit…
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Patriotic Resource Round Up
Summer might’ve just started, but I’m thinking 4th of July lesson plans already! I’ve added a ton of patriotic materials to my TPT store over the last couple of weeks so it felt like a good time to share all of these so that you can start planning for the holiday. Patriotic 4th of July Alphabet Book for Preschool and Kindergarten – This book is a great way to celebrate the 4th of July while encouraging literacy. Each letter corresponds with an American themed vocabulary word which will help children practice letter sounds. Print one for each child, or a few for a center. You could also have children create…
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Framed Art Logos
Father’s Day has a way of sneaking up on me, but this year I’m tackling it early! It can be really easy to come up with Mother’s Day gifts that kids can make, but gifts for dads are a little tougher. This Father’s Day gift idea can be personalized for any hobby or activity that the men in your children’s lives enjoy. I grabbed a couple of Dollar Tree picture frames and printed some black and white logos and coloring pages. Then my daughter colored these in, we cut them out and glued them to a corresponding color of cardstock and popped them in the frame. They turned out so…
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Holidays in the classroom; What to do when you can’t celebrate
I’m the first person to say that I love celebrating holidays – in my personal life that’s definitely something that I’m known for, and it feels natural for me to incorporate that into the classroom. While it is something that I love, there are a variety of reasons that holidays might not be appropriate for the preschool classroom. Some programs don’t allow teachers and students to celebrate in order to create a space where all of the families that they serve feel welcome. Others have specific funding streams that require no holidays be acknowledged, and still others will eliminate these to support specific families and staff. These are all completely…
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St. Patrick’s Day Math and Science
St. Patrick’s day is such a fun holiday to celebrate in the classroom because there are some very different opportunities for exploration than we see with other holidays. Because of this, I’ve included some science activities – which means that this is a math and science center for Preschool St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s take a look at some of these materials. Shamrock Observations – This set is designed to help children focus on small details, which is perfect when it comes to shamrocks and finding that elusive 4-leaf clover. There are images of a variety of different shamrocks, and then zoomed in images of the same shamrocks so that children…
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St. Patrick’s Day Writing Center
I’m so ready to share my St. Patrick’s Day language materials with you! The focus of this center is storytelling, and the items that I have available for the holiday really support that. So let’s dive in! Leprechaun Dress Up – Who wouldn’t want to be a leprechaun?! Chasing rainbows and searching for gold sounds like an amazing adventure, and children can use these materials to act that out. I’ve got tutus, bow ties, feather boas, fun glasses, and headbands. I’ve also included top hats, blazers and vests, and messenger bags in the past. Shamrock Cupcake Letter Match – These cupcakes are just the cutest, and sometimes that’s all it…
