Language
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Easy way to share favorite preschool songs
I distinctly remember having a conferences with a parent who’s only request was the words to all of the songs that we sang in the classroom – she wanted to sing them with her son, but she couldn’t understand the words he was singing well enough to figure out what the songs were! I finally had a chance to put together a quick an easy resource that I could have shared with her, and I’m sharing it with you too. There are so many ways that this collection of common preschool songs can be used! There are two different pieces to this set. The ribbons all have a name of…
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Conversations with Preschoolers about Current Events
We know that kids are sponges – they’re ALWAYS listening! Because of this, they catch onto things that we don’t always realize they’re hearing, and without context and all of the information their minds make the most interesting connections. It’s fascinating to get their take on the things that are happening in their world because they look at them with such a unique filter! When it comes to discussing current events, it can be a bit of a minefield, we never know what might come up, and we definitely can’t predict what a child will say. There are some ways to navigate these conversations without prompting those comments. Here are…
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Valentine’s Language Center
Valentine’s Day has a special place in my heart (see what I did there). January can be a long, dreary month and having something fun to look forward to can really change the mood. If you’re like me – looking forward to a holiday that’s all about warmth and love – and you’re planning what this will look like in your classroom, then I have some materials that might be just what you need! Here’s my Valentine writing center: I want children to get excited about using these materials, and I do that by making them inviting – adding decorations, related textiles, and touches that create a homey and comforting…
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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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Alphabet Practice with Balloons
The easiest, most simple activities tend to be the ones that always fascinate my students. So it should come as no surprise that this alphabet activity is one of their all-time favorites. The concept is ridiculously simple, I just blow up a bunch of balloons (ideally at least one per child) and use a permanent marker to write a different letter on each balloon. Then I turn on some music and we hit the balloons around, trying to keep them from touching the floor. When the music stops each child has to catch a balloon, and tell me what letter is on their balloon. We repeat this until they…
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Friday Freebie – Halloween Alphabet Game
Happy Friday! I know many of you are celebrating Halloween today or over the weekend, but for those of you who are waiting until Monday I have the perfect last minute game for you today. This Halloween Alphabet Game is from Christina Price, and it is adorable! Children draw cards with letters, and if they can name the letter correctly they get to keep the card, but if they pick up a Frankenstein card they have to put all of their cards back. Not only is it a fun way to practice the alphabet, it’s also a lesson in self-regulation! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a…
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Activities to practice syllable recognition
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: Language and LiteracyStrand: ReadingTopic: Phonological AwarenessPhonological awareness is all about recognizing the different sounds that make up words, and all of the…
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Preschool activities to practice rhyming
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: Language and LiteracyStrand: ReadingTopic: Phonological AwarenessPhonological awareness is all about recognizing the different sounds that make up words, and all of the…
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Sensory Alphabet Letters
Last year my class made sensory letters that smelled like chocolate. The kids thought they were fun to make and use for other projects. They were really easy to do and I’m going to tell you how so you can try it too! I cut cardboard rectangles and wrote a letter on each piece of cardboard. Then my kiddos traced the letters with glue (we used the glue bottles, but you could use a cup of glue and a q-tip). I took cocoa powder and mixed in it with cornstarch because cocoa powder…
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Perler Bead Alphabet Letters
I can’t take credit for this idea, I saw it on 1+1+1=1, but when I saw it on my Pinterest feed, I knew I had to try and make my own set of Perler bead alphabet letters. I picked up the supplies at Ikea when I was there last weekend, and let me tell you, I had a blast playing with them. I spent the entire afternoon making fun stuff, it felt like I was 10 years old again! It took a bit of time to figure out the correct shapes for the letters, but once I got the hang of it, I was off and running. I can’t wait to…