oriental trading
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Autumn decor for the classroom
My philosophy about the classroom environment is that the classroom should feel like home. We certainly spend an incredible amount of time there, and also, I like my students to be able to interact with the same kinds of things that they come into contact with at their own homes. Since I routinely decorate my own home for different seasons, it feels natural to me to decorate the classroom seasonally too. Over the years I’ve found that if I add a few seasonal pieces to my collection each year, it is more affordable. I also do a lot of DIYing to create decorative elements. Oriental Trading has become my go-to…
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An Easy Fall Science Center
Fall is the perfect time of year to explore science – there are so many changes happening! It’s also really easy to find natural materials to use in the classroom (check out this list and this list for ideas), but sometimes I struggle with how to contain all of those natural materials. No more worries, I’ve found the perfect solution: How awesome are these leaf-shaped containers from Oriental Trading (of course) ?! I filled mine with tree bark, grass, pebbles, twigs, some small red leaves, and one larger green leaf. The best thing about this set is that it includes 24 containers, so your students could help you find all…
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Leaf Activities
When I saw these giant leaf cut outs from Oriental Trading, I had to have them. I didn’t really have a plan for them, but I was pretty sure I’d figure something out. Let me just say, I was really impressed with what I received – the images are great quality and the set included 48 leaf cut outs, so I had a ton of leaves to work with. While I was trying to figure out the best thing to do with all of them I came up with a long list of ideas, so I decided that instead of sharing just one or two, I’d give you the whole…
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Easy Leaf Art
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you know how hard I try to come up with art ideas that families will not only want to display, but will also keep for years to come. I found the perfect one for this fall with the help of Oriental Trading! This project could not be easier, your students will love it, and so will their families. I got the white ceramic ornaments from Oriental Trading’s Halloween collection. The “dipped” look is pretty popular, so that’s what I was going for. I put a little acrylic paint in the bottom of a plastic cup and added a little water so…
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DIY Classroom Decorations for Fall
If you’re anything like me, your classroom probably feels like home, you certainly spend enough time there! There a few ways that I make my classroom my own, and one of those strategies is decorating the classroom for each season – just like I do at home. I’ve come up with some easy ways to keep this seasonal decor within my budget. Instead of decorating for each holiday throughout the year, I stick to the four seasons, this means I need fewer decorations, and less space to store my decorations because they stay out longer. I also try to use any natural decor that I can – for autumn pumpkins…
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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…
