summer
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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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Firefly Crafts
It always feels like it’s officially summer when the fireflies show up – and usually it’s right around this week (at least it is where I live). I know that it’s typical to explore bugs and insects in the spring, but fireflies would be a fun, different summer theme if you’re looking to switch it up from the usual beach and barbecue themes. Here are some fun firefly art projects to try out while you explore these amazing little critters! Eric Carle inspired Firefly Suncatchers 3D Glowstick Fireflies Beaded Fireflies Plastic Egg Fireflies Firefly Jar Which one will you try first?
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Making Kindergarten Prep Fun
When parents ask me for ideas to help them prepare their children for Kindergarten, I’m sure they are expecting me to tell them to practice letters and numbers, and help their children learn how to tie their shoes. There are ways to practice Kindergarten readiness skills that can be fun for the entire family, so often I suggest activities like; Going to the Zoo: Practice staying close to family members while waiting your turn to see your favorite animals, and introduce new vocabulary as you learn what animals eat, and where they are from. Visiting the Science Museum: Explore hands on science concepts while interacting with other children. Attending a…
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Skills to practice before kindergarten
The most popular question that I used to get asked as a preschool teacher was “How can I make sure that my child is ready for kindergarten?” Of course there is not one thing that parents can work on with their preschooler, but they usually ask me this question when they don’t actually have time for a long conversation. So I created this workbook to share with parents. It includes simple activities that are easy for families to do and don’t require a ton of materials. This set includes 10 weeks worth of daily activities, one activity for each week day, which can be completed during the weeks between the…
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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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DIY Graduation Tassels
Tassels are easy to make and a wonderful keepsake for any type of graduation ceremony. Check out this tutorial from Style Inked, her step by step instructions make it so easy that you’re preschoolers could probably make their own!
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Tips for a Smooth Graduation Ceremony
No Preschool Graduation ceremony will every run completely smoothly – your performers are preschoolers, they’re bound to do something unpredictable, and sometimes these unpredictable moments are the most endearing parts of the entire ceremony. There are still some things that you can do to help your students prepare and ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible. Here are a few tips that have worked for me in the past; Keep it short – the shorter your ceremony is, the less opportunity for something to go wrong. You want it to be meaningful without being boring, while your audience is probably happy to sit and listen, your students will only…
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Making Graduation Easy
It’s that time of year, Preschool Graduation Season! I’ve hosted my fair share of graduation ceremonies and it is easily one of the busiest, most stressful days of the year. A couple of years ago I put together a graduation set to make everything just a little easier on myself. I use all of these materials year after year, which means that I save time on designing materials, and I always know exactly what I need. I hope that you will find them helpful too – If you’ve already had your graduation celebration this year, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year! End of the Year Award…
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Friday Freebie – End of the Year Checklist
Happy Friday! This week seemed to drag on forever, I am so happy to see the weekend! That said, it’s never too early to start thinking about the end of the school year. This free End of the Year Checklist from Mrs. Irvin’s Toolbox will help you start planning for all of those end of the year to-do’s! Download your copy and have a wonderful weekend!
