tips for teachers

  • No Prep Preschool Activities

    Easy Last Minute Activities

    The end of the school year and the summer months can be a little crazy. Schedules are very different, there are all kinds of field trips and gatherings, and holidays can really throw everything off. These are the months when it’s especially helpful to have activities in your back pocket that you can pull out without any kind of prep work. Here are some of my favorite activities to lean into for those moments when I really need something to keep the children engaged. Bubbles – Taking preschoolers outside and letting them loose with bubbles is ALWAYS a hit. It doesn’t matter what kind of mood your kids are in,…

  • Summer Transition

    Wrapping up a year of preschool

    It’s the season to think about that transition from the school year into summer. Whether your program has a hard end date, or you’re with your student all summer long, it’s helpful to really think through how you want to support children through this. Children who will go to kindergarten next year often have the benefit of preparing for graduation, and the actual graduation celebration to signify the change. With younger children who are going to continue at the same program next year, they’ve still accomplished something – they’ve finished a year of preschool! giving them a celebration to recognize this can be one great way to help make the…

  • Preschool Graduation

    Planning the BEST Preschool Graduation

    No Preschool Graduation ceremony will ever 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; Do you have any tips that have saved the day? Feel free to share them in the comments!

  • Flu Season in the Classroom

    Teaching when you’re sick

    Flu season has been a doozy this year, and it’s officially hit our home with a vengeance. While I’m not sick yet… I’ve definitely had a lot of sleepless nights, because that’s what moms do. This has me thinking about all of the times that I’ve had to manage a classroom when I definitely wasn’t at the top of my game – sick, but not sick enough to justify a day off, tired from a newborn or sick kid, fighting a migraine, dealing with personal distractions – all of the things that life throws at us! Here are the tips and tricks that have always helped me get through those…

  • Preschool Lessons

    Preschool Lesson Plans for January

    We’re well into January – and while I’m not quite sure how that happened, I wanted to share one of my favorite resources to make your life easier this month. This was originally posted last year, but is still more than relevant and helpful! I told you last week that I was going to tackle videos this year, and here I am, already crushing that resolution! I just posted a nice long (maybe too long…) video of all of the materials that are included in my January Month of Preschool set – you definitely want to check this out if you’ve ever wished that someone would just do all of your lesson…

  • Easy Costumes

    Teacher Costumes from your Closet

    I love Halloween, but I’m not a huge fan of dressing up – it’s the introvert in me that doesn’t want any extra attention! I also don’t love the idea of spending a ton of money on something that I’m only going to wear once. I’ve gotten really good at creating fun, comfortable costumes from my own closet. The fact that they’re made from clothes I already own means that they’re also very school-appropriate. Here are some of the ideas that I’ve used in the past, just in case you’re looking for a last minute teacher costume that won’t break the budget. Gardener – Pull out a pear of jeans or…

  • Self Care Products

    Stress Relief for Back to School

    This time of year can be soooooo stressful! The calendar is packed with end of summer celebrations, meet the teacher nights, sports practices, and all of the to-do lists. It might not be the perfect time to squeeze in a little self care BUT you can definitely pick up a few stress-relieving products now so that when there is a free moment it’s really easy to put them to use. Self care is not one-size-fits-all, but I wanted to share a few of my favorite products to offer a little inspiration. All links are affiliates! Lavender eye mask – This brings all of the sensory input. You get the aromatherapy,…

  • Best Amazon Teaching Products

    Favorite Teacher Supplies

    Since we’re talking supplies already I wanted to share this post from last year – these are all still my favorite items as a teacher! ver the years I’ve narrowed down my absolute favorite products that I, as the teacher, NEED to have. Here’s my list: (all links are affiliates, your support is TRULY appreciated!) I use these zip pouches for literally everything. They are one of my all-time-favorite Amazon purchases. This size can fit a whole notebook or legal pad, so I can easily keep all of my notes, projects, and copies organized. I’m obsessed with my Bogg Bag and this leopard print one is definitely on my wishlist. I love…

  • Preschool Infant Toddler Assessment

    All Things Assessment for Preschool

    On Friday I shared a video that shows my early childhood assessments and how to use them. As you consider these and prepare to complete your own assessments I wanted to make sure that you had all of my resources in one easy place! Here are all of the posts that I’ve shared on assessments and portfolios over the years: Using assessment results to inform lesson planning Explaining assessments to families Sharing assessment results with families My favorite assessment products What does assessment evidence look like in preschool? Assessment strategies for preschool Collecting assessment evidence Google drive student portfolios Anecdotal Notes Please reach out if there is anything that I…

  • Teacher christmas wardrobe

    Teacher Christmas Must-Haves

    We officially have one more week until Christmas! If your calendar looks anything like mine, then it’s probably packed with all of the festive events – and if you still need some last minute outfits or accessories for all of these, then I’ve got you covered. All of these picks are from Amazon, so they can save the day really quickly (and the links are affiliates, but I truly do love all of these products). Christmas-shaped stud earrings – I’m not a fan of wearing dangly earrings in the classroom, there’s far too much opportunity for them to get caught or grabbed by a little hand. Large, dangly earrings seem…