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Preschool Nature Mobile
Here’s another really easy fall activity for your lesson plans! This nature mobile requires children to collect the natural materials, and then some artistic planning involved in putting it all together. Once the mobile is complete you can also introduce a scientific component with identifying the objects and watching how they change as they hang in your classroom. This is an excellent way to explore the plants in your specific area. You can take a walk to gather materials as a group, or ask families to donate items that they find around their homes. I grabbed a long twig and used that to hang all of the items from. Introducing…
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Autumn Scribble Art
If you’re looking for an easy, low prep, and super powerful art experience this post is for you! Scribble art is developmentally appropriate for every age and can be done with materials that you already have. To make this really fit the fall season I stuck with traditional autumn colors, but it can be done with any color scheme which makes it an experience that you can revisit multiple times throughout the year with very different results each time. You’ll need paper, black markers or crayons, and colored markers or crayons. You can choose to have each child create their own art or use a larger sheet of paper for…
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Fall Fashion 2024
I woke up this morning to a cloudy, moody sort of day and it finally feels like fall! It makes me want all of the cozy warm things, like the pumpkin spice latte I’m drinking while I type this. It felt like the perfect time to share all of the looks that I’m lusting over for this season. Here are my fall fashion picks for 2024 (all links are affiliates). Wide Leg Chinos – I’m obsessed with the wide-leg look and I love that these are still refined and can definitely be worn to work. Chambray Button Down – I’ve always been a huge fan of a chambray shirt, it’s…
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Gross Motor Activities with Apples
Sometimes we have to get a little creative in order to support gross motor skills, but when it comes to exploring apples, there are tons of ways to incorporate practicing these skills! Here are some of my favorite ideas. Apples are ball-shaped (for the most part) which makes them perfect for tossing and catching – gently of course! They can also be rolled back and forth or used in games like bowling. Apples with stems can be tied to a piece of yarn and hung from a tree so children can practice reaching and pulling (or “picking”). They make excellent items for relay races – balance them on wooden spoons,…
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Fine Motor Activities With Apples
You can’t escape the apple theme this time of year, and for good reason! Apples are a wonderful way to explore the science behind plant life and nutrition, but they can also be a great way to exercise some fine motor skills. Here are some of my favorite ways to use apples: Use a rotating apple peeler (like this one – affiliate link) to encourage wrist movement. It’ll fascinate the children and make quick work of slicing all of those apples so that you can taste them or bake with them. Of course, it does have a sharp blade, so this is a one-on-one activity that should only be done…
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Apple Orchard Field Trip
Visiting the apple orchard is one of my all-time-favorite autumn activities and it’s a perfect field trip for preschoolers. An apple orchard is an excellent introduction into understanding where our food comes from, and how fruits and vegetables are grown and harvested. There are so many topics that a trip like this can lead into, and it has the added bonus of great snacks! If you’re planning a visit to the apple orchard here are some things to prepare young children for before you go: Some topics that can be explored in relation to an apple orchard field trip are: If you aren’t able to visit the orchard in person…
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Taking a Quick Reset
Hey there! Just popping in to let you know about a bit of a programming note. There won’t be any new posts added next week – We’re all back to school and I need a minute to shift gears, wrap up summer, and refocus all of the things (home, routines, and life in general)! I’m a huge advocate for self-care, so I’m going to practice what I preach. I’ll see you right back here in two weeks and I’m really looking forward to getting back to 3 super-helpful posts a week!
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All the Fall Vibes
Labor Day is over and it’s like someone flipped a switch because I am totally ready for fall! I thought I’d share some of my favorites so that you can get into the mood with me. I’ll dive into fall fashion soon, but if you’re already feeling it make sure to check out my top must-haves from last year! All links are affiliates. Chunky Color Block Cardigan – I can’t do life without cardigans, and fall options are definitely my fave. The colors and textures are a whole vibe. This rust and pumpkin one has a variety of different stitches and could easily be paired with jeans or a chambray dress.…
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September Preschool Lesson Plans
We have been squeezing the last bits of summer out like it’s our job over here – but it’s quickly coming to an end. As we look forward to September, I know that life isn’t about to get any less busy! I wanted to really dig into one of those resources that makes planning and prep so much easier. Let’s take a look at every single item included in the September Month of Preschool set. I’ll list it all below, and any products that are also available as individual resources will be linked so that you can go see specific images of those. For a video of how to use…
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Quicker Lesson Planning
I’m a firm believer in planning. I know for a fact that having a great plan laid out and fully prepped makes a massive difference in my week. At the same time, getting everything planned and ready takes so much valuable time. It can be really easy to sacrifice a calm, chill week in order to get back a few minutes right now. As we head into September, a month that seems to be the poster child for re-focusing on routines and schedules, I thought I’d give you some resources that will help make your planning super fast and easy. This way you’ll get the time now AND be fully…