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Supporting Independence During Back to School Chaos
During this time of year it feels like everyone is a little rushed – there’s so much going on and we’re in a hurry to get everywhere. That can make it really hard to be patient and let little ones do things themselves. Supporting their independence is so important, but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy! It’s such a struggle, we know that they need these opportunities to work through challenges, and in most cases we know that they are truly capable BUT it just takes so long. Little ones still need the practice, they have to truly put in a ton of effort to do things that are second…
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Back to School Clipart
I’m furiously working on a new set of school supply clipart for this year (and they are SO cute), but until I get them up, here is last year’s set. It’s still available in my TPT and Etsy stores if you’re feeling the buffalo plaid vibes!
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Friday Freebie – A gift for new kindergarten families
I designed this First Day of Kindergarten gift to give to my preschoolers and their families when they head to Kindergarten for the first time, but it is also perfect for Kindergarten teachers to share with families at back to school night, or on the morning of the very first day. The freebie includes notes to families in a variety of colors, a list of things to include in the treat bag (which correspond with the note), and a template for little felt hearts. The note explains that the parent gets a felt heart to keep in their pocket, and so does the child, this way if they feel lonely throughout the…
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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,…
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Easy Digital Planner
I’ve always been a hard-core paper planner girl, but if I’m being completely honest they’ve just gotten so expensive! I decided that it was time to find a digital planner that actually works for me so I’m currently testing one out and so far it’s been really great. Right now I’m using Structured, and there are a few reasons why I picked this one to start the transition. First, I wanted something inexpensive. Structured can be used completely free, or you can pay an annual fee for additional features. At the moment the free version seems to be enough for my needs, and it doesn’t get much better than free!…
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Fair Week!
We spent the last week at our county fair, and while it’s always so much work it’s also just plain FUN. We showed off projects, watched friends compete, laughed a lot, made (and drank) a ton of milkshakes, stayed up way too late, celebrated wins, rode rides, got dirty, and absolutely lived our best lives. For as long as I can remember, the fair has been a great big send off to summer. The minute that it’s over everyone shifts into back-to-school mode. Now that all of our fair laundry is done and the ribbons are put away, we’re doing the same. This week will be all about getting back…
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Personalized Back to School Gift for Teachers
I’m so happy with how this year’s teacher gifts turned out – and so glad that I’ve got them done a little early (one less thing to worry about)! My daughter’s school is opening a brand new building this year, so a key ring felt like a fitting gift to start the year with. These would be perfect for your child’s teachers or your own co-workers if you’re a teacher too. Here are the items that I used to put these together (all links are affiliates). I went with these black beaded tassel keychains, but I also love this silicone option (I have one of these for my own keys).…
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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…
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Back to School Wish List
I know, I know, we’ve hit that point in the summer where we’re closer to the start of school than we are to the end of the school year… I’m not sure how I feel about that. I’ve already bought my daughter’s school supplies, she doesn’t start until September but if I wait until then to look for school supplies, all I’ll find is Christmas decorations. One thing that I love to do is buy a few extra items to throw in for her classroom. At this point in the year things are so much cheaper, so an extra box of crayons or tissues doesn’t add to much to my…
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Bird Activities for Preschool
Studying birds is always a hit with preschoolers – these are animals that can FLY, who wouldn’t want to know more?! Birds are animals that children may not interact with directly, but they still play a role in their daily lives, no matter where your students live. This makes them perfect for exploration AND you can easily personalize the learning by choosing birds that are native to your area. Here are some of the preschool bird activities that I love to do in (or outside) the classroom. Bird watching is a must! Make some binoculars out of cardboard tubes and head outside. You can identify common birds, count the numbers…
