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Pie Filling Taste Test
I know that there are very strong opinions about using food for preschool activities, and I understand both sides of the argument. Personally, I believe that food is something that brings us together. It is a powerful way to open children’s minds to new experiences, and to introduce them to cultural experiences. I am especially partial to taste-tests as science and social studies activities because it gives me the opportunity to expose children to something that they may not ever encounter at home. I’ve been known to taste test fruits and vegetables, in order to introduce new foods and encourage children to be open to trying new things. This particular…
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Pie Themed Dramatic Play
October, November, and December are by far the easiest months to plan dramatic play for. For example, one of my favorite November dramatic play themes is a pie bakery. Simply use your play kitchen or create an oven out of a large cardboard box, then include some of the following items: Aluminum pie pans Felt circles for pie crust Rolling pins Aprons A toy mixer Mixing bowls Pie servers Cookbooks and recipe cards Play fruit for filling I’ve also got some fun Thanksgiving theme math and language activities that you can use to round out your other centers as you prepare for the holiday!
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Family Recipe Book
Thanksgiving is about two things; food, and family. Encourage your families to share their favorite recipes with each other by sending home these cute recipe pages. Once each family has completed one you can compile them to create a beautiful class recipe book that is sure to be a hit! Download your free recipe pages here!
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Pumpkin-Themed Show and Tell
Oh I love show and tell. Seriously, I do. I know that for some teachers it is probably their least favorite thing, and I know teachers that refuse to do it because it create chaos in their classrooms – but I love it. There are so many ways to use show and tell to support what you’re learning in the classroom (check out this post for ideas). One way to make show and tell really work for you is to link it to whatever theme or project you are currently working on. Since October and November are all about pumpkins, here are some ideas for pumpkin related show-and-tell: Ask children…
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Friday Freebie – Autumn Scavenger Hunt
Happy Friday, I hope that you had a wonderful Halloween! Some people are all about Christmas as soon as Halloween is over, but I am a huge fan of Thanksgiving, so let the fall fun continue! Today’s freebie is a fun little scavenger hunt that you can use to encourage your students to pay attention to the world around them. It would be a great activity to send home for families to do together. Download your copy and have a wonderful weekend!
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Reading Slumber Party
The day after a holiday can be ROUGH – when that particular holiday involves a ton of sugar and falls in the middle of the week, it’s brutal. Sometimes these are the days when you just have to throw the lesson plan out the window. One of my favorite activities for these kinds of days is a reading slumber party. This is not meant to be a planned activity, it is a special excuse to take it easy and snuggle for the afternoon. I’ve always done reading slumber parties after nap time – but you can surprise your students any time of the day. I love to pretend that the…
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Happy Halloween!
Image from Dotty Wren Studio Enjoy your candy and all of your little ghouls and goblins! Have a wonderful Holiday!
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Halloween Safety
Ready or not, Halloween is almost here. While it’s fun to do math activities with candy corn and explore pumpkin guts in the sensory table, there’s one very important Halloween lesson that I don’t want to forget about. Halloween safety doesn’t always get the recognition that it deserves, but a few simple strategies could make a huge difference. Talk to your students. Remind them to watch for cars, stay on sidewalks, cross streets at cross walks, and check with their parents before eating any candy. These might not be the most fun conversations, but it never hurts to be that voice in the back of their heads. I’ve shared this…
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Friday Freebie – Halloween Play Dough Mats
Happy Friday! Whether you’re celebrating Halloween today or on the 31st, this freebie is the perfect last minute activity. How cute are these Halloween play dough mats?! I don’t know a preschooler who could resist them! Go download your copy from Okinawan Girl and have a wonderful Halloween weekend!
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Easy Teacher Halloween Costumes
Last year I had a great idea for a Halloween costume. I bought all of the supplies and put it together, and didn’t try it on until the night before I needed it. It. Looked. Awful. So I needed a last minute costume – I rifled through my closet and put together the perfect librarian costume – a pencil skirt, a book-themed graphic tee, a cardigan, a bun, and glasses. I grabbed a couple of books off the shelf and it was a hit. My last minute costume turned out so great that I’ve challenged myself to come up with a costume out of my closet every year. This year…























