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Patriotic Ribbon Wands
For Memorial Day I shared a tutorial for paper pinwheels that would be perfect for a parade or party decorations, so today I wanted to share another fun party toy that is easy for kids to make: Ribbon Wands. I know that this is not a new or novel idea in the slightest, but young children often love he simplest things and there are so many different variations and materials that you can use to create a basic ribbon wand. It is easy for children to personalize their own, and you can select materials that meet your budget constraints as well as the theme or tone of your party. For…
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4th of July Play Dough
On Friday I shared a free set of 4th of July Play Dough Mats, so today I wanted to make sure I gave you a play dough recipe to go with it. I am very picky about my homemade play dough, I don’t like it to be too oily or too salty, and I really don’t like it when it dries your hands out while you play with it. I tried a ton of different recipes before finally finding my favorite, which is from Kristalynn.com (follow the link to see the entire recipe). You can make it any colors that you want, and it’s the perfect base for adding fun extras.…
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Friday Freebie – 4th of July Play Dough Fun
Happy Friday! How does the summer fly by so quickly?! It’s already time to start thinking about the 4th of July. Today’s freebie can be used in your classroom or with your own children, making it perfect no matter what you’re up to this holiday. Go download this set of 4th of July Play Dough Mats from Preschool Unplugged, and have a wonderful weekend. Check back next week for a ton more 4th of July activities too!
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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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Flashlight Play
If you’re looking for some fun activities that children will love, that incorporate science, and that may be just a little different than your typical preschool activities then flashlights might be just what you need. First things first, you’ll need enough flashlights for multiple children to use at once. There are a few ways to gather these; ask your families to bring in flash lights from their homes, visit the local hardware store and ask for a donation, or order a set from Oriental Trading. Once you’ve got your flashlights think about how you want to use them. Can you make your classroom dark enough for them to work well?…
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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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Friday Freebie – Cleaning Checklist
Happy Friday! I hope that you’ve been able to enjoy some summer weather and summer activities! I usually share freebie for the classroom, but this one was too good to pass up! My posts this week have been all about cleaning at school, but when you can come home to a clean house it can ease a lot of stress! This huge cleaning checklist is from Printable Crush, and it is amazing. If you’re anything like me cleaning will be worth it if you get to cross something off the checklist! Go download your copy and have a wonderful weekend!
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Cleaning Ideas
I just realized how many posts I’ve written about cleaning the classroom. What exactly does that say about me? I know I’m a bit of a neat freak, so clearly this has spread to my classroom, which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing. If you are looking to implement a new cleaning routine, or just looking for some tips and tricks, here are some of my previous posts for you to check out: Dealing with Preschool Stains Preschool Cleaning Tips Age Appropriate Chores Teaching Children to Clean up After Themselves
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Cleaning and Sanitizing
So what is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing? Most people use these terms interchangeably, but they aren’t the same thing, and when it comes to preschool germs they can make a huge difference! If you aren’t familiar with the book Caring for Our Children, you’ve got to check it out. This resource is published by the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, and it gives recommendations for every possible health and safety topic that you could every come across while working in child care. It is an incredible resource to have on hand when you need to look up how to handle…
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Cleaning Routines for the Classroom
This time of the year is perfect for examining your routines – what worked well this past year? What would you like to change? How can you be more efficient? If you’ve got the summer off you can prepare now to put these new routines in place, and if you are in the classroom all summer long then starting new routines now will mean less stress in the fall! One type of routine that I’ve always found helpful for myself is a cleaning routine – or more specifically, a schedule of certain things to clean at certain times, or on certain days. This has always helped me make sure that…
