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Re-establishing Classroom Routines after the Holidays
I may have gone back to work last week, but last week was all about survival. This week, on the other hand, is about getting back into routine and evaluating those routines as I think about the rest of the year. That means making sure that I’m planning ahead, following the schedule, and setting up systems that are helpful – not ones that create more work for myself! If you’re thinking about some of those same goals, here are some of my favorite tools for re-establishing routines and organizing all of my plans: Picture schedule cards are perfect for this time of year. They help the entire class get back…
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Friday Freebie – New Year Organization
Happy Friday! If you had to go back to work this week like I did, then congratulations! we made it to the weekend! Today’s freebie is for those of you who’s New Year’s Resolution is to get organized! These classroom labels are one of my most popular freebies, and for good reason. They’re cute, and large enough to read from a pretty good distance. Go download your set and enjoy your weekend!
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Children’s books about New Year
There are children’s books about every single subject imaginable – and thank goodness for that! I use books to introduce new subjects and to help children reflect on their own experiences, so books about New Year are especially helpful because I don’t always see my students right before or right after we celebrate the New Year. Here are some of my favorites to include in the classroom library (links are Amazon affiliates): The Night Before New Year’s Happy New Year Around the World It’s New Year’s Day! New Year’s Day (Celebrations in my World) Some holidays are harder to find books for than others. New Year happens to be one…
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Fun Stuff for a New Year Celebration
I know that New Year’s Eve has come and gone, but I love to welcome the children back to school after the holidays with a small New Year celebration. It’s hard to come back to school after a break, especially since the last week of school before we left was all about celebrating the holidays. Coming back to the regular routine can be a little boring. This is my way of helping make that transition a little more fun. Here are some of the things that I’ve come up with over the years to put out for the first week to ensure that we have something new to explore while…
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What is a New Year?
This whole idea of a new year can be pretty confusing to a preschooler. Nothing feels majorly different – they went to bed one night (probably later than usual) and when they woke up in the morning they were told it was a new year. That can be pretty confusing when you don’t really understand what a year is to begin with. Helping young children understand what a year is has a lot to do with making sure that they understand the calendar, and even smaller unites of time. These are incredibly abstract concepts, and with the exception of smaller units of time (seconds and minutes) they can’t really be…
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One Word Resolution
For the last few years I have found a focus for the year in just one word. The idea is that instead of a traditional resulution, you choose one word that will help you focus your efforts for the year. In 2016 my word was care, and in 2015 my word was celebrate. This year my word is: The last two years have been all about my professional life – new business, new job, and really finding the place that I want to be career-wise. This year my personal life is going to get a little more of the focus because we are welcoming our first baby in June! I…
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Friday Freebie – Ring in the New Year
Happy Friday! It’s the end of another week, and almost the end of the year. I’m trying to squeeze in as much as I can before I have to go back to work, so I’m sure my weekend will fly by way to fast. Today’s freebie is a cute little New Year questionnaire from Carol Miller that could become an annual tradition. Whether you use this with your students or your own children their answers will be cherished! Have a wonderful weekend!
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New Year’s Eve Round Up
I’ve been scrambling to figure out my New Year’s Eve plans, so if you’re doing the same, and your plans include little ones, I’ve rounded up all of my previous New Year’s posts to give you some more ideas. Take a couple of minutes to check these out! Friday Freebie – New Year’s Countdown Explaining Units of Time to Preschooler New Year’s Activities for Preschoolers Friday Freebie – New Year’s Sequencing For even more ideas take a look at my Preschool Holidays pin board, and have a wonderful rest of the holidays!
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Save your extra wrapping paper!
Preschool teachers are well known for saving everything, so it should come as no surprise that I’m telling you to save your left over wrapping paper. There are so many things that you can use it for in the classroom, here are a few ideas: Create artwork on top of the wrapping paper design. Most wrapping paper is shiny, so it would be interesting to see how paint, crayons, and glue react to this surface. It would also be interesting to see if the children cover the design, or if they incorporate it into their art. Cut wrapping paper into smaller pieces and use it for collages. I always had…
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A little reflection
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, I know I’m taking some much needed time to relax (and do lots of shopping)! The end of the year is the perfect time to think about what went well this year, and goals that we have going forward. If you’re thinking about the rest of the year in your classroom and what it might look like I want to share some inspiration that might be helpful. Here are the top five posts from Preschool Ponderings this year: 1. Make your lesson plans work for you – This post has quickly become one of my most popular of all time because it includes…
