How to Set Up a Daycare Dramatic Play Area for the Holidays
Dramatic Play is such an important part of early childhood. Your daycare dramatic play can be transformed into a festive wonderland during the holiday season! A holiday-themed play area not only encourages creativity and social skills, it also introduces children to cultural traditions in a fun and engaging way. Here’s how to create a magical […]
Easy and Fun Ways to Teach Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle to Students
Create a game where students sort everyday items into categories of reduce, reuse, or recycle. Use pictures or actual items to make it interactive. This helps reinforce their understanding of each concept and encourages critical thinking as they decide which category each item belongs to. Every Spring, the Dollar Tree has mini garbage cans that look like recycling bins. Grab them and save them for a sorting game with mini brands!
Unlocking Literacy: A Simple Guide to the Simple View of Reading Theory
As a professor, my favorite courses to teach are in the area of literacy,reading and writing development. I share the Simple View of Reading with my students to show the importance of both teaching decoding and language comprehension development. As literacy champions, you play a crucial role in shaping young minds and fostering a love for reading. This post will dive into a theory that can guide your approach to teaching reading effectively – the Simple View of Reading.
Creative Back to School Bulletin Board Ideas with a Purpose
Sometimes it is so hard to be creative when decorating our classrooms. Coming up with new ideas after teaching for a long time can be challenging. This year I decided to make my Back to School bulletin boards with a purpose. I wanted to use creative bulletin boards that taught a lesson. I also wanted […]
Preschool Activities to Teach Important Skills to Get Ready for Kindergarten
There are so many important skills for preschoolers to have to make the transition to Kindergarten smoother. Whether a child goes to daycare, preschool, or stays at home, there are many easy preschool activities that teach important skills to get ready for Kindergarten.
5 Tips For A Successful Back to School Night With Elementary Parents
This year was my 34th Back to School Night as a teacher! I tried many things over the years to make Back To School Night or Meet The Teacher Night successful. I want to share with you my five favorite Back To School Night activities and ideas that worked well in all different elementary school grades
Mentor Texts For “How-To Writing” for Kindergarten and First Grade
It is important to teach children with explicit instruction and practice, especially when working with new writers. When I plan a mini-lesson with a mentor text, I read it beforehand and add sticky notes with notes on what to point out to the students. My students think it is hilarious when I think out loud to model the how-to writing.
Teaching Important Skills Through Play-Based Learning and Dramatic Play
When I left the elementary classroom to become the director of a daycare and preschool, I was in a different world! One of my first responsibilities was to adopt a new curriculum for the entire daycare. As we adopted the Creative Curriculum, I was introduced to play-based learning and dramatic play.
The Importance of Dramatic Play For Preschoolers
My dramatic play area is my favorite part of my classroom! I could spend hours setting it up and I love playing in it with my students. Dramatic play is a type of play where you give a child props or an “mini environment” to act out a role, for an example a doctor’s office. There are so many benefits of this type of play and as you watch them play, you will learn a lot about your students as well! So, what are these benefits ?
The Ultimate Trees Study for Preschool – Fun and Easy Ways to Cultivate Crucial Skills
One of my favorite preschool studies is the Trees Study. You can teach this study any time of the year with great success and fun ideas, but Fall lends itself to a lot of fun activities!