While hibernation certainly goes with winter lessons, it's also a great concept to pull out during the fall season through a "winter preparedness" lesson of sorts. You can discuss with your kiddos how bears {and lots of other animals} use the warmer months to prepare for the long winter season by storing food {for those animals that do not hibernate}, eating more food to build fat stores/warmth {for those animals that DO hibernate}, building warm/secure homes, etc. Charge your students with...
Cheryl over at Teach Kids Art featured several ideas for handprint and footprint art projects that were just too cute to pass up! Perfect for an early childhood classroom! And with ideas spanning winter to fall, you're sure to find an idea you can implement in your class any time of year. Check out these super cute ideas (seasonal ideas shown above): Adorable Angels Valentine's Day Heart Smiley Sun Fantastic Flowers If you're on the hunt for art project ideas for your class,...
While hibernation certainly goes with winter lessons, it's also a great concept to pull out during the fall season through a "winter preparedness" lesson of sorts. You can discuss with your kiddos how bears {and lots of other animals} use the warmer months to prepare for the long winter season by storing food {for those animals that do not hibernate}, eating more food to build fat stores/warmth {for those animals that DO hibernate}, building warm/secure homes, etc. Charge your students with...
We love pairing writing activities with crafts! A little work with a little play; makes for a good balance. Not to mention, the finished products usually make for an awesome classroom display! In search of winter writing prompts, we stumbled across this adorable snow globe writing craftivity shared by Molly over at Lessons with Laughter and thought it would make a fantastic addition to your winter lesson plans! Snow Globe Craft The snow globes look daunting, but are actually quite...
While it is the week of Valentine's Day, it's also still winter, so if you're looking for a simple winter craft to do with your kiddos, check out this fun sock snowman craft we found over at Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits! Reagan had her kiddos do this craft before Christmas break using the finished snowmen as gifts for their parents, but we think it could also make a cute project for your crafters to work on after the holiday! Materials men's white tube socks rice quilt batting craft...
Lindsy over at Preschool Alphabet put together this great list of shamrock themed activities for St. Patrick's Day and, if you're looking for some holiday inspiration, we suggest checking it out! Eight activities in all, we're sure you'll find something great to try with your kiddos. While you'll have to visit the full post for all of Lindsy's suggestions, here's a peek at our three favorite lesson ideas... Grow Your Own Shamrocks. Did you know that Target carries shamrock clover kits...
How fun are these fruit loop rainbow crafts from Alisha over at The Bubbly Blonde!? With a few simple shapes, some fruit loops, and craft supplies, you too can create these yummy smelling St. Patrick's Day crafts! [NOTE: Without the pot of gold, these crafts would also make a great addition to your weather unit!] Materials simple rainbow, cloud, and pot of gold templates white card stock black and yellow construction paper craft glue coffee filters stapler crayons Fruit...
This craft from Linda over at Little Family Fun is super simple and appeals to crafters of all ages! Materials shamrock template green and white construction paper craft scissors craft glue marker Creating the Shamrock Man 1. Start with the green construction paper. Use the shamrock template to cut a shamrock shape from the paper. Additionally, cut 4 small circles from the green paper. 2. Next, cut two short and two long strips from the white construction paper. Fold each of...
Christina over at Mrs. Bainbridge's Class came up with this fun literature inspired activity and we thought it would make a great addition to your winter plans! After reading Eric Carle's Dream Snow, where a farmer dreams about a giant snowstorm that covers the animals on his farm, and having your students predict which animal will be snowed in next, invite your kiddos to create their own snow scenes.
Here's a fun way to personalize your classroom decorations this Christmas - create a garland of colored lights and add student names to the bulbs! Supplies You'll Need Christmas light bulb template Black card stock Card stock in assorted colors Black permanent marker Thin black ribbon Craft knife
Observed from December 26th to January 1st each year, Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States honoring African heritage and culture. The seven day celebration offers an opportunity to reflect upon each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa...
We love hand print crafts! There's just something about preserving the pudgy little fingers of your kiddos to be pulled out later for a bit of fun and reminiscing. Teachers, if you're looking for a cute Valentine's Day gift to send home to parents or, parents, if you're looking for something fun to do with your kiddos to send to grandparents, here's a sweet craft that's simple and festive! Materials sheets of craft foam pen craft scissors craft glue festive scrapbook paper heart...
This penguin valentine is super cute, right!? Not only is it cute, it's also pretty simple to put together! We love that (apart from the base) the penguin is crafted from heart shapes, and paired with the cutesy play on words, these penguins make fantastic homemade valentines. Materials black, white, orange, red, and pink construction paper pen craft scissors craft glue wiggle eyes Crafting the Penguin Fold both the black and white pieces of construction paper in half, 'hot dog...
If you're looking for a way to help your kiddos corral their valentines and party goodies this Valentine's Day (and you're over the traditional shoe box holder), check out this awesome DIY milk jug card holder created by Christina, elementary teacher and creator of Bunting, Books, and Bright Ideas! It's simple, inexpensive, and a great way to show your kiddos that 'trash' really can be turned into something useful! Materials recycled milk jug scissors permanent markers Valentine's Day...
Fun and simple to create, this cute owl valentine craft is sure to be a hit with your crafty kiddos! Materials dessert sized paper plate red, pink, and orange construction paper craft scissors wiggle eyes craft glue black marker Creating the Valentine Create a large heart from red construction paper, cutting the heart shape in half and gluing the halves to the sides of the paper plate to create the owl's 'wings'. Cut a medium-sized heart from red construction paper as well as...
Looking for a Valentine's Day craft with a little more meaning? This beautiful heart mobile from Almost Unschoolers is a great way to move beyond the superficial heart and candy, viewing the holiday as an opportunity to talk to your kiddos about God's love and how He calls us to love others. The project centers around I Corinthians 13: 4-8 and the picture of what true love is supposed to look like; 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5...
What do you get when you mix a little color theory with Valentine's Day? This super fun heart collage craft that we found over at What the Teacher Wants! Primary vs. secondary colors. Color mixing. Fine motor skills. Following directions. These are just a few of the concepts/skills your kiddos will strengthen through this fun craftivity! The concept is simple... Provided with the template {shown below} and colored paper, students are invited to tear the paper into pieces and glue it to...
Combining an adorable Valentine's Day craft with a cutesy play on words, this bulletin board designed by Lisa, kindergarten teacher and talented designer behind Lisa's Little Graphics, is a great option if you're looking for something quick and festive this week! Lovely Ladybugs "SPOTTED" in Kindergarten! Background: Use green or blue background paper if you're going for a more 'realistic' approach to the design - i.e. grass, sky, etc. Use purple or pink bulletin board paper if you...
Today is Presidents' Day and we thought these cute paper plate masks from Preschool Crafts for Kids could be a fun way to incorporate a little crafting into your learning! Materials paper plate black and royal blue construction paper black paint sponge pieces yellow craft yarn cotton balls craft stick craft glue tape craft scissors Crafting the Mask Start by cutting out the center of the paper plate, being sure to leave the full rim of the plate intact. Younger...
If you're on the hunt for some last minute Presidents' Day inspiration, Jodi over at Fun in First Grade has some super fun and simple lesson ideas that won't take too much prep work! Focusing on two of the greats - George Washington and Abraham Lincoln - Jodi combines literature, writing, and crafting to get her kiddos excited and engaged... Learning About George Washington To begin, Jodi 'introduces' our nation's first president with several reading selections. After reading the...
