Morning Routine Weather Cards

 

Teaching kindergarteners about the weather is a great way to introduce them to science and the natural world. One fun and engaging way to do this is by labeling the weather each morning with a word card on a chart.

• Introduce the weather word cards to your students - sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, snowy. 
• Explain what each word means and show them pictures of different types of weather.
• Create a place in your morning instructional area for the chart - it does not need to be displayed permanently if space is at a premium - you can have it out just for your routine and then slide it away for the next day
• Each morning, have students observe the weather outside and decide which weather word card best describes the weather.
• Have students place the appropriate weather word card on your display.
• Use the weather chart to discuss the weather with your students. Talk about what they see and what they know about each type of weather.

Tally the Weather

• use the rectangle cards to create a weather tally display in your classroom for the term or month
• each morning a student can place a tally on the corresponding box to create an discuss an ongoing weather analysis 

More Ideas

• You can use real-time weather data from a weather website or app to help students choose the appropriate weather word card.
• You can have students create their own weather word cards.
• Create a weather leanring center if you have the available space and encourage students to draw pictures and write descriptions for a class display or book.

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Classroom Decor

Ways to Make 12

Are your children learning to become fluent with addition within 20? Here is a warm up idea to use before one of your addition lessons. You'll have a focus on the number 12 and students will be exploring different ways to make 12 using blocks or other small equipment. This hands-on approach will help them become confident with addition concepts.

We Love 12

• give each student 12 cubes and a heart mat from the Math Kit
• let them count the 12 blocks - label the 12 by writing it on a dry-erase spot or using a number card
• let students freely explore different ways to make 12 by making 2 groups with the cubes
• for example, they may find 10+2, 8+4, 6+6 in the time you give them
• encourage them to record their findings in their math journal with a drawing or by writing an addition sentence (e.g. 5+7=12) or talking to a peer about the numbers they've made

Tips and More Ideas

• use a folded piece of paper or a dry erase spot with a line drawn down the center if you don't have play mats
• repeat the warm up each morning of the week with a different 'teen' numbers
• make classroom anchor charts - write 12 at the top of a large sheet of paper and have students record an addition sentence they discovered - display for reflection and review
• make a little number house to show addition to 12

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Addition Within 20, Math Kit

Animal Alphabet Crafts

 Learning the alphabet can be fun and engaging with animal crafts! My One Page Craft Animal Alphabet pack makes it so easy for you to prep! There's a craft for each letter of the alphabet and you need to print just one page per child. 

Each craft has a simplified shape to cut to practice scissor skills after painting or coloring. 

Quokka Craft for the Letter Q

Jaguar Craft for the letter J

Lobster craft for the letter L

These hands-on activities not only reinforce letter recognition but also promote creativity and fine motor skills. They're a great way to combine learning and play!

This collection includes the following animal paper crafts:

1. aardvark
2. beetle
3. cow
4. dragonfly
5. eagle
6. fly
7. giraffe
8. hen
9. ibis
10. jaguar
11. kitten
12. lobster
13. monkey
14. numbat
15. ostrich
16. peacock
17. quokka
18. rat
19. sheep
20. tortoise
21. unicorn
22. vole
23. wombat
24. ox
25. Yorkshire Terrier
26. zebu

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One Page Craft Animals

Ice Cream Ten

Here is another math warm up using a Play to Ten game mat! I'm using the colorful ice cream mat but you can use any of the boards in the pack! Students will practice addition by combining a numeral and dot pattern.

• have a pile of numeral cards (0-10 - I'm using some from the Math Kit)
• have a pile of 1-3 dot cards (also from the Math Kit)
• students flip a numeral and dot card and find the total 
• if the total is 10 or more they can add a counter to their ice cream 
• if the total is 9 or less they quickly move to the next addition
• encourage a quick pace to build fluency and get the ice cream covered in sprinkles

Math play is a valuable tool in. kindergarten. It can help children to develop a strong foundation in math, and it can also make learning math fun. Play math games daily, explore math concepts and repeat games to give your learners the opportunity to get faster, more accurate and develop mental strategies. 

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Math Kit, Play to Ten

Days of the Week

Learning the days of the week is an important step for young children as they develop their understanding of time and sequence. Here are three simple and fun ideas to help your child learn the days of the week:

1. Display Colorful Posters

Create or purchase colorful and visually appealing posters (here are some cute Rainbow Frog posters of mine) with each day of the week written on them. Hang these posters in a prominent location in your classroom or playroom, where your child will see them regularly.

Each day, read the day of the week and talk about what you will be doing and how it is different or the same to other days. Encourage your children to tell you what the day will be tomorrow and what it was yesterday. 

2. Sing a Song About the Days of the Week

There are many catchy songs about the days of the week available online and in children's books. Sing these songs with your child, encouraging them to join in and repeat the days of the week. Today is Monday by Eric Carle is a favorite of ours! 

3. Play a Memory Game

Create a simple memory game using flashcards or small objects, each representing a day of the week. Shuffle the cards or objects and place them face down. Take turns flipping over two cards or objects at a time, trying to match the days of the week. If you match a pair, keep them and continue playing. Whoever matches the most pairs at the end of the game wins. This math pack has an activity for sequencing days of the week on cards and it's ready to print.

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Classroom Decor

Cute Coloring Pages

Coloring is a beloved activity for children of all ages, and for good reason. Not only is it a fun and creative way to express themselves, but it also offers a number of educational and developmental benefits.

1. Fine Motor Skills

Coloring requires children to use their small muscles in their hands and fingers. This helps them develop the fine motor skills they need for tasks like writing, playing games and using equipment at school.

2. Hand-Eye Coordination

Coloring also helps children develop their hand-eye coordination. They need to be able to control their crayons or markers which requires them to use both their eyes and their hands at the same time.

3. Focus and Concentration

Coloring can help children develop their focus and concentration. When they're coloring, they need to be able to sit still and focus on the task at hand. This can be a challenge for some children, but coloring can help them learn to control their impulses and stay on task.

4. Creativity

Coloring is a great way for children to express their creativity. They can choose their own colors and designs, and they can use their imaginations to create their own unique works of art on pages that include a drawing component.

5. Relaxation

Coloring can also be a relaxing activity for kids. It can help them to calm down and focus, and it can be a great way to wind down after a long day.

Here are just a few of the new pages I've added to our Pond Coloring Club recently. As a member you choose from a huge and growing collection and print the perfect page to color today! 

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fine motor

Partitioning Five is a Picnic!

Partitioning is a foundational mathematical concept that involves dividing a number into smaller parts. In kindergarten, children begin to learn how to partition numbers up to 5. This skill is essential for developing number sense and understanding addition and subtraction.

Here is a printable math game you can use in your math lessons, guided groups or workshops to help support students. It's called Picnic Five and requires players to put a total of 5 items in the basket - partitioned in 2 groups. 

Your students will become fluent seeing the combinations of numbers that combine to make 5 and have visual support to help them as they progress.

After playing they can glue 5 food items into the picnic basket on the quick math craft - a Basket of 5!

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numbers to five

Seahorse Drawing

My Kinder Drawing packs include projects that integrate straightforward lines and shapes (essential for learning to write letters) with art and creativity. Your students can practice for writing while creating a picture or scene. Here is one for a seahorse! 

You can have your children use the printable pages included in the pack or draw on big art paper like I've done here. 

After drawing and painting you could:

• encourage your children to write about seahorses 
• learn more about seahorses by reading books or watching videos online

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Kinder Art, ocean

Bright Star Classroom Door Decorations and Welcome

Create a Stellar Welcome Door Display for Back to School

Welcome back to school! This year, create a stellar door display that will make your students feel excited and welcomed. With a star theme, this display is easy to make and will add a touch of magic to your classroom.

Materials:

• use the printables in our pack
• alternatively, cut some stars from construction paper in various colors
• Scissors

Instructions:

• Cut out the stars from the pack and write your students name on them (you can type in the editable version before you print too)
• If making your own, cut stars from the construction paper in various sizes
• Write a welcome message on a large star, such as "Welcome to Our Class!" or "Stars Shine Brightest Here."
• If using our pack, arrange the pieces onto your door in a style of your choice and attach with blu tac or other adhesive suitable for your door
• If making you own, you could glue the stars to a piece of string or ribbon, creating a garland. The pack includes letters that spell WELCOME - these can be put on a board or pinned to a line.
• Hang the garland across your classroom door or on a bulletin board.

Variations:

• Here is a different star door display sets with pastel stars
• For a more personalized touch, have each student write their own name and decorate their star with their favorite glitter or sequins
• Add other elements to your display, such as planets, rockets, or astronauts.
• Use different materials, such as felt or glitter, to add texture and dimension to your display.
• Instead of hanging the star accents, you can create a star mobile by attaching the stars to a wire hanger.

This stellar door display is a great way to welcome your students back to school and create a positive and inviting learning environment. So get creative and have fun with it!

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Back to School, Door Displays

Ice Cream Tracing

Fine motor skills are important for many activities at school, such as writing, creating art, problem solving in science and technology and engaging in math games and activities. Tracing pictures is a great way to help children develop their fine motor skills - especially for writing. It requires them to use their small muscles in their hands and fingers to control a pencil or crayon.

Use our ice cream tracing pages for a fun summer activity that is perfect for kindergarten students! Ice creams are a familiar and beloved subject, and this pack includes pages that have a variety of lines styles and arrangements that make them idea for early handwriting development. 

Here are the steps with some tips:

Gather your materials. 

You will need:

• ice cream pages
• pencils or crayons
• paper

Choose a picture of an ice cream that you want to trace.

• Place the picture of the ice cream on solid surface or desk.
• Hold a pencil or crayon in your dominant hand.
• Start tracing the outline of the ice cream, using your other hand to steady the paper.
• Trace the ice cream slowly and carefully
• When you are finished tracing the ice cream outline, start on the internal details or face. Draw your own if using a blank ice cream.
• Finish by painting with watercolors if you like!

Tracing pictures of ice creams is a simple and fun activity that can help children develop their fine motor skills. It is also a great way to encourage creativity and imagination!

Here are some more ice cream themed activities to interest your children over summer.

Ice cream sensory play: 

Fill a sensory bin with rice, water, or sand and add ice cream scoops, plastic cups, and other ice cream-related toys.

Ice cream drawing: 

 Let kids draw an ice cream on paper or canvas.

Ice cream sundae bar: 

Set up a sundae bar with different toppings and let kids build their own sundaes.

Ice cream relay race: 

Divide kids into teams and have them race to pass an ice cream ball or spoon from one person to the next until everyone on the team has had a turn.

Find more of our Ice Cream themed printable learning resources over on the website. 

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Summer, Tracing

Tropical Pineapple Classroom Door Decorations

• it's ready to print from my TPT store
• find more classroom decor, perfect for back to school here
• find more welcoming door displays here

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Classroom Decor, Door Displays

Addition Within 20 - Apples

Helping students learn fundamental math skills takes lots of practice - engaging activities make that practice fun. Your first graders will be learning to add within 20. Here is a practical warm up or game you can play to help them practice, understand addition and discover concepts as they play. 

I'm using the apple game mat from this set. You can play with a folded piece of paper or card too.

• ask your students to collect 15 counters
• have them discover different ways to split the 15 - putting some onto each side of the apple
• repeat with other numbers and have your students draw a picture or record their findings with symbols - eg. 12+3=15, 10+5=15

This activity provides a hands-on and engaging way for first-grade students to learn addition within 20. By using counters, children can physically manipulate the numbers and see different ways to make 20. This activity also helps children develop their number sense and their understanding of addition as a way to combine quantities.

The Amazing Apples printable pack has other resources included for more ways to play too - find it in my store ready to print! 

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Addition Within 20, Apples

Let's draw watermelon

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Kinder Art, Summer

Add to Ten Ice Creams

Adding small groups of numbers to make ten is a foundational math skill for kindergarteners. It helps them build number sense and develop strategies for solving addition problems. One effective way to teach this skill is by using the "counting on" method. Here is an activity you can use at your small group math table or for students to play at independent learning times. We're using the 1, 2, 3 Ice Cream Cards from the Math Kit. 

• Place a pile of dot cards down on the table.
• Students simply take a card and count to 10 as they go. 
• For example, in the example above they would count 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 - as they placed each of their cards down. 

• each time they start a new ten, a different combination will be formed
• you can have them draw a picture to match their work in their math journal or simply write the numbers down and loop together the numbers that match each card

After playing this warm up activity your students could:

• make some play dough ice creams and add sequins or buttons to make ten
• draw an ice cream with ten sprinkles on top
• play to the same instructions but make 20 for a challenge

Learn all about the Math Kit over on my website!

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Making 10, Math Kit