Pumpkin Play Mats

I’m thrilled to introduce the newest addition to the Math Kit – Pumpkin Grid Play Mats! These playful, pumpkin-shaped mats are perfect for hands-on math practice and add a seasonal twist to counting, addition, and subtraction activities. Each mat has a grid with numbered squares (1, 4, 9, or 12), making it easy for students to organize math manipulatives like math cubes, play dough, and more. Plus, they’re great for building skills in making groups, exploring subtraction, and using positional language.

Whether you’re leading a small group lesson or giving students independent practice, these mats add a fun, autumnal vibe to math time. Here are three creative ways to use them with play dough:

1. Making Equal Groups

Give students some play dough or buttons and multiple Pumpkin Grid Play Mat. They roll small “pumpkin seeds” with the dough or add buttons to each square to find the total of multiple sets - e.g. 2 pumpkins of 4 seeds. This is an ideal way to get started with multiplication and repeated addition. It can also be played with one mat, adding multiple seeds to each square on the grid to find a total. 

2. Showing Subtraction

Students begin by placing a small play dough “seed” or cube in each grid square. Then, have them “pick” (remove) seeds one at a time as they count backward. This activity helps reinforce subtraction by visually showing how many seeds are left after each “pick.” The 9- and 12-square grids work especially well for this, supporting subtraction with numbers up to 9 or 12 in a hands-on, engaging way.

3. “Where’s the Pumpkin in the Patch?” – A Positional Game

For some partner play, students can take turns hiding a small play dough pumpkin on one of the numbered squares and giving clues to their partner about its location using positional language. Clues like, “It’s next to the 4” or “It’s below the 9” add an interactive way to practice positional words and grid navigation. This game is a favorite for spatial awareness and vocabulary practice!

4. Descriptive and Positional Language Game - Which Seed?

Another engaging way to use the 12-grid Pumpkin Play Mat is through a Positional and Language Game that builds descriptive and spatial language skills. Each square on the grid is marked with a colorful or uniquely shaped button. Students play in pairs, where one player describes the location of a specific button (or “seed”)—for example, “The seed is next to a red button and under a button with two holes.” The other player listens carefully, using the descriptive clues to locate and pick up the correct button. This activity encourages students to practice both positional words and descriptive language in a fun, interactive setting!

Ready to Add Some Pumpkin Magic? If you’re ready to bring a touch of fall to math, these Pumpkin Grid Play Mats are easy to print, laminate, and add to your Math Kit. Whether you’re using math cubes, play dough, or counting fingers, these mats make math learning hands-on, flexible, and full of pumpkin fun!

The Math Kit is all about bringing math to life with hands-on, playful resources like these pumpkin grids. Designed for endless learning opportunities, it encourages young learners to explore numbers, build foundational skills, and engage with math in a creative, active way. With tools for counting, grouping, adding, subtracting, and more, the Math Kit transforms math into an adventure that can grow alongside your students’ skills—all while keeping them excited and curious about learning!

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Easy No-Glue Pumpkin Crafts for Fine Motor Skills: A Week-Long Fall Unit for Kindergarten and Preschool

Bring pumpkins into your classroom this fall with our My First One Page Craft - Pumpkin Set 3! These no-glue, cut-out pumpkin crafts are designed with ease and practicality in mind, providing a creative and skill-building activity that’s perfect for early learners.

Each pumpkin craft is ready-to-go on a single sheet of paper. Just print, add color, and cut along the dashed line—no extra prep is needed! This is a simple way to reinforce fine motor and scissor skills while giving students a fall-themed activity they’ll enjoy.

Why Teachers Love This Pumpkin Craft Pack:

• No Glue Needed: Each student needs only one sheet, making this easy for busy teachers to prep and manage.
• Fine Motor Skills Practice: Helps little learners practice scissor skills and build hand strength.
• Extendable Creativity: Students can add extra details to personalize their pumpkins (see ideas below).

For even more ways to build fine motor skills into crafting, check out my post on Transforming Crafts with Fine Motor Techniques for inspiration!

Making It a Literacy & Science Unit: Pumpkin Crafts Meet Informational Learning

Take this activity a step further by linking it to a literacy unit on plants. Through reading about pumpkins, students can learn about the fascinating growth stages of a pumpkin from seed to harvest, then capture what they’ve learned through writing. A great book to start with is From Seed to Pumpkin by Wendy Pfeffer, which offers vivid illustrations and clear explanations that engage young learners.

Pair your pumpkin crafts with writing prompts from Kindergarten Writing Pack Set 8 - Writing About Plants to encourage students to describe what they learned. They’ll build informational writing skills and take pride in their handmade pumpkins!

 

Week-Long Pumpkin Project Plan

Here’s a simple, day-by-day guide to integrating this pumpkin craft into your week:

Monday:

• Start the craft: Have students add color to their pumpkin sheets, whether with crayons, markers, or paint.
• Read: Begin with a pumpkin book like From Seed to Pumpkin to introduce the pumpkin life cycle.
• Observe: Bring in some pumpkin seeds for students to observe.

Tuesday:

• Cut the craft: After coloring, students can cut along the dashed lines to complete their pumpkins.
• Read and Compare: Read another pumpkin book and compare it to Monday’s book, discussing what students learned.
• Chart Writing: Collaborate on a chart of simple sentences or facts about pumpkins.
• Observe a Real Pumpkin: If possible, bring in a pumpkin for students to examine up close.

Wednesday:

• Add Extra Craft Details: Encourage students to add texture or details with scraps of paper, stickers, or other materials.
• Play a Language Game: Describe the real pumpkin using adjectives to build vocabulary.
• Collaborative Writing: Write about pumpkins as a class on a shared chart or the board.

Thursday:

• Independent Writing: Students write their own sentences or stories about pumpkins, using structured prompts as needed.
• Finish Craft Details: Add any last details to their pumpkins.

Friday:

• Share and Display: Gather in a reading circle to share writing projects. Display the pumpkins on a bulletin board for a festive classroom look.
• Compile into a Book: Collect students' writing to create a classroom book on pumpkins.
• Celebrate Fall with Creativity and Learning

With My First One Page Craft - Pumpkin Set 3, you’ll add creative flair to your classroom, help students build fine motor skills, and explore the fascinating world of pumpkins. Quick to prep and flexible for any fall theme, this craft pack offers endless possibilities for seasonal learning!

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Bears, Brain Breaks, and Drawing Fun: Boost Literacy with Our Grizzly Bear Activity

I'm excited to announce that I've added a Grizzly Bear drawing to my Kinder Drawing Bundle 3! You can now guide your students through a step-by-step drawing activity that not only strengthen their fine motor skills but also sparks their creativity and love for learning about a hibernating animal. 

Follow me on Instagram @fromthepond, where I’ve shared the full steps to draw the grizzly bear in a simple and fun way that’s perfect for kindergarten.

Encourage Bear-Themed Learning

Before drawing the Grizzly Bear, it’s the perfect time to dive into bear-themed activities in your classroom! Consider pairing the drawing with bear books like Gail Gibbons' Grizzly Bears or any story about bears preparing to hibernate. These books provide the perfect introduction to how bears get ready for winter, offering students a rich understanding of nature and animal behavior while tying it all into the theme of the day.

Incorporate Literacy with Drawing and Writing About Bears!

Don't forget that the other pages in the pack go  beyond the art project. Your young learners can build fine motor and pre-writing skills and integrate early literacy through sentence writing and creative storytelling. With worksheets designed for both drawing and writing, this pack seamlessly blends art and literacy, helping students express their creativity while reinforcing handwriting, reading and informational writing foundations. Whether used in a unit on hibernation or as part of a winter art project, it’s a fantastic way to engage young learners!

I'd love to share a game you can play in the classroom as a transition bewteen your lessons too:

Brain Break: Bear Describing Game

This is a literacy-based brain break, that encourages mental visualization, detailed description, and active listening. It's a wonderful way to integrate a quick, engaging activity between lessons and help students build their oral language skills. Plus, it strengthens visualization, which is so important for early literacy development!

Here’s how to play:

• Gather a few small toy bears or bear images and prepare to describe them to your students. For beginners, start with just one bear.
• Hold up the bear and describe it in great detail. For example:“This bear is small and has soft brown fur. It has two brown eyes and round felt ears. It is wearing a short green T-shirt with pink flowers and is carrying a basket of little white flowers.”
• Encourage your students to visualize the bear in their minds as you describe it, creating a mental picture.
• Once you’ve finished the description, cover the toy or remove the image.
• Ask students to describe the bear from memory, recalling as many details as they can. You’ll be amazed at how much they remember!

For more advanced students, you can increase the challenge by adding more bears to describe or having them work in pairs to recall details.

This game is perfect for a quick brain break but also serves an important purpose in developing key skills:

• Visualization helps with reading comprehension by training the brain to create mental pictures based on descriptive text.
• Oral language development is supported as students practice using adjectives, details, and clear communication.
• Listening skills are refined through active, attentive listening, helping students focus during instruction.

I hope you and your students enjoy this fun and educational game, along with the new Grizzly Bear drawing in the Kinder Drawing Bundle! Be sure to check out the drawing steps on Instagram and, as always, happy teaching!

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Autumn Leaves Number Warm-Up: Building Fluency in Ordering and Adding Numbers

Autumn Leaves Number Warm-Up: Building Fluency in Ordering and Adding Numbers

Looking for a fun and engaging way to help your students build fluency with numbers? Try this number warm-up using autumn leaf cards and numeral cards from the Math Kit! It’s designed to encourage mental number ordering, while also strengthening addition skills. Plus, the use of seasonal visuals like large and small autumn leaves makes this a great activity to tie into your autumn-themed lessons!

How It Works: Number Ordering with a Seasonal Twist

In this activity, students will mentally order numbers and practice adding three numbers with fluency. Here’s how to set it up and run the warm-up at your small group math table:

Set the Scene

Place the large leaf and small leaf cards in the center of the play space, creating a fun autumn-themed backdrop for the activity. Then, shuffle a pile of number cards (numbers 1-30) and place them face down.

Turn Over and Compare

For each round, have students turn over 3 number cards from the shuffled pile. Their task is to mentally order these numbers from smallest to largest and identify the smallest number. This encourages students to focus on number order while engaging in quick mental math.

Place on the Small Leaf

Once they’ve identified the smallest number, the student places that card on the small leaf, discarding the other two numbers. This process is repeated 3 times, each time identifying the smallest number and adding it to the small leaf. With each turn, students are honing their ability to quickly sort and select numbers.

Adding It Up!

After 3 rounds, it’s time to add up the three smallest numbers. Depending on your students' fluency, they can use mental math or physical counters to help match and count. For students needing more support, you can provide counters or other math manipulatives to guide them through the process of finding the total.

Why This Activity Works 

• Number Ordering Practice: By asking students to identify the smallest number from a set of three, they get repeated opportunities to mentally order numbers, a key fluency skill that strengthens number sense.
• Adding Three Numbers: Once students have identified their numbers, they get valuable practice in adding three numbers together. This helps them build speed and confidence in addition, whether they’re using mental strategies or manipulatives.
• Engaging and Thematic: The autumn leaf cards provide a visual and thematic anchor for the activity, adding a bit of seasonal fun to the math table. Students love working with the colorful leaf visuals, making the activity more engaging and memorable.

Try It in Your Classroom!

This warm-up is ideal for small group instruction or math centers, and it’s a great way to kickstart math lessons with an interactive, hands-on approach. Whether you’re focusing on ordering numbers, addition, or fluency, this simple activity can be adapted to different learning levels by adjusting the number range or providing different levels of support.

By using the autumn leaf cards and numeral cards from the Math Kit, your students will enjoy working with numbers in a creative and meaningful way. As an added bonus, this activity can easily transition into other autumn-themed lessons or be displayed as part of a larger fall learning unit.

This activity builds fluency, number sense, and addition skills—all while bringing in the beauty of the autumn season. Ready to give it a try? Let your students explore numbers with this fun, engaging warm-up at your math table!

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Drawing a Kookaburra: Confidence, Creativity, and Fine Motor Skills

How to Support Your Students in Drawing a Kookaburra: Confidence, Creativity, and Fine Motor Skills

Encouraging creativity in the classroom is such a rewarding experience, and drawing activities are a perfect way to help your students develop fine motor skills and confidence. If you’re teaching early learners, supporting their ability to create simple shapes and lines also has a direct impact on early writing. A wonderful way to blend these skills is through directed drawing, which provides a structure while leaving room for creativity. Let’s take a look at how drawing a kookaburra can inspire confidence in your students and prepare them for more complex tasks like forming letters and numbers.

Why Drawing Supports Fine Motor Skills

When students engage in drawing activities, they practice movements that directly support writing development. Think about how drawing circles, lines, and shapes naturally transition into forming letters and numbers. Directed drawings, like the steps in our Kookaburra Drawing and Writing Pack, guide students through simple lines and shapes, building those foundational motor skills. Plus, it’s a fun way to incorporate art into your lesson plan, offering your students a chance to express themselves creatively.

How to Use the Kookaburra Drawing and Writing Pack

Let the iconic kookaburra come to life in your classroom! This pack provides students with clear, simple steps to follow, helping them feel successful as they see their drawings evolve. Each step supports fine motor control, as students draw the kookaburra’s shapes—whether it’s the curves of the bird’s body or the small lines for details like the beak and wings.

Pair the drawing activity with the writing prompts in the pack to connect creativity with literacy! Students can share facts or create stories about the cheerful kookaburra, integrating art, science, and writing in one project. The flexible nature of this resource allows it to be used in an Australian-themed week, morning warm-ups, or as a fun independent art project.

3 Tips for Drawing Activities in the Classroom

Here are a few helpful tips for planning classroom art activities that build on drawing skills while fostering creativity and appreciation:

Break It Into Sections Over Several Days 

• Art projects can be divided into multiple steps to keep the focus clear. Start by guiding students through the basic drawing of the kookaburra on one day, then return the next day to add details. After that, let students color, paint, or add crayon accents to bring their kookaburra to life. Breaking the project up keeps students engaged and makes the activity more manageable.

Encourage Practice and Repetition 

• Once students complete the drawing, encourage them to revisit the steps again. The Kookaburra Drawing and Writing Pack includes options for tracing, finishing incomplete drawings, and adding written details. These additional activities reinforce fine motor skills and literacy connections, making them great for learning centers or independent practice.

Create a Classroom Gallery for Art Appreciation 

• After completing the kookaburras, display your students’ artwork in a classroom gallery. This not only boosts their confidence but also encourages them to appreciate each other’s work. Take the opportunity to talk about different styles and techniques, modeling language that focuses on art appreciation. Guide students to notice details like color choices, line thickness, and any creative variations, reinforcing the idea that everyone’s art is unique and valuable.

Why the Kookaburra Pack is a Perfect Fit

The Kookaburra Drawing and Writing Pack is designed to be flexible for your classroom needs. It’s ideal for independent practice, small group instruction, or even as part of a classroom display. With pages for drawing, tracing, and writing, it supports a range of skill levels and provides plenty of opportunities for students to revisit their work and build confidence over time. Whether you're focusing on fine motor skills, creativity, or literacy, this pack will be a fun and engaging addition to your lessons.

Use these steps and tips to encourage your students to explore their creativity, practice important skills, and learn to appreciate both their own and their peers' artistic efforts. And if you’re ready to get started with this project, check out the pages in my TPT store to support your classroom art adventures

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Why Action Rhymes Are a Must-Have in Your Kindergarten Classroom

As teachers, we all know that young children thrive on routine, and a big part of that routine is introducing engaging, language-rich activities that help manage transitions and keep energy levels balanced. Enter action rhymes—fun, interactive, and perfect for a quick brain break! Not only do they allow students to move and express themselves, but they also build foundational literacy and math skills in the process. Let’s explore how you can incorporate these short, catchy texts into your classroom practice for meaningful, active learning.

The Power of Repetition

When it comes to teaching, repetition is key. Using an action rhyme like Five Little Leaves for a few days helps build familiarity with the text, allowing students to grow more confident in their language and movements. Repeating it across several days encourages students to master not only the words but also the actions, and soon it becomes a go-to activity for transitions, calming moments, or energizing brain breaks.

Language-Rich Brain Breaks

What’s special about action rhymes is their ability to support language development while giving students a fun break. The rhyming nature of Five Little Leaves exposes children to new vocabulary, rhyme patterns, and sound play, essential components for early literacy. Pair that with movement, and you’ve got a perfect brain break that’s educational too!

A Multi-Disciplinary Tool

Here’s where the magic happens: Five Little Leaves integrates both math and literacy through finger play and counting. It’s an engaging way to reinforce early subtraction as students count down the leaves with each verse. These kinds of playful, integrated learning moments stick with students, helping them build important foundational skills in a natural and enjoyable way.

Building Classroom Community

When you introduce rhymes as a shared experience, it fosters classroom camaraderie. Everyone is involved, from using fingers to represent the leaves to acting out parts of the rhyme together. Shared reading experiences like this allow for whole-class participation, which strengthens peer connections and creates a positive learning environment.

Managing Transitions with Action Rhymes

Action rhymes are not only fun but also serve a functional purpose—classroom management. Need to transition between lessons? A quick round of Five Little Leaves can refocus attention, energize students after sitting, or calm them down before moving to the next task. It’s a perfect way to reset without needing extra prep or materials.

What’s in the Resource?

For those looking to add this rhyme to their classroom toolkit, the Five Little Leaves activity pack is ready to go! You can use it for:

• Finger play and action rhymes: Engage your students with active counting and movement.
• Shared reading: Project the rhyme for all to read together, or use individual student copies for a group read-aloud.
• Poetry introduction: Use it as a fun, seasonal way to introduce rhyme and rhythm in your poetry lessons.

The resource also includes picture cards, worksheets for tracing and cutting, and even a quick witch craft for students to make and display. 

Why Build a Repertoire of Rhymes?

Having a library of go-to rhymes like Five Little Leaves means you’re always prepared for an engaging, meaningful brain break. Over time, students become familiar with the actions and words, which not only builds their confidence but also allows you to manage transitions smoothly and efficiently. As you grow your collection, you'll have a variety of rhymes for every season, occasion, or classroom mood!

Explore More Finger Plays and Action Rhymes

If you’re ready to bring more action rhymes into your classroom, be sure to check out my growing collection of finger plays and action rhymes here. With engaging resources like Five Little Leaves and more on the way, you’ll have plenty of tools to keep your students moving, learning, and having fun! Each resource is designed with both educational benefits and classroom management in mind. Head over to my TpT store to explore all the ways these rhymes can enhance your classroom routine.

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Add Some Foxy Fun to Math Time with the Shape Fox Craft!

Add Some Foxy Fun to Math Time with the Shape Fox Craft!

Looking for a fun way to mix creativity with math? My Shape Fox Craft is here to make learning shapes a magical, crafty experience for your students! 🦊 Whether you're new to my resources or have been crafting along with me for a while, this activity is a playful way to explore 2D shapes while building those all-important fine motor skills.

A Creative Twist on Learning Shapes

In this activity, your students will rotate, layer, and manipulate shapes to create their very own foxy friend. This is perfect for making math time hands-on, engaging, and full of artistic fun!

With options for different levels of learners, you can choose the best version for your classroom:

• Tracing Page – Ideal for early learners to trace the fox and practice their fine motor control.
• One Page Craft – Everything students need is on a single page to color, cut, and create their foxy masterpiece.
• Original Template Version – Perfect for a group project where students build the fox using multiple pieces, and you can even print in different colors for added flair.

Not only are your students learning about shapes like triangles, but they’re also sharpening their fine motor muscles as they color, cut, and glue! 

Bonus Recording Sheets and Display Ideas!

To take this project up a notch, I’ve added labelling titles and recording sheets. Now your students can not only create their foxes but also showcase their learning by labeling the shapes they used. Imagine a foxy classroom display filled with creativity and mathematical thinking!

Grab the FREE Triangle Fox Craft from my TPT store and start crafting! It’s part of my Animal Shape Craft Bundle, which is packed with eight shape animal projects, including the fox.

🦊 Exciting News for Bundle Fans! 

I’ll be adding a brand new animal to the bundle very soon! Get it now while it’s still at a discounted price before the new project arrives. Check out the full bundle here!

Let's Make Math Crafty!

Crafting and math go hand-in-hand when you combine creativity with learning shapes. If you love hands-on activities like this, keep an eye on my blog for more tips on incorporating fine motor practice into your math lessons.

Let’s add a little extra magic and fun to your classroom today!

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Squirrel finds the Acorns

Math Warm-Ups Made Easy: Keep Kids Engaged at the Small Group Table 🍁🐿️

Do you ever find yourself waiting for all your students to be ready for a small group math lesson? Some are still gathering their supplies, some are adjusting to the learning environment (hello, wiggly bodies!), and others might be distracted with questions. Getting everyone settled and ready can take a few minutes, but I’ve found that a simple math warm-up can work wonders to engage the early birds and bring the whole group together.

That’s where this fun Squirrel and Acorn Math Warm-Up comes in. It’s the perfect activity for ordering numbers, and it fits right into the Autumn Play Mats from my Math Kit. 

Here's how it works:

• Shuffle a pile of number cards and place them face down on the acorn mat.
• Students who are ready can start flipping the cards and turning over 10 at a time.
• From these 10 cards, students work together to find any sequences in forward counting order—like 4-5-6 or 8-9-10-11-12. Every sequence they find counts as an "acorn" 🐿️, and they earn a counter on the squirrel mat for each one.
• Some sets might not have any sequences (though it’s unlikely!). 
• Students repeat, flipping more sets of 10, looking for those number sequences, and scoring acorns along the way.

It’s simple, quick, and keeps everyone engaged as the rest of the group gets ready. The beauty of this warm-up is that it doesn’t require a lot of prep or explanation. Students can jump in as they settle, which makes it a great engagement tool and a smooth transition strategy before the main lesson begins.

This warm-up can be repeated throughout the week. Use the same equipment, but gradually target different skills or increase the challenge. The goal is to get students thinking about ordering numbers while easing into the focused learning of your math lesson.

As the weather turns colder, get excited for more math fun with the Winter Play Mats coming soon to the Math Kit! ❄️

Looking for more ways to get your students moving and learning? Grab the Math Kit bundle today and bring math play into your classroom all year long!

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Spider Counting Book

Let’s Spin Some Spider Magic with Counting Fun! 

Hey teacher friends! Are you ready to celebrate all your little mathematicians have learned so far this year? Well, I’ve got just the spook-tacular activity for you: The Spider Counting Book Mathtivity! 🎃 Perfect for fall, this fun and creative activity is designed to bring math concepts to life with a playful spider theme. Your kindergarten students will love creating their very own flip book, all while practicing essential counting and number order skills.

Here’s how it works: 

• students will color and cut simple spider shapes, trace or write numbers, and draw dots to match each number. 
• Then, they’ll arrange their pages to form a mini flip book, counting from 8 all the way down to 1. 
• Here’s the fun part—each page has a spider with one leg less than the last! 🕷️➡️ 8 legs, 7 legs, 6 legs… and so on. 

It’s a fantastic way to reinforce the concepts of counting backward while also sneaking in some fine motor practice. And the best part? You have options! 

Choose between pre-numbered pages or let your kiddos get extra hands-on with blank pages where they can write their own numbers. The finished flip books become a special keepsake that students can proudly show off while practicing their counting anytime they like.

What's Included in the Spider Counting Book:

• Printable pages for students to color, write numbers, and draw matching dots from 1 to 8.
• Both pre-numbered and blank options to suit the needs of your learners.
• Easy-to-follow instructions for assembling the mini flip book.
• A title page for their finished work: “My Spider Counting Book” 🕷️

Why Your Students Will LOVE This Craft: 

Not only will they be practicing counting, 1:1 correspondence, and number order, but they’ll also be building those fine motor skills by coloring and cutting their spider pages. This activity makes math feel fresh, fun, and creative—exactly what our kindergarteners need to stay engaged!

Need a Quick Math Game Idea? 

Here’s a fun game you can play with your little spiders once they’ve completed their flip books. 🕷️ Line up 8 students as “spiders” in front of the class. The teacher calls out a clue like, “The 2nd spider has just crawled from the web to catch a fly,” and that student must leave the line. The positions of the spiders shift as each one leaves the web line. This game reinforces ordinal language (first, second, third) and helps with listening and active number work. You can even extend this to desk time by using plastic counters as spiders, and students can follow your instructions to move the spiders along their web.

This is such a versatile math activity that works perfectly for fall math centers, small groups, or even as a math warm-up. Plus, it’s a great way to get students moving and thinking about math in a whole new way. 

Ready to bring some spider magic into your classroom? 

Head over to grab the Spider Counting Book Mathtivity and give your students a math adventure they’ll never forget!

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More Games for the Dice Grids

Engage Students with These New Math Game Ideas: Dice Grid Printable Pack

Looking for fresh ways to integrate math play into your classroom? The Dice Grid Printable Game Pack offers 20 different game mats that can be used in a variety of ways to build essential math skills. Today, I’m excited to share two new ideas for using these grids that will help students develop spatial awareness, subitizing, and problem-solving in a fun, hands-on way.

1. Puzzle Grid Matching: Strengthening Number Recognition and Problem Solving

Here’s a great activity to challenge your students in a new way! Choose any of the themed grids—let’s use the apple grid as an example—and print two copies of the dotted grid.

• Take one grid and cut it into puzzle pieces. For beginners, keep the pieces simple and in straight rows, ideal for Level 1. For more advanced learners, cut irregular pieces that cross several rows and columns for a greater challenge.
• Students will work to match each puzzle piece to the full grid, using the dots as reference points to guide them.

This simple matching game strengthens students’ number recognition and attention to detail, as they must look carefully at the dot patterns to complete their puzzle. It’s a wonderful independent or small group activity that can be adjusted for different levels.

2. Dice Grid Positional Play: Encouraging Spatial Awareness and Subitizing

This second idea incorporates spatial language and counting to help students develop stronger positional awareness. Let’s use the bear grid for this one.

• First, print two grids: one plain and one dotted.
• Students roll a set of dice—5 dice work well for this activity—and identify matching dot patterns on the dotted grid. For example, if one of their dice shows a 2, they will find any 2-dot pattern on the dotted bear grid.
• Here’s where it gets interesting: students must place the dice on the plain bear grid, using the dotted bear grid as a reference. They’ll count across the columns and down the rows to find the matching spot and place the dice in the correct position.

This game encourages the use of positional language ("count 3 rows down and 4 columns across") and enhances spatial awareness while also giving students plenty of practice subitizing the dice patterns. It’s a perfect mini lesson or warm-up activity for your math centers.

These Games Can Be Played with Any of the 20 Mats!

Both of these activities can be used with any of the mats in the Dice Grid Printable Game Pack—from apples and bears to frogs and rockets! These games are a great way to introduce math play in your classroom, whether you’re looking for warm-up activities, brain breaks, or mini lessons.

Make math time engaging, hands-on, and fun with these versatile games, and watch your students develop crucial skills while they play!

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Dice Grid Games

Woodland Fun: Drawing and Writing with Hedgehogs!

Woodland Fun: Drawing and Writing with Hedgehogs!

Are you ready to bring some woodland magic into your classroom? Introducing my Hedgehog Drawing and Writing Pack—an irresistible combo of creativity and learning that will have your students mastering fine motor skills, storytelling, and even fun facts about our prickly little friends!




In this pack, your students will have the chance to draw a cute hedgehog, step by step, while practicing essential skills in a way that feels more like play than work. Whether you're looking for a warm-up, a science tie-in on woodland creatures, or an independent center activity, this pack is your new go-to for some spiky fun!

Why You’ll Love the Hedgehog Pack:

From the moment you open the pack, you'll see it's designed for maximum engagement with minimal prep—perfect for busy classrooms! I've included everything from drawing steps to prompts that guide students in writing their own hedgehog stories or informational facts. You can even display those hedgehog facts on your classroom walls to inspire some woodland wonder.

Art Meets Literacy: 

This pack is designed to blend art and writing—perfect for when you want your students to exercise their creativity and literacy skills simultaneously. Kids will not only draw their own hedgehog but will also have writing prompts to practice handwriting, storytelling, and informational writing. There are even options to trace shapes and finish incomplete drawings to help students strengthen their fine motor skills!

Big Art Fun: 

While the pack can be used in a writing center, you can also turn this into a full art lesson! How about letting students paint their hedgehogs on big art paper? You’ll have a classroom gallery filled with colorful, adorable hedgehogs in no time. You can try watercolor, markers, or even chalk pastels for a bright, textured effect.

So Many Learning Options: 

This Hedgehog Pack fits perfectly into your small group exercises, art and writing centers, or themed activities on animals and nature. With its step-by-step approach, kids can work independently or in pairs to complete the activities. And if you're teaching a unit on woodland animals, this is the perfect hands-on addition to get those imaginations working!

What’s Included in the Pack:

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• Big, clear drawing steps to help guide students through the process (perfect for early learners!)
• Framed pages for drawing so students can focus on their creations
• Writing pages with fun prompts, word banks, and sentence starters for practice
• Tracing pages that build fine motor skills while reinforcing the theme
• Fun facts about hedgehogs—great for a writing center or display
• Letter practice pages to reinforce lowercase h, e, and g

Perfect for:

• Animal-themed centers where art meets literacy
• Small group activities focused on creativity and writing
• Low-prep fun that your students will love!

Bring some hedgehog charm into your classroom today—whether you're painting your drawings or working on the writing prompts, your students will be thrilled with the range of activities in this pack! Head over to my TPT store to grab your copy, and don’t forget to check out my Instagram Reel for a quick hedgehog drawing tutorial! 🦔💕

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Kinder Art, woodland animals

Spin Your Math Magic with the Sun Spider Difference Game!

Spin Your Math Magic with the Sun Spider Difference Game!

Did you know that many orb-weaving spiders, like the one this game is inspired by, build their webs at sunrise? 🕸️ These clever creatures spin intricate circular webs in the early morning light to catch their prey throughout the day. Just like the orb spider skillfully weaves its web, your students will be weaving their own math knowledge by practicing the difference strategy. The spider’s web becomes a playful metaphor for how students can connect numbers and see the relationships between them, spinning their own "math magic" as they build their skills!

The Sun Spider Difference Game is a perfect fit for first graders reviewing math facts within 20. It turns math practice into a playful challenge where students explore the relationship between numbers.

Here’s how to play:

Materials Needed:

• Sun Spider Wand (available through my Instagram Fun Stuff channel)
• Number cards from the Math Kit 
• Counters (or any small math manipulatives)
• 20-sided dice

Game Setup:

• Use a circle space (like a dry-erase sticker or just a marked-off area) as the spider’s web.
• Scatter number cards (face down) around the web.
• The spider (on the wand) starts “asleep” in the middle.

How to Play:

• When the spider wakes up (flip the wand), students take turns picking a number card from the web and rolling the dice.
• They use counters to add or subtract the difference between the number on the card and the number they rolled. For example, if they flip over an 8 and roll a 12, they count up 4 and place counters under the number card.

• The game continues until the spider goes back to sleep (flip the wand again), and then the web resets for a new round.

It’s a great way to practice addition and subtraction in a fun, active way! Check out the number cards from the Math Kit in my TPT store if you don’t already have them.

Ready to give it a try? Let me know how it goes with your students!

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Addition Within 20, Math Kit, Spiders

More Math Kit Fun: Make Ten with the Orange Play Mat!

 Looking for a fun way to help your students practice counting, subitizing, and building number sense? The Orange Play Mat from the Math Kit Bundle is perfect for reinforcing the concept of making ten—an essential skill for early addition and subtraction.

How to Play:

• Each student receives a circle-shaped orange mat divided into ten sections.
• Roll three dice and choose one number from the dice. Place that many counters (seeds) into the orange sections.
• After placing the counters, count how many sections are left. For example, if 4 counters are placed, the student will count 6 sections remaining.
• Roll again on the next turn, placing the chosen number of counters into the empty sections. Keep counting how many more are needed to fill the orange.
• The goal is to make exactly 10 to win!

This simple but powerful activity helps students repeatedly work on filling, counting, and checking to see what makes ten. It's a great way to build fluency and flexibility with foundational number work!

For more fun math activities like this, check out the Math Kit Bundle, designed to make early years math engaging and effective.

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Making 10, Math Kit