Have you started hearing hoots in your neighborhood yet? As fall settles in and the days get shorter, we start to hear a hoot every so often. Of course, we never see exactly where the owls are living, but they definitely make their presence heard. If you’re doing a fall or nocturnal animal theme with your students this time of year, this easy paper bag owl craft is a must-try! This is an easy (and fun!) project that even little ones can make. And you can save a lot of craft time by prepping the project in advance. Read on to get the printable template and the full instructions. Be sure to ch ..read more

I’ve been an educator for many years now and summer break is always a treat. But this is the first year I can recall when I truly do not know where the summer went. I blinked and it was August. Ready or not, the new school year is upon us. Which made me think of these Spanish school vocabulary flashcards! These would be a great way to welcome early and ELL learners to the classroom. Use them at centers, in morning tubs, in small groups, and more! Read on to see how to get your set. And, for more Spanish vocabulary building, take a look at our ¡Los Verbos! Spanish Verb Learning Cards too! ¡L ..read more

It’s back to school season! It always amazes me how fast summer goes by. But once school starts, it’s time to break out one of my very favorite early childhood education themes: apples! So if you’re working with early learners who are practicing letter recognition, here’s a set of fun apple letter matching puzzles that can help! These are fantastic for early literacy centers. They’d also make good morning tub activities! Keep reading to see how to get your copy of these literacy skill builders. And, for more apple early learning fun, check out my Apple Counting One to Ten Puzzles too! Print ..read more

Looking for an easy kid-friendly craft to add to your transportation unit? This easy toilet paper racecar craft is perfect! It’s simple, only requires a few supplies, and just plain cute too. One of the books I grew up with was Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day?. I’m sure many of you remember that one too. What always caught my eye was all the cars and trucks that moved through the town every day. (I think Sergeant Murphy was directing traffic in one of the scenes.) Transportation is still a great theme for early learners, which makes this racecar craft a perfect project to make wit ..read more

Summer is here! And that means sunshine, sunscreen, and sunflowers! When you’re thinking about back to school, a common theme is apples, which I love to use as well. But many of us go back to school long before apple season. (Our district goes back during the last week of July.) So if you’re looking for a simple early math center to get kids engaged during those early weeks, this sunflower making ten playdough math center is a great fit for first grade! Any time I can make a resource hands-on, I jump at the chance. And because you can use this with several kinds of manipulatives, it’s versati ..read more

Have you been studying butterfly life cycles with your students? I always love this topic, because it’s so cool for kids to see how animals grow to become adults – just like they’re doing. If you’re looking for a hands-on way to reinforce this concept, this paper plate butterfly life cycle craft is perfect! With this easy science craft for kids, you can practice fine motor skills, get some artistic practice, and learn a science lesson. Win! Read on to get the full project instructions and to pick up the printable template you’ll need to make this craft. Need more ways to teach this to your c ..read more

Are the flowers blooming where you are? We always have an early blooming period before winter actually ends and then another frost before spring begins. Now, though, we’re seeing flowers begin to bloom for the season. So I wanted to share a printable science resource that’s perfect for spring – this flower life cycle sequencing activity! This is a great way to teach early learners how flowers grow from seed to plant! And because it’s interactive, it makes a fantastic science center activity. Read on to see how to get your copy. And, for more fun with flowers, try our simple Coffee Filter Flo ..read more

When it comes to insects, I’m a bit of a fraidy cat. I don’t mind teaching my students about them and I realize the valuable role they play in our ecosystems. I just don’t want them anywhere near me. Except for butterflies and ladybugs. In fact, I can actually pick a ladybug up without being scared. So I quite enjoyed putting together this list of fun ladybug books for kids! If you are planning a spring or insect unit with your class anytime soon, these children’s books about ladybugs will be a perfect fit! Read on to see the full list. And, for more ways to learn about insects, don’t miss ou ..read more

Springtime is here and before long we’ll be seeing lots of frogs hopping around! Frogs are a fun early learning theme for preschool and kindergarten. So if you’re looking for a simple frog art project, this coffee filter frog craft is a perfect fit! You’ll only need a few crafting supplies to make this. And there’s a free printable template you can grab too! Read on to get the full project details. Want to learn more about frogs? Take a look at our simple frog unit for more ways to teach early learners about these amphibians! Easy Coffee Filter Frog Craft for Kids To make this easy frog cra ..read more

Introducing shapes is one of my favorite early learning concepts. They’re so fun to teach because they’re all around us! And that makes it a great lesson for getting kids involved and applying what they learn in real life. You can also talk about shapes during read-aloud time. These fun shape books for kids to read are a great place to start! This list is filled with beautiful picture books that talk about shapes in real life and in stories. Read on to see all of the selections. And, if you’re looking for a way to practice recognizing shapes with students, take a look at our Shape Sorting Act ..read more