Fizzing Shamrock Art is an engaging activity that teaches students about St. Patrick’s Day and encourages them to celebrate artistic and scientific endeavors simultaneously. Painting shamrocks encourages self-expression and creativity, while adding vinegar to paint infused with baking soda will teach students about chemical reactions. This activity proves that science and art can and do coexist. What is St. Patrick’s Day? St. Patrick’s Day honors Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The 19th and 20th centuries saw an influx of Irish immigrants on American soil, along with many Irish traditio ..read more

Kaplan Early Learning Company is excited to announce that six of our Kaplan-exclusive products recently won a Tillywig Award! The prestigious Tillywig Toy and Media Awards test hundreds of products every year for high entertainment and educational value. Ease of first use, replay value, quality/appearance, social interaction/fun factor, creativity, and thought processes/motor skills are just a few of the factors they consider when evaluating products. Learn more about these award-winning products below! Garden Insects (Set of 5) Tillywig Brain Child Award Winner Why They Love It: "The insect ..read more

Looking for a memorable Valentine's Day craft the children in your care can make for their loved ones? Our DIY Valentine's Day Canvas Art for Kids is an easy-to-make craft with great results! These DIY heart canvases make perfect Valentine's Day gifts and help children develop their fine motor skills.  Materials: 8" x 10" Canvas Boards FREE Valentine Hearts Printable Wonderfoam® Sheets Scissors Double-Sided Tape Glue Sticks Washable School Glue Tempera Paint (Red, White, and Purple) Paint Palettes Pompoms in a Variety of Sizes Easy-Grip Tweezers What to Do: Download Our Free Printable – T ..read more

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and with it comes a variety of learning opportunities for children. While Valentine’s Day is a great holiday for teaching children about the importance of love and kindness, it can also be used to engage children in learning shapes and colors, exploring textures, and developing fine motor skills. Here are a few of our favorite Valentine’s Day activities for children that can be used inside and outside of the classroom. 1. Chocolate Play Dough Chocolate play dough is a delicious-smelling spin on a classic activity. The dough can be molded into the shape ..read more

Classroom furniture affects classroom design and the overall learning experience children have in the classroom, so the furniture pieces you pick for preschool classrooms should inspire learning and fun as much as possible. If you need ideas for furnishing your preschool classroom or are looking for ways to change up your classroom setup, check out this list of our five favorite furniture pieces. 1. Premium Solid Maple Dress-Up Center with 4 Baskets This dress-up center is a must-have for dramatic play centers. The three-pronged hooks and five shelves are perfect for storing dress-up clothes ..read more

Winter’s colder temperatures and shorter days make it the perfect season to cozy up into a comfortable and fun reading nook. When designing a classroom, be sure to provide space and resources for a reading corner for kids. A reading nook can be utilized year-round, but winter weather provides ample opportunities to use the space as a warm and cozy alternative to the outdoors. Reading corners for kids provide a space in the classroom for students to relax and read in a comfortable, accessible setting that can be less intimidating than the school library. A reading nook is also the perfect sett ..read more

From snow and ice to freezing rain and cold temperatures, there’s a lot to explore about weather in winter. The winter season provides wonderful opportunities for fun and engaging science experiments in the classroom. Here are three of our top picks for winter-themed science experiments for kids! DIY Fake Snow How do you make fake snow? Well, if you only need enough to do snow science experiments with kids, it’s actually pretty simple. Check out the video and instructions below for information on how to make DIY Fake Snow in your classroom. Required Materials: Mixing Bowl Shaving Cream Bakin ..read more

Looking for a fun holiday craft to do with students or your own children over the holiday break? Salt dough ornaments are a traditional holiday craft, but we’ve added a twist with our version! Check out the instructions below for how to make multicolored salt dough ornaments with powdered tempera paint. Materials: 2 Cups of Flour 1 Cup of Salt ½ Cup of Warm Water Mixing Bowl Styrofoam or Plastic Bowls Spoons Measuring Cups Baking Sheet Powdered Tempera Paint Rolling Pin Dough Cutters Coffee or Drinking Straws Modge Podge Pipe Cleaners Instructions: Make the Dough – Add 2 cups of flour and 1 ..read more

‘Tis the season for festive and fun activities for children to enjoy at home and in the classroom. What better way to do so than with Holiday Butter Slime? This DIY slime without borax is a safe and interactive hands-on activity to encourage sensory play for children three years and up. Your holiday helper(s) will be excited to assist with measuring and mixing the ingredients along with squishing, squeezing, stretching, and smelling the contents of this fluffy, scented slime. Teachers and parents can also use this fascinating activity as an engaging, holiday-themed science experiment. How to ..read more

Looking forward to a much needed winter break? If you have time amidst all of the festivities and fun things you have planned with family and friends, consider taking advantage of your time off with Kaplan’s professional development resources. Searching for classroom curriculum ideas and activities or taking time to learn something new during your time off can help you recharge and prepare for the new year. We have a variety of E-learning professional development opportunities to support you and your educational program. Here’s just a quick overview of our online resources for teachers: Quoru ..read more