Quiet Time Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers Some kids are great nappers, and some kids struggle with taking naps, but regardless of which type of kid you have…they all drop their nap eventually. Usually this is somewhere around age 3 or 4. If you’re like me, you dread the day your child no longer wants to take a nap, as that is sacred alone time! Fortunately, there is a solution to this: quiet time activities! Many parents have implemented quiet time in place of nap time, where instead of taking a nap, the child plays quietly for a designated time instead. This allows you as the parent to still have…
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3 Fun Yet Easy Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids
Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re like me, you can’t wait to do all the heart-themed activities! If you know me, you know I’m a big fan of easy, low-prep, and hands-on activities. So, to help you out this February, I compiled a list of a few of my favorite Valentine’s Day activities for kids that are up to my standards! 3 Valentine’s Day Activities for Kids 1. Candy Heart Towers This game/STEM activity is SO simple, and all you need are some of those jumbo sized candy hearts! (You can do them with small ones, too, but I personally prefer…
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This is One of My Favorite Games for the Classroom
Are you looking for fun, versatile games for the classroom? I know I always am! My favorite thing ever is taking a super simple, low-prep game and turning it into something educational. The BEST games are ones that can be easily adapted to use for any subject. Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite, versatile games for the classroom… Musical chairs! Yes! Musical chairs! Everyone knows how to play it, it’s SO low-prep (just need some chairs, music, and a worksheet). And the best part is you can play this game in ANY subject! I obviously used it in math, but since it’s a game that’s…
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How to Use Math Bingo to Engage and Improve Understanding
Using Math Bingo in the Classroom I don’t know about you, but my students always went crazy over bingo! It’s such a simple game, but what can I say? They loved it. Bingo was a regular go-to to help review educational concepts, or just for fun during holidays are class parties! I especially loved using math bingo to support my students in math. Obviously, bingo is a fun game – but can it really be all that educational? Or is it all just fluff? Personally, I believe that bingo can be an incredibly rigorous activity – as long as it’s used correctly! Let’s explore how we can use bingo in…
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This is One of My Favorite Christmas STEM Activities!
Christmas STEM Activities ‘Tis the season, friends! Christmas is my favorite time of the year. Because of this, I often go a little crazy in my classroom at Christmastime. I’m a huge fan of seasonal and holiday-themed activities. Last year, I shared some Christmas STEM activities and science experiments, including one of my favorites – a jingle bell maze! This particular activity is so elaborate that I felt it needed it’s own dedicated blog post! So, today I’m going to walk you step-by-step through the process of having your students create their very own jingle bell maze. Jingle Bell Maze Teacher Prep Before you start, you’ll need to have all…
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How to Use Cups to Make Fun Math Activities
Fun Math Activities with Cups There are so many great math activities out there for students. Between Amazon, the Target Dollar Spot, and your local teacher store, it isn’t hard to spend a few hundred bucks on math games and activities for your students. Unfortunately, our teacher salary doesn’t exactly give us the flexibility to drop that kind of cash…so, finding budget-friendly solutions for fun math activities is important! Fortunately, there are many activities you can make yourself for a fraction of the cost of a store-bought equivalent! I call these “math DIYs.” Previously, I shared some activities that you can make out of paper plates. Today, I want to…
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How to Engage Your Students Using Math Games with Dominoes
Math Games with Dominoes If you’ve been around for awhile, then you know how much I love easy, low-prep math games. Games are incredibly engaging for our students, but it can be a pain to have to gather materials for them sometimes. That’s why I’m a huge fan of games that use normal, everyday supplies – like dominoes! Today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite math games with dominoes. These games are all incredibly simple, yet meaningful for students and only require a set of dominoes, plus maybe a sheet of paper or whiteboard to write on. You can use these games as a center or…
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5 of the Best Activities for Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping
Activities for Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping Pop quiz! What is the bane of a 2nd grade math teacher’s existence? If you said addition and subtraction with regrouping, you win! All jokes aside, addition and subtraction is one of the major focuses of 2nd grade math – and for good reason! In most states, students only learn addition and subtraction through 20 in 1st grade. By the time they reach 3rd grade, the focus shifts to multiplication and division, and addition and subtraction is only barely touched on. They are already expected to know it. In other words, students basically have one year to not only learn but master addition…
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This is the Best End of Year Activity for Your Classroom
My Favorite End of Year Activity The end of the school year can be hard, especially if you still have a few weeks left after finishing your content instruction for the year. On the one hand, we want to leave our students with pleasant memories of our final days together. On the other hand, we still want our time together to be meaningful and structured. How can we as teachers facilitate both of these things in such a crazy and stressful time? Well, I have the perfect end of year activity for you to try. An Easy End of Year Activity Two years ago, I was in this exact situation.…
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A Fun Easter STEM Activity That Will Challenge Your Students
Easter STEM Activity Easter is just around the corner! Are you looking for some fun Easter activities to do with your students in the classroom? If so, this easy Easter STEM activity perfect for you. It’s low-prep and inexpensive – all you need is some plastic Easter eggs and about 15 minutes. The best part? It’s challenging! Not only does this activity get students thinking creatively, it also teaches teamwork and patience. Keep reading for more details on how to implement this Easter STEM activity! Easy Easter STEM Challenge The goal of this Easter STEM challenge is simple: build the tallest Easter egg tower. Students will carefully stack Easter egg…
