Fun Friday in the classroom is a great way to celebrate the week of hard work! Find 6 tips and free resources for having your own Fun Friday!
Amazing classroom decoration ideas including how to add a class fireplace, a beautiful teacher space, a classroom fridge and more!
Time to inspire and motivate your students with these 4 fun bulletin board ideas that are perfect for schools, classrooms, or libraries!
This list of classroom storage ideas and hacks for teachers could be just what you need to help you feel more organized. The Teach Starter teacher team is here to help you save you the time it takes to set up your classroom before students arrive for the first day of school with some simple, cheap and clever storage ideas for the classroom.
Discover new classroom ideas for classroom management, decor, organization, storage, desk layouts, fun ideas and more!
A collection of fun and educational shape activities for preschoolers to develop their early understanding of geometry.
Brain breaks are a great classroom management tool to use regularly in your classroom. Brain breaks are short, 1 to 2 minute, activities that can…
Spring is a wonderful time of year to enjoy, explore and learn about the natural world, from new growth, buds and blossom of plants to animals nesting and raising young. Here are 30 fun and easy sp…
There are probably tons of apps that will help your kids learn to tell time, but why not skip the screen for this one? For the sake of getting crafty and going back to basics, try one of these time-telling crafts instead. Thankfully, the internet has loads of fun ideas that will make learning to tell time feel more like an art project or a game than homework.
A fun way to get your little ones more comfortable with writing, this Sensory Writing Tray is perfect if you want to familiarise young children with letters and numbers. Kids love this sensory experience so much that they will be begging to do some handwriting practice!
20+ WEATHER theme learning shelf and activities for preschoolers and toddlers. Check out the fun activities here...
These teacher hacks are brilliant ideas for your classroom that'll make your life so much easier this year. Number nine will change your life!
The ultimate list of classroom management strategies, organized into verbal and non-verbal strategies, parent communication tips,rewards and prizes, games, brain breaks, and visual strategies.
I got this idea from my peer teacher, Nina. It's a great way for students to share about themselves. I think it would be perfect for a first day of school activity. I would start by having the students first write the numbers. Later, once we have learned about multiplication and division, I would have them create the equations. Finally, they can put it all together in time for Open House. It can be easily adapted for the younger grades by using addition and/or subtraction. It can be adapted for older grades with exponents, multi-step problems, and including fractions or decimals. Thanks to my friend Nannette for inspiring me with her sample.
The best ideas in classroom organization including organizing bookshelves, creating a teacher cart, plus create the perfect teacher space!
Share your school values from the moment your students enter the front door.
Try these fun brain break ideas to help active kids stay focused and learn at their best like yoga, Go Noodle, and printable cards.
Games are a tried and true way to engage students. Whether teaching in-person or remotely via a live session like Zoom or Google Meets, teachers know that games, brain breaks, and icebreakers are an awesome way to get students actively involved in learning. With the ever-changing landscape of education, I thought it might be nice to compile some versatile activities that challenge students in really fun ways. Best part? These activities are very low prep and work in a variety of settings. These activities encourage students to listen, solve problems, be creative, and practice critical skills. They're designed to be easy to do with little to no prep. You can easily add one of these games to any lesson as a warm-up, closure, community building activity, or lesson extender. GAMES & ACTIVITIES ⭐How Many? Give students a category and then challenge students to see how many different things they can fit within that classification. At first students will respond with obvious ideas. However, as they brainstorm, their ideas will stretch and their creativity will grow. Students can jot their ideas down on scrap paper and earn points for each unique response when they share out. Here are some categories to get started: occupations, things that are slimy, things that roll, animal noises, articles of clothing ⭐Listen Carefully: Read a short passage out loud to students. Then, have them answer questions based on what they can remember. Make it especially fun by awarding points for every answer that students get right. You can change up this activity by reading two versions of the same story. Mix up some of the details in the second version for students to listen for. Give this activity a try with the passages in this set of FREE Brain Bursts. Add your information below and then check your inbox! ⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟ ⭐Silly Silent Spelling: Practice spelling words in a super silly way. Explain to students that you are going to be giving them a practice spelling test (definitely NOT the real thing). Just like a typical practice test, they'll listen for the word and write it down. However, here's the catch: you're only going to silently mouth the words. Students will need to read your lips to figure out what word they will need to write down. Of course, figuring out a word from a silent cue is not easy. That's what makes this fun. Students will write down some wild guesses as they spell their way through this game. ⭐One Word: Pose a fun question to the class and have them all think of a one-word answer. Then, give every student a chance to share their responses as you call on each of them. Here are some questions to get started: --- If you were a type of dessert, what would you be? --- Where do you feel happiest? --- How would a soccer ball describe its day? --- Where is somewhere that you would like to visit? --- What would be the perfect gift for you? ⭐Mystery Item: This activity is quick and easy to play. To prepare, write 5 or 6 clues about an object. Make the clues gradually increase in their specificity. Then, read the clues to students as they jot down their guesses for the mystery item until you reveal the answer. ⭐Punchline: Start telling a joke to students, and then have them guess the punchline. Find a ton of jokes for kids here. ⭐Strike a Pose: Explain to students that they are going to pretend that they are in a photograph. They will need to imagine that the photo was taken at the height of the event. All they have to do is strike a pose after you give them a situation. For instance, you might say, "haunted house," and then students would freeze in a pose that shows them frightened or terrified. Here are a few situations to try: Dentist Office, Roller Coaster, Last Day of School, Scary Movie, Food Fight, Race ⭐Timed Writing Activities: Engage students with a creative writing prompt. Then, "amp up" the fun factor by adding a timed element. Challenge students to race the clock as they write as much as they can in a fixed time period. Find my favorite prompts here. ⭐And Then...: This is a listening game for the entire class. Students will need to listen to and add to a growing story. You'll start the story with an opener like, "At the zoo, I decided to open the lion's cage, and then..." Next, you'll call on a student to explain what happened next. That student will add one line and the phrase "and then" before selecting another student to add to the story. ⭐Listen and Draw: Students love this activity! To prepare, create a simple illustration filled with shapes and designs. Then, write out the directions for students. Have students complete the activity on a piece of paper. Read each direction to students and challenge them to replicate the illustration you instructed them to draw. (These are included in the exclusive freebie below.) ⭐Class Pet: Pretend that you have a new class pet. Explain to students that they will need to guess the type of animal. Students will need to ask questions and write their guesses on a piece of paper when they think they have figured out the new class pet. ⭐Add the Ending: Engage students as they practice writing and storytelling skills with this activity. First, students will listen to the beginning of a story that you read to them. Then, they'll take over the writing and complete the story. The story starters are a fun way to motivate students to write. ⭐Alien, Tiger, and Cat: Here's an improvisational theatre game that works in the classroom. Explain to students that they can be one of three things: an alien, a cat, or a tiger. If they choose to be an alien, they need to hold their pointer fingers next to their head (like antennae) and say "bleeb, bleeb." To be a cat, they need to rub their wrist along their face (like a cat cleaning itself) and say "meow." Finally, to be a tiger they need to push their hand forward with a claw stance and roar. On your cue, every student will choose and act like an animal. The goal is to get everyone to choose the same animal (which is nearly impossible, but fun to try). ⭐Rapid Recall: Create a list of random words. Then, read the list of words to students. As you read the words, you might have students put their hands on their heads so that you know for sure that they aren't taking notes. Once you've read the words to students once or twice, wait about a minute before letting students write down every word that they remember. (Find ready-made lists in this complete resource.) ⭐Finish the Fact: Share the beginning of a fact with students. Then, challenge them to complete the fact. Have them share their guesses before revealing the complete fact. Find a collection of random facts here. Want a free set of virtual classroom activities designed to be NO PREP and NO COPIES? Just add your name and email below. ⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟⮟ BONUS: Here's one more idea: ⭐Paper Airplanes: Help students practice following directions by challenging them to fold a paper airplane by following your directions. To get started, choose a paper airplane design to have students fold. Then, have students take out a piece of paper. They'll need to listen carefully to each of your directions to make their paper airplane. Wishing you tons of fun in your (virtual) classroom, Mary Beth P.S. Find a TON of ready-made activities HERE.
Need to get kids focused and ready for the day? Set-up a DIY Question of the Day board with a drip pan and a few simple materials. Kids love reading the different questions posted each school day!
The Happy Learners' Club Junior Club is our highly popular kids' activity membership for busy parents with 2 to 5 years old children. *Thank you for your interest in THLC. Doors to THLC is now closed. The next enrollment is happening from 18 to 23 May 2024. **If you have children between 6 to 8...
This time conversions poster will look GREAT on your wall and will help your kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade students learn converting units of time!
Straw Maze Activity
Happy November, teacher friends! I love this season so much in the classroom! You can really feel that the breaks are so close and Christmas is in the air! Sometimes, along with that comes the need for more redirection because students can sense it, too. That's when I pull out a classroom behavior management game to get us back on track. The goal of these games is to take students from being extrinsically motivated to intrinsically motivated. I want them to make the right choice because it's the right thing to do and not just for a prize. How you, as the teacher, approach that makes all the difference and sets the tone. They need a good amount of positive feedback when playing these games for them to be successful, such as, "I noticed how quickly and quietly you transitioned from the carpet to your seat." You can then ask a student to add a game piece to the board. If you have strong routines and a classroom management system in place, I promise that you will see a noticeable difference in the way your classroom runs with my Classroom Management Games. I wanted to make the prizes simple and free, so I always post this list as a reminder for me. I will pick maybe three and have students vote on what they want to work towards. This gives them a goal to strive for. We also go over expectations for the game and the specific ways they can earn a game piece. Each game will focus on a specific behavior. Once we get that behavior or routine down, we move onto a different game. Transitions are something I am always working on, so I made this one, Transitions are as Easy as Pie. When students exhibit a quick, quiet, and smooth transition, they get to add a piece of pie to the game board. Once the pie is built, they earn the reward. Some groups tattle more than others, so it's up to you on whether or not you use this game. The group from this year tattled fairly frequently, so I would have definitely used this game! Students can earn a piece by effectively solving problems amongst themselves. I earn a piece for tic tac toe if someone tattles. Be sure to go over what is a tattle and what needs to be brought to the teacher. Good manners is so important to me. I want my students to display good manners throughout the building and to be models for others. When they get a compliment for having good manners, such as in the cafeteria, they earn a dish for the Thanksgiving table. This game really gets them thinking about how they act inside and outside of the classroom. Your definition of goodness might be different than mine, but for me, I am looking for students showing acts of kindness to other students and to adults at school. When they are caught showing goodness or kindness, they get to add a piece to the BUMP board. If they are exhibiting a less desirable behavior, I get to add a piece. You can bump each other's piece off the board; I don't bump them but they do bump me quite frequently. The goal is to get four in a row. I also let students tell me if someone is kind to them for a piece for the class. The turkey challenge is just a classic game of students vs. teacher. Choose the focus you need for your class, such as raising their hand or being engaged. Students are the turkeys and are trying to earn pieces for their side. If they are not exhibiting the desired behavior, the teacher earns a piece. Whoever has the most at the end of the lesson or day wins. I print each of these games on cardstock and laminate them. I use round Velcro dots from Amazon to attach the pieces to the game board. I display the game at the front of the room, so that students can have that visual of what they are working on and for. You can even ask your students what they think the class needs to work on to give them more ownership over the game. You can find the link to the games HERE or by clicking on any of the photos. An update to the December games is on the way, so be on the lookout for that! Thanks for stopping by!
Students will have fun while learning how to cooperate and communicate.
These teacher hacks are brilliant ideas for your classroom that'll make your life so much easier this year. Number nine will change your life!
Whether you’re a seasoned instructor or just starting your teaching career, classroom decorating can either be loads of fun or the biggest headache. It can...
Students will have fun while learning how to cooperate and communicate.
Bring in the spring with these fun math activities! Your preschooler is going to love learning all about numbers, counting, even addition with these 25 Spring Math Activities For Preschoolers. Let's go! It'll be fun
The BEST end of the year activities for the classroom and teachers. Plan the final days with arts & crafts, themed days, countdowns, gift and party ideas, games and outdoor activities, and more!
Tick-tock, it's time for fun learning! Dive into engaging ways to make teaching time a blast for your students!
These classroom agreements posters are perfect for any grade level and focus on agreed upon norms for students in lieu of rules.
Real-life kindergarten spaces!
I have put together 50+ arts, crafts and activities to do with kids at home. Perfect for summer or even in the middle of a long winter. So many fun craft ideas for kids. I have been slowly putting together a list of arts, crafts and activities to do with kids at home. Some of these could totally be done outside or for a break from the hot days of summer or even during the long days of winter. Either way, so many great and fun options for all sorts of different ages. I have included a few from here on Sisters, What and many others are from some great blogs on the internet. Enjoy! You may also enjoy this roundup: 15+ DIY Pencil Cases and Holders Crafts and Art Projects to do with Kids: Marbleize Rocks and Wood OR Marbleize Jenga Blocks. My kids loved making these with me. Shrink Plastic Art is always a win craft idea. Kaleidoscope Craft: Another great one with kids and you probably have all the supplies. you can never go wrong with homemade Play Dough and this is our favorite recipe. Pineapple String Art or Word String Art would be great for older kids. Drum Musical Craft perfect for music loving kids. Fabric Towel Painting could be done with all sorts of ages. DIY Fabric Covered Notebooks (older kids) Paper Bug Paper Craft for the bug lovers. Water Resist Art Glue Art great for all ages. Dried Flower Face Mask perfect nature craft DIY Pressed flower bookmarks Bath Paints are always a fun idea Edible Chocolate Dirt great for little kids Kindness Rocks Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable Frozen Dinosaur Eggs is a summer favorite here Pencil Wands is so fun to do with older kids How to teach kids embroidery the easy way How to finger knit Wooden toys kids can make Watercolor Craft Wheel Yarn Wrapped Cardboard Letters fun for any kid THese clay beads are fun and easy for older kids to make. Tic Tac Toe Rocks Painted Sticks Nature Craft Bead Wood Chimes STEAM Projects to do with Kids: Kinetic Sand Paper Dragon Puppet Gum Drop Engineering Paper Plate Maze Balloon Hover Craft Project perfect to use old cds Popsicle Catapult Project make with your kids I spy Slime Recipe without Borax Magnetic Tangrams for older or younger kids Sewing Projects to do with Kids Fabric Scrap Bookmarks to teach beginning sewing skills Make these fabric covered Notebooks with kids using simple sewing skills. Fabric Memory Game (this one includes the ABS, but you could do just scrap fabric) Teaching Kids to Sew 5 Weeks of Summer Sewing School Pencil Roll
Discover new classroom ideas for classroom management, decor, organization, storage, desk layouts, fun ideas and more!
The Happy Learners' Club Junior Club is our highly popular kids' activity membership for busy parents with 2 to 5 years old children. *Thank you for your interest in THLC. Doors to THLC is now closed. The next enrollment is happening from 18 to 23 May 2024. **If you have children between 6 to 8...
Light the candles and cut the cake!
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