This month’s playful learning checklist is a must-grab because it’s packed with fun ways to learn and play with as the weather gets warmer! Have a picnic, work on patterns outside and so much more! Snag your checklist and then hop over and grab our bundle of best-selling Pre-K centers in our shop! Just like…
These 18 math and literacy centers will save you planning time and keep you inspired all month long! The mega pack includes motivating ways to practice sight words, phonics, writing, shapes, telling time… even graphing!
It’s perfect for kindergarten and first grade. Just hit print!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
LITERACY CENTERS
–> 2 versions of Pineapple Match Up: CVC words and vowel team words
–> 2 versions of Surf Sort: CVC words and CVCe words
–> EDITABLE Sight Word Board Game
–> EDITABLE Sight Word I Have, Who Has
–> EDITABLE Sight Word Pocket Chart Game
–> EDITABLE Write the Room
–> EDITABLE Color by Sight Word Sheets
–> 3 Story Starters + Word Cards
MATH CENTERS
The set also includes math activities teaching critical skills including place value, telling time, 2D and 3D Shapes, graphing, tallying and number bonds.
–> 2 versions of the Spin & Graph Game: 2D and 3D shapes
–> 4 versions of Summer Time Game: time to the nearest hour, half hour, quarter hour and 5-minute interval
–> 3 versions of Odd and Even Sort: 1-20, 1-50 and 1-120
–> 2 versions of Addition Puzzles: adding to 12 and adding to 20
–> 2 version of Subtraction Write and Wipe Cards: Subtracting from 10 and 20
THAT’S 18 MAY MATH AND LITERACY CENTERS IN ALL!
Have you ever wondered whether your child’s smarts are signs of giftedness? The National Association for Gifted Children reports that more than 3 million children in the United States are in fact gifted – demonstrating an ability to reason or learn in the top 10% or rarer of children in their age group. Scroll below to find the 25…
There’s nothing like a good book study to help things really click – you hear takeaways from other teachers that you may have missed when you were reading, you get answers to lingering questions, and can collaborate on ways to implement it all. And since my book, “The Science of Reading in Action”, gives you…
Are you curious if your curriculum is science of reading aligned so you can ensure your students are receiving the best reading instruction possible? If so, this list is for you. The Science of Reading is a research-based approach that continues gaining traction because of its effectiveness in teaching children to read. It emphasizes phonemic…
Excellence-driven Pre-K, Kindergarten, & First Grade Teachers Your search for ALL the training & tools for playful Science of Reading instruction stops here. Ready to fill your teacher bag with everything you need to help EVERY student learn to read? HAVE YOU BEEN… Left to fend for yourself? And border-line panicking over the growing complexity…
So you’re interested in teaching first grade? Good for you! It’s a crucial time to help students build a strong foundation that will help prepare them for their future academic and career endeavors. Beyond a strong dedication to each student’s success, here are some soft skills and practical matters that you’ll need to consider. For…
[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″] “Best” is often a subjective term. A better phrase might be “What are the best teaching tools for my kid(s)? Since we all learn in different ways, what works the best for one might…
The changing from season to season is a great way to teach students about the passage of time. These activities can provide kids in preschool, kindergarten and first grade helpful ways to explore the whole year. Whether you’re looking for apples, leaves and pumpkin centers in the fall or snow, penguin and hot cocoa themed…
Do you have any students who know ALL of the letter sounds but, when it comes time to blend those sounds together to read a word, they STILL struggle? This will help! A lot of times readers just need to practice something called phonemic awareness. Luckily, this playful pop it center is a super fun…
We love sight word games and these printable sight word targets rank at the top of our must-try list. Kids love aiming, hitting, reading and writing their word lists. The activity is great to use as a literacy center, word work practice or homeschool activity. Grab your free copy below and, if you need an editable version…
Brag tags are a simple tool for recognizing superstar student behavior, motivating reluctant learners and improving classroom management. Kids will love the kudos and you’ll love the easy prep! Grab the printable below and then hop over to become a VIP Plato Pack member so you can get all of the tools, strategies and support you need…
These free fall writing pages are a festive addition to a writing center or Writer’s Workshop. The fun story prompts and autumn colors are just the trick to make writing exciting for kids. Looking for more writing inspiration? Grab our Writing Center Starter Kit! Getting Ready To prep, I simply printed out all five prompts – making…
There are few things better than settling in with your students to read a good book. The miraculous way it calms kids down after recess…Their smiles and laughter…The “one more, pleeeeease.” It’s pure magic. And while kids are locked into a good story, it’s a great opportunity to build their reading comprehension so they learn…
Close reading differs from regular reading by intentionally looking more closely at text in order to fully understand the content and meaning. These close reading activity cards are perfect for Grade 1 and Grade 2 children – the texts are short to help keep concentration high! And for more reading fun, check out our effective Reading…
Picture sorting is a simple and engaging way for children to learn about short vowel sounds in consonant-vowel-consonant words like cat, bed, top and cut. When they say the name of pictures out loud, children can stretch the sounds out S-L-O-W-L-Y, isolating the middle sound in the CVC words. Find more preschool activities with our…
The Fourth of July is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to learn facts and introduce vocabulary words that go along with it with a fun scavenger hunt! Hang your American flag high, pull out your red, white and blue decorations, and scroll down to celebrate America’s birthday with this free Fourth…
Fourth of July Writing Activity by The Simplified Classroom for Playdough to Plato Engaging kids in meaningful writing activities that expand their vocabulary can be a bit of a challenge during the summer months, but this Fourth of July Writing Activity does just that! And speaking of writing, check out our Writing Center Starter Kit…
Ready to add a little seasonal fun way to your literacy centers? This adorable CVC pumpkin patch activity is the perfect way for students to learn and practice short vowel sounds. Scroll below to grab your freebie and then make sure to hop over and snag our Pumpkin CVC Puzzles for even more fall fun! Then,…
Pattern blocks are a motivating, hands-on way to teach kids about shapes, patterns, measurement…. even fractions! These playful roll and cover pattern block mats add three more math skills to the list: counting, number recognition and addition. If you’re into this “sneak peak” of these pattern block mats, head to our store to purchase the whole set…
This amazing-smelling green apple playdough recipe uses only two ingredients and makes a soft, stretchy, silky dough your kids will love. The no-cook playdough recipe is great for kids to make from beginning to end – no measuring, no boiling water, no messy clean up. When you’re done, grab our playdough mats to have fun…
If you’re looking for a motivating, visual way to teach kids how to read and write blends like BL-, FR- and SM-, you’ll love these free ice cream puzzles. They’re great to use as literacy centers, guided reading activities or homeschool practice. You’ll love the low prep set up and kids will love the sweet theme:…
Looking for a fun way to teach kids about compound words?! These picture-only compound word puzzles are a memorable way to show how two words can be combined to make a brand new word. They’re great to use as a whole class lesson, guided reading activity, literacy center or homeschool game. Snag your set below…
My kids love dice games! Something about not knowing what they will roll is always so exciting. Since our Roll and Color 2D Shape Game was such a hit, I decided to follow up with a 3D roll and color shapes version that would help them recognize and name three dimensional shapes too! The printable…
With fall in the air, it will soon be a great time to visit a pumpkin patch and enjoy some super fun pumpkin learning activities. These pumpkin CVC puzzles are the perfect hands-on game for beginning readers and will make a fun addition to literacy centers! Snag your free activities below and then hop over and grab our…
Learning to read is so exciting and, once kids build up confidence with their CVC words, they may be ready to tackle those “Magic E” long vowel words. These Shamrock magic e puzzles are great to add to your St. Patrick’s day themed learning activities if your kids are ready for some “Magic E” fun!…
Clip cards are a quick and easy way for kids to practice reading skills. That’s one of the reasons we love them so much! Rhyming, alphabet letters, blends, digraphs… you name it, we’ve clipped it! These CVC clip cards are a motivating way to help students identify middle vowel sounds. They are a perfect addition to…
There are so many fun ways to teach kids about digraphs (two letters that make just one sound such as SH, CH and TH). Whether you’re looking for an easy literacy center, morning work activity, or small group game, these digraph clip cards are sure to do the trick! Grab your set (below) and then…
I’m super excited to pass along a brand new freebie your kids will love: diphthong puzzles! Use the set as a literacy center or word work station focusing on those tricky diphthongs including -AU, -AW, -EW, -OI, -OO and -OU. Scroll below to grab your freebie and then hop over and snag our fun-filled Editable…
Marshmallow geometry is a fun way to teach the names and characteristics of 2D shapes including triangles, rectangles and squares. Kids love having the chance to build 2D shapes with food and grown ups love watching children practice important math skills. It’s a win-win! For a printable version of this activity, hop over and grab our popular…
If you’re teaching kids about diphthong (two letters that make one sound like OI in the word “coin”), these free clip cards are a must-try literacy center or word work station. They’re easy to prep and fun to play! For more word work, check out our Editable Word Work Games in our shop! Getting Ready…
Place value is a tricky concept for most kids, so I have been pulling together lots of hands-on place value activities, including this super fun place value game, to make all of that hard work fun for my five year-old. Just like the Place Value Concentration game, this freebie is a motivating way to help…
Looking for a simple way to keep kids writing this summer?! Whether you’re a parent hoping to battle summer slide or you’re a teacher who wants to keep kids learning over the break, our free summer journals are the perfect solution. Grab your copy below! Then, for more writing fun, snag our Writing Center Starter…
As much as we may hope that our children will always love reading, the reality is that many kids need a little encouragement. So… how can we motivate reluctant readers? Try these four easy tips and then request an invite to my 4 week course, The Reading Roadmap, so you can get the proven, ready-to-deploy…
rab I’ve heard that good things happen in threes and that is definitely true of this three-part busy bag series. Boy Mama Teacher Mama and I teamed up several weeks ago to give away six printable kindergarten busy bags: 3 that work on literacy skills and 3 that focus on math. So far, we have…
With the summer half over by now, places like Pinterest are flooded with back to school checklists and quizzes to determine if children are ready for kindergarten this fall. Scattered among those checklists and quizzes are questions about pencil grasp development. They all seem to ask, “Does your child have it, or not?” To ensure…
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”]Pencil grasp development in preschoolers is a complex topic. Acquiring the correct pencil grasp is one of the most important physical skills children develop and most of that takes place during the preschool years. Children transition from holding a pencil with a very crude grasp to something that nearly resembles a more advanced,…
Playdough kits: I’m addicted to making them and the kids are addicted to playing with them. For an upcoming family trip to the beach, I decided to surprise the kiddos with an ocean-themed playdough and a bounty of pirate-themed items to play with during the visit. Cranky kids, tired from a long day at the…
At the end of every summer, I find myself in awe of nature once again. Why leaves change color is fascinating on many levels, not the least of which are the glorious colors that radiate from deciduous trees every year. Coloring changing is gorgeous on its own, but at the same time, some cool biochemistry…
At 2 o’clock yesterday, our governor announced that he was closing schools until April 24th. That’s six WEEKS away. ? I’ve heard from so many of you who are in the same boat. As your classroom doors shut unexpectedly, you need an easy way to keep your kids engaged and learning at home. Rather than scrambling to…
This DIY magic E wand is one of my favorite ways to teach kids what happens when a silent E is added to the end of a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) word. It’s a memorable, hands-on activity that helps kids magically transform short vowels into long vowels. Just. Like. That. Snag your set below and then request an…
If you’re teaching kids how to read blends including FL-, BR- and SM-, these free blend clip cards are a must. Use them as a literacy center, word work station, word work activity or homeschool game. The sky’s the limit! When you’re done, hop on over and check out our Inflectional Ending Centers in our shop…
Beat the summer heat with this fun CVC rhyming activity! Kids will love that it’s playful and YOU’LL love that it’s easy to differentiate for a variety of reading levels… These darling CVC flip flops have picture clues AND simple short vowel wods so even early readers can find success. Grab your copy below and…
If you’re teaching kids how to rhyme, these free rhyme clip cards are a helpful addition to any literacy center or word work station. They’re easy to prep and fun to play! These fun cards are the perfect compliment to our Emergent Readers Bundle! Getting Ready To prep, I simply printed the rhyme clip cards…
Have you ever noticed that when -ED is added to the end of a word, it can sound like /ed/, /d/ or even /t/? When we teach -ED, it’s important that we introduce students to all three sounds (and explain the difference!) so they always know how to read and spell them. Learn how to…
If you need a simple way to motivate your students to read at home, this reading BINGO sheet is a must-grab! Kids will have so much fun trying to cross off all of the challenges that they won’t even realize that they’re reading! (I love sneaky learning, don’t you?!) Snag your copy below and then…
This list of 10 ways to help struggling readers is a great one to bookmark or pin so you can quickly find it again! Since every child’s brain is different, every solution can be slightly different too. Having this list handy will make it easier to find a just right solution for ALL of the…
An important first step in teaching kids how to read is figuring out what they already know. This simple reading assessment makes it easy to see the letter names, sounds and sight words students have mastered so that you can determine what to teach next. It’s the perfect jumpstart to our 4 week teacher training…
Did you know that there are two kinds of readers sitting in your classroom right now? It’s true! And if you’ve ever felt unsure about how to help a struggling reader, than you’ll want to stick around, because knowing how to spot each type will help you get bigger, faster teaching results. This is just…
My first graders are obsessed with anything technology related, so they were thrilled when I pulled out these texting templates to work on writing conversations. This texting activity was a fun use of “technology” in the classroom! Then, if you’re ready for a more traditional writing approach, grab our Writing Center Starter Kit in our…
When you think of teaching kids to read, you probably picture alphabet letters, little reader books and sight words…. lots and LOTS of sight words. But the truth is that what happens before you dive into phonics and sight words is key to skyrocketing students’ reading progress later. Let’s dive into the 4 pre-reading skills…
If you’re wondering how to teach reading, you’re in the right spot! This step-by-step guide covers everything from pre-reading skills to phonics, sight words and reading comprehension so that you can take kids from NON-readers to STRONG readers. Check out the step-by-step below and then request an invite to my 4 week course, The Reading…
Just like we’re never 100% sure when kids will take their first step, we also can’t name the time and place when students will read their first word. But there ARE four signs kids are ready read… Dive into the 4 signs below and then request an invite to my 4 week course, The Reading…
Have you ever laid in the grass and gazed into the sky to see big, fluffy clouds? Did you see a hat, or a dinosaur, or maybe a shark in those clouds? This whimsical kids’ art project is a perfect follow up to an afternoon of cloud watching. Or combine literacy with art by reading…
My four year-old and I have been playing games with the letters of his name for quite awhile now. I taught him a silly song to help him learn how to spell it, we’ve built his name with blocks, turned it into a rainbow… the list goes on and on. So I knew he would…
Whether you find mummies creepy or mysterious, you have to admit, they are pretty fascinating. The processes of making a mummy fish is quite simple and with this easy kids’ science experiment, any little mad scientist can try her hand at making a real mummy! Get ready for this fun and unique science experiment! And…
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Learning the alphabet is exciting, but mastering it takes practice… lots and lots of practice. I’m always looking for fun ways to make all of that hard work fun for students and this playful alphabet match up was just the trick! Grab your set below! Ready for more fun preschool centers? Check out our awesome…
I love activities that work on multiple skills at once and these playful cookie clip cards do just that! Counting, number recognition, reading number words, fine motor skills… these cookie count and clip cards are packed with learning. Snag your set below and then hop over and grab our best selling Number Formation Sheets in…
Sight word games are a motivating way to help kids learn how to read and write the most common words in English. This Star Wars-themed twist steps up the cool factor. Kids will love battling Darth Vader as they play along with this active, engaging sight word game. Grab your copy below and then hop…
These rainy day counting clip cards are filled with all things rain: puffy clouds, weatherproof boots and oversized umbrellas. They’re great counting activity to add to any preschool weather unit. Snag your set below and then hop over and grab our best-selling Number Formation Sheets in our shop! Getting Ready To make the cards, I…
Burning money is usually not a good idea. That is, unless you know this trick that lets you set your money ablaze without actually burning it! Our little scientists love demonstrations that have a bit of magic to them and they were eager to see me light my money on fire. Make sure to do…
Learning to identify letters of the alphabet takes a lot of time and practice. Since we always want that learning to be a fun experience for kids, we LOVE adding new games into the mix! This acorn alphabet match was the perfect game! Grab the printable below and then hop over to become a VIP Plato…
Kids love learning about space – planets, moons, rockets – you name it. This print-and-play kids’ bingo game helps little astronauts memorize the names and characteristics of the eight planets in our solar system, plus our favorite satellite in the sky: the moon! Grab your copy below! Ready for even more science fun!? Grab our…
Sound boxes are a great way to build phonemic awareness with new readers because they encourage children to focus on one sound at a time and then blend those sounds together to make a word. Snag your sound boxes below and then grab our Phonological Awareness Warm Ups so you have everything you need to…
When Easter is over, what do you do with those extra plastic eggs? Instead of tucking them back into storage, keep them out for this hands-on word family game! See the surprisingly simple step-by-step below and then request an invite to our 4 week course, The Reading Roadmap, so you can get the proven, ready-to-deploy…
I love kids’ science and spring is the perfect time to learn about plants. My family’s favorite way to watch seeds grow is from our very own plant activity: egg head planters. With a quick trip to the grocery store or your refrigerator, you can create these funny egg heads, too! Follow the simple step-by-step below…
Do you love Easter but loathe the post-egg hunt sugar crash too?! Every year at about this time, I start brainstorming non-candy Easter basket stuffers. I’m all for festive-colored sweet treats (Cadbury Cream eggs are my absolute fave!) but I also like the fun to last. I hope you enjoy my non-candy Easter basket picks…
These free 100th day of school trail mix mats are great to use with big and little kids alike. Just print the free 100th day of school trail mix mats (below), count out the goodies and munch away. They’re the perfect complement to our Playdough Mats in our shop! For preschoolers, they’re a fun way…
This Valentine sight word sort is the perfect addition to your February literacy centers and word work time! Grab your set below and then hop over to snag our popular EDITABLE sight word game, too! Getting Ready To prep this activity, I printed each page on cardstock. Then, I used a paper cutter to quickly…
Want a DIY, taste-safe paint recipe for kids? You’ve come to the right spot! This simple homemade flour paint recipe is surprisingly easy to make and keeps the kids entertained for hours. Plus, as a huge bonus, it’s safe for kids to put in their mouths – making it perfect for even the youngest artists! Snag…
These Valentine counting cards are a perfect math game to add to your Valentine collection and they are great for building fine motor skills too! Grab the freebie below and then snag our Number Formation Sheets in our shop! Getting Ready To prep, I printed a copy of the Valentine counting cards (below) and laminated…
Classroom management is a critical piece of any successful school year. Students must know how to wait their turn, work out conflicts, stay on task – the list goes on. There are so many components teachers need to orchestrate well in order for learning to happen. Get organized then hop over to become a VIP…
Teaching kids to cut with scissors is an important life skill and helps build fine motor strength and hand-eye coordination they’ll need for writing alphabet letters and words later. Paper cutting stations are here to help! Handing over a pair of blades to young kids sounds intimidating, but you’ve come to the right spot! Find out…
Kids love rainbows (and I do too!) so I couldn’t wait to create a set of colorful rainbow puzzles that would give new readers plenty of practice matching alphabet letters with their beginning sounds. These beginning sound rainbows are perfect to use as a literacy center, guided reading activity… even a St. Patrick’s Day game! …
Our snowball digraph puzzles are a fun, hands-on winter literacy center or word work activity. Just match the digraph to a word that starts with it. No snowsuit required! Snag your activity and then hop over and snag our Vowel Team Centers for more practice with words! Getting Ready To prep, I printed the digraph puzzles…
You won’t believe how easy it is to whip up this hot ice science experiment! Just like all of our favorite science projects for kids, you just need a few simple supplies from your pantry: vinegar, baking soda and water. The prep is quick and simple but the results are pure magic! Your kids are…
Mixing up a batch of this sparkly reindeer toothpaste is sure to get any little scientist excited about chemistry. This is a pepperminty holiday twist on the popular Elephant Toothpaste demonstration. With just a few ingredients, the results are amazing! Grab 30 easy-to-follow science experiments kids will beg to repeat (plus a no prep science…
These gumdrop counting cards are a festive and fun way to help preschoolers and kindergarteners work on the numbers 1 to 10 this holiday season. Snag your activity and then hop over and grab our Number Formation Pack for more math fun! We typically don’t eat a lot of candy, but who can resist getting…
Need a ready-for-anything kids’ craft supplies box? Throw these 30 must-have supplies in a large plastic tub and you’ll have everything you need in one spot. And, for a little project inspiration, check out some of my favorite kids’ craft finds from across the internet. Enjoy! This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Pipe Cleaners – Wondering how…
Flexible seating has become all the rage in elementary school classrooms. Rather than confining kids to traditional tables and chairs, teachers are giving students lots of different seating options so that children can take control of their learning and find a classroom work space that feels best to them. Get inspired by this flexible seating roundup of our…
This playful Christmas vowel sort is a playful way to review long and short vowels! Helping students HEAR the difference between long and short vowels will help them SPELL the difference later. Snag your activity and then hop over and grab our awesome Vowel Team Centers in our shop! Getting Ready To prep, I printed…
This printable Christmas tree number match up is a fun, low prep way to work on number recognition, subitizing, counting, ten frames, and twenty frames with Pre-K and Kindergarten students this winter! Snag your activity and then hop over and grab our Number Formation Pack in our shop! Getting Ready To prep this number match…
This glow in the dark playdough recipe is guaranteed to make playtime exciting! And the best part is that you only need to add ONE simple ingredient to our super squishy playdough recipe to make the magic happen. Whip up your batch below and then continue the squishy, hands-on fun with our done-for-you playdough mats! Snag…
Ready to jump into our 4th week of distance learning? Just like last week, I’m excited to give you just-right activities for your students to complete at home so that they hit the ground running when school starts back up again.
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 5 print-and-play activities practicing R influenced words, diphthongs, silent consonant pairs, sight words (it’s EDITABLE!), 3-dimensional shapes, graphing, place value to 1,000, skip counting by 10s and 100s, plus beginning fractions.
If your pre-K is moving to distance learning because of the coronavirus, this pack is for you! Rather than scrambling to pull together just-right activities for your students each week, I’m excited to give you a simple solution: a pack of 10 Pre-K distance learning checklists for you to send out to students each week….
Just like last week, I’m excited to give you just-right activities for your students to complete at home so that they hit the ground running when school starts back up again.
By popular request, I added a sheet of reading comprehension questions parents can use during read-alouds PLUS an engaging science experiment kids can complete using just a Ziploc bag, a couple drops of food coloring and a Sharpie!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 4 print-and-play activities practicing vowel teams and R influenced words, sight words, adding together equal sized groups to get ready for multiplication, beginning fractions, and problem solving.
–> 1 sheet of reading comprehension questions parents can print off and use during read alouds.
–> 1 easy-to-follow science experiment teaching kids about the water cycle.
Just like last week, I’m excited to give you just-right activities for your students to complete at home so that they hit the ground running when school starts back up again.
By popular request, I added an editable sight word game this week so you can have kids practice any words under the sun!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 5 print-and-play activities families can print off at home. This week works on vowel teams and R influenced words, sight words, 3-dimensional shapes, addition and subtraction within 20, adding together equal sized groups to get ready for multiplication, coin values, and adding to 100.
I’ve heard from so many second grade teachers like you whose schools are closing indefinitely because of the coronavirus and they need an easy way to keep kids engaged and learning at home.
Rather than scrambling to pull together just-right activities for your students each week, I’m excited to give you a simple solution: a pack of school at home activities your students can complete on their own.
And since we know that some families won’t have access to printers, I made sure to include plenty of printable-free learning options so that every child can participate.
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 5 print-and-play activities families can print off at home. This week works on blends and diphthongs, sight words, addition and subtraction within 20, telling time to the quarter hour, and comparing numbers to 200.
Just like last week, I’m excited to give you just-right activities for your students to complete at home so that they hit the ground running when school starts back up again.
By popular request, I added a sheet of reading comprehension questions parents can use during read alouds PLUS an engaging science experiment kids can complete using just a Ziploc bag, a couple drops of food coloring and a Sharpie!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 4 print-and-play activities practicing CVC words and vowel teams, sight words, adding to 12, adding together equal sized groups to get ready for multiplication, 3-dimensional shapes, and problem solving.
–> 1 sheet of reading comprehension questions parents can print off and use during read alouds.
–> 1 easy-to-follow science experiment teaching kids about the water cycle.
Just like last week, I’m excited to give you just-right activities for your students to complete at home so that they hit the ground running when school starts back up again.
By popular request, I added an editable sight word game this week so you can have kids practice any words under the sun!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 6 print-and-play activities families can print off at home. This week works on CVC words and CVCe words, sight words, addition to 20, subtraction within 20, patterns, units of time and weather.
I’ve heard from so many first grade teachers like you whose schools are closing indefinitely because of the coronavirus and they need an easy way to keep kids engaged and learning at home.
Rather than scrambling to pull together just-right activities for your students each week, I’m excited to give you a simple solution: a pack of school at home activities your students can complete on their own.
And since we know that some families won’t have access to printers, I made sure to include plenty of printable-free learning options so that every child can participate.
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 5 print-and-play activities families can print off at home. This week works on digraphs and blends, sight words, addition and subtraction within 10, addition and subtraction within 20, 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes, and telling time to the quarter hour.
Just like last week, I’m excited to give you just-right activities for your students to complete at home so that they hit the ground running when school starts back up again.
By popular request, I added a sheet of reading comprehension questions parents can use during read alouds PLUS an engaging science experiment kids can complete using just a Ziploc bag, a couple drops of food coloring and a Sharpie!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND…
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 4 print-and-play activities practicing letter sounds and CVC words, sight words, adding to 12, doubling + 1 and two-dimensional shapes.
–> 1 sheet of reading comprehension questions parents can print off and use during read alouds.
–> 1 easy-to-follow science experiment teaching kids about the water cycle.
Just like last week, I’m excited to give you just-right activities for your students to complete at home so that they hit the ground running when school starts back up again.
By popular request, I added an editable sight word game this week so you can have kids practice any words under the sun!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND…
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 6 print-and-play activities families can print off at home. This week works on beginning letter sounds and CVC words, sight words, addition to 10, subtraction within 10, patterns, units of time and weather.
I’ve heard from so many kindergarten teachers like you whose schools are closing indefinitely because of the coronavirus and they need an easy way to keep kids engaged and learning at home.
Rather than scrambling to pull together just-right activities for your students each week, I’m excited to give you a simple solution: a pack of school at home activities your students can complete on their own.
And since we know that some families won’t have access to printers, I made sure to include plenty of printable-free learning options so that every child can participate.
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> A teacher letter you can copy and paste in an email to quickly explain your plan to families.
–> A weekly checklist giving kids 25 simple (and fun!) ways to stay engaged and learning.
–> 5 print-and-play activities families can print off at home. This week works on beginning letter and digraph sounds, sight words, addition to 10, subtraction within 10, 2-dimensional shapes, 3-dimensional shapes and fine motor skills.
Graphs of the week are a valuable way to teach students how to create, read and analyze graphs.
This mega bundle provides 5 pocket chart graphs for each month so kids can practice data analysis all year long.
They’re great to use as morning work or quick whole group lessons!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> EDITABLE student cards that make it easy to print personalized pocket chart cards for every child in class.
–> 5 pocket chart graphs for each month.
–> 5 follow up record sheets for each month.
These 18 editable holiday sight word board games are a huge time and money saver! Type your unique word list once and the words pop into the right spot on every single game.
Use it with any word list under the sun: sight words, word families, themed holiday words, classmates’ names… the sky’s the limit! Kids love that they’re fun – grown ups love that they’re ready to play!
Whether you’re in need of ready to go word work activities, literacy centers or fun spelling practice , this pack has you covered.
The games make practice reading, spelling and writing words so motivating.
EASIEST PREP EVER
The sight word game boards couldn’t get any simpler to prep. Just print the activity you want kids to work on, grab one or two school supplies like playing pieces and dice, and you’re all set. Easy peasy!
EASILY DIFFERENTIATE WORD LISTS
The sight word board games are incredibly easy to differentiate so you can give kids at different reading levels “just right” practice. Type in your word list for your first level of readers, and print the activity you want your kids to play.
Hop back to the word list and swap out the words for your next level of readers. The new words will automatically load into the correct spot on all of the activities.
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND
The 18 editable sight word board games are guaranteed fun for kids!
The pack includes ready to play board games and coordinating follow up record sheets for tons of holidays:
–> New Year’s Dash
–> President’s Day Run
–> Groundhog Scoot
–> Valentine’s Day Zip
–> Leprechaun Scramble
–> Easter Hustle
–> Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
–> July 4th Hustle
–> Columbus Day Race
–> Halloween Dart
–> Veterans Day Bustle
–> Thanksgiving Charge
–> Hanukkah Sprint
–> Santa Scurry
PLUS 4 BONUS SEASONAL GAMES
–> Spring Scramble
–> Summer Splash
–> Fall Shuffle
–> Winter Surge
We love helping make your life easier! Check out the answers to our most common questions below. Don’t see what you need? Send our team an email at hello@www.playdoughtoplato.com.
Do you spend countless hours hunting down “good fit” word work activities and literacy centers for each of your reading groups? Word work is an amazing way to take students’ reading to the next level because it gives kids a chance to play with words – breaking them apart, putting them back together, reading and writing them, sorting…
Star Wars has been a beloved franchise since it first came out in the 1970s. Since then, it has become a cult icon – making it the perfect theme for creating motivating kids’ STEM activities. These Star Wars STEM activities include 25 must-try science, technology, engineering, and math activities for kids. They encourage critical, creative thinking…
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Such an easy way to add some hands-on, super cool science to your home or classroom!
Back to school season is here and these top notch ideas for teachers are sure to make it the best one yet. Check out our huge collection of free teaching printables, community building activities, games, bulletin boards, and even a few end of the first day gifts students will love. Get inspired and then over to…
Taking my three young kids clothing shopping rarely has a good result. I almost always end up buying something that doesn’t fit or doesn’t match my style or is just plain hideous because I was rushing to get out of the changing room before my toddler crawled into the stall next door to say “hello”. Thankfully,…
If you’re looking for motivating bug and butterfly activities for Pre-K or kindergarten, this set is for you!
The bug and butterfly set includes plenty of variety so that you can easily differentiate for different learners. Work on alphabet letters, word families, sight words, counting, adding, life cycles and so much more!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
–> Rainbow butterflies practicing upper and lowercase pairs
–> Alphabet puzzles working on letter sounds
–> 2 EDITABLE sight word games
–> Rhyming clip cards
–> Word family clip cards and writing activity
–> 0-20 counting clip cards
–> Ten frame coloring sheets
–> Roll and cover pattern block mats practicing counting and adding
–> Ladybug addition sheets
–> Butterfly life cycle hats
–> Butterfly life cycle posters
–> Ladybug life cycle wheels
–> Ladybug life cycle posters
–> 4 story starters
Rhyming is an important step toward reading because it teaches kids to recognize patterns in words – a skill they’ll use when they learn spelling patterns later. Just like the activities included in our rhyming pack, these rhyming picture mats are a fun, hands-on way to help build rhyming confidence and skills in no time….
When kids learn how to break words into syllables, they take a big step toward reading. Your kids are sure to love learning syllables with these cookie jar syllable sorts! Snag your set below and then request an invite to our 4 week course, The Reading Roadmap, so you can get the proven, ready-to-deploy system for…
High energy students. You’ve known a few in your time. You’ve taught a few. You’re the parent to a few. It takes energy just to keep up with these kids, let alone to teach them. And with the pressures of standardized testing, with kindergarten being the new first grade, teaching high energy students can be…
If you’re teaching kids how to identify beginning sounds, these board games are a fun way for them to show you what they know! Use them as literacy centers, small group activities or homeschool games. For more preschool learning, try our Ultimate Preschool Activity Pack where you can get all of our pre-K centers in…
You’ve confidently decided to do preschool at home, and now that you’re a few weeks or months into it, you realize that homeschooling preschool may not be exactly what you were imagining. That’s ok! Having been there a few times myself, I’m excited to offer some tips to help smooth out those kinks and help you troubleshoot your…
Gobble, gobble! Get into the Thanksgiving spirit with a math and literacy pack that’s perfect for preschool and kindergarten.
The 16 motivating math and literacy activities include ABC games, counting activities, sight word games, little reader books, graphing sheets, rhyming clip cards and more.
Check out all the fun details below!
INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:
LITERACY
–> Rhyming Clip Cards. Build rhyming skills.
–> Handwriting Pages. Practice letter formation and letter sounds.
–> Alphabet Dab. Work on letter recognition and upper-lowercase pairs.
–> Mayflower Race. Race around the game board reading and writing sight words!
–> Roll and Write. Roll the die and write the word that matches.
–> 5 Story Starters. Get kids writing with fun story prompts.
–> Little Reader Books. Practice early reading skills with two emergent readers: Five Little Turkeys and I Love My Family.
MATH
–> 1 to 20 Clip Cards. A fun counting, number recognition and fine motor activity in one.
–> Ten Frame Dab. Practice the numbers 1 to 20 with a playful ten frame game.
–> Color by Ten Frame. A motivating way to build number concept.
–> Feather Patterns. Practice AB, AAB, ABB, ABC and AABB patterns with a Thanksgiving twist.
–> Cut and Paste Patterns. Find the missing Thanksgiving picture!
–> Roll and Graph. Roll the dice, add the dots together and graph the matching number.
–> Adding to Ten. How many more wishbones do you need to make ten?
–> Subtracting Sheets. Roll the die and take away that many pies. How many are left?
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My 3 year-old obsessively collects and now that fall is around the corner our house is overflowing with pinecones. On one of our recent neighborhood walks in the rain, my kiddos noticed the once open pinecones were closed. This lead to this simple pine cone science activity to see just what makes cones open and close….
Block play is a huge deal at my house. My kids adore building with blocks and I love their enthusiasm because blocks are so open-ended and grow with children, not to mention they are an excellent toy that encourages fine motor development. Scroll below to find the different stages of block play, and then hop…
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Looking for some easy ways to keep your family organized? Scotch® Brand and I are excited to pass along everything you need for a #MakeAmazing family command center. Whether you’re a Type A or Type Z, you’re sure to find something to take your organization to the next level. With just a little bit of prep, you can create a…
These 10 teacher quotes are so inspiring, motivating and heart tugging, it’s hard to pick a favorite. The teacher quotes hold true whether you teach kids who are young or old, at school or at home. Snag your set then hop over to become a VIP Plato Pack member so you can get all of the tools, strategies…
I was so impressed when my four year old hopped into the car after preschool and counted from 1 to 100 completely by himself. I may have even patted myself on the back for a minute…. until I realized that he could recite his numbers but he most definitely could not recognize his numbers {past…
Dice games are a quick, screen free way to entertain kids when you’re at home or on the go. These four must-try dice games are my family’s favorites. They’re easy to learn, fun to play, and {as a HUGE bonus} teach kids important math skills too. Gotta’ love that! For more fun math activities, grab our…
The 1 to 10 trick is one of my most effective positive parenting, marriage, and friendship tools. I discovered it while wandering around Europe 10 years ago with my husband looking for a bathroom. In our traveling, we realized we had to speak up early and clearly about our needs. We had to understand each other. Words and body…
Absolutely everything you need to teach kids how to read in one spot. So easy for grown ups and motivating for kids!
If your students are working on those tricky Magic E words, this Bingo game is a MUST! Helping kids master CVCe words takes most kids lots of practice so why not make all of that hard work fun? Scroll below to grab your freebie and then make sure to hop over and snag our Vowel Team…
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one of my all-time favorite children’s books. My boys are big fans too, so I was excited to pull together a motivating Very Hungry Caterpillar sight word game that would make reading practice super fun. It’s the perfect addition to our best-selling Editable Sight Word Games! This post contains an Amazon affiliate…
Rhymes for kids are big in our family. Rhyming helps my boys notice patterns in the way words sound – an important pre-reading skill – and, as a BIG bonus, they’re one of the easiest ways to keep them entertained when we’re waiting in doctors’ offices, at restaurants, etc. One of our favorite rhymes for kids is this…
Summer is finally here! But that doesn’t mean that the learning has to stop. With this learning checklist, you can go on a bear hunt, put together a wish list for summer fun, learn about colors and more. Add a dash of sunshine and you’ll be all set for a month of fun! Snag your…
Whenever I asked my kindergarten or second grade students to name their favorite part of the day, “recess” always seemed to be #1 on their list. They loved playing, talking and moving with their friends. So it’s no surprise that their favorite reading activity was usually “Read Around the Room”- an activity your family will…
Looking for a fun, hands-on way to teach kids how to break words into syllables?! In this activity, children tap their hand, then elbow and shoulder as they break a word into parts – an important skill that helps them get ready for reading later. The game is particularly effective because children are using different parts of…
If we can’t globe trot in real life, why not take a trip around the world in the comfort of our own home?! No bags to pack. No jet lag to overcome. These kid-friendly fiction and nonfiction titles introduce kids to the world beyond their borders. And speaking of reading, request an invite to our 4 week…
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Looking for a fun way to practice word families?! This is one of our all time favorites! Children have a blast sounding out and writing words as they count down from 10 to Takeoff. Word Rocket is the perfect complement to our Editable Word Work Games where you can practice any words under the sun!…
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