Summer MUST HAVES

Pool Noodle Bat

Sidewalk chalk ABC's

Looking for ways to keep the kids busy....  As a parent, it is always a challenge to finds ways to keep the kids active and having fun, while stimulating their brains.  Here is a list of must-haves this Summer and the best part is that the materials can be found at your local Dollar Tree store!  (The following activities can be modified to meet the academic needs or level of your kids. They focus on fine and gross motor skills as well as basic math and phonemic awareness.).

#1 Sidewalk Chalk:  Besides just drawing there are lots of ways to use chalk.  Create an extra large race track to run, hop, or ride bikes.

Try drawing shapes, letters or numbers.  Have kids line up, call out a letter, number, or shape and kids race to find and stand on the correct spot.  Try throwing a beanbag to their target letter or number. Write the ABC’s in random order on the ground and have the kids go on a beginning sound hunt by finding things in the yard that begin with that letter sound.

#2.  Paint Brushes and a Bucket of Water:  Paint shapes, letters, numbers, or sight words on the ground with water and watch them disappear!

#3.  Spray Bottles:  I am not a fan of water guns, and have found that spray bottles work great!  They are easy to refill and hold a lot more water.  Try having target practice with letters or numbers.  Using Post-It notes or chalk, write letters or numbers and place on the garage door or fence.  Call out a letter/number and have the kids spray/hit it.

#4.  Pool Noodles:  They are not just used for the pool anymore.  Cut them in half and turn them into a bat or sword.  It is fun to use them to “ninja” pop the bubbles or hang a ball from a string on a tree branch and hit the ball with the noodle.

#5. Beach Ball:  I turn my beach ball into an “Alpha-Ball”.  Using a permanent pen, write the letters of the alphabet on the ball.  Roll, toss or bounce the ball to a friend.  When you catch the ball, call out the letter where your thumb lands.  You can create different balls using sight words, numbers, addition or multiplication problems,  etc…

I hope this list gives you some new ideas to get your kids active and having fun this Summer!  My 18 month old on up to our 12 year old neighbor enjoy these outdoor activities.

Classroom Theme and Community

I always love kicking off my school year with a theme that I can unite all my students.

Here are a few of my themes I have used in the past.

Each year my school chooses a semester theme that each grade level explores and investigates.  Last Fall is was COMMUNICATION.  I chose to start the year talking about how bees communicate and used this theme throughout the semester.  I kept the bee hive up all year and had a "cell"/hexagon for each student in my class with their name and hand print.  The bees were made in groups of 2-3 students.  They picked their own materials and created their own bees.

The previous year the Fall semester theme was WATER.  I started the year reading Rainbow Fish and talked about how we are all unique and special!  I kept up the large Rainbow Fish up all year with student names on each scale.

This year coming year our theme will be MUSIC.  I am thinking I will have to start the year with Pete the Cat and his groovy new shoes....stay tuned!

Alphabet Toss

A fun way to review the letters of the alphabet...toss letter bean bags into a bin once you have named the letter Or letter sound.   We counted bean bags that landed inside and outside the container.  Our goal was to keep going until all the bean bags landed inside.

Alphabet Toss and Determination