Quantcast
Channel: Kinder Craze
Viewing all 239 articles
Browse latest View live

Say Hello to the Otto Storage Stool My New Favorite Teacher Chair

0
0

Now that I am finally adjusting to all of my classroom changes this year, I’ve had a chance to rearrange a few things that just haven’t been working for me and fall into a groove that fits our classroom needs.  We are already seven weeks into the school year and it seems crazy that my feet are finally landing firm on the ground, but sometimes that’s just the way it goes. One change that I have absolutely loved was the placement of my Otto Storage Stool beside the classroom calendar as my teacher chair. It’s the perfect seat to tuck into my calendar area, it works great as a flexible seating option, and I adore the benefit of extra storage that it offers.

This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission when someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog. Thank you also for GitaDini for sponsoring this post to spread the word about their Otto Storage Stools. All opinions are my own and I only promote products that I absolutely love. 

otto-storage-4

For years, I’ve used a standard chair next to my calendar area. You may recall the pink chair I used in my rainbow chalkboard classroom. When I changed my classroom decor to Vintage Circus, out went the pink and came a black chair. The chairs were great, but the back of the chairs had a tendency to block materials and information on my classroom whiteboard. As you know, wall space is precious in a classroom. And now that I have a huge Smartboard dominating my magnetic whiteboard, every inch of space that remains in this corner has become completely precious to me.

otto-storage-6

When my Otto Seating Stool arrived this summer, I knew it would be a perfect fit for my classroom. It’s just the right size to tuck into my little calendar corner. The stool itself is made of sturdy polypropylene, and is a great seating option for kids or adults.

otto-storage-7

The price is also fantastic. The stools can be purchased at Target.com for under $30. GitaDini manufacturs Otto Storage Seating in a rainbow of colors, which means that there is a color that’s a great fit for any classroom. Click any image to read more about this wonderful teacher chair.

Now let me tell you my very favorite part about these amazing Otto seats: they are a great classroom storage option! The top of the seat lifts off for easy storage access. I keep mine filled with stuffed animals that I have collected from Kohl’s over the years. It’s nice to have the stuffed animals tucked into a place that’s conveniently hidden away.

otto-storage-2

GitaDini also offers an Otto Storage Stool design with oval cutouts so you can easily see the contents of what’s inside for the same great price as the solid style.

 

otto-storage-3

My initial hope for the Otto storage stools was to put five of them around my guided reading/teacher table and replace my traditional student chairs with the stools. I thought they would look so cute in this corner of my classroom. After constructing my first stool, it was apparent that the stool was a little big for the rest of my kindergarten furniture. Five Otto stools would just barely fit around my guided reading table without any additional space to spare.

They would be a great table seating option for the older grades (3rd grade and up), but weren’t practical to mix in with my kindergarten tables and desks.

otto-storage

 

Otto Storage Stool Assembly

If you can believe it, this handy little stool actually requires some assembly. I was more than a little surprised when my Otto arrived in a tidy, flat little box and I had no idea how the good folks at GitaDini managed to fit an adult-sized stool into such a small box. I opened the shipment to discover simple assembly instructions. It’s not typical assembly project, and it does require a little bit of finesse, but the assembly process should only take 5-10 minutes.

Here’s a quick look at the assembly process for my classroom Otto.

 

Enter to WIN a Pair of Otto Storage Stools

Now that you’ve seen a little bit about my Otto seat, it’s time for you to have a little fun. GitaDini is graciously giving away a pair of Otto Storage Stools to one lucky Kinder Craze reader. You can either keep both seats for yourself, or share the prize with a teacher friend! Use the Rafflecopter below for your chance to WIN.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks so much to GitaDini for sharing the fun. I can’t wait to see how you use the Otto Storage Stool in your classroom!

The post Say Hello to the Otto Storage Stool My New Favorite Teacher Chair appeared first on Kinder Craze.


All Saints Day for Kids Kindergarten Classroom Resources

0
0

With all of the Halloween festivities about to begin, it’s easy for All Saints Day to get lost in the shuffle. But for Catholic School teachers, November 1 is an important day of honoring the Saints. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to find quality, engaging resources about the lives of the Saints that are appropriate for young children. I rounded up some of my favorite resources about the Saints from Amazon and Teachers Pay Teachers that are perfect for Kindergarten. And if you purchase most of the items early this week, they will arrive in time for All Saints Day!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which allows me to continue sharing this type of post with you. I hope you discover your new favorite Catholic resource!

all-saints-day2

Saint Prayer Cards

When I was in 8th grade, my teacher often gave every student in the class a prayer card. Even as an 8th grader, I remember being mesmerized by the images on the cards. We were also given a small photo album from the dollar store and we kept our collection of prayer cards in the photo album. Every student had their prayer card collection in their desk all year long. Now, I realize that it can get very pricey to provide every single student with a collection of prayer cards about the Saints, but it’s very affordable to order just one set of prayer cards and to keep them in the classroom. Place the cards in a small photo album or laminate and place them on a binder ring for students to peruse.

I guarantee your kindergarten students will be mesmerized and it will quickly become a favorite resource in the classroom. This particular set of Holy Cards on Amazon includes 54 prayer cards and sells for $6.19 (plus it’s Prime eligible!)

Saint Prayer Cards - All Saints Day for kids

Shining Light Dolls

What better way to teach young children about the Saints than with small toys that they can actually touch! I discovered Shining Light Dolls last year and fell in love with these simple, child-friendly toys. Each Shining Light Doll comes with a little foldable card with an image of the Saint, a few facts, the Saint’s feast day, and often a prayer or notable story of the Saint.

Saint Nicholas is the Patron Saint of my classroom (each class at my school has a Patron Saint) and I recently ordered Saint Nicholas to help me introduce St. Nicholas to my kindergarteners next week. I also own Saint Nicholas and plan to take him out in March.

St. Nicholas Shining Light Doll - - All Saints Day for kids

Over two dozen Saint figures are available from Shining Light Dolls (including Saint Nicholas ) and they are available on Amazon! Click any of the images to shop.

 

The Saints: A Brother Francis DVD

High quality videos are one of the most difficult resources to find for Catholic educators. I sometimes show movies from the Beginners Bible Video Series, which are a wonderful supplement. But those videos are Protestant, which means they mostly focus on the Old Testament and they don’t mention the Saints at all. I recently discovered the Brother Francis Video Series on Amazon and I am so glad to finally find educational videos for the kindergarten classroom. And this particular video is the perfect way to bring the meaning of All Saints Day to kids.

Brother Francis Saints DVD - - All Saints Day for kids

I just added Brother Francis DVD: The Saints to my Amazon shopping cart yesterday and I can’t wait for it to arrive. I don’t often show movies in my classroom, but this one looks like it will be the perfect supplement to my All Saints Day lesson plan. I know how scary it can be to invest your hard-earned money on classroom resources when you’re not sure what you’ll be getting. Fortunately, Brother Francis posted a preview of the video on YouTube!

Books About The Saints

Of course books are always a great resource for the classroom. I found a few books on Amazon that seem to be high-quality and appropriate for young learners.

Can You Find Saints - All Saints Day for kids

Can You Find Saints?

This book puts a religious spin on the popular Where’s Waldo and I Spy book series. Who says religious books have to be boring? Any time that we can put a faith-filled twist on a classic secular idea is a good thing in my book. If you’re looking for a good way to hook a child on the Saints, Can You Find Saints? is a great way to start!

 

The Saints are Watching Over Me- All Saints Day resources for kids

The Saints Are Watching Over Me

The description for The Saints Are Watching Over Me on Amazon only describes this book by saying “introduces the Tiny Saints in a fun and memorable way” and no preview images for the pages are available, so I had to dig into the reviews to learn more. All of the reviews describe the book as being easy to read and wonderful. They describe simple pictures and rhymes, which sounds great to me. My kindergarten students enjoy the simplest of books because many of them can actually learn to read the words independently. The Saints are Watching Over Me is definitely is going on my Amazon wish list for All Saints Day.

Saints on the Go- All Saints Day resources for kids

Saints on the Go

I love the lighthearted look at the Saints offered by Saints on the Go! The Amazon description reads, “from Saint Joan of Arc on her horse to St. John Paul the Great in the popemobile, the saints have been on the move spreading the news of Christ throughout the centuries!” This book was created in conjunction with Shining Light Dolls and the sweet illustrations of the book are done in the style of the dolls. What a great fit for an early childhood classroom library!

Saint Statues from Little Drops of Water

I also recently discovered Saint statues from Little Drops of Water.  Unlike the vinyl figurines from Shining Light Dolls, these statues are made of hard resin and they are more accurate visual depictions of the Saints. They also offer a different selection of Saints in their online store, including Saint John Paul II. These statues are 3.5″ tall and sell online for $13 each. Unfortunately, they aren’t available on Amazon, so you’ll have to pay shipping as well. I think it will be worth it though – these statues are kid friendly and precious for faith-building.

Saint Cecilia statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Cecilia

St. Nicholas statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Nicholas

Saint Rita statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Rita

Saint John Paul II statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. John Paul II

Saint Philomena statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Philomena

St. Jude statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Jude

TpT Resources about The Saints

Book publishers may not understand a kindergarten teacher’s need for high-quality resources that a young child can easily understand, but other elementary teachers certainly do! I rounded up a few of my favorite resources for teaching about the Saints that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers.

 My First Saints Coloring Book- All Saints Day resources for kids

 My First Saints Coloring Book

The My First Saints Coloring Book is one of the best resources about the Saints that I discovered on TpT. It’s actually created by Little Drops of Water (the same company that makes those beautiful resin statues). Each page in the coloring book features a sweet, simple, and child-friendly image. The resource is priced at $4.95 and it includes 33 coloring pages.

 You can also purchase individual coloring pages from Little Drops of Water on TpT for 95 cents each or full-color Saint posters for $1.56 each.

St. Theresa coloring pages - All Saints Day resources for kids

Catholic Saint Coloring Book- All Saints Day resources for kids

Catholic Saint Coloring Book

If you would rather make a purchase on TpT that supports a fellow teacher, then the Catholic Saint Coloring Book from Sara J Creations might be a better fit! Sara offers a wide array of Catholic and religious resources in her TpT store. 

All Saints Day book for kindergarteners - All Saints Day resources for kids

All Saints Day Book and Prayer Page

Another cute option for lower elementary classrooms is the All Saints Day Book and Prayer Page from Miss P’s PreK Pups. This downloadable book provides the basic facts about All Saints Day and is a great little supplement to your lesson plans for the Feast Day. Miss P also offers a variety of Catholic resources in her TpT store. 

Favorite Catholic Saints flash cards- All Saints Day resources for kids

Favorite Catholic Saints Flash Cards

If you don’t want to invest in a class set of traditional prayer cards, these Favorite Catholic Saints Flash Cards from The Kennedy Adventures might be just the ticket. The set costs $5.97 and includes printable cards for 50 popular Saints. The Kennedy Adventures appears to be a new TpT shop, but the resources are mostly Catholic so it might be a great store to start following.

 

Free Book about St. Patrick

I also teach in a Catholic school and I know from personal experience that a Catholic educator’s personal budget is exceptionally tight. I am very blessed to be in a situation where I can develop Catholic resources for teachers to use in the classroom and share them free of charge. If you are looking for resources about specific Saints, my St. Patrick was a Saint Interactive Sight Word Reader is perfect for you.

FREE book about St. Patrick- All Saints Day for kids

The printable emergent reader teaches a few basic facts about St. Patrick. Students also have to cut out and glue letters to spell “was” on each page and complete the sentences. I really think you are going to love this book. Click the image below to download your FREE “St. Patrick was a Saint” book.

What’s Your Favorite Saint Resource?

And there you have it! An extensive list of resources to help teach your kindergarten students about the Saints. Which of these items sounds like the best fit for your classroom? Do you know of another resource that you think would be a great addition to this list? Please leave a comment with your thoughts or suggestions. I would love to know what you think!

all-saints-day-for-kids

The post All Saints Day for Kids Kindergarten Classroom Resources appeared first on Kinder Craze.

15 Must-Follow Teacher Instagram Accounts

0
0

Instagram is my absolute favorite social media platform. Nothing gives me more pleasure than scrolling through my IG feed and seeing photos of my friends and family members. Instagram also happens to be my favorite source of classroom inspiration. I can’t begin to count how many wonderful ideas I put to use with my students because of something I saw on Insta. Each day, thousands of teachers share their work on the popular social platform. I rounded up 15 of my favorite teacher Instagram accounts.

How many of these amazing accounts are you following?

favorite-teacher-instagram-accounts

1. Teachers Pay Teachers

We all love shopping on TpT, but have you checked out their Instagram account? Teachers Pay Teachers is one of my favorite Instagram accounts because they always regram the best educational images from across the platform and they often have teacher-sellers to take over their IG for the day. I get so many great ideas from the TpT Instagram feed, which helps me to find amazing new teachers to follow. And I can’t count the number of times I have discovered a must-have resource for my classroom thanks to TpT. Follow @teacherspayteachers on Instagram.

Teachers Pay Teachers - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

2. Target Teachers

Raise your hand if you’re a teacher who loves to shop at Target! If your hand is up, you have got to check out Target Teachers on Instagram. Target teachers is a joint account run by Michelle Griffo from @applesandabcs and Hadar Hartstein from @misskindergarten. Together, they share the most creative classroom resources that can be found in the aisles of your local Target store. This wildly popular Instagram account already has 100k followers. If you’re not already one of them, click here to follow @targetteachers on Instagram.

Target Teachers - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

3. Blair Turner – One Lesson At a Time

Let’s face it. We’re not all on our A-game 100% of the time. And if you’re ever feeling a little less-than adequate in the organization department, Blair Turner from One Lesson at a Time is just the woman to perk you back up and provide reassurance that you are not alone. She prides herself on being a type-B teacher and she does not apologize for it. Blair also has exquisite taste and it’s always fun when she shares an occasional peek at her home decor. Plus it’s nice to know that the teachers we love also spend some time outside of the classroom. Follow @onelessonatatime on Instagram.

Blair Turner One Lesson at a Time - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

4. Fun In First

I love, love LOVE following Fun in First on Instagram. Not only does Jodi Southard give you a glimpse into the resources she uses in her own first grade classroom, but she also shares teaching tips throughout the week. Personally, I’m not much of an inspirational quote kind of a gal, but Jodi’s tips are solid gold. They’re to the point and cut right to the heart of the work teachers do in their classroom each day. Her tips always nudge me toward being a better teacher, even if it’s simply a reminder of something I already know. Follow @funinfirstblog on Instagram.

Fun in First - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

5. The Amy Groesbeck

If you ever find yourself in need of a lighthearted view of the teaching profession, you have got to follow Amy Groesbeck on Instagram. Her #180daysinthelifeofateacher provides a fun peek into the secret life of teachers, with a little exaggeration for a dramatic effect. Follow @theamygroesbeck on Instagram.

Amy Groesbeck - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

6. Brown Bag Teacher

Need a little coaching in highly-motivating best practices? You have to follow Catherine Reed from Brown Bag Teacher. Her Instagram photos always show a unique perspective of her first grade and kindergarten classroom. There is so much good content in every one of Catherine’s posts, it’s obvious that education is her passion. Follow @brownbagteacher on Instagram.

Brown Bag Teacher - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

7. A Day in First Grade

Don’t be misled by the name – Kristen Smith from A Day in First Grade is teaching kindergarten these days and her Instagram feed is filled with Montessori and Reggio inspired activities. Kristen teaches a child-centered classroom with many exploration opportunities for her young learners. She is particularly passionate about integrating STEM into her classroom activities, and you have to see some of the completely unique classroom experiences she creates for her students. Follow @adayinfirstgrade on Instagram.

A Day in First Grade - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

8. First Grade Made

A little classroom decor, a little inspiration, a little teacher fashion and a whole lotta fun. That’s what Miss Vaz from First Grade Made sprinkles into her Instagram account. She and I are cut from the same cloth. If you enjoy the content I share, you will LOVE her feed. Follow @firstgrade_made on Instagram.

First Grade Made - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

9. Lessons with Laughter

I may teach kindergarten, but I greatly admire any educator who excels and their craft, no matter what grade they teach. Molly Maloy teaches fifth grade and is the woman behind Lessons with Laughter. I adore everything she posts, but the images of her classroom library always take my breath away! Follow @lessonswithlaughter on Instagram.

Lessons with Laughter - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

10. Apples and ABCs

Whether you teach fifth grade or kindergarten (or anything in between), there’s a little something for everyone over at Apples and ABCs on Instagram. Michelle Griffo is a former kindergarten teacher currently working in a fifth grade classroom. She also has a killer sense of style, a boatload of creativity, and the cutest little boy you ever did see. Michelle sprinkles of all those things in her Instagram account. Her feed always feels fresh, interesting, and like you’re catching up with your long time best friend. Follow @applesandabcs on Instagram.

Apples and ABCs - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

11. Teach Preschool

I love, love LOVE Deborah Stewart’s Instagram feed over at Teach Preschool. It’s filled with sweet photos of the children at the preschool program she owns and operates. Deborah creates interesting and unique learning opportunities for her children to explore with not-so-typical classroom materials. A quick scroll of Deborah’s recent IG feed shows students carving pumpkins, sticking push pins in pumpkins, and even drilling into pumpkins with small cordless drills. Despite the unorthodox materials, you just know that Deborah’s classroom management is outstanding and that her students clearly understand appropriate behavior for every single item in their learning environment. Follow @teachpreschool on Instagram and prepare to be blown away.

Teach Preschool - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

12. I Heart Crafty Things

I not only (heart) a good kids craft, but I giant puffy pink heart following Rachel from I Heart Crafty Things on Instagram. Her feed is filled with seasonal crafts and kids project ideas that are a refreshing upgrade from old-school macaroni necklaces and popsicle stick houses. There’s just so much cuteness all in one place! Rachel isn’t a teacher, but so many of her ideas are perfect for the early elementary classroom! Follow @iheartcraftythings on Instagram.

I Heart Crafty Things -15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

13. Husky Loving Teacher

It’s easy to figure out Husky Loving Teacher Melissa Dailey’s three great passions with a quick glance at her Instagram account: teaching, photography, and her husky Shilah. Melissa teaches second grade and shares an abundance of fabulous ideas on her Instagram account. She is also an incredibly talented photographer, which means a scroll through her Insta feed is a treat for the eyes! And then of course there’s Shilah – Melissa’s furry sidekick! Follow @huskylovingteacher on Instagram. 

Husky Loving Teacher - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

14. Kinder Craze

If you are on the blog reading this post right now, you definitely want to follow Kinder Craze on Instagram. I showcase exciting moments in the classroom as well as helpful content and seasonal ideas from the blog archives. Plus a little bit of classroom inspiration and teacher style!  The Kinder Craze Instagram feed has a little of everything, with a lot of pops of bright color. Follow @kindercraze on Instagram.

Kinder Craze on Instagram - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

15. Teacher Troubles

Remember Blair Turner from @onelessonatatime? She is also the woman behind Teacher Troubles – a funny, snarky, hysterical Instagram account that simply tells it like it is from a teacher’s perspective. If you enjoy a good teacher meme or find yourself in need of glass of wine at the end of a long day in the classroom, you need to follow @teachertroubles on Instagram.

Teacher Troubles on Instagram - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

 

Who Is Your Favorite Teacher On Instagram?

And there you have it! Fifteen of my all-time favorite teacher Instagram accounts. Every single person on the list brings a spark of joy or inspiration to my classroom craft. Who is your must-follow source of classroom inspiration on Instagram? Leave a comment because I would love to follow them too!

15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

The post 15 Must-Follow Teacher Instagram Accounts appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Easy Christmas Candle Craft for Kids (Great for Advent Too!)

0
0

There’s no time of year quite like the holidays. Especially in a kindergarten classroom. The kids are excited, and we always have so many holiday events at school. On top of all of the special moments, I love doing holiday projects with my students. But I need them to be fast and simple so that I still have time to teach academic content. Which is why I love this easy Christmas candle craft. It’s simple, easy to prep for and the finished project looks fantastic. I’ll take you step by step through the craft and I even have a free template that you can download at the end of this post to help you create a Christmas candle craft with your students!

Thank you to Astrobrights for sponsoring this blog post. This post also contains affiliate links and I receive a small commission each time a purchase is made through one of my links. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that I love.

Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

Christmas or Advent Paper Candle Craft

I teach in a Catholic school, so it’s always an added bonus when I can put a religious spin on a secular Christmas craft. I love a good Christmas tree or Santa project as much as the next teacher, but the religious crafts really melt my heart, which is the wonderful thing about this paper candle craft. You can easily create a red Christmas candle with this project, or you can create a purple or pink candle to represent the season of Advent.

Using Torn Paper with Older Children

I also love this Christmas candle craft because it’s simple enough for kindergarten, but can easily be adapted as a more challenging project for older grades. Just have older students tear the pieces to make a torn paper craft. I personally love the torn paper look and my 3rd and 4th grade assistants enjoyed the challenge.

torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

Now that you’ve seen a few different ways to adapt this very simple Christmas candle craft, I’ll take you step by step through the process and materials used.

Gather Materials

This project doesn’t require any special materials. You can easily purchase Astrobrights paper on Amazon and have it delivered right to your door. You’ll also need a glue stick, scissors (optional) and a hole punch. Each sheet of 8.5×11″ Astrobrights paper and cardstock will need to be cut in half for this project, so a paper cutter is also helpful to have.

Additionally, you will need to copy the candle and flame templates onto Astrobrights paper. The candle has two layers of coordinating paper to create a little extra pop of color, and a variety of green shades was used to create the evergreen. Even the flame had a little added dimension from yellow and orange paper. The bright mix of colors adds a layer of depth to the Christmas candle craft and makes the project extra special. Here are all of the papers I used for the three projects.

And for a little extra clarification, here are the signature colors I used for the candle on each art project:

Advent candle craft made with torn paper from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!
Purple Advent Candle
Front: Outrageous Orchid™
Back: Planetary Purple™

Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!
Red Christmas Candle
Front: Re-Entry Red™
Back: Rocket Red™

Advent candle craft made with torn paper from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!
Pink Advent Candle
Front: Pulsar Pink™
Back: Fireball Fuchsia™

You can also purchase this pack of paper on Amazon that includes 6 sheets of every Astrobrights color inside. It’s perfect if you are working on smaller projects (like I was with my three little crafters).

All 25 colors of Astrobrights paper in one pack!

Creating the Paper Candle Christmas Craft

Regardless of the color or cutting option, all students will need a half sheet of 8.5×11″ Eclipse Black™ cardstock for the project. Then it’s time to begin cutting or tearing.

paper Christmas candle crafttorn paper Christmas candle craft

Cutting and Gluing the Candle

Once the candle pieces have been cut, they will be layered and glued onto the black cardstock. Have students aim for the center of the paper so there is room for evergreen leaves at the bottom and a flame at the top.

paper Christmas candle crafttorn paper Christmas candle craft

Adding the Flame

Next up is the flame. Once again, students will cut or tear a large Solar Yellow™
flame and a smaller Cosmic Orange™ flame, then layer these pieces to the top of the candle.

paper Christmas candle crafttorn paper Christmas candle craftpaper Christmas candle craft

Tear and Glue Evergreen Leaves

Once the candle and flame are complete, it’s time to add an evergreen collage to the bottom of the candle. I used three green shades of Astrobrights paper ( Martian Green™, Vulcan Green™, and Gamma Green™.) I love how much more deep and rich this sweet craft was than if I had just used one color for the evergreens.

torn paper Christmas candle craft torn paper Christmas candle craft

For this part of the project, everyone tore pieces of paper and glued them onto the bottom of the candle.  Even my friend that had used scissors to cut her other pieces.

torn paper Christmas candle craft

Add Red Berries

As a final touch, the girls used a hole punch to create small berries for their leaves.  We used the scraps of paper from the Re-Entry Red™ candle.

torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

christmas-candle-craftFREE Christmas Candle Craft Template

If you want to create this simple Christmas candle craft with your students, I’ve made it super easy for you! Click the image below to download your free candle template and printable directions. Enjoy!

Pin Now and Come Back Later

If you are gathering ideas now for classroom project ideas to use later on, I’ve made it very easy for you to remember these simple free crafts. Pin the image below that best suits your needs to save this craft on Pinterest. Then come back whenever it’s convenient for you!

Christmas candle paper craft - cute Christmas activity for kids from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights! Advent Candle paper craft - cute Advent activity for kids from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

The post Easy Christmas Candle Craft for Kids (Great for Advent Too!) appeared first on Kinder Craze.

13 Books About Groundhog Day

0
0

Groundhog Day is coming and I for one am ready for spring! I’ve rounded up a collection of 13 books about Groundhog Day to help you prepare to teach your students this fun American tradition. Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite books from Amazon. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.

13 Books about Groundhog Day for the Classroom

 

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day!

Every February 2, people all across the country wonder about the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Will he see his shadow on that day or won’t he? Will spring come early or late? Here is information about Groundhog Day, its origins, and the animal at the center of this delightful annual event. Find it on Amazon.

Grumpy Groundhog by Maureen Wright

Grumpy Groundhog

It’s Groundhog Day, and everyone is gathered to find out if it’s time for spring. But Groundhog does NOT want to leave his cozy bed in his cozy den. Will the townspeople be able to coax him outside to do his job? Kids will love the humorous antics of Groundhog in this delightful rhyming tale from the author of Sleep, Big Bear, SleepFind it on Amazon.

Groundhog's Dilemma by Kristen Remenar

Groundhog’s Dilemma

After Groundhog announces six more weeks of winter, half his animal friends are disappointed, while the other half are excited. Each animal asks Groundhog to make his prediction in their favor the following year. Rather than being truthful about the fact that he just “calls it like he sees it,” he leads them to believe he can control the weather, accepting their gifts of food and favor. On the next Groundhog Day, he finally admits he made promises he couldn’t keep because he was trying to please everyone and makes amends. Find it on Amazon.

Groundhog's Day Off by Robb Pearlman

Groundhog’s Day Off

Every year, people ask Groundhog the same, boring old question. Is spring around the corner? Or are we doomed to more winter? Sure, they care about his shadow, but what about him and his interests? He’s had enough! Groundhog packs his bags and sets out for a much-needed vacation. Now the town is holding auditions to find someone to fill his spot. None of the animals seem right for the job, though. Not Elephant, not Ostrich, and most certainly not Puppy. No one has Groundhog’s flair for the dramatic, but is it too late to woo him back into the spotlight? This hilarious picture book will leave readers wishing it was Groundhog’s Day year-round. Find it on Amazon.

The Secret of the First One Up by Iris Hiskey Arno

The Secret of the First One Up

When Lila, a young groundhog, objects to going to sleep for the winter, Uncle Wilbur tells her to rest so that she can try to be the first one to wake up in the spring and discover a big secret. She is indeed the first groundhog to awaken and quickly runs up the tunnel and outdoors, where she is greeted by all of the animals that do not hibernate and learns from them how important her shadow is. This book can be used for holiday celebrations or as an addition to a storytime or unit on hibernation. Find it on Amazon.

Gregory's Shadow by Don Freeman

Gregory’s Shadow

Gregory is a shy groundhog, and having his friend Shadow close by makes him feel brave. But one day Gregory and Shadow go outside to look for food, and they get separated. Scared and lonely, they search and search for one another. To make matters worse, tomorrow is Groundhog Day, and everyone will be waiting to see if Gregory and his shadow leave their home together. Will the two friends find each other in time for Groundhog Day? Find it on Amazon.

Mr. Groundhog Wants the Day Off by Pat Stemper Vojta

Mr. Groundhog Wants the Day Off

Mr. Groundhog tries to give his Groundhog Day duties away. He does not want to be blamed for six more weeks of winter anymore. He asks his friends to take on the responsibilities, but they are not interested. Instead, one by one his friends show him how he is perfectly suited to the role. Find it on Amazon.

Double Trouble Groundhog Day by Bethany Roberts

Double Trouble Groundhog Day

Grampie Groundhog decides to turn over the family job of forecasting the weather to one of his grandchildren. But which one? Gregory wants to do it but so does his twin, Greta. The two draw straws and Gregory wins. Right before the big day Gregory loses his glasses, so it’s Greta to the rescue. Together, the twins announce “Spring is coming!” and everyone celebrates. Find it on Amazon.

Substitute Groundhog by Pat Miller

Substitute Groundhog

It’s almost Groundhog Day! But this year Groundhog is not feeling well. Dr. Owl diagnoses him with the flu and orders two days of bed rest. Then Groundhog has in idea–he can hire a substitute! Maybe Squirrel can be the substitute, or Eagle, or Bear. Find it on Amazon.

Go To Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox

Go to Sleep, Groundhog

Poor Groundhog just can’t sleep. He tosses. He turns. Finally, he gets out of bed and goes exploring. Outside his burrow he finds amazing sights he has never seen before: glowing jack-o’-lanterns, gobbling turkeys, and sparkling holiday lights. But shouldn’t Groundhog be in bed? With no sleep how will he be able to get up for his big day? Find it on Amazon.

Who Will See Their Shadows This Year? by Jerry Pallotta

Who Will See Their Shadows This Year?

It’s February 2 and all the animals are tired of winter. But why should the groundhog always be famous for seeing his shadow? Who else wants to try? A chicken? A polar bear? A camel?

None of those seems quite right. So who will see their shadows this year? Find it on Amazon.

Gretchen Groundhog, It's Your Day! by Abby Levine

Gretchen Groundhog, It’s Your Day!

It’s almost Groundhog Day, and the town of Piccadilly is all a-buzz because Gretchen Groundhog will not Go Out. Her Great-Uncle Gus is too old to look for his shadow anymore–now it’s Gretchen’s turn. But she’s too shy. Find it on Amazon.

Groundhog Gets a Say by Pamela Curtis Swallow

Groundhog Gets a Say

There’s so much more to being a groundhog than just putting on a show once a year, and Groundhog has decided it’s time to tell the world the Hog truth. With the help of a few of his fans, Groundhog is ready to tell everything about himself, from how loud he can whistle (loud), to how fast he can run (not fast), to how many things he uses his teeth for (a lot). Groundhog may be full of himself, but chances are good that, by the end of this book, you’ll agree he’s pretty wonderful! A funny, fact-filled look at what happens when one very proud groundhog speaks out. Find it on Amazon.

So what do you think? Will it be an early spring or will it be a long winter? Either way, I have a suspicion it will only last six weeks!

13 Books About Groundhog Day

 

The post 13 Books About Groundhog Day appeared first on Kinder Craze.

How to Tell Your Students That You’re Pregnant

0
0

In case you haven’t heard the good news, let me let you in on my little secret: I’m going to be a mom! My husband Rob and I are so excited to be parents this July. We announced the big news to our family and friends last week and shared a few details about the pregnancy on our lifestyle blog, Crazy Together. We had a plan for the exact way we were going to share the news with our parents, siblings, friends, and everyone else. But there was a very special group of kindergarteners that deserved to hear the news in a very special way. If you’re an elementary teacher who’s pregnant  and struggling with the same dilemma, I’m happy to share my own classroom pregnancy announcement and hopefully provide a little inspiration on how to tell your students that you’re pregnant.

How to Tell Your Students that You're Pregnant with this FREE "secret code" worksheet

I wanted my students to hear the good news directly from me, but I didn’t want to focus too much of our precious learning time on my personal news, so I created a short and sweet way to announce my pregnancy to the students.

My Teacher Secret

To begin, I gathered my students near our classroom calendar and told them that I had a secret to share with them. As you might imagine, those 5 and 6 year old students perked right up at the sound of the word “secret!” I told them that in order for them to know my news, they would have to use a secret code to solve the mystery. At this point, their eyes were as big as saucers and bursting with excitement.

I showed the class the sweet little worksheet I had created for my pregnancy announcement and demonstrated how to use the secret code. I only showed them how to solve the first four letters and the class quickly figured out that the first two words on the page were “Mrs. Gavin.”

Once I was confident that everyone knew what to do, I gave each child their own “What’s the Secret?” worksheet and watched them go to town.

You could have heard a pin drop while the class worked to crack the code and every single child in the class was able to successfully identify the correct letters to complete the activity.

How to Tell Your Students that You're Pregnant - FREE worksheet

Reading the Secret Message

As you would probably guess, some students completed the page very quickly and others needed extra time. The quick finishers just stared at their freshly decoded papers and tried to figure out what it said. I knew the message was too difficult for many students to read, but I figured I could count on a few the higher-level readers to solve the puzzle and blurt out what it said (thus, making the announcement for me).

After seeing a perplexed look on every student’s face, I decided to jump in and help out.

I asked the class, “So what do you think it says?”

Almost everyone chimed in with “Mrs. Gavin is …” and then they came to an abrupt stop.

Apparently having was a really difficult word for the class to read. I asked if anyone had a guess what that hard word might be. Someone guessed “have” and I said “it’s a lot like the word have”. This was followed by more silence. We’ve been discussing reading strategies so I let the students  know that it’s ok to skip a hard word and come back to it.

Which was fine, except everyone proceeded to get stuck on the word baby.

Again I asked out loud, “What do you think it says?”

At this point, I’m pretty sure that one of the girls in the class had a good guess about the message. I swear she gave me a funny look and checked out my belly. I met her gaze, leaned down and whispered, “What do you think it says?” The question was met with yet another “I don’t know.”

At this point, the entire class had been stumped for a few minutes. They wanted to know the secret so badly, so I once again asked if anyone had any idea what that hard word that started with an h might be. After a few incorrect guesses, one student finally called out “having!”

YES!

Within a few seconds the class was able to finally read the rest of the secret message that Mrs. Gavin is Having a Baby!

Praise the Lord, they figured it out!

My Teacher is Having a Baby! - How to tell your students that you're pregnant

As you might expect, my students had a few questions about when the baby will be coming and why I don’t have a big belly. They also wanted to know if it would be a boy or a girl. I told them that the baby would arrive this summer and that my belly will start growing soon and get bigger as the baby grows. I also explained that we won’t know if it’s a boy or a girl until the baby is born (Rob and I want to be surprised), but that I did have a photo on my phone.

I walked around the classroom and showed each student my most recent ultrasound picture, pointing out the head, body and legs as I traveled around the room. One student told his mom that he thinks I’m having a boy, which is undoubtedly the first of many student predictions.

Free Classroom Pregnancy Announcement

If you are a classroom teacher looking for a sweet way to announce your own pregnancy, I’m thrilled to share this simple secret code worksheet with you. It’s the perfect way to tell your own students that you’re expecting. The free download includes a general “My Teacher is Having a Baby!” pdf as well as an editable PowerPoint file that you can use to personalize the activity with your with your own name. Click the image below to download your free Secret Code Pregnancy Announcement!

If you know of any other creative ways to tell your students that you are expecting, please share your ideas in the comments. Elementary teachers always have the cutest ideas!

The post How to Tell Your Students That You’re Pregnant appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Using Number Puzzles to Build Number Sense Up to 120

0
0

More than 120 days of school have passed, but we have not moved on from counting and building number sense up to 120. My class is doing such a beautiful job of learning to recognize and write all of their numbers from 1 to 120. I’m so unbelievably proud of them, but the wheels in their heads are still turning as they continue to build number sense, recognize number patterns, and understand how those numbers relate to one another. I’ve been using number puzzles in my classroom and this has quickly become the favorite go-to activity when students have extra time. I’m happy to give you a glimpse into my students hard at work on this simple number activity, share a free download to create your own number puzzles, and tell you all about this year’s Brightest Teacher Contest from Astrobrights.

Thank you to ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers for partnering with me on this blog post. I received payment, trade, and or products from Astrobrights in exchange for promoting. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that we use and love. This post also contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Interactive Number Practice Beyond the 100th Day of School

My class celebrated the 100th day of school last month, which means that I created an assortment of fun, 100-themed centers for one very special day last month. My 100th day activities did include number puzzles (much like these.) The only problem is, one day of hands-on fun unscrambling numbers up to 100 and putting them in order wasn’t enough hands-on practice to really help my students dive deep into number patterns and relationships on a 100 chart (and it certainly didn’t help them master their numbers up to 120.)

I recently created a slightly more challenging set of number puzzles that go all the way up to 120 and my goodness, were my students excited to see the really BIG numbers in the puzzle (and by big, I mean numbers beyond 100). They were thrilled by the prospect of a challenge.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

I created a puzzle work station that had several individual number puzzles and 120 charts to use as a guide. Kindergarten students aren’t always mindful about their work spaces so I copied each number puzzle onto a different color of Astrobrights cardstock. This way, my students could tell at a glance exactly which pieces belonged to which puzzle. I love for colors in my classroom to pop, so I used Martian Green, Lunar Blue, Cosmic Orange, and Outrageous Orchid to really make the pieces stand out. There was zero confusion, which helped them to manage their own supplies and allowed me to focus my time and energy on teaching (rather than sorting out mixed up puzzle pieces).

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Having blank 120 charts nearby was helpful in gently guiding my students through the puzzle. It provided a helpful reference for them. Most children placed the puzzle pieces directly on top of the puzzle the first time they worked (which was fine by me – there’s still great value in matching numbers and an opportunity to discover number patterns through observation).

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

I loved watching this student’s progress as she worked to complete her 120 puzzle (and the Outrageous Orchid coincidentally matches her dress beautifully).

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Once children successfully completed a puzzle on top of the 120 chart, I encouraged them to work on a “challenge” puzzle and recreate the same puzzle without the blank chart as a guide. My kindergarteners eagerly rose to this challenge!

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog
Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog
These number puzzles were easy to prepare and highly engaging for my students. Add the fact that the materials were affordable and the bright colors of Astrobrights cardstock made the puzzles even more appealing for my kindergarteners and this activity was a total home run.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Prepping the Number Puzzles

These number puzzles were so easy to prepare for the classroom. I copied several 120 charts onto white cardstock, and also copied the same chart onto different colors of Astrobrights cardstock. I laminated all of the 120 charts and kept the white charts intact so my students could use them as a reference while they worked. The next step was to cut the colored charts into smaller puzzle pieces. There is no right or wrong way to cut the pieces. I try to create various unusual shapes (rather than just squares and rectangles) but you can do whatever you think will work best for your students.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Easily Differentiate the Number Puzzles

There are so many things I love about this activity, but one of my favorite tricks is that I could easily differentiate the puzzles. The orange puzzle I created has only 9 pieces, the yellow puzzle has 11 pieces, and the other puzzles have several more pieces. You can see the difference in size between the orange and purple puzzle pieces below.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

The fewer the pieces, the easier the puzzle. Which is a great way to make this activity accessible to all students – even the ones who struggle. Just hand those children an easier puzzle and they get the satisfaction of doing the same activity as their friends, while minimizing the likelihood of frustration.

Likewise, if you have a few students that breeze through this activity, you can always create a more challenging puzzle with smaller pieces.

Don’t Let the Pieces Slide

As you might imagine, trying to arrange laminated puzzle pieces can be a bit of a challenge. Those laminated puzzle pieces are pretty slick and they move very easily. My kindergarteners are still developing their fine motor skills and I didn’t want them to become unnecessarily frustrated by puzzle pieces sliding around while they were trying to work.

Luckily, there is a super-simple solution to this problem. I placed a small piece of double sided tape onto the back of each puzzle piece. I personally prefer the “permanent” Scotch double sided tape with the yellow packaging because it last so long.

You don’t want the puzzle pieces to stay on the table top or white number chart forever, so I recommend gently tapping the tape with your finger tip a few times after it has been applied to the back of the puzzle piece. This helps reduce the “stickiness” of the tape so it’s re-positionable and not permanent.

 

Number Puzzle Storage

When the number puzzles are not in use, the pieces can easily be stored in sandwich size zipper bags. I also keep a stack of white 120 charts in a nearby tray for easy student access.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

 

Shop For Supplies

Ready to create some number puzzles for your own classroom? Click any items in the widget below to stock up on Astrobrights cardstock and other materials from Amazon.

 

Create Your Own FREE Number Puzzles

You can create these number puzzles in your classroom as well. Just click the image below to download your free 120 chart and puzzle template. I hope your students enjoy these puzzles as as much as mine do!

Nominate A Bright Teacher for a Classroom Makeover

Do you know a bright teacher? Nominate them for the 2017 Brightest Teacher Contest from ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers. The winning teacher will be awarded a classroom makeover valued at $5,000 It’s easy to nominate your favorite teacher. Just hop over to ColorizeYourClassroom.com and tell us why he or she shines a light on everyone around them. Just act fast because March 26 is the last day to nominate a bright teacher.

Astrobrights Brightest Teacher Contest

I had the great honor of helping to plan and set up the classroom makeover for last year’s Brightest Teacher. The Bright Minds ambassadors designed the classroom together and I am in love with Markeda’s new classroom. I am so excited to find out who this year’s winner will be!

Astrobrights Brightest Teacher Classroom Makeover

The post Using Number Puzzles to Build Number Sense Up to 120 appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Meet HelloBible – A Christian Subscription Box for Kids

0
0

As a Catholic school teacher, I am always on the hunt for products and resources that help to develop a stronger faith formation in young children. I was so happy to discover HelloBible: a biblical-based Christian subscription box for children ages 4 and up. The sweet people at HelloBible graciously sent a premium box my way and I rounded up three of my favorite helpers (ages 7-10) to try out the box. I was so impressed with this service and can’t wait to fill you in on the details.

Thank you to HelloBible for partnering with me on this blog post. I received payment, trade, and or products from HelloBible in exchange for promoting. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that I use and love. 

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

A Look at the Noah Box from HelloBible

When I first opened my HelloBible premium box, I was surprised to see so many materials inside. Not just that, but these were great, high-quality materials. This particular box was the Noah Box and it came with Crayola markers, an Arch Book, two very cute ark-themed coloring pages, bubble concentrate, a small wooden box, stickers and so much more. I couldn’t wait to dig in with my three helpers and see what kind of fun HelloBible had in store for us.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Here’s a quick peek at all of the materials that were included in the kit. They literally included every supply we would need for the projects inside, right down to the markers and adhesive tape.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

The only two items I had to procure on my own were a pair of scissors and a bowl for the bubbles. Fortunately, these are both very ordinary materials that most families have on-hand and at the ready.

Since HelloBible is intended to be a monthly subscription box, they have included four different activity ideas – one for each week of the month so you can continue engaging with the story and content all month long while you wait for your next box to arrive.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

The fun begins with a faith-filled Bible story. My Noah box came with the book “A Man Named Noah” from Arch books. My oldest helper shared the story by reading it aloud to her two younger sisters.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

After we read the story, the fun began! Each HelloBible premium box comes with two craft activities and additional discussion/prayer exercises to deepen a child’s faith and appreciation of the story.

Not only are the crafts unique, but they also come with clear, attractive directions for assembly (which makes my teacher heart go pitter-patter).

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Noah’s Ark Matching Game & Craft

This first craft was a two-parter. We had to create an ark and prepare supplies for a matching game. This actually worked out great for my three helpers. Two of the girls each worked on preparing one side of the double-sided ark; while the third sister prepared wooden chips for the matching game.

The cardstock printed ark pages needed a rainbow to be colored on them and the ark shapes needed to be cut out.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Once we had two completed ark pictures, we used the adhesive stickers included in the kit to attach the ark to the small wooden handled box.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Next up was preparing the wooden chips for a matching game. As you know, Noah needed two of every animal to fill his ark. We attached pairs of animal stickers to the wooden chips. This task was super-simple and would be a great job for a young child.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Once we had our pile of animal chips and an assembled ark, we were ready to play the game! This simple matching game is just like memory or “concentration”. The girls placed all of the pieces upside down and took turns flipping two pieces over at a time, searching for a match. Each time they found a matching pair of wooden pieces, they placed them into the ark.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Blowing Giant Rainbow Bubbles

The second set of materials included in the kit, wasn’t exactly for a craft in the traditional sense, but it was a huge hit with my helpers. We headed outside to create giant rainbow bubbles. The bubbles themselves weren’t exceptionally vibrant in color. They had the subtle, shimmery multi-colored glimmer that all bubbles have. We constructed a bubble making device with two skinny wooden dowels, rubber bands and rainbow colored string.

The device was very easy to assemble and I will admit that I was very skeptical to see exactly how a couple of sticks, strings and rubber bands could possibly make giant bubbles. But I poured a little bubble solution into a bowl and added water as instructed by the kit, then we headed outside to see what would happen.

I honestly am completely in awe at how easy it was to blow truly giant bubbles with our little handmade contraption. All it took was a dip of the strings into the solution. Then the kids gently pulled the sticks apart to separate them – and just like that, a bubble began to form!

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Once the bubbles began to form, we had a little trouble keeping them intact as the girls gently tried blowing them off of the device and into the air. But that didn’t slow them down one bit. It was really cool to see the bubbles form, even if our detachment success rate was far below 100%.

Understanding the Story More Fully

In addition to the craft activities, the Noah’s Ark premium box from HelloBible also had thoughtful faith formation opportunities and discussion questions. The questions are more meaningful than recalling simple facts from the story. Rather, they encourage children to reflect on their own experiences with promises, safety and trusting God.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

A Purchase with a Purpose

I also love that a portion of the proceeds from all HelloBible subscriptions goes toward The Kilgoris Project, which educates and feeds children in rural Kenya. Not only that, but one of the “bonus” activities included in every box is to learn a little bit about the children of Kenya by visiting the HelloBible blog. Not only does this money go to a good cause, but it teaches HelloBible students the importance of Christian service to other parts of the world.

Save $5 on Your First HelloBible Subscription

If you are as impressed as I was by the sweet faith-filled activities that HelloBible delivers each month, I have great news! You can save $5 off your first HelloBible subscription. Just use discount code KINDERCRAZE when you check out for instant savings!

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

 

HelloBible 3-Month Subscription Giveaway

I truly fell in love with the premium box from HelloBible and I am thrilled to share a little of the HelloBible magic with you. I’m giving away a 3-month premium subscription to HelloBible to one lucky blog reader. Use the rafflecopter below for your chance to WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much to Connie and Simone from HelloBible for introducing me to this amazing Christian subscription box for children and sending a premium box my way. I truly cannot say enough good things about this sweet little bible-based activity box.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

 

The post Meet HelloBible – A Christian Subscription Box for Kids appeared first on Kinder Craze.


Super Easy (and Adorable) Father’s Day Craft Idea

0
0

Father’s Day is just around the corner and I have the perfect Father’s Day craft for you to make with your students (if you are still in the classroom) or at home with your own children if you are on summer vacation. The best part is that even though this project is simple, easy to make, and inexpensive, the bold colors make it look spectacular when it is complete.

Thank you to ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers for partnering with me on this blog post. I received payment, trade, and or products from Astrobrights in exchange for promoting their products. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that I use and love. This post also contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

It’s sort of a Father’s Day tradition to gift a dad with a necktie at some point in his life. Dads can be so tricky to shop for since most men generally have everything they need and are satisfied with what they own. This sweet Father’s Day craft is a play on the traditional necktie gift, with an added personal touch: a heartfelt note from his child. The bright colors of the necktie pop against a plain white background, and it looks fantastic in a black 8×10 picture frame – like these bargain frames from the dollar store!

Creating the Tie

Getting started with this craft is so simple. I let my helpers pick their own necktie colors from the wide assortment of Astrobrights papers that I always have on hand in my classroom. I divided my paper into two piles: a bright pile and a bold pile. The girls were told to choose one bold color to be the actual tie and one bright color which would be used for the stripes on the tie. I wanted the contrast of the darker, bold paper to stand out against the white “shirt” background, and the lighter colored stripe would create an extra pop of color (and make it easier to read the personal message that each crafter would write to her dad).

For a little extra durability while my crafters worked on the project, I used Astrobrights cardstock for the tie, and regular Astrobrights paper for the stripes.

Once the colors were selected, I copied the necktie template onto their chosen colors of cardstock (in this case Blast-Off Blue® and Celestial Blue™) and cut the bright paper color into 3/4 in strips for their tie stripes.

Then it was finally time to craft! The girls went right to town cutting out their neckties …

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

… and gluing the stripes onto their ties. The girls selected Rocket Red® and Vulcan Green® for their stripes. Both colors looked stunning paired with the two shades of blue ties.

If you want to keep expenses down, but want your students to have some choice in their colors, I highly recommend purchasing any of these multi packs of Astrobrights paper from Amazon. They provide a selection of colors in smaller quantities and have a great price. Click any of the images below to shop.

I also recently discovered this gem on on Amazon. It’s a cardstock pack that contains every color of Astrobrights paper. 

Anyone can go to the store and purchase a gift, but there is something so touching about letting children pour their love into a gift that they make themselves. And let me tell you, these two girls were meticulous about making the nicest gifts possible for their dad!

I provided a little guidance ahead of time and explained that if they ever looked at the stripes on their dad’s ties, they would notice that the stripes are all diagonal and aren’t generally straight (horizontal) on lines.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

A lot of time was spent trying to perfectly space the stripes on the tie. You could have heard a pin drop while they worked.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Once the ties were perfectly striped, each girl used scissors to trim the excess paper from the edges of the tie. Using Astrobrights cardstock for the tie was particularly helpful at this point because the sturdiness provided an extra guide for the scissors to follow.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blogsuper easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Preparing the Shirt Details

Once the tie was ready to go, it was time to work on a few details for the dress shirt. I handed each girl two triangles and a small rectangle that had been copied onto white cardstock. I explained that we really needed the black lines to be visible on the shapes so they would stand out against the all-white background that the tie would be mounted on. I asked the girls to leave a tiny bit of white border as they trimmed around the edge of each shape.

No surprise, they executed that instruction perfectly.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

 

Assembling the Tie and Dress Shirt

Once the tie was complete and white accent shapes were cut out, it was time to assemble the craft! I handed each girl a piece of white cardstock that I had trimmed to 8×10″ and did a quick demonstration on how to assemble the various pieces. Then I let those hardworking girls go to town!

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

The white rectangle was placed vertically at the bottom of the sheet of cardstock -this represents the “button up” portion of the shirt.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Next came the tie, which is glued to the very top of the cardstock.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blogsuper easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

As a final touch, the triangles were glued at the top of the paper, overlapping with each side of the tie’s “knot” the same way a shirt collar would.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Writing a Message to Dad

Once the tie craft was complete, only one task remained: penning a sweet Father’s Day message. We brainstormed a few different ideas for the girls’ messages and then they went to work, writing a personal note for their dad on the light colored stripes of the tie. They each used a black Flair Pen to give their words a little extra pop and contrast from the bright paper color.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Framing the Father’s Day Craft

Once the tie craft was complete and a messages were written, these gifts were ready to give! They looked perfectly sweet on their own, but I added a simple black picture frame as an extra special touch. Don’t be fooled by appearances, the frames are from the dollar store and they only cost $1 each. And just look how stunning the completed Father’s Day craft turned out. I know of one local dad who is going to love the gifts his daughters created for him.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blogsuper easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Free Father’s Day Tie Craft Template

If you want to tackle this Father’s Day craft with your students or your children at home, you are in luck! I have created a FREE template with patterns and all of the steps you need to recreate this project at home or school. Just click the image below to access your free Father’s Day craft template!

The post Super Easy (and Adorable) Father’s Day Craft Idea appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Mess Free Glitter Slime Recipe that’s Safe for Kids

0
0

Now that summer has arrived, it’s fun to take a break, head outdoors and have a little fun! I have been wanting to make slime in the classroom with my kindergarteners, but the traditional recipes with cleaning chemicals made me nervous about harming the sensitive skin of my students. Until I discovered the ultimate three-ingredient glitter slime recipe that uses completely safe materials. Even better yet, this particular recipe doesn’t require any messy food coloring. Do I have your attention? I promise this slime recipe is every bit as amazing as it sounds, and it’s a great summer activity.

Thank you to Elmer’s for sponsoring this blog post. I received compensation and free product from Elmer’s in exchange for writing this post. All opinions are my own and I only support brands and products that I use and absolutely LOVE.  

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

 

Mess-Free Glitter Slime Recipe

Here’s the fastest, easiest, mess-free slime recipe that you will ever need. The fact that it is glittery is an added bonus!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 TBSP baking soda
  • 1 1/2 TBSP contact solution
  • 6 fl oz Elmer’s Glitter Glue

DIRECTIONS

  1. Find a bowl, cup, or plate to mix your slime in.
  2. Pour the entire contents of a 6 oz Elmer’s Glitter Glue into the blow.
  3. Add 1/2 TBSP baking soda to the glue and stir.
  4. Add 1 TBSP contact solution to the glue mixture. Mix with a spoon until slime begins to form and gets firm.
  5. Once slime becomes to difficult to stir with a spoon, take slime out of the bowl and use your hands to finish combining the ingredients.
  6. If slime is too sticky, add 1/4 TBSP contact solution to the mixture. The slime will become significantly less sticky.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Making Glitter Slime

On this particular summer day, my friend brought her two daughters over for a little slimey entertainment. Making slime was an item on their summer bucket list, so this was a great opportunity to cross that item off the list and help me test out my new favorite recipe!

The first step was to dump an entire 6 oz bottle of Elmer’s Glitter Glue into our mixing bowl. All of the glitter and color for this recipe comes straight from the bottle of glue. This was my first time using Elmer’s Classic Glitter Glue, but I was an instant fan. All of the glitter and coloring stayed right in the glue. I love that I didn’t have to worry about getting stray drops of food coloring or bits of glitter on our fingers, clothes, or my cute little blue table.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

My four year old slime assistant did an excellent job of squeezing out all the glue (and the teacher in me loved that it was a great way to strengthen her hand muscles!)

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Once the glitter glue was poured into the bowl, it was time to add a few more ingredients. First up, a half tablespoon of baking soda.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids 3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Once the baking soda was added to the glue, the girls gave it a quick stir until it was evenly combined in the glue.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Then it was time for the magic ingredient: contact solution! We started by adding just one tablespoon of the contact solution.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids 3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

It only took a few seconds of stirring and we could see the slime actually beginning to form.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

A few more rotations of the spoon and we had a firm, sticky slime-like mixture.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

At this point, the girls had to put down the spoon, reach into the bowl and finish mixing the slime by hand.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

Our glitter slime was a little too sticky, so we added another quarter tablespoon of contact solution to our concoction.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

The extra contact solution worked like a charm. The slimy bits that had been stuck to the girls fingers were easily removed as they finished kneeding the slime. The finished result was a firm, wet, slimy substance.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

My little helpers stretched, squeezed, bent, and manipulated that slime in every imaginable way. They had a blast playing with their slime and I loved how this glitter slime recipe didn’t produce any mess or make me worry about the safety of their skin.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

Elmer’s is the only brand of glue that I use in my classroom and it’s no surprise that Elmer’s Classic Glitter Glue was a great kid-friendly base for making slime. I am certain that I will be using this mess-free glitter slime recipe often in the future.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

You can learn more about Elmer’s products and discover even more fun inspiration for kid’s crafts the Elmer’s website, as well as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

The post Mess Free Glitter Slime Recipe that’s Safe for Kids appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Quick and Easy Bulletin Boards with Free Pennant Letters

0
0

Thank you to ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers for partnering with me on this blog post to create pennant letters for the classroom. I received payment, trade, and/or products from Astrobrights in exchange for promoting their products. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that I use and love. This post also contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

It’s that time of year once again! Teachers are back in school, back in the full swing of things, and summer already feels like a distant memory. Of course, back to school season always seems to have a few surprises in store for teachers, students and administrators. The biggest surprise of all: staff changes that occur after the first week of school. We’re currently going through one of those big transitions at my school when a new first grade teacher, “Miss T”, was hired after the first week of school. Poor Miss T was ecstatic about her new teaching job, but more than a little overwhelmed by the empty classroom before her. While she wanted to instantly create the cutest classroom possible, she needed to focus her time, energy, and attention on content and building relationships with her brand new students.

Fortunately, I happen to teach right next door and I always have a full supply of Astrobrights paper and cardstock on hand for any decor emergencies. And with Parent Night nipping at our heels this week, I’m pretty sure the situation qualified as a decor emergency!

Miss T did a little hurried classroom shopping on her own and bought a few borders and basic decor items to start decorating. Eager to help, I asked if she had a theme in mind and her response was classic chalkboard.

Selecting A Color Palette

Every great classroom design begins with a strong color scheme. I wanted to help Miss T make a big impact with minimal effort, but first we need a little direction. We brainstormed possible color schemes and decided to keep the classic school theme going with our color palate. We selected red, green and yellow to compliment the chalkboard borders and calendar pieces that had been purchased.

Astrobrights makes the best, most vibrant papers for classroom use and we decided that Re-Entry Red®, Gamma Green® and Solar Yellow® were the perfect accent colors for Miss T’s chalkboard theme.

Astrobrights Papers in the Classroom | Kinder Craze kindergarten teaching blog

Make A Big Impact with Pennant Banners

The clock was ticking as we prepared for Parent Night, so we got right to work on a simple project that would make a BIG impact. You may recall the pennant banners that served as subject area headers on Markeda Brown’s first grade classroom when she won the Astrobrights Brightest Teacher makeover last year.

Astrobrights Papers in the Classroom | Kinder Craze kindergarten teaching blog

I loved those pennants so much because they were easy to print, prep and hang. And thanks to the durability of Astrobrights cardstock, no laminating was required!

FREE Pennant Letters for the classroom | Kinder Craze kindergarten teaching blog

The boards in Miss T’s classroom looked fantastic thanks to the bright paper and chalkboard boarders, but the room was so sparsely furnished that we needed to add a little extra impact to help the space feel a little less empty. I printed three subject headers for Miss T’s bulletin boards. The letters were printed in a pattern onto Re-Entry Red, Solar Yellow, and Gamma Green cardstock.

Stringing the trimmed letters into classroom banners was super-simple. I cut a 1.5″ slit near the top corners of each letter and strung them onto 7/8″ black grosgrain ribbon.

FREE Pennant Letter Banners for the classroom | Kinder Craze kindergarten teaching blog

The finished results made a big, beautiful impact in Miss T’s classroom.

FREE Pennant Letter Banners for the classroom | Kinder Craze kindergarten teaching blog first grade bulletin boards with pennant letter banners - Kinder Craze teaching blogfirst grade calendar bulletin board with pennant banners - Kinder Craze teaching blogfirst grade word wall bulletin board with Astrobrights pennant banner | Kinder Craze teaching blogUse Astrobrights paper to create a pennant letter banner - Kinder Craze teaching blog Use Astrobrights paper to create a pennant letter banner - Kinder Craze teaching blog

Shopping Guide

You can easily recreate the same look in your own classroom. Here are the materials and resources we used to create this look.

Re-Entry Red Astrobrights Cardstock
Gamma Green Astrobrights Cardstock
Gamma Green Astrobrights Cardstock

All three cardstock colors are included in this multipack of Astrobrights cardstock on Amazon:

We labeled Miss T’s word wall with Black Series Word Wall Alphabet Headers, which are available in my TpT store. Daily Five reading resources are from Lyndsey Kuster. Click any of the images below to add them to your classroom.

Word Wall Alphabet Headers from Maria Manore Gavin on TpT Ready, Set, Read FREE tools from Lyndsey Kuster Be a Reading Expert from Lyndsey Kuster

Miss T’s bulletin boards were also trimmed with fadeless paper and chalkboard theme borders and accent decor. Click any image below to purchase them on Amazon.

Free Classroom Pennant Letters

Add a bold pop of color to your classroom with my FREE Pennant Letters. Just click the image below to get started. Enter your email address and the pennants will be delivered right to your inbox. If you can’t find them, be sure to check your spam folder. I recommend using a personal email address, rather than a school email due to the high level of filters that administrators put on school email accounts.

I personally love the extra bold pop that the black pennant letters bring to the classroom. I printed all of my pennants on my laser printer, which is much more cost effective than an inkjet printer. If you’re concerned about draining your printer, a low-ink pennant style is also included in the download.

Here’s to a great school year that’s fun, engaging, and bright!

The post Quick and Easy Bulletin Boards</br> with Free Pennant Letters appeared first on Kinder Craze.

All Saints Day for Kids Kindergarten Classroom Resources

0
0

With all of the Halloween festivities about to begin, it’s easy for All Saints Day to get lost in the shuffle. But for Catholic School teachers, November 1 is an important day of honoring the Saints. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to find quality, engaging resources about the lives of the Saints that are appropriate for young children. I rounded up some of my favorite resources about the Saints from Amazon and Teachers Pay Teachers that are perfect for Kindergarten. And if you purchase most of the items early this week, they will arrive in time for All Saints Day!

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which allows me to continue sharing this type of post with you. I hope you discover your new favorite Catholic resource!

all-saints-day2

Saint Prayer Cards

When I was in 8th grade, my teacher often gave every student in the class a prayer card. Even as an 8th grader, I remember being mesmerized by the images on the cards. We were also given a small photo album from the dollar store and we kept our collection of prayer cards in the photo album. Every student had their prayer card collection in their desk all year long. Now, I realize that it can get very pricey to provide every single student with a collection of prayer cards about the Saints, but it’s very affordable to order just one set of prayer cards and to keep them in the classroom. Place the cards in a small photo album or laminate and place them on a binder ring for students to peruse.

I guarantee your kindergarten students will be mesmerized and it will quickly become a favorite resource in the classroom. This particular set of Holy Cards on Amazon includes 54 prayer cards and sells for $6.19 (plus it’s Prime eligible!)

Saint Prayer Cards - All Saints Day for kids

Shining Light Dolls

What better way to teach young children about the Saints than with small toys that they can actually touch! I discovered Shining Light Dolls last year and fell in love with these simple, child-friendly toys. Each Shining Light Doll comes with a little foldable card with an image of the Saint, a few facts, the Saint’s feast day, and often a prayer or notable story of the Saint.

Saint Nicholas is the Patron Saint of my classroom (each class at my school has a Patron Saint) and I recently ordered Saint Nicholas to help me introduce St. Nicholas to my kindergarteners next week. I also own Saint Nicholas and plan to take him out in March.

St. Nicholas Shining Light Doll - - All Saints Day for kids

Over two dozen Saint figures are available from Shining Light Dolls (including Saint Nicholas ) and they are available on Amazon! Click any of the images to shop.

 

The Saints: A Brother Francis DVD

High quality videos are one of the most difficult resources to find for Catholic educators. I sometimes show movies from the Beginners Bible Video Series, which are a wonderful supplement. But those videos are Protestant, which means they mostly focus on the Old Testament and they don’t mention the Saints at all. I recently discovered the Brother Francis Video Series on Amazon and I am so glad to finally find educational videos for the kindergarten classroom. And this particular video is the perfect way to bring the meaning of All Saints Day to kids.

Brother Francis Saints DVD - - All Saints Day for kids

I just added Brother Francis DVD: The Saints to my Amazon shopping cart yesterday and I can’t wait for it to arrive. I don’t often show movies in my classroom, but this one looks like it will be the perfect supplement to my All Saints Day lesson plan. I know how scary it can be to invest your hard-earned money on classroom resources when you’re not sure what you’ll be getting. Fortunately, Brother Francis posted a preview of the video on YouTube!

Books About The Saints

Of course books are always a great resource for the classroom. I found a few books on Amazon that seem to be high-quality and appropriate for young learners.

Can You Find Saints - All Saints Day for kids

Can You Find Saints?

This book puts a religious spin on the popular Where’s Waldo and I Spy book series. Who says religious books have to be boring? Any time that we can put a faith-filled twist on a classic secular idea is a good thing in my book. If you’re looking for a good way to hook a child on the Saints, Can You Find Saints? is a great way to start!

 

The Saints are Watching Over Me- All Saints Day resources for kids

The Saints Are Watching Over Me

The description for The Saints Are Watching Over Me on Amazon only describes this book by saying “introduces the Tiny Saints in a fun and memorable way” and no preview images for the pages are available, so I had to dig into the reviews to learn more. All of the reviews describe the book as being easy to read and wonderful. They describe simple pictures and rhymes, which sounds great to me. My kindergarten students enjoy the simplest of books because many of them can actually learn to read the words independently. The Saints are Watching Over Me is definitely is going on my Amazon wish list for All Saints Day.

Saints on the Go- All Saints Day resources for kids

Saints on the Go

I love the lighthearted look at the Saints offered by Saints on the Go! The Amazon description reads, “from Saint Joan of Arc on her horse to St. John Paul the Great in the popemobile, the saints have been on the move spreading the news of Christ throughout the centuries!” This book was created in conjunction with Shining Light Dolls and the sweet illustrations of the book are done in the style of the dolls. What a great fit for an early childhood classroom library!

Saint Statues from Little Drops of Water

I also recently discovered Saint statues from Little Drops of Water.  Unlike the vinyl figurines from Shining Light Dolls, these statues are made of hard resin and they are more accurate visual depictions of the Saints. They also offer a different selection of Saints in their online store, including Saint John Paul II. These statues are 3.5″ tall and sell online for $13 each. Unfortunately, they aren’t available on Amazon, so you’ll have to pay shipping as well. I think it will be worth it though – these statues are kid friendly and precious for faith-building.

Saint Cecilia statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Cecilia

St. Nicholas statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Nicholas

Saint Rita statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Rita

Saint John Paul II statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. John Paul II

Saint Philomena statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Philomena

St. Jude statue- All Saints Day resources for kids

St. Jude

TpT Resources about The Saints

Book publishers may not understand a kindergarten teacher’s need for high-quality resources that a young child can easily understand, but other elementary teachers certainly do! I rounded up a few of my favorite resources for teaching about the Saints that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers.

 My First Saints Coloring Book- All Saints Day resources for kids

 My First Saints Coloring Book

The My First Saints Coloring Book is one of the best resources about the Saints that I discovered on TpT. It’s actually created by Little Drops of Water (the same company that makes those beautiful resin statues). Each page in the coloring book features a sweet, simple, and child-friendly image. The resource is priced at $4.95 and it includes 33 coloring pages.

 You can also purchase individual coloring pages from Little Drops of Water on TpT for 95 cents each or full-color Saint posters for $1.56 each.

St. Theresa coloring pages - All Saints Day resources for kids

Catholic Saint Coloring Book- All Saints Day resources for kids

Catholic Saint Coloring Book

If you would rather make a purchase on TpT that supports a fellow teacher, then the Catholic Saint Coloring Book from Sara J Creations might be a better fit! Sara offers a wide array of Catholic and religious resources in her TpT store. 

All Saints Day book for kindergarteners - All Saints Day resources for kids

All Saints Day Book and Prayer Page

Another cute option for lower elementary classrooms is the All Saints Day Book and Prayer Page from Miss P’s PreK Pups. This downloadable book provides the basic facts about All Saints Day and is a great little supplement to your lesson plans for the Feast Day. Miss P also offers a variety of Catholic resources in her TpT store. 

Favorite Catholic Saints flash cards- All Saints Day resources for kids

Favorite Catholic Saints Flash Cards

If you don’t want to invest in a class set of traditional prayer cards, these Favorite Catholic Saints Flash Cards from The Kennedy Adventures might be just the ticket. The set costs $5.97 and includes printable cards for 50 popular Saints. The Kennedy Adventures appears to be a new TpT shop, but the resources are mostly Catholic so it might be a great store to start following.

 

Free Book about St. Patrick

I also teach in a Catholic school and I know from personal experience that a Catholic educator’s personal budget is exceptionally tight. I am very blessed to be in a situation where I can develop Catholic resources for teachers to use in the classroom and share them free of charge. If you are looking for resources about specific Saints, my St. Patrick was a Saint Interactive Sight Word Reader is perfect for you.

FREE book about St. Patrick- All Saints Day for kids

The printable emergent reader teaches a few basic facts about St. Patrick. Students also have to cut out and glue letters to spell “was” on each page and complete the sentences. I really think you are going to love this book. Click the image below to download your FREE “St. Patrick was a Saint” book.

What’s Your Favorite Saint Resource?

And there you have it! An extensive list of resources to help teach your kindergarten students about the Saints. Which of these items sounds like the best fit for your classroom? Do you know of another resource that you think would be a great addition to this list? Please leave a comment with your thoughts or suggestions. I would love to know what you think!

all-saints-day-for-kids

The post All Saints Day for Kids</br> Kindergarten Classroom Resources appeared first on Kinder Craze.

15 Must-Follow Teacher Instagram Accounts

0
0

Instagram is my absolute favorite social media platform. Nothing gives me more pleasure than scrolling through my IG feed and seeing photos of my friends and family members. Instagram also happens to be my favorite source of classroom inspiration. I can’t begin to count how many wonderful ideas I put to use with my students because of something I saw on Insta. Each day, thousands of teachers share their work on the popular social platform. I rounded up 15 of my favorite teacher Instagram accounts.

How many of these amazing accounts are you following?

favorite-teacher-instagram-accounts

1. Teachers Pay Teachers

We all love shopping on TpT, but have you checked out their Instagram account? Teachers Pay Teachers is one of my favorite Instagram accounts because they always regram the best educational images from across the platform and they often have teacher-sellers to take over their IG for the day. I get so many great ideas from the TpT Instagram feed, which helps me to find amazing new teachers to follow. And I can’t count the number of times I have discovered a must-have resource for my classroom thanks to TpT. Follow @teacherspayteachers on Instagram.

Teachers Pay Teachers - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

2. Target Teachers

Raise your hand if you’re a teacher who loves to shop at Target! If your hand is up, you have got to check out Target Teachers on Instagram. Target teachers is a joint account run by Michelle Griffo from @applesandabcs and Hadar Hartstein from @misskindergarten. Together, they share the most creative classroom resources that can be found in the aisles of your local Target store. This wildly popular Instagram account already has 100k followers. If you’re not already one of them, click here to follow @targetteachers on Instagram.

Target Teachers - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

3. Blair Turner – One Lesson At a Time

Let’s face it. We’re not all on our A-game 100% of the time. And if you’re ever feeling a little less-than adequate in the organization department, Blair Turner from One Lesson at a Time is just the woman to perk you back up and provide reassurance that you are not alone. She prides herself on being a type-B teacher and she does not apologize for it. Blair also has exquisite taste and it’s always fun when she shares an occasional peek at her home decor. Plus it’s nice to know that the teachers we love also spend some time outside of the classroom. Follow @onelessonatatime on Instagram.

Blair Turner One Lesson at a Time - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

4. Fun In First

I love, love LOVE following Fun in First on Instagram. Not only does Jodi Southard give you a glimpse into the resources she uses in her own first grade classroom, but she also shares teaching tips throughout the week. Personally, I’m not much of an inspirational quote kind of a gal, but Jodi’s tips are solid gold. They’re to the point and cut right to the heart of the work teachers do in their classroom each day. Her tips always nudge me toward being a better teacher, even if it’s simply a reminder of something I already know. Follow @funinfirstblog on Instagram.

Fun in First - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

5. The Amy Groesbeck

If you ever find yourself in need of a lighthearted view of the teaching profession, you have got to follow Amy Groesbeck on Instagram. Her #180daysinthelifeofateacher provides a fun peek into the secret life of teachers, with a little exaggeration for a dramatic effect. Follow @theamygroesbeck on Instagram.

Amy Groesbeck - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

6. Brown Bag Teacher

Need a little coaching in highly-motivating best practices? You have to follow Catherine Reed from Brown Bag Teacher. Her Instagram photos always show a unique perspective of her first grade and kindergarten classroom. There is so much good content in every one of Catherine’s posts, it’s obvious that education is her passion. Follow @brownbagteacher on Instagram.

Brown Bag Teacher - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

7. A Day in First Grade

Don’t be misled by the name – Kristen Smith from A Day in First Grade is teaching kindergarten these days and her Instagram feed is filled with Montessori and Reggio inspired activities. Kristen teaches a child-centered classroom with many exploration opportunities for her young learners. She is particularly passionate about integrating STEM into her classroom activities, and you have to see some of the completely unique classroom experiences she creates for her students. Follow @adayinfirstgrade on Instagram.

A Day in First Grade - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

8. First Grade Made

A little classroom decor, a little inspiration, a little teacher fashion and a whole lotta fun. That’s what Miss Vaz from First Grade Made sprinkles into her Instagram account. She and I are cut from the same cloth. If you enjoy the content I share, you will LOVE her feed. Follow @firstgrade_made on Instagram.

First Grade Made - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

9. Lessons with Laughter

I may teach kindergarten, but I greatly admire any educator who excels and their craft, no matter what grade they teach. Molly Maloy teaches fifth grade and is the woman behind Lessons with Laughter. I adore everything she posts, but the images of her classroom library always take my breath away! Follow @lessonswithlaughter on Instagram.

Lessons with Laughter - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

10. Apples and ABCs

Whether you teach fifth grade or kindergarten (or anything in between), there’s a little something for everyone over at Apples and ABCs on Instagram. Michelle Griffo is a former kindergarten teacher currently working in a fifth grade classroom. She also has a killer sense of style, a boatload of creativity, and the cutest little boy you ever did see. Michelle sprinkles of all those things in her Instagram account. Her feed always feels fresh, interesting, and like you’re catching up with your long time best friend. Follow @applesandabcs on Instagram.

Apples and ABCs - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

11. Teach Preschool

I love, love LOVE Deborah Stewart’s Instagram feed over at Teach Preschool. It’s filled with sweet photos of the children at the preschool program she owns and operates. Deborah creates interesting and unique learning opportunities for her children to explore with not-so-typical classroom materials. A quick scroll of Deborah’s recent IG feed shows students carving pumpkins, sticking push pins in pumpkins, and even drilling into pumpkins with small cordless drills. Despite the unorthodox materials, you just know that Deborah’s classroom management is outstanding and that her students clearly understand appropriate behavior for every single item in their learning environment. Follow @teachpreschool on Instagram and prepare to be blown away.

Teach Preschool - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

12. I Heart Crafty Things

I not only (heart) a good kids craft, but I giant puffy pink heart following Rachel from I Heart Crafty Things on Instagram. Her feed is filled with seasonal crafts and kids project ideas that are a refreshing upgrade from old-school macaroni necklaces and popsicle stick houses. There’s just so much cuteness all in one place! Rachel isn’t a teacher, but so many of her ideas are perfect for the early elementary classroom! Follow @iheartcraftythings on Instagram.

I Heart Crafty Things -15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

13. Husky Loving Teacher

It’s easy to figure out Husky Loving Teacher Melissa Dailey’s three great passions with a quick glance at her Instagram account: teaching, photography, and her husky Shilah. Melissa teaches second grade and shares an abundance of fabulous ideas on her Instagram account. She is also an incredibly talented photographer, which means a scroll through her Insta feed is a treat for the eyes! And then of course there’s Shilah – Melissa’s furry sidekick! Follow @huskylovingteacher on Instagram. 

Husky Loving Teacher - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

14. Kinder Craze

If you are on the blog reading this post right now, you definitely want to follow Kinder Craze on Instagram. I showcase exciting moments in the classroom as well as helpful content and seasonal ideas from the blog archives. Plus a little bit of classroom inspiration and teacher style!  The Kinder Craze Instagram feed has a little of everything, with a lot of pops of bright color. Follow @kindercraze on Instagram.

Kinder Craze on Instagram - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

15. Teacher Troubles

Remember Blair Turner from @onelessonatatime? She is also the woman behind Teacher Troubles – a funny, snarky, hysterical Instagram account that simply tells it like it is from a teacher’s perspective. If you enjoy a good teacher meme or find yourself in need of glass of wine at the end of a long day in the classroom, you need to follow @teachertroubles on Instagram.

Teacher Troubles on Instagram - 15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

 

Who Is Your Favorite Teacher On Instagram?

And there you have it! Fifteen of my all-time favorite teacher Instagram accounts. Every single person on the list brings a spark of joy or inspiration to my classroom craft. Who is your must-follow source of classroom inspiration on Instagram? Leave a comment because I would love to follow them too!

15 Must Follow Teacher Instagram accounts

The post 15 Must-Follow</br> Teacher Instagram Accounts appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Easy Christmas Candle Craft for Kids (Great for Advent Too!)

0
0

There’s no time of year quite like the holidays. Especially in a kindergarten classroom. The kids are excited, and we always have so many holiday events at school. On top of all of the special moments, I love doing holiday projects with my students. But I need them to be fast and simple so that I still have time to teach academic content. Which is why I love this easy Christmas candle craft. It’s simple, easy to prep for and the finished project looks fantastic. I’ll take you step by step through the craft and I even have a free template that you can download at the end of this post to help you create a Christmas candle craft with your students!

Thank you to Astrobrights for sponsoring this blog post. This post also contains affiliate links and I receive a small commission each time a purchase is made through one of my links. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that I love.

Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

Christmas or Advent Paper Candle Craft

I teach in a Catholic school, so it’s always an added bonus when I can put a religious spin on a secular Christmas craft. I love a good Christmas tree or Santa project as much as the next teacher, but the religious crafts really melt my heart, which is the wonderful thing about this paper candle craft. You can easily create a red Christmas candle with this project, or you can create a purple or pink candle to represent the season of Advent.

Using Torn Paper with Older Children

I also love this Christmas candle craft because it’s simple enough for kindergarten, but can easily be adapted as a more challenging project for older grades. Just have older students tear the pieces to make a torn paper craft. I personally love the torn paper look and my 3rd and 4th grade assistants enjoyed the challenge.

torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

Now that you’ve seen a few different ways to adapt this very simple Christmas candle craft, I’ll take you step by step through the process and materials used.

Gather Materials

This project doesn’t require any special materials. You can easily purchase Astrobrights paper on Amazon and have it delivered right to your door. You’ll also need a glue stick, scissors (optional) and a hole punch. Each sheet of 8.5×11″ Astrobrights paper and cardstock will need to be cut in half for this project, so a paper cutter is also helpful to have.

Additionally, you will need to copy the candle and flame templates onto Astrobrights paper. The candle has two layers of coordinating paper to create a little extra pop of color, and a variety of green shades was used to create the evergreen. Even the flame had a little added dimension from yellow and orange paper. The bright mix of colors adds a layer of depth to the Christmas candle craft and makes the project extra special. Here are all of the papers I used for the three projects.

And for a little extra clarification, here are the signature colors I used for the candle on each art project:

Advent candle craft made with torn paper from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!
Purple Advent Candle
Front: Outrageous Orchid™
Back: Planetary Purple™

Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!
Red Christmas Candle
Front: Re-Entry Red™
Back: Rocket Red™

Advent candle craft made with torn paper from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!
Pink Advent Candle
Front: Pulsar Pink™
Back: Fireball Fuchsia™

You can also purchase this pack of paper on Amazon that includes 6 sheets of every Astrobrights color inside. It’s perfect if you are working on smaller projects (like I was with my three little crafters).

All 25 colors of Astrobrights paper in one pack!

Creating the Paper Candle Christmas Craft

Regardless of the color or cutting option, all students will need a half sheet of 8.5×11″ Eclipse Black™ cardstock for the project. Then it’s time to begin cutting or tearing.

paper Christmas candle crafttorn paper Christmas candle craft

Cutting and Gluing the Candle

Once the candle pieces have been cut, they will be layered and glued onto the black cardstock. Have students aim for the center of the paper so there is room for evergreen leaves at the bottom and a flame at the top.

paper Christmas candle crafttorn paper Christmas candle craft

Adding the Flame

Next up is the flame. Once again, students will cut or tear a large Solar Yellow™
flame and a smaller Cosmic Orange™ flame, then layer these pieces to the top of the candle.

paper Christmas candle crafttorn paper Christmas candle craftpaper Christmas candle craft

Tear and Glue Evergreen Leaves

Once the candle and flame are complete, it’s time to add an evergreen collage to the bottom of the candle. I used three green shades of Astrobrights paper ( Martian Green™, Vulcan Green™, and Gamma Green™.) I love how much more deep and rich this sweet craft was than if I had just used one color for the evergreens.

torn paper Christmas candle craft torn paper Christmas candle craft

For this part of the project, everyone tore pieces of paper and glued them onto the bottom of the candle.  Even my friend that had used scissors to cut her other pieces.

torn paper Christmas candle craft

Add Red Berries

As a final touch, the girls used a hole punch to create small berries for their leaves.  We used the scraps of paper from the Re-Entry Red™ candle.

torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!torn paper Christmas candle craft from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

christmas-candle-craftFREE Christmas Candle Craft Template

If you want to create this simple Christmas candle craft with your students, I’ve made it super easy for you! Click the image below to download your free candle template and printable directions. Enjoy!

Pin Now and Come Back Later

If you are gathering ideas now for classroom project ideas to use later on, I’ve made it very easy for you to remember these simple free crafts. Pin the image below that best suits your needs to save this craft on Pinterest. Then come back whenever it’s convenient for you!

Christmas candle paper craft - cute Christmas activity for kids from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights! Advent Candle paper craft - cute Advent activity for kids from Kinder Craze and Astrobrights!

The post Easy Christmas Candle Craft for Kids</br> (Great for Advent Too!) appeared first on Kinder Craze.

13 Books About Groundhog Day

0
0

Groundhog Day is coming and I for one am ready for spring! I’ve rounded up a collection of 13 books about Groundhog Day to help you prepare to teach your students this fun American tradition. Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite books from Amazon. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.

13 Books about Groundhog Day for the Classroom

 

Groundhog Day

Groundhog Day!

Every February 2, people all across the country wonder about the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Will he see his shadow on that day or won’t he? Will spring come early or late? Here is information about Groundhog Day, its origins, and the animal at the center of this delightful annual event. Find it on Amazon.

Grumpy Groundhog by Maureen Wright

Grumpy Groundhog

It’s Groundhog Day, and everyone is gathered to find out if it’s time for spring. But Groundhog does NOT want to leave his cozy bed in his cozy den. Will the townspeople be able to coax him outside to do his job? Kids will love the humorous antics of Groundhog in this delightful rhyming tale from the author of Sleep, Big Bear, SleepFind it on Amazon.

Groundhog's Dilemma by Kristen Remenar

Groundhog’s Dilemma

After Groundhog announces six more weeks of winter, half his animal friends are disappointed, while the other half are excited. Each animal asks Groundhog to make his prediction in their favor the following year. Rather than being truthful about the fact that he just “calls it like he sees it,” he leads them to believe he can control the weather, accepting their gifts of food and favor. On the next Groundhog Day, he finally admits he made promises he couldn’t keep because he was trying to please everyone and makes amends. Find it on Amazon.

Groundhog's Day Off by Robb Pearlman

Groundhog’s Day Off

Every year, people ask Groundhog the same, boring old question. Is spring around the corner? Or are we doomed to more winter? Sure, they care about his shadow, but what about him and his interests? He’s had enough! Groundhog packs his bags and sets out for a much-needed vacation. Now the town is holding auditions to find someone to fill his spot. None of the animals seem right for the job, though. Not Elephant, not Ostrich, and most certainly not Puppy. No one has Groundhog’s flair for the dramatic, but is it too late to woo him back into the spotlight? This hilarious picture book will leave readers wishing it was Groundhog’s Day year-round. Find it on Amazon.

The Secret of the First One Up by Iris Hiskey Arno

The Secret of the First One Up

When Lila, a young groundhog, objects to going to sleep for the winter, Uncle Wilbur tells her to rest so that she can try to be the first one to wake up in the spring and discover a big secret. She is indeed the first groundhog to awaken and quickly runs up the tunnel and outdoors, where she is greeted by all of the animals that do not hibernate and learns from them how important her shadow is. This book can be used for holiday celebrations or as an addition to a storytime or unit on hibernation. Find it on Amazon.

Gregory's Shadow by Don Freeman

Gregory’s Shadow

Gregory is a shy groundhog, and having his friend Shadow close by makes him feel brave. But one day Gregory and Shadow go outside to look for food, and they get separated. Scared and lonely, they search and search for one another. To make matters worse, tomorrow is Groundhog Day, and everyone will be waiting to see if Gregory and his shadow leave their home together. Will the two friends find each other in time for Groundhog Day? Find it on Amazon.

Mr. Groundhog Wants the Day Off by Pat Stemper Vojta

Mr. Groundhog Wants the Day Off

Mr. Groundhog tries to give his Groundhog Day duties away. He does not want to be blamed for six more weeks of winter anymore. He asks his friends to take on the responsibilities, but they are not interested. Instead, one by one his friends show him how he is perfectly suited to the role. Find it on Amazon.

Double Trouble Groundhog Day by Bethany Roberts

Double Trouble Groundhog Day

Grampie Groundhog decides to turn over the family job of forecasting the weather to one of his grandchildren. But which one? Gregory wants to do it but so does his twin, Greta. The two draw straws and Gregory wins. Right before the big day Gregory loses his glasses, so it’s Greta to the rescue. Together, the twins announce “Spring is coming!” and everyone celebrates. Find it on Amazon.

Substitute Groundhog by Pat Miller

Substitute Groundhog

It’s almost Groundhog Day! But this year Groundhog is not feeling well. Dr. Owl diagnoses him with the flu and orders two days of bed rest. Then Groundhog has in idea–he can hire a substitute! Maybe Squirrel can be the substitute, or Eagle, or Bear. Find it on Amazon.

Go To Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox

Go to Sleep, Groundhog

Poor Groundhog just can’t sleep. He tosses. He turns. Finally, he gets out of bed and goes exploring. Outside his burrow he finds amazing sights he has never seen before: glowing jack-o’-lanterns, gobbling turkeys, and sparkling holiday lights. But shouldn’t Groundhog be in bed? With no sleep how will he be able to get up for his big day? Find it on Amazon.

Who Will See Their Shadows This Year? by Jerry Pallotta

Who Will See Their Shadows This Year?

It’s February 2 and all the animals are tired of winter. But why should the groundhog always be famous for seeing his shadow? Who else wants to try? A chicken? A polar bear? A camel?

None of those seems quite right. So who will see their shadows this year? Find it on Amazon.

Gretchen Groundhog, It's Your Day! by Abby Levine

Gretchen Groundhog, It’s Your Day!

It’s almost Groundhog Day, and the town of Piccadilly is all a-buzz because Gretchen Groundhog will not Go Out. Her Great-Uncle Gus is too old to look for his shadow anymore–now it’s Gretchen’s turn. But she’s too shy. Find it on Amazon.

Groundhog Gets a Say by Pamela Curtis Swallow

Groundhog Gets a Say

There’s so much more to being a groundhog than just putting on a show once a year, and Groundhog has decided it’s time to tell the world the Hog truth. With the help of a few of his fans, Groundhog is ready to tell everything about himself, from how loud he can whistle (loud), to how fast he can run (not fast), to how many things he uses his teeth for (a lot). Groundhog may be full of himself, but chances are good that, by the end of this book, you’ll agree he’s pretty wonderful! A funny, fact-filled look at what happens when one very proud groundhog speaks out. Find it on Amazon.

So what do you think? Will it be an early spring or will it be a long winter? Either way, I have a suspicion it will only last six weeks!

13 Books About Groundhog Day

 

The post 13 Books About Groundhog Day appeared first on Kinder Craze.


How to Tell Your Students That You’re Pregnant

0
0

In case you haven’t heard the good news, let me let you in on my little secret: I’m going to be a mom! My husband Rob and I are so excited to be parents this July. We announced the big news to our family and friends last week and shared a few details about the pregnancy on our lifestyle blog, Crazy Together. We had a plan for the exact way we were going to share the news with our parents, siblings, friends, and everyone else. But there was a very special group of kindergarteners that deserved to hear the news in a very special way. If you’re an elementary teacher who’s pregnant  and struggling with the same dilemma, I’m happy to share my own classroom pregnancy announcement and hopefully provide a little inspiration on how to tell your students that you’re pregnant.

How to Tell Your Students that You're Pregnant with this FREE "secret code" worksheet

I wanted my students to hear the good news directly from me, but I didn’t want to focus too much of our precious learning time on my personal news, so I created a short and sweet way to announce my pregnancy to the students.

My Teacher Secret

To begin, I gathered my students near our classroom calendar and told them that I had a secret to share with them. As you might imagine, those 5 and 6 year old students perked right up at the sound of the word “secret!” I told them that in order for them to know my news, they would have to use a secret code to solve the mystery. At this point, their eyes were as big as saucers and bursting with excitement.

I showed the class the sweet little worksheet I had created for my pregnancy announcement and demonstrated how to use the secret code. I only showed them how to solve the first four letters and the class quickly figured out that the first two words on the page were “Mrs. Gavin.”

Once I was confident that everyone knew what to do, I gave each child their own “What’s the Secret?” worksheet and watched them go to town.

You could have heard a pin drop while the class worked to crack the code and every single child in the class was able to successfully identify the correct letters to complete the activity.

How to Tell Your Students that You're Pregnant - FREE worksheet

Reading the Secret Message

As you would probably guess, some students completed the page very quickly and others needed extra time. The quick finishers just stared at their freshly decoded papers and tried to figure out what it said. I knew the message was too difficult for many students to read, but I figured I could count on a few the higher-level readers to solve the puzzle and blurt out what it said (thus, making the announcement for me).

After seeing a perplexed look on every student’s face, I decided to jump in and help out.

I asked the class, “So what do you think it says?”

Almost everyone chimed in with “Mrs. Gavin is …” and then they came to an abrupt stop.

Apparently having was a really difficult word for the class to read. I asked if anyone had a guess what that hard word might be. Someone guessed “have” and I said “it’s a lot like the word have”. This was followed by more silence. We’ve been discussing reading strategies so I let the students  know that it’s ok to skip a hard word and come back to it.

Which was fine, except everyone proceeded to get stuck on the word baby.

Again I asked out loud, “What do you think it says?”

At this point, I’m pretty sure that one of the girls in the class had a good guess about the message. I swear she gave me a funny look and checked out my belly. I met her gaze, leaned down and whispered, “What do you think it says?” The question was met with yet another “I don’t know.”

At this point, the entire class had been stumped for a few minutes. They wanted to know the secret so badly, so I once again asked if anyone had any idea what that hard word that started with an h might be. After a few incorrect guesses, one student finally called out “having!”

YES!

Within a few seconds the class was able to finally read the rest of the secret message that Mrs. Gavin is Having a Baby!

Praise the Lord, they figured it out!

My Teacher is Having a Baby! - How to tell your students that you're pregnant

As you might expect, my students had a few questions about when the baby will be coming and why I don’t have a big belly. They also wanted to know if it would be a boy or a girl. I told them that the baby would arrive this summer and that my belly will start growing soon and get bigger as the baby grows. I also explained that we won’t know if it’s a boy or a girl until the baby is born (Rob and I want to be surprised), but that I did have a photo on my phone.

I walked around the classroom and showed each student my most recent ultrasound picture, pointing out the head, body and legs as I traveled around the room. One student told his mom that he thinks I’m having a boy, which is undoubtedly the first of many student predictions.

Free Classroom Pregnancy Announcement

If you are a classroom teacher looking for a sweet way to announce your own pregnancy, I’m thrilled to share this simple secret code worksheet with you. It’s the perfect way to tell your own students that you’re expecting. The free download includes a general “My Teacher is Having a Baby!” pdf as well as an editable PowerPoint file that you can use to personalize the activity with your with your own name. Click the image below to download your free Secret Code Pregnancy Announcement!

If you know of any other creative ways to tell your students that you are expecting, please share your ideas in the comments. Elementary teachers always have the cutest ideas!

The post How to Tell Your Students</br> That You’re Pregnant appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Using Number Puzzles to Build Number Sense Up to 120

0
0

More than 120 days of school have passed, but we have not moved on from counting and building number sense up to 120. My class is doing such a beautiful job of learning to recognize and write all of their numbers from 1 to 120. I’m so unbelievably proud of them, but the wheels in their heads are still turning as they continue to build number sense, recognize number patterns, and understand how those numbers relate to one another. I’ve been using number puzzles in my classroom and this has quickly become the favorite go-to activity when students have extra time. I’m happy to give you a glimpse into my students hard at work on this simple number activity, share a free download to create your own number puzzles, and tell you all about this year’s Brightest Teacher Contest from Astrobrights.

Thank you to ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers for partnering with me on this blog post. I received payment, trade, and or products from Astrobrights in exchange for promoting. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that we use and love. This post also contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Interactive Number Practice Beyond the 100th Day of School

My class celebrated the 100th day of school last month, which means that I created an assortment of fun, 100-themed centers for one very special day last month. My 100th day activities did include number puzzles (much like these.) The only problem is, one day of hands-on fun unscrambling numbers up to 100 and putting them in order wasn’t enough hands-on practice to really help my students dive deep into number patterns and relationships on a 100 chart (and it certainly didn’t help them master their numbers up to 120.)

I recently created a slightly more challenging set of number puzzles that go all the way up to 120 and my goodness, were my students excited to see the really BIG numbers in the puzzle (and by big, I mean numbers beyond 100). They were thrilled by the prospect of a challenge.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

I created a puzzle work station that had several individual number puzzles and 120 charts to use as a guide. Kindergarten students aren’t always mindful about their work spaces so I copied each number puzzle onto a different color of Astrobrights cardstock. This way, my students could tell at a glance exactly which pieces belonged to which puzzle. I love for colors in my classroom to pop, so I used Martian Green, Lunar Blue, Cosmic Orange, and Outrageous Orchid to really make the pieces stand out. There was zero confusion, which helped them to manage their own supplies and allowed me to focus my time and energy on teaching (rather than sorting out mixed up puzzle pieces).

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Having blank 120 charts nearby was helpful in gently guiding my students through the puzzle. It provided a helpful reference for them. Most children placed the puzzle pieces directly on top of the puzzle the first time they worked (which was fine by me – there’s still great value in matching numbers and an opportunity to discover number patterns through observation).

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

I loved watching this student’s progress as she worked to complete her 120 puzzle (and the Outrageous Orchid coincidentally matches her dress beautifully).

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Once children successfully completed a puzzle on top of the 120 chart, I encouraged them to work on a “challenge” puzzle and recreate the same puzzle without the blank chart as a guide. My kindergarteners eagerly rose to this challenge!

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog
Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog
These number puzzles were easy to prepare and highly engaging for my students. Add the fact that the materials were affordable and the bright colors of Astrobrights cardstock made the puzzles even more appealing for my kindergarteners and this activity was a total home run.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Prepping the Number Puzzles

These number puzzles were so easy to prepare for the classroom. I copied several 120 charts onto white cardstock, and also copied the same chart onto different colors of Astrobrights cardstock. I laminated all of the 120 charts and kept the white charts intact so my students could use them as a reference while they worked. The next step was to cut the colored charts into smaller puzzle pieces. There is no right or wrong way to cut the pieces. I try to create various unusual shapes (rather than just squares and rectangles) but you can do whatever you think will work best for your students.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Easily Differentiate the Number Puzzles

There are so many things I love about this activity, but one of my favorite tricks is that I could easily differentiate the puzzles. The orange puzzle I created has only 9 pieces, the yellow puzzle has 11 pieces, and the other puzzles have several more pieces. You can see the difference in size between the orange and purple puzzle pieces below.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

The fewer the pieces, the easier the puzzle. Which is a great way to make this activity accessible to all students – even the ones who struggle. Just hand those children an easier puzzle and they get the satisfaction of doing the same activity as their friends, while minimizing the likelihood of frustration.

Likewise, if you have a few students that breeze through this activity, you can always create a more challenging puzzle with smaller pieces.

Don’t Let the Pieces Slide

As you might imagine, trying to arrange laminated puzzle pieces can be a bit of a challenge. Those laminated puzzle pieces are pretty slick and they move very easily. My kindergarteners are still developing their fine motor skills and I didn’t want them to become unnecessarily frustrated by puzzle pieces sliding around while they were trying to work.

Luckily, there is a super-simple solution to this problem. I placed a small piece of double sided tape onto the back of each puzzle piece. I personally prefer the “permanent” Scotch double sided tape with the yellow packaging because it last so long.

You don’t want the puzzle pieces to stay on the table top or white number chart forever, so I recommend gently tapping the tape with your finger tip a few times after it has been applied to the back of the puzzle piece. This helps reduce the “stickiness” of the tape so it’s re-positionable and not permanent.

 

Number Puzzle Storage

When the number puzzles are not in use, the pieces can easily be stored in sandwich size zipper bags. I also keep a stack of white 120 charts in a nearby tray for easy student access.

Using number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blogUsing number puzzles to build number sense up to 120 with Astrobrights paper | Kinder Craze teaching blog

 

Shop For Supplies

Ready to create some number puzzles for your own classroom? Click any items in the widget below to stock up on Astrobrights cardstock and other materials from Amazon.

 

Create Your Own FREE Number Puzzles

You can create these number puzzles in your classroom as well. Just click the image below to download your free 120 chart and puzzle template. I hope your students enjoy these puzzles as as much as mine do!

Nominate A Bright Teacher for a Classroom Makeover

Do you know a bright teacher? Nominate them for the 2017 Brightest Teacher Contest from ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers. The winning teacher will be awarded a classroom makeover valued at $5,000 It’s easy to nominate your favorite teacher. Just hop over to ColorizeYourClassroom.com and tell us why he or she shines a light on everyone around them. Just act fast because March 26 is the last day to nominate a bright teacher.

Astrobrights Brightest Teacher Contest

I had the great honor of helping to plan and set up the classroom makeover for last year’s Brightest Teacher. The Bright Minds ambassadors designed the classroom together and I am in love with Markeda’s new classroom. I am so excited to find out who this year’s winner will be!

Astrobrights Brightest Teacher Classroom Makeover

The post Using Number Puzzles to</br> Build Number Sense Up to 120 appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Meet HelloBible – A Christian Subscription Box for Kids

0
0

As a Catholic school teacher, I am always on the hunt for products and resources that help to develop a stronger faith formation in young children. I was so happy to discover HelloBible: a biblical-based Christian subscription box for children ages 4 and up. The sweet people at HelloBible graciously sent a premium box my way and I rounded up three of my favorite helpers (ages 7-10) to try out the box. I was so impressed with this service and can’t wait to fill you in on the details.

Thank you to HelloBible for partnering with me on this blog post. I received payment, trade, and or products from HelloBible in exchange for promoting. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that I use and love. 

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

A Look at the Noah Box from HelloBible

When I first opened my HelloBible premium box, I was surprised to see so many materials inside. Not just that, but these were great, high-quality materials. This particular box was the Noah Box and it came with Crayola markers, an Arch Book, two very cute ark-themed coloring pages, bubble concentrate, a small wooden box, stickers and so much more. I couldn’t wait to dig in with my three helpers and see what kind of fun HelloBible had in store for us.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Here’s a quick peek at all of the materials that were included in the kit. They literally included every supply we would need for the projects inside, right down to the markers and adhesive tape.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

The only two items I had to procure on my own were a pair of scissors and a bowl for the bubbles. Fortunately, these are both very ordinary materials that most families have on-hand and at the ready.

Since HelloBible is intended to be a monthly subscription box, they have included four different activity ideas – one for each week of the month so you can continue engaging with the story and content all month long while you wait for your next box to arrive.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

The fun begins with a faith-filled Bible story. My Noah box came with the book “A Man Named Noah” from Arch books. My oldest helper shared the story by reading it aloud to her two younger sisters.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

After we read the story, the fun began! Each HelloBible premium box comes with two craft activities and additional discussion/prayer exercises to deepen a child’s faith and appreciation of the story.

Not only are the crafts unique, but they also come with clear, attractive directions for assembly (which makes my teacher heart go pitter-patter).

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Noah’s Ark Matching Game & Craft

This first craft was a two-parter. We had to create an ark and prepare supplies for a matching game. This actually worked out great for my three helpers. Two of the girls each worked on preparing one side of the double-sided ark; while the third sister prepared wooden chips for the matching game.

The cardstock printed ark pages needed a rainbow to be colored on them and the ark shapes needed to be cut out.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Once we had two completed ark pictures, we used the adhesive stickers included in the kit to attach the ark to the small wooden handled box.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Next up was preparing the wooden chips for a matching game. As you know, Noah needed two of every animal to fill his ark. We attached pairs of animal stickers to the wooden chips. This task was super-simple and would be a great job for a young child.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Once we had our pile of animal chips and an assembled ark, we were ready to play the game! This simple matching game is just like memory or “concentration”. The girls placed all of the pieces upside down and took turns flipping two pieces over at a time, searching for a match. Each time they found a matching pair of wooden pieces, they placed them into the ark.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder CrazeHelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Blowing Giant Rainbow Bubbles

The second set of materials included in the kit, wasn’t exactly for a craft in the traditional sense, but it was a huge hit with my helpers. We headed outside to create giant rainbow bubbles. The bubbles themselves weren’t exceptionally vibrant in color. They had the subtle, shimmery multi-colored glimmer that all bubbles have. We constructed a bubble making device with two skinny wooden dowels, rubber bands and rainbow colored string.

The device was very easy to assemble and I will admit that I was very skeptical to see exactly how a couple of sticks, strings and rubber bands could possibly make giant bubbles. But I poured a little bubble solution into a bowl and added water as instructed by the kit, then we headed outside to see what would happen.

I honestly am completely in awe at how easy it was to blow truly giant bubbles with our little handmade contraption. All it took was a dip of the strings into the solution. Then the kids gently pulled the sticks apart to separate them – and just like that, a bubble began to form!

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

Once the bubbles began to form, we had a little trouble keeping them intact as the girls gently tried blowing them off of the device and into the air. But that didn’t slow them down one bit. It was really cool to see the bubbles form, even if our detachment success rate was far below 100%.

Understanding the Story More Fully

In addition to the craft activities, the Noah’s Ark premium box from HelloBible also had thoughtful faith formation opportunities and discussion questions. The questions are more meaningful than recalling simple facts from the story. Rather, they encourage children to reflect on their own experiences with promises, safety and trusting God.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

A Purchase with a Purpose

I also love that a portion of the proceeds from all HelloBible subscriptions goes toward The Kilgoris Project, which educates and feeds children in rural Kenya. Not only that, but one of the “bonus” activities included in every box is to learn a little bit about the children of Kenya by visiting the HelloBible blog. Not only does this money go to a good cause, but it teaches HelloBible students the importance of Christian service to other parts of the world.

Save $5 on Your First HelloBible Subscription

If you are as impressed as I was by the sweet faith-filled activities that HelloBible delivers each month, I have great news! You can save $5 off your first HelloBible subscription. Just use discount code KINDERCRAZE when you check out for instant savings!

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

 

HelloBible 3-Month Subscription Giveaway

I truly fell in love with the premium box from HelloBible and I am thrilled to share a little of the HelloBible magic with you. I’m giving away a 3-month premium subscription to HelloBible to one lucky blog reader. Use the rafflecopter below for your chance to WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much to Connie and Simone from HelloBible for introducing me to this amazing Christian subscription box for children and sending a premium box my way. I truly cannot say enough good things about this sweet little bible-based activity box.

HelloBible: A Christian Subscription Box for Kids - Kinder Craze

 

The post Meet HelloBible – A Christian Subscription Box for Kids appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Super Easy (and Adorable) Father’s Day Craft Idea

0
0

Father’s Day is just around the corner and I have the perfect Father’s Day craft for you to make with your students (if you are still in the classroom) or at home with your own children if you are on summer vacation. The best part is that even though this project is simple, easy to make, and inexpensive, the bold colors make it look spectacular when it is complete.

Thank you to ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers for partnering with me on this blog post. I received payment, trade, and or products from Astrobrights in exchange for promoting their products. However, all opinions stated are my own and I only promote brands and products that I use and love. This post also contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links, which helps to support the blog.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

It’s sort of a Father’s Day tradition to gift a dad with a necktie at some point in his life. Dads can be so tricky to shop for since most men generally have everything they need and are satisfied with what they own. This sweet Father’s Day craft is a play on the traditional necktie gift, with an added personal touch: a heartfelt note from his child. The bright colors of the necktie pop against a plain white background, and it looks fantastic in a black 8×10 picture frame – like these bargain frames from the dollar store!

Creating the Tie

Getting started with this craft is so simple. I let my helpers pick their own necktie colors from the wide assortment of Astrobrights papers that I always have on hand in my classroom. I divided my paper into two piles: a bright pile and a bold pile. The girls were told to choose one bold color to be the actual tie and one bright color which would be used for the stripes on the tie. I wanted the contrast of the darker, bold paper to stand out against the white “shirt” background, and the lighter colored stripe would create an extra pop of color (and make it easier to read the personal message that each crafter would write to her dad).

For a little extra durability while my crafters worked on the project, I used Astrobrights cardstock for the tie, and regular Astrobrights paper for the stripes.

Once the colors were selected, I copied the necktie template onto their chosen colors of cardstock (in this case Blast-Off Blue® and Celestial Blue™) and cut the bright paper color into 3/4 in strips for their tie stripes.

Then it was finally time to craft! The girls went right to town cutting out their neckties …

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

… and gluing the stripes onto their ties. The girls selected Rocket Red® and Vulcan Green® for their stripes. Both colors looked stunning paired with the two shades of blue ties.

If you want to keep expenses down, but want your students to have some choice in their colors, I highly recommend purchasing any of these multi packs of Astrobrights paper from Amazon. They provide a selection of colors in smaller quantities and have a great price. Click any of the images below to shop.

I also recently discovered this gem on on Amazon. It’s a cardstock pack that contains every color of Astrobrights paper. 

Anyone can go to the store and purchase a gift, but there is something so touching about letting children pour their love into a gift that they make themselves. And let me tell you, these two girls were meticulous about making the nicest gifts possible for their dad!

I provided a little guidance ahead of time and explained that if they ever looked at the stripes on their dad’s ties, they would notice that the stripes are all diagonal and aren’t generally straight (horizontal) on lines.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

A lot of time was spent trying to perfectly space the stripes on the tie. You could have heard a pin drop while they worked.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Once the ties were perfectly striped, each girl used scissors to trim the excess paper from the edges of the tie. Using Astrobrights cardstock for the tie was particularly helpful at this point because the sturdiness provided an extra guide for the scissors to follow.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blogsuper easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Preparing the Shirt Details

Once the tie was ready to go, it was time to work on a few details for the dress shirt. I handed each girl two triangles and a small rectangle that had been copied onto white cardstock. I explained that we really needed the black lines to be visible on the shapes so they would stand out against the all-white background that the tie would be mounted on. I asked the girls to leave a tiny bit of white border as they trimmed around the edge of each shape.

No surprise, they executed that instruction perfectly.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

 

Assembling the Tie and Dress Shirt

Once the tie was complete and white accent shapes were cut out, it was time to assemble the craft! I handed each girl a piece of white cardstock that I had trimmed to 8×10″ and did a quick demonstration on how to assemble the various pieces. Then I let those hardworking girls go to town!

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

The white rectangle was placed vertically at the bottom of the sheet of cardstock -this represents the “button up” portion of the shirt.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Next came the tie, which is glued to the very top of the cardstock.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blogsuper easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

As a final touch, the triangles were glued at the top of the paper, overlapping with each side of the tie’s “knot” the same way a shirt collar would.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Writing a Message to Dad

Once the tie craft was complete, only one task remained: penning a sweet Father’s Day message. We brainstormed a few different ideas for the girls’ messages and then they went to work, writing a personal note for their dad on the light colored stripes of the tie. They each used a black Flair Pen to give their words a little extra pop and contrast from the bright paper color.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Framing the Father’s Day Craft

Once the tie craft was complete and a messages were written, these gifts were ready to give! They looked perfectly sweet on their own, but I added a simple black picture frame as an extra special touch. Don’t be fooled by appearances, the frames are from the dollar store and they only cost $1 each. And just look how stunning the completed Father’s Day craft turned out. I know of one local dad who is going to love the gifts his daughters created for him.

super easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blogsuper easy and adorable Father's Day craft - write a personal message on a necktie! Use Astrobrights paper to give it an extra POP of color | Kinder Craze teaching blog

Free Father’s Day Tie Craft Template

If you want to tackle this Father’s Day craft with your students or your children at home, you are in luck! I have created a FREE template with patterns and all of the steps you need to recreate this project at home or school. Just click the image below to access your free Father’s Day craft template!

The post Super Easy (and Adorable) Father’s Day Craft Idea appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Mess Free Glitter Slime Recipe that’s Safe for Kids

0
0

Now that summer has arrived, it’s fun to take a break, head outdoors and have a little fun! I have been wanting to make slime in the classroom with my kindergarteners, but the traditional recipes with cleaning chemicals made me nervous about harming the sensitive skin of my students. Until I discovered the ultimate three-ingredient glitter slime recipe that uses completely safe materials. Even better yet, this particular recipe doesn’t require any messy food coloring. Do I have your attention? I promise this slime recipe is every bit as amazing as it sounds, and it’s a great summer activity.

Thank you to Elmer’s for sponsoring this blog post. I received compensation and free product from Elmer’s in exchange for writing this post. All opinions are my own and I only support brands and products that I use and absolutely LOVE.  

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

 

Mess-Free Glitter Slime Recipe

Here’s the fastest, easiest, mess-free slime recipe that you will ever need. The fact that it is glittery is an added bonus!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 TBSP baking soda
  • 1 1/2 TBSP contact lens solution
  • 6 fl oz Elmer’s Glitter Glue

UPDATE: I have recently learned that not every contact lens solution is ideal for making slime. Here are a few specific brands that may work for you: 

Bausch and Lomb BioTrue (This is what I used)
Bausch and Lomb Sensitive Eyes
Bausch and Lomb Simplus Multi Action
Blink Revita Lens

Up&Up Clear Comfort
Up&up Moisture Balance
Opti Free Express Every Day Comfort

DIRECTIONS

  1. Find a bowl, cup, or plate to mix your slime in.
  2. Pour the entire contents of a 6 oz Elmer’s Glitter Glue into the blow.
  3. Add 1/2 TBSP baking soda to the glue and stir.
  4. Add 1 TBSP contact solution to the glue mixture. Mix with a spoon until slime begins to form and gets firm.
  5. Once slime becomes to difficult to stir with a spoon, take slime out of the bowl and use your hands to finish combining the ingredients.
  6. If slime is too sticky, add 1/4 TBSP contact solution to the mixture. The slime will become significantly less sticky.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Making Glitter Slime

On this particular summer day, my friend brought her two daughters over for a little slimey entertainment. Making slime was an item on their summer bucket list, so this was a great opportunity to cross that item off the list and help me test out my new favorite recipe!

The first step was to dump an entire 6 oz bottle of Elmer’s Glitter Glue into our mixing bowl. All of the glitter and color for this recipe comes straight from the bottle of glue. This was my first time using Elmer’s Classic Glitter Glue, but I was an instant fan. All of the glitter and coloring stayed right in the glue. I love that I didn’t have to worry about getting stray drops of food coloring or bits of glitter on our fingers, clothes, or my cute little blue table.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

My four year old slime assistant did an excellent job of squeezing out all the glue (and the teacher in me loved that it was a great way to strengthen her hand muscles!)

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Once the glitter glue was poured into the bowl, it was time to add a few more ingredients. First up, a half tablespoon of baking soda.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids 3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Once the baking soda was added to the glue, the girls gave it a quick stir until it was evenly combined in the glue.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids

Then it was time for the magic ingredient: contact solution! We started by adding just one tablespoon of the contact solution.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids 3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

It only took a few seconds of stirring and we could see the slime actually beginning to form.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

A few more rotations of the spoon and we had a firm, sticky slime-like mixture.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

At this point, the girls had to put down the spoon, reach into the bowl and finish mixing the slime by hand.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

Our glitter slime was a little too sticky, so we added another quarter tablespoon of contact solution to our concoction.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

The extra contact solution worked like a charm. The slimy bits that had been stuck to the girls fingers were easily removed as they finished kneeding the slime. The finished result was a firm, wet, slimy substance.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

My little helpers stretched, squeezed, bent, and manipulated that slime in every imaginable way. They had a blast playing with their slime and I loved how this glitter slime recipe didn’t produce any mess or make me worry about the safety of their skin.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

Elmer’s is the only brand of glue that I use in my classroom and it’s no surprise that Elmer’s Classic Glitter Glue was a great kid-friendly base for making slime. I am certain that I will be using this mess-free glitter slime recipe often in the future.

3 ingredient glitter slime recipe | mess-free slime recipe for kids | borax-free slime recipe | safe slime recipe

You can learn more about Elmer’s products and discover even more fun inspiration for kid’s crafts the Elmer’s website, as well as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

The post Mess Free Glitter Slime Recipe</br> that’s Safe for Kids appeared first on Kinder Craze.

Viewing all 239 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images