Easy St. Patrick's Day Toddler Activities and Crafts

All of a sudden it’s March and St. Patrick’s Day is upon us!! Need some quick crafts and activities for the littles in your life? Check these out!

St. Patrick’s Day Memory Card Game

Such a fun way to practice matching and to go over those St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary words like leprechaun and pot of gold :) This download comes with directions for various levels of play to support all the little card sharks in your life!

St. Patrick’s Day Handprint Art

I can’t go a single holiday without some handprint artwork for my kitchen walls! Here are my latest St. Patrick’s Day handprint art templates. I recommend adding a little sparkle on top of the pot of gold handprint and the rainbow handprint :)

St. Patrick’s Day Scissor Skills

Practice those fine motor skills with these fun St. Patrick’s Day printables! This download includes various skill levels- start with the most basic and work your way up to curves and sharp turns!

St. Patrick’s Day Patterns

Practice matching and creating patterns with these fun AABB, ABAB, ABCABC pattern cards for St. Patrick’s Day!

Interested in trying any of these activities?

Click on the images below to take you to the downloads!

Valentine's Day Toddler Activities and Crafts

Happy February!

Here are my favorite Valentine’s Day themed activities and crafts for 2-, 3-, and 4-year olds!

Handprint Art

No kitchen fridge is complete without a few pieces of adorable handprint art! I love to look back at the itty bitty handprints and watch them grow throughout the years.

Color Matching

There is no better way to practice colors than with a box of chocolates and hearts :) These two activities are easy to use just print, cut and you’re ready to go! I like to laminate the pieces so we can use them again and again. These are also really fun to do with sensory bins- just put the pieces into a bin filled with a sensory materials such as rice or beans and let your little dig around for the pieces!

Repeating and Extending Patterns

Recognizing, repeating and extending patterns is a skill students will practice throughout life! This activity is great for toddlers all the way to first graders. Start with repeating basic AABB patterns then ABAB patterns and finally ABCABC patterns. Once that skill is mastered students can begin to extend patterns and create their own!

What are some other fun toddler Valentine’s day activities? Let me know below in the comments.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Top Airplane Activities for Little Kids

Keeping a toddler, a 2 year old, a 3 year old, or any age kid busy on a long flight is definitely a daunting task! They have short attention spans, nap schedules get messed up, meal schedules change, but if you are prepared you can definitely avoid a meltdown— or you can at least try!

We have traveled to over nine countries with our toddler here is my collection of top 10 airplane activities for young children:

1. Snacks. Large variety, small quantity. We love the GoBe Kids Snack Spinner but I have also seen some parents use pill boxes.

2. Airplane Busy Bags. These bags are perfect for young children. It comes as a download and does require some initial prep work but these kits pack up very small and will grow with your kids to provide endless flexible and creative play. Kids will enjoy solving math problems to escape a maze, building numbers and shapes out of play dough, creating race tracks for their matchbox cars, playing games like airport bingo and tic tac toe, and solving number puzzles to reveal images and more! See more in the video above or click HERE.

3. Indestructibles. These light weight books are perfect for on the go and like the name suggests they are very durable. Our favorite book is “Things that Go!”. We usually take about four or five books along with us for airplane rides.

4. Crayons, markers and paper. The open ended creativity these provide make these a no-brainer to include in any child’s airplane bag.

5. Wiki Sticks. These unusual craft sticks are small pieces of yarn covered in wax. They are very malleable and can be used to create scenes on paper or road obstacles for small matchbox cars.

6. Stickers. Pick stickers that match your child’s interests. My son loves vehicles so we bring along some car and truck stickers. Use them with the wiki sticks to create a scene on paper or stick them on clothes.

7. Dot stickers. These stickers are great for all ages! For younger kids, use them to practice color matching and color naming or stick them on yourself to practice naming body parts. For older kids, use them for color or number patterns.

8. Post it notes or tabs. Like the dot stickers, these are great for any age child. For younger kids, stick them on the tray table and have them pull them off. For older children, use them to practice color or number patterns, or matching upper and lowercase letters. Spell out your child’s name, one letter per post it note, scramble the letters and see if they can build their name. You can do this with names or sight words!

9. Paint brush and paper. Use a paint brush, dip it in a cup of water and create a masterpiece on colored paper and watch it slowly disappear. You can also use the Melissa & Doug water reveal pads.

10. Don’t have the airplane busy bag listed above? Don’t forget to bring play dough, matchbox cars, and road tape!

BONUS: Wrap up a few small activities like birthday presents. Kids love finding surprising new activities hidden in their airplane bags. This works for any age but is especially fun with older kids.

I hope this article was helpful! If you have any awesome ideas to add mention them in the comments. Happy travels!!

Order of Operations A Room Transformation

Order of Operations

A student asked me today what my favorite subject to teach is and I said, “Math, of course!”. To which, he replied, “What’s your favorite math topic to teach….[paused]…Nevermind, I know it has to be order of operations.” :) He’s not wrong.

Room Transformations

One of the reasons I love teaching order of operations is because I get to transform the classroom into a hospital operation room and it is actually the easiest room transformation I have ever done. Here’s what I do:

1. Tape a white plastic table cloth to the door frame and tape some hospital signs on the table cloth.

2. Play some hospital sound effects in the background (check out Spotify- they have a few options)

3. Put a mask, gloves and surgical robe at every student seat (you can grab all these materials on Amazon) Don’t forget to include Dr. badges! You can print them out as part of this download.

4. Lay down white butcher paper on a group of tables and free hand a gingerbread-like person on the paper using a thick marker.

5. Prep these order of operation cards (differentiated for basic-intermediate-challenge)

You’re ready to go!! I typically hold this activity right away in the morning so the day before I give the students their doctor ID badges and tell them they will need them to enter the classroom the next day. I don’t give them any other hints or ideas about what we will be doing the next day and they get SO excited and anticipation is VERY high the next morning when they show up with their ID cards :)

I give each group of students a pack of order of operation cards and explain that each pack represents one patient’s life! If they can correctly match every card in a set they will have saved the life of their patient. When they finish one pack, I advance the group to the next level and they have the chance to save another life. It is really fun to keep a tally going on the white board to see how many patients were saved!

You can get all these order of operation materials by clicking here!

This download includes the following:

• Three levels of activity cards for differentiated instruction (basic, intermediate, advanced).

  • Basic: multiplication/division & addition/subtraction

  • Intermediate: parenthesis, multiplication/division & addition/subtraction

  • Advanced: exponents, parenthesis, multiplication/division & addition/subtraction

Each level includes 12 task cards (6 matching pairs).

• Activity & room transformation instructions, suggestions and images.

• Editable medical badges (two styles, five colors).

• Blank cards for you to create your own activity cards.

• Medical posters to help set the mood in the classroom.

• Bell ringer work (editable)

• Answer keys

Top 5 Classroom Transformations for Math Teachers PART II

I had so much fun creating the first version of this list that I had to create a second!! Here is my next list of top 5 classroom transformations for MATH TEACHERS:

Classroom Transformation Rating scale:

EASY: Minimal prep. Not a lot of moving parts. You may already own a lot of the items involved.

MODERATE: Medium prep. Planning in advance is recommended.

HARD: Extensive prep. Planning ahead is a must.

Fraction Glow Day

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: HARD

Click this link for Fraction Glow Day Materials

GET GLOWING! I’m a complete sucker for anything that glows. My son is about to turn a year old…am I planning to use black lights for his space themed birthday party? Oh, yes. 100%. Fractions are tough so get your kids EXCITED and ready to tackle those challenging problems by adding in a touch of magic and a pinch of incentive.

Units of Capacity: 1950’s Soda Shop

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: EASY

Click this link for Capacity Soda Shop Materials

Make converting units of volume and capacity EASY with this fun and engaging lesson. Students will explore customary units of liquid volume with this themed 1950's soda shop activity. All necessary converting customary units of capacity worksheets are included in this download! Perfect for students in third (advanced), fourth or fifth grade!

Construct a Gingerbread House:

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: MODERATE

Click this link for Construct a Gingerbread House Materials

This gingerbread math activity is a fun and engaging way to review before or after winter break. In this holiday math review, students will practice place value, rounding, subtraction, multiplication, and division.  Students must solve math problems to earn snowballs (currency) in order to purchase materials needed to construct their own gingerbread houses. Teachers love the math review and kids love the hands on construction!

Use recyclable materials to build the houses or real eatable gingerbread materials!

How to Catch a Leprechaun

Click this link for How to Catch a Leprechaun Materials

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: MODERATE

This engaging St. Patrick's themed activity will have kids searching for leprechauns all day long! Students will work through three math stations (simplifying fractions, order of operations, & multiplication), solving problems to earn clues to guide them to the last STEM activity where they will construct a leprechaun trap using simple machines.

A Quest for Winter Wonderland

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: EASY/MODERATE/HARD

Click this link for Winter Wonderland Quest Materials

Side note: This activity comes in a Grade 4 AND Grade 5 (fraction) version as well as an editable version.

Escape winter doldrums and go on a quest for WINTER WONDERLAND!! Students will practice their math skills as they wind their way through snow storms and an elf workshop, get stuck on an iceberg and lost in Misty Mountain and more!! I’ve rated this transformation level as all three (easy, moderate, and hard) because it is really what you chose to make it. You could EASILY print out the materials and set up six stations that students work through or you could go all out and create a winter wonderland in your classroom. You do, you!! Your students will love the activity either way :)

Not to mention, this is a GREAT activity for right before break when you, well, might need a bit of a break but still need your students working hard!

Have you tried any of these classroom transformations? Let me know in the comments below!

Last Minute Thanksgiving Activities for the Classroom

Need a quick, EASY, and last minute Thanksgiving activity for your classroom? I’ve got you covered, keep reading!

Thanksgiving Menu (Figurative Language):

Channel your inner chef and keep students engaged in learning around Thanksgiving with this figurative language review activity!

MAKE IT EXTRA: Grab some table seating cards here, and add some festive flare to your students tables!

The Great Turkey Escape:

In this digital escape room activity, students will work through slides that are designed to look and function like a video game. If students can answer all the problems correctly they will help Joe, the turkey, escape being cooked for Thanksgiving dinner!

The best part about this escape room is that it comes in a variety of skills for different grade levels! Click on the links below for the desired skill:

Subtraction Grade 3

Subtraction Grade 4

Subtraction Grade 5

Multiplication Grade 4

Multiplication Grade 5

Don’t see a specific skill you want? Let me know in the comments at the bottom of this post!

MAYDAY on the Mayflower:

Another digital escape room (AKA NO PREP!) students will solve math problems to help the famous Mayflower ship avoid disaster and reach Plymouth Rock!

Just like the Great Turkey Escape, this escape room comes in a variety of skills for different grade levels:

Addition Grade 3

Addition Grade 4

Addition Grade 5

Division Grade 4

Division Grade 5

I hope these suggestions were helpful! Have a happy Thanksgiving- gobble, gobble!

Combining Digital Activities and Classroom Transformations

We are heading into yet another school year with a lot of unknowns. The Delta variant has thrown uncertainty into the start of this year. Will schools be in person? Will school be virtual? If schools go back in person will it last? How long will we be virtual?

Flexibility with Digital Activities

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Digital activities aren’t JUST for virtual instruction but they provide a lot of flexibility. They are perfect for virtual instruction but can also be great IN PERSON! Mixing digital activities with classroom transformations can be a huge win for students and teachers. Below are a few examples:

Circus Classroom Transformation + Circus Themed Digital Activity

Click this link for A Day at the Circus Digital Addition Activity

Haunted House Classroom Transformation + Escape the Haunted House Digital Escape Room

Click this link for Haunted House Escape Room for Place Value & Rounding

Outer Space Classroom Transformation + Place Value Space Themed Digital Video Games

Click this link for Place Value Space Digital Video Games

There are so many great digital activities to combine with classroom transformations. Have you tried this? Are you thinking about giving this a try? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Teaching Place Value

MOST classrooms start the year learning about place value. This can either be a huge drag OR you can make it super engaging and a valuable time for your students. Below are a few of my favorite place value ideas:

Place Value should have a PLACE in your classroom

I am completely obsessed with having a huge place value chart in the classroom. This giant chart is super easy to print and post. We find ourselves referring back to this place value chart long after our place value unit has ended. I am such a stickler for students reading numbers properly and I love watching their eyes flit up towards this chart as they read a number.

Link to place value chart

Make it a Game

If teachers came with tag lines, mine would probably be: Just turn it into a game! I have found that students LOVE a good challenge and when students are engaged, their work product and accuracy improve dramatically. Below are a few of my favorite digital and printable place value activities.

Click a product image below to take you to the activity.

Don’t Forget to REVIEW

Even though we typically hit place value pretty hard at the beginning of the year, a winter review is definitely necessary. Throughout the year I’ll host themed math review days. One of my favorite days is right before winter break when everyone is checked out and ready for a holiday.

This gingerbread math review covers a range of skills including place value. Students solve math problems, check their work and earn snowballs (currency) for correct answers. Once students have earned enough snowballs they can go shopping and purchase recycled materials which they use to construct their gingerbread house.

It is the absolute perfect end to the semester. We get in an extensive math review and students get to be hands on and creative.

Link to Construct a Gingerbread House activity

Extend Student Learning

One of my biggest teaching pet peeves is when teachers will not cover materials because it is NOT IN THE STANDARDS. Students can and will surprise you with how much farther they can go than JUST their grade level standards. Decimals were not a fourth grade skill. Did I cover decimals? Absolutely. Give it a try and see if your students don’t surprise you. In fact, while you’re at it, turn it into a game ;)

Click a product image below to take you to the activity.

Top 5 Classroom Transformations for Math Teachers

I absolutely LOVE a good classroom transformation. First of all, the look on a kids face when they walk into a classroom filled with black lights or decked out like a pirate ship? Priceless! Worth the extra work 1,000 times over. But the academic gains are also note worthy. I notice a huge increase in participation, focus, and perseverance on days we have a classroom transformation. Below are a few favorite math transformations. I’ve used this rating scale to give you an idea of how much work is involved in setting up the activity:

Classroom Transformation Rating scale:

EASY: Minimal prep. Not a lot of moving parts. You may already own a lot of the items involved.

MODERATE: Medium prep. Planning in advance is recommended.

HARD: Extensive prep. Planning ahead is a must.

Space Adventure: A Place Value Activity

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: MODERATE

Click this link for Space Adventure Materials

This space themed activity provides the perfect opportunity to decorate the classroom in a space theme! Dimmed lighting, black lights and space music are encouraged :)

In this activity, students will take on the identity of a space agent hired by the Department of Space and Extraterrestrial Life. Troubling signals have been received from the Skylab Space Station and Mission X852 is on a quest to discover the issue. On the way, agents will encounter connection errors, alien forces, and more!

Students will work in small groups to solve general place value questions (up to thousand or hundred million depending on grade level), add whole numbers, and solve word problems.

Pirate Quest: A Coordinate Grid Treasure Hunt

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: HARD

Click this link for Pirate Quest materials

Pirate’s Quest is a classroom transformation that I create in my classroom as a review of coordinate planes and ordered pairs. I transform the classroom by hanging ship sails (white bed sheets that have coordinate planes drawn on them with sharpies) from the ceiling and decorating the classroom with pirate paraphernalia. I get the students excited a day in advance by sending them home with entrance tickets that they must present before entering the pirates cove the next morning. On the day of, I give each student an eye patch and play pirate themed music in the background. Students battle it out to be the first team to find the buried treasure!

Fishing for Decimals

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: EASY

Click this link for Fishing for Decimals materials

One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish! Pair these decimal task cards with a fishing themed classroom transformation. For this activity, I fill a baby pool with a small amount of water and add in colored balls that are the “fish”. Students use toy fishing nets to catch for the colored "fish". For each colored "fish" they catch they must answer one question of that color.

Pro Tips for this activity:

1. A little water goes a long way in the baby pool. You’re setting the mood and adding a little excitement you definitely don’t want to flood the classroom!

2. Always refer to the colored balls as “fish” unless you want all the boys in your class to absolutely lose their minds.

3. If you have time, I recommend laminating the task cards since water is involved.

Magic Math Potions

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: MODERATE

Click this link for Magic Math Potions (order of operations)

Click this link for Magic Math Potions (subtraction)

Click this link for Magic Math Potions (variables)

Channel your inner Potion Master and keep students engaged in learning around Halloween with this magical math potion-making activity. Students will create a potion and *magically* conceal the potion recipe amounts using order of operations, subtraction, or variables. Groups will swap recipes and solve the math to successfully create another group's potion!

Order of OPERATIONS

Classroom Transformation Level of Difficulty: MODERATE

Click this link for Order of Operations materials

Teach the order of operations (PEMDAS) in a unique and engaging way! Every year, I decorate the classroom like a hospital room as a play on the word "operation" and tell the students we are heading into surgery! To save the patient, students must solve the expressions on their task cards and partner the cards up with their matches.

Do you love classroom transformations, too? Have you tried any of these? Let me know below in the comments!

Top 5 Ideas for Back to School

Back to school is busy and stressful but I alway try to make it fun and exciting for my students. Here are my top 5 EASY ways to make this back to school season your best ever:

Countdown to the First Day of School

Send your students some mail before they even get to school on the first day! This is as simple as printing out a pre-made countdown, or designing your own, and mailing one to each student. Kids always love to hear from their future teacher before the school year starts. This small step definitely helps to build up anticipation for the first day back. Click this link to download this simple back to school countdown!

First Day of School Challenge

A few years ago I spent about three weeks preparing my classroom and prepping for the school year ahead and completely neglected preparations for the first day back!! I was so thankful to have this activity on hand. I printed the pages on bright paper, placed one on each student desk and called it a day :)

This back to school challenge is such a great way to ease into the school year. I enjoy walking around and meeting each student. Their work product also gives me an idea of their academic abilities right from the get go. This activity is perfect for grades 3-5. Click this link to take you to this back to school challenge!

Classroom Jobs: HELP WANTED!

Teachers can ALWAYS use an extra hand. I love to farm out small tasks to students at the beginning of the year. They love to feel useful and involved in the daily operation of the classroom and it takes these tasks off your plate! Definitely a win-win situation.

Since each job involves a small amount of training I have students read summaries of the jobs and apply for their top three. We go through this process twice a year: once at the beginning of the year and once after our winter break. Because students hold these jobs for months at a time they get to know it VERY well and can even help train their replacement come January :)

My biggest mistake my first year teaching was switching out jobs every week. It was SO much extra work and students weren’t able to complete their jobs properly because we didn’t have time for proper training. I highly recommend the twice-a-year method to control the chaos!

Download these classroom job classifieds here.

Back to School Games

These back to school games are perfect for that first week back as students are getting to know one another. Rotate your students through these four stations: This or That, Tic Tac Toe, Ring Toss and Paint your Self Portrait. Use the self portraits and this or that pages to be the first teacher on your hallway to have a bulletin board decorated! Download these games here.

Back to School Escape Room

In between assigning classroom jobs and reviewing routines and structures for the year, this is a perfect way to dust off the cobwebs and review math skills from the previous school year! No prep is involved in this digital activity.

In this escape room, your school's data system has been breached and all information from last year has been erased. Students will work through a series of math questions that will provide them with the secret codes necessary to break through digital walls and restore the school's data!

Students will work through slides that are designed to look and function like a video game. If students can answer all the problems correctly they will escape the game and win! Click this link to watch a preview of this activity or to download this back to school escape room.

How do you make the back to school season exciting for your students? Let me know below in the comments!