First Day Of Kindergarten Activities Your Students Will Love

May 21, 2021 teachersbrain Back to School, kindergarten survival, Teaching Tips

It’s time to start thinking about the new school year! If you are a kindergarten teacher, it can be especially exciting because you are preparing for a year with brand new students who have never been to school before!

You are probably exhilarated, and your kids are excited too and maybe a little scared but that’s okay! You are more than prepared for a fun learning experience with lesson plans and activities that will keep your little ones busy every step of the day, right?

If you aren’t quite prepared yet, that’s okay! I’m here to help. Being well prepared for the first day of kindergarten (there will likely be tears!), will save you so much time in the long run. Your transition times will be kept to a minimum and it will save your sanity!

Here are some tips for having a stellar first day of kindergarten with your students:

Make it fun! As mentioned above, a lot of kindergarten students have never experienced school before so, understandably, they will probably be pretty nervous about this new experience. Once they start having fun in the classroom, they will realize how great learning can be! Playing some get-to-know-you games is a great first day of school activity.
Read some fun books. Find a great story to read together and do a simple craft to go along with the story. You can encourage your students to share what the story was about with their caregivers at home.
Discuss rules. This one isn’t as fun but it is necessary to make sure expectations are set from the very first day. Make sure to cover classroom rules, recess rules, and lunchroom rules so they know what to expect all day long.
Review going home procedures. This is a very important piece of information to cover. Going over what each student will do at the end of the day will alleviate some of the stress that usually comes along with that part of the first day.

To help your first day go off without a hitch, I created my First Day Of School Kindergarten Activities Resource. It includes a full lesson plan!

Included you’ll get:

33 first day of school printables (includes detailed lesson plans, links, planning checklists, Welcome to Kindergarten coloring sheet, directions for a fun name game, name crafts, photo frames, A Kissing Hand Home Connection activity, name tags, certificates, and more!)
Editable PowerPoint to easily add students names to certificates, crafts and edit your lesson plans
Classroom rules posters
Gingerbread Man hunt to find all the important locations at school
How I Get Home hats

Everything you need for a fun and successful first day!

What are your favorite activities for the first day of school? Let me know in the comments!

Want some more kindergarten teaching tips? Check out these kindergarten homework ideas!

Teacher Tips for Back to School with Social Distancing

August 9, 2020 teachersbrain Back to School, Distance Learning, Teaching Tips

Are you ready to get back to school with your students? Returning to school safely is going to make teachers think creatively when designing their classrooms! There are so many unknowns, but I know for sure that being organized and clean is going to play a big role in our Back to School routine this school year due to the pandemic. Look at some teacher tips for back to school with social distancing in mind.

Here are some classroom decor designs and teacher tips for you to ponder!

Returning Back to School Safely

1. This is a kindergarten teacher’s classroom by Lacy Jenkins. She decided to make the protectors in a fun way to be less intimidating! Lacy used PVC piping and clear shower curtains to make her dividers. Learning will be like a beach in this classroom!

2. How creative is this Teacher’s Brain? Jennifer Pierson transformed her desks into jeeps using cardboard boxes and clear shower curtains! The front of each jeep has a removable white plate for students to write their names on each morning for daily practice and check-in. Learning will be a smooth ride in this classroom!

3. Kaycie Huffman uses yoga mats, plastic serving trays, and individual bins for supplies to keep her students learning safely in the classroom.

4. Let’s talk about how obsessed I am with this amazing makeover by Schoolgirl Style! The colors scream happiness. There is social distancing happening, and it tells students some fun is going to happen in this space. (PHOTO: @eccampbellphotography )

Visual Editable Schedule for the Classroom Check out this amazing editable class schedule that can go with any classroom decor!

5. Having sub material is going to be very important this year if you are in the classroom! Mrs. Henry in First ( @mrshenryinfirst ) has a great way to prepare for those unexpected absences!

6. Look at this Teacher HACK! Masks and shields muffle your voice, so @mshannahengelke found a wireless mic headset so kids can hear her from across the room. She also said she, “feels like a pop star from the 90s” wearing it. #micMASK

7. Use a Back to School Checklist to help you remember all the things you need to do before your year begins. Grab this FREE one with FLOOR MARKERS HERE.

Thank you to Rena Wooters for sharing this adorable DOOR and Bulletin Board DECOR for the classroom! It’s Going To Be a BRIGHT Year! I love this door and board! It is such a happy visual for students.

Also, read these for some more Teacher Tips for Back to School with Social Distancing:

Back To School Classroom Decor Tips

August 7, 2020 teachersbrain Back to School, Teaching Tips

One of the best parts of getting ready for a brand new school year is choosing your classroom decor! It is so fun to plan out how things will be laid out, what colors you will use, and what you want your students to feel when they come into your room.

Using your classroom decor to make your classroom a warm and welcome environment is especially important if you have younger students. Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade kiddos are likely to be feeling extra nervous because school is so new. Many kindergarten students are experiencing school and being away from their parents for the first time. We want to make them feel welcome, excited, and comfortable with our classroom.

Here are some tips for decorating your classroom

Plan it out early. Start thinking about what you want to do with your classroom in the summer. This gives you time to lay it out and find the supplies you need and have them ready when it is time to decorate.
Pick a fun theme. Themed classroom decor is a fun way to make your class memorable and stand out to your students! You can do themes that are more specific like Under The Sea, Zoo Animals, and Rainbows. Or you can do a more simple theme like bright colors!
Make it welcoming. A warm and inviting classroom can help ease those first day jitters. Your students will love coming to a room where they feel happy and comfortable all year long.
Add to it as you go. It is great to use your wall space for fun decorations, but keep some spots bare. You can add to your classroom decor as the year goes on.
Let your students help! This is a fun way to make the students feel more relaxed and like they had a part in their classroom decorations. Come up with some fun crafts that they can do that go along with the theme. When they are done, display it on your walls!

I created this fun Hawaiian Beach Themed Classroom Decor Bundle to help make your decor planning easier!

This editable decor bundle will bring a relaxing and calm feel to your class. This includes 6 resources using Hawaiian pictures and watercolors.

classroom decor

Included you’ll get:

Welcome banners
Tropical word wall
Growth mindset posters
Labels
Table numbers
Center posters
Hawaiian photo alphabet lines (in cursive and print)
Name tags
Editable classroom jobs
Number posters
Where Are We signs
How I Get Home sign
Calendar set with watercolors
Editable Power Points

Get your Hawaiin Classroom Bundle here!

Do you have any tips for decorating your classroom? Share them in the comments below!

For other back to school tips, check out my post here.

Back to School Teacher Giveaway

July 27, 2020 teachersbrain Distance Learning, Teacher's Pay Teachers

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TEACHERS

The crucial role by teachers is magnified during these uncertain times. YOU are the unsung heroes! We have teamed up with other amazing teacher-authors to show you how much we appreciate and respect your hard work and dedications to students!
?? ???? ?????? ???:
❤️3 $200 TpTGift Cards using the Raffle Link
❤️1 Rolling Storage Cart with a SECRET Gift
What NEW resources will you buy if you win?

Enter the raffle HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Raffle Ends at 11:59 PM EST 07/30/2020. The winners will be announced by 08/01/2020.
?You must be an educator to win. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, or Teachers Pay Teachers. You understand that you are providing your information to the owner of this page and not to Facebook , Instagram, or Teachers Pay Teachers. No Purchase Required.