First Day of School Printable Signs {The Sunday Showcase 8/2/14}

We have 2 weeks to the start of school!

I have already started working in my classroom.

The new school year is always so exciting and filled with promise.

This week I'm featuring some printables to help you capture 

those momentous "First Day" or "Back to School" moments.

Don't they look adorable?

Perfect signs to help you capture the 1st Day of School.

Click any of the links below for the full posts and printables.

Back to School Signs

{Happy & Blessed Home}

First & Last Day of School Pictures

{3 Dinosaurs}

Back to School Printables

{East Coast Mommy}

Back to School K-12 Printables

{I Heart Nap Time}

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Looking for more ideas or printables?

Be sure to look through our Pinterest Board

Back to School Ideas

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Now it's your turn to share!

Do you have fun Back to School ideas to share? 

Please share them with me in the linky, 

by commenting below or by visiting our Facebook page. 

Be sure to link up your child centered ideas while you're here.

I love to see what everyone is doing.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

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The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FOUR blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

JDaniel4's Mom

Each blog showcases their own features so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit other links 
& our Sunday Showcase Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  

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Link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

An InLinkz Link-up

Back to School Crafts and Activities for Kids (The Sunday Showcase 8/24/13)

Welcome to the Sunday Showcase! Wow, I can't believe that I haven't been able to post on the blog. Hopefully things will calm down soon and I'll be blogging again. I miss it. 

Since I'm in full back to school mode it made sense to feature some activities that were shared last week that are great for the beginning of the school year.

1st Day of School and Kissing Hand Handprint Activities 

(Handprint and Footprint Art)

Back to School Circle Shape Crafts

(JDaniel4's Mom)

All About Me Montages

(EduArt for Kids)

Morning Routine Cards

(Taming the Goblin)

1st Day of School Frame Craft

(Gummy Lump)

 Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas:

Some of my favorite Back to School Crafts and Activities - 

Milk Carton School Bus

10 Ways to Get Kids Ready to Learn

Back to School Books for Pre-K thru 1st Grade

10 Tips for Back to School Success

Do you have any fun Back to School activities to do with kids? 

Please share them with me in the linky and/or comment below.

If you have been featured, grab a button you deserve it!

-------------------------------------------------------------

The Sunday Showcase is hosted on FOUR blogs!

Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
Here Come the Girls

Inspiration Laboratories

Learn Play Imagine

Each blog showcases their own features so be sure to check them all out!

If you are here for the first time please read this informational post for the full details.  Anything kid friendly and/or child centered is welcome!  You are welcome to share more than one post,  but we don't accept links for giveaways,  shops, or downloads for purchase, etc.  They will be deleted.

If you're linking up we encourage you to visit other links & our Pinterest board!  

*Important* 

Please note that by linking up you are giving us permission to use a photo (with proper link to you!) in our featured section and on our Pinterest board!  

-------------------------------------------------------------

Link up and share your child centered ideas with us!

Bern

An InLinkz Link-up

10 Ways to Help Kids Get Ready to Learn

The First Day of School - whether your child is entering school for the first time or just headed to a new grade - it's a BIG Deal! A new year means a whole new set of experiences, challenges and opportunities. As parents we all want our children to be successful. To help our children be successful in school we have to think beyond the academics. Today, I am sharing 10 Ways to Help Kids Get Ready to Learn. These simple tips have been instrumental in my house. They not only ensure that the Lil Divas are ready to learn each day, they keep this mama sane - that my friends is priceless! 

How do you ensure that your kids are ready to learn when you drop them off at school? 

1. Get a good night's sleep. Think about it. No matter how old you are, you perform better when you are well rested. School-age children typically need approximately 10 hours of sleep each night. Setting up a night-time routine is crucial. Allow for some unwinding time before bed. We start our night-time routine an hour before our target bedtime. In that hour we do baths and our nightly reading. It's a great way for the girls to unwind and get ready for bed. Whatever your night-time routine consists of - remember that consistency is they key. Try to have children in bed at the same time each night. Even if they don't fall asleep right away, at least they are resting. 

2. Have a morning routine and adhere to it. This is a BIG one. On the few occasions that I forgot to set my alarm and woke up late our entire morning was thrown off. By thrown off I of course mean that I was running around like "frazzled mom", rushing everyone, barking orders out and not having a moment to catch my breath. You know what happens in response to that? Children feed off of the frenzied and negative energy. Nothing seems to go smoothly and we're all left in a bad mood. Been there? I'm sure you have to some extent. 

An established morning routine that you can all count on and that allows ample time for dressing, eating & even doing a little relaxing before heading off to school makes a big difference. When our morning goes smoothly, my girls are calm, refreshed and ready for their school day. I'm not saying you won't have a crazy day here or there (let's be honest, it's bound to happen some time) but with an established morning routine everyone is definitely better equipped to handle their day - parents and children alike. On those days where I was "frazzled mom", my day definitely wasn't ideal. It not only affected my girls, it affected me as well.

3. Eat a good breakfast. Empty stomachs = tired, lethargic and unfocused children. I don't think I need to say much more than that for this point, do I? 

4. Be on time for school. Ok, for this one I am going to speak to you as a teacher. It is important that your child is on time, at school and ready to start their day at the first bell. When a child comes in late, it disrupts the whole class and they miss important information/work. If your child is late repeatedly - it will affect their learning. Do your best to get them to school on time. It's important.

5. Make sure all homework and assignments are completed and turned in on time. If you are the parent of a school-aged child you will need to be proactive and keep abreast of any homework or projects that need to be completed at home. While we want to teach our children independence, at this age they need your help and guidance. Setting up a specific time for homework and providing a quiet work area with access to all the tools they will need (paper, pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, etc) is a great way to help your kids keep organized and on top of all their school assignments.

6. Provide love and encouragement. This one is a no-brainer, right? So why did I include it? Trust me, there are days when things get hectic and our children might be struggling with homework and we are frantic to get dinner on the table and we're short on time and patience. It is in those moments that we need to remind ourselves that our children look to us for the love and encouragement they need. When children feel confident, they are open to learning.

7. Provide a healthy lunch and/or snack. Mrs. Teacher here, again. I can not tell you how sad some of the lunches and snacks I see kids eating make me feel. A child with nothing but sugar, sweets and junk food to eat is not getting the vital nutrients they need. Do I need to tell you that a "sugared up" child is unfocused? Sweets are great for a special treat. They should not make up your child's entire lunch. 

8. Give children time to play and be physically active after school. Fresh air and exercise is important. We all need some time to unwind after a long day. Children are no exception. School is hard work. They are active, engaged and learning for a large portion of their day. Remember to give them time to just play, relax or unwind each day. It will help them be ready to learn the next day.

9. Encourage your child to Read, Read, Read and set aside time for it EVERYDAY! I know you get hit over the head with how reading is important all the time, from many different sources. It is. It doesn't have to be torture though. Reading should be FUN. Don't force your child to read a big, fat book because you think it's what they are supposed to do. At home, let their interests guide you and be the focus of their book choices. If they want to read a comic book, a magazine, a graphic novel, a cookbook or a book below their reading level - let them! School is full of "required" reading and they will get their fill of it over the years. Home is the perfect place to read for fun. The more your child reads, the more it will help them in school. 

10. Provide opportunities for your child to see and do new things. Whether it be weekend adventures, after school/extra-curricular activities, projects at home, etc - letting your child explore new things nurtures their curiosity, creativity and desire to learn. This doesn't have to be time consuming or cost you lots of money. Visiting new parks, exploring new libraries, trying a new art project, conducting a fun experiment at home or meeting up with friends for a fun playdate are all great ways to provide your child with new and exciting experiences.

Did I leave anything off my list? Do you have a tip to suggest to help kids get ready to learn? I'd love to hear about it.

Thank you to My Cute Graphics for the use of the superhero kids graphic.

This post is part 8 of an 8 week series being hosted on 6 blogs to help kids Get Ready for K Through Play. Can you believe it - it's the end! This has been an amazing series to share with you. Your feedback has been truly wonderful and I am so glad that you have found our topics, posts and resources useful. 

If you've missed any of the Get Ready for K Through Play series. You can catch up on all topics below:

 Developing Kindergarten Language Skills

Top 5 Social Skills for Kindergarten Readiness

Independence Skills

Math Concepts

Top Books for Beginning Readers

55 Ways to Make Handwriting Practice FUN

20 Alphabet & Phonics Activities for Kids

For even more Back to School ideas

check out our other posts and our Pinterest Board. 

Be sure to read this week's posts shared by my series co-hosts:

10 Ways to Ease Kindergarten Anxiety

(by Coffee Cups and Crayons)

Scholastic Success

(by Mama Smiles)

Establishing a Bedtime Routine for Back to School 

(by Mess for Less)

Creating an After School Routine

 (by Toddler Approved)

Setting Up a Homework Station
(by Rainy Day Mum)

and be sure to follow our Get Ready for K Through Play Pinterest Board for lots of awesome Kindergarten Readiness resources, ideas and activities. 

Have fun getting ready for K!

Bern

Back to School No Cook Kool Aid Play Dough Student Gift

Looking for an easy and fun back to school gift for your kids, their classmates or your students? You simply can not go wrong with homemade play dough. I whipped up a few batches of yummy Kool Aid scented play dough before the first day of school. For the gift I gave each student a chunk of play dough added a cookie cutter, a little poem I wrote and a copy of the recipe and voila - I had a gift for my students that was very well received.

Kids love play dough and giving it a fun fruity scent is always a big hit. The Lil Divas helped me mix up the various batches of Kool Aid play dough (cherry, grape, orange, tropical punch and pink lemonade)  and they just had to keep a chunk of each for themselves. They have been happily playing with it ever since.

Here's the basic No Cook Kool Aid Play Dough recipe I use:

(this gives a nice soft and pliable dough) 

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup salt

2 packets kool aid

2 tbsp. cream of tarter

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix all dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir.

Add oil and boiling water.

Mix well until dough begins to form.

Let cool for a few minutes.

Remove from bowl and place onto wax paper, 

aluminum foil or other work surface.

Knead until you reach desired consistency.  

Add a little more flour if dough is too sticky. 

This is the poem I included:

This little ball of play dough

I made just for you.

So mold it, roll it and stretch it too

because with a little imagination

it can be anything you want it to.

 Tip - I am always on the look out for marked down Kool Aid packets at the store. It's a great way to stock up for when you need to make large batches like this. Kids really enjoy the scented dough.

What other back to school gift ideas do you have?

Bern

First Day of School 2012

It's the First Day of School

and I marvel at how much they have grown.

As I fight the tears,

my heart swells with pride

that despite a few fears

they are excited they are to go to school today.

With a hug and a kiss,

I send them on their way

but from my heart they are never far away.

This is a sad day for me as I am sure it is for many moms. It's the end of one chapter and the start of another in our lives. No more fun preschool mornings and leisure afternoons together. Now our lives will be filled with homework, rushing from here to there, bigger expectations and more time away from each other. That's the part I find the hardest - having my babies away from me for most of the day. 

I know this is how life goes. Our babies grow up but really it feels like it were a mere blink of my eyes from the time I held my newborn baby girls to today when I send you off to Kindergarten and First Grade. I can't help but think that today marks the beginning of that pull away from me. No longer will I be your whole world because your world grows bigger everyday.

I am proud - watching you so brave and excited. Yet, I am also sad because you are testing your wings. These years at home with you have been an amazing gift. I will cherish them always. 

I can't wait to see how you continue to grow, learn and develop. I know I have given you a solid foundation and I will continue to help you build upon it along the way because that's what mom's like me do. 

I will miss my girls dearly. My sweet baby girls that were all mine. Now, I have to share you.  Although I always teach you the importance of sharing - mommy is struggling with this one. It's hard to hand your children over even if only for a few hours a day to the care of someone else who will teach them, guide them and mold them. I can only hope that you will be blessed with caring teachers who want the best for you. At the end of your day, I will be waiting. Eager to hear about your adventures.

So test your wings, soar as high as you can and know that Mommy is here when you return.

Happy First Day of School to my Lil Divas

and to all those starting school today (& soon enough).

Wishing you a year filled with laughter, learning,

friendships, adventure and discovery.

Bern

Get the cute posters I used for our photos (for grades Preschool thru 12) from I Heart Naptime

Favorite Back to School Books for Preschool, Kindergarten and First Grade

I am fully in "Back to School" mode. Between prepping for the arrival of my preschoolers and getting my girls ready for their first day, my mind is a bit all over the place but all thoughts lead back to those first few days (and even weeks) of school.

My mind has been spinning thinking of the best way to make my preschoolers feel comfortable and happy in our classroom setting while helping them become acclimated to their new surroundings and our classroom and school procedures. Of course as a Mom, I also want this for my own girls. I want them to have a wonderful back to school experience. It sets the foundation for the entire year and honestly,  I believe that these early elementary years set the tone for all that is to come.

What better way to discuss those first day jitters, fears of the unknown and our daily separation than by reading some relevant Back to School Books and using them as a springboard for discussions on how we are all feeling.

I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you. These are books that I have personally read with my Lil Divas over and over again.

Preschool - First Grade

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn - I read this sweet book every year on the night before the first day of school.  In the morning when I drop my girls off at school for their first full day I give each of them a kiss on their palm and remind them that my love will always be with them, no matter what. We actually did some fun activities stemming from this book last year.

First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg - this another one of my personal favorites as both a mom and a teacher. You follow Sarah through her first day jitters only to be surprised at the end that she is the teacher. A very cute story and it's wonderful for kids to know they aren't the only ones who experience first day jitters.

How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague - this is such a fun book about how to behave at school. My girls always laugh so much when we read it and we get to discuss proper school behavior while learning about dinosaurs.

  Preschool

I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas - This is another beloved first day of school book perfect for preschoolers. It reassures little ones that Mommy will love them all day long - no matter where they go or what they do. The story takes you through the mishaps and triumphs little ones can face at preschool.

D.W.'s Guide to Preschool (Arthur Adventures) by Marc Brown - this one is hard to find for purchase but I get it easily from our local library and it's a great one to share with Preschoolers entering school for the first time  as it takes them step by step through a typical day in preschool with the cute and funny DW as your guide.

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney - I love all the Llama books but this one is especially sweet for kids who are just going to school for the first time and are worried about separating from their Mamas.

The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing - another cute "nervous about starting school" read that shows how fun school is once the child gets there.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes - Erase some of your little ones fears away with Wemberly as she discovers that school isn't as scary as she imagined it to be. Young children might worry about starting school - it is an unknown in their lives. This book is great to show them that it is ok to worry while encouraging them to face those fears and try new things as Wemberly soon found that school was fun.

  Kindergarten

I Am Too Absolutely Small for School (Charlie and Lola) by Lauren Child - we enjoy Charlie and Lola in our home and my youngest has a special fondness for Lola with all her spunk and imagination. This is one of the books we read this year as we prepare for the Littlest Diva to start kindergarten and it was a perfect addition to our back to school reading.

The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing - I have read this one 2 years in a row as both Lil Divas start kindergarten and it has been a favorite of mine not only because it depicts children prepping for the first day but because it shows that parents are sad too. (Ahem, I may or may not shed tears on the first day of school for my girls.)

The Berenstain Bears Go to School (First Time Books(R)) by Stan & Jan Berenstain - share in Sister Bear's adventure (and worries) on the first day of kindergarten. I like how she overcomes her fears to find that school is fun and later she is rushing towards the bus in excitement to get to school.

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes - Chrysanthemum always loved her name until she started kindergarten and the other kids laugh at her. Luckily, her music teacher comes to the rescue and pretty soon everyone thinks her name is perfect. A great reminder that each child is unique and this should be celebrated not ridiculed. I used this last year to learn about names with the Lil Divas.

First Grade

The Night Before First Grade (Reading Railroad) by Natasha Wing - I like that this isn't a picture perfect rendition of first grade. Friends made in kindergarten may be in a different class. This is a hard topic and a real fear for incoming 1st graders. The story shows that although that may happen and first grade is different from kindergarten if given the chance - it can be great too.

First Grade Stinks! by Mary Ann Rodman - Hayley thinks first grade is nothing like Kindergarten and she isn't happy with the changes. In fact, she thinks first grade stinks! There is lots of humor here for kids to enjoy and of course Hayley finds that although it is different, first grade really doesn't stink after all.

Brand-new Pencils, Brand-new Books (Gilbert and Friends) by Diane deGroat - Gilbert is worried about what first grade will be like.  Will it be too hard? Will he have any friends? These are the fears my Oldest Diva has about starting first grade so this was a great read for us.

Wishing you and yours a wonderful back to school.

Happy Reading,

Bern

Disclosure - This post does contain affiliate links but the thoughts are my own regarding the books.

My Name is Special - Preschool & Kindergarten Name Recognition Activities

This week we were working on our "All About Me" theme.

We started with the Lil Divas names: 

Tactile Name Fun

The Lil divas really enjoyed this activity. The had fun finding just the right objects to form the letters of their names and really took their time decorating. I think they did a fantastic job!

Tactile Name Recognition/Decorating Craft

What We Used 

(from my stash of goodies!):

small shape stickers

small pom pom balls

sequins

beads

pipe cleaners

jewels

small buttons

string

I wrote each Lil Divas name on sentence strip paper (half)

& let them at it!

Don't these looks great!

Besides celebrating their names this was a great activity to practice fine motor skills,  dexterity and positioning. It was fun and interactive as they planned which objects to use for each letter. 

I will be using these to personalize/decorate their binders where we keep all the work we want to save!

**********************

I am working with the Littlest Diva to help her learn to recognize, spell & write her last name. To help with this I made a simple Name Puzzle File Folder Game.

What You Need:

File Folder

Sentence Strip Paper

Glue

Markers

What To Do:

1. I cut up cards for all the letters of her name (first & last) and wrote her full name out on a sentence strip.

2. To start I had the name in the folder and provided the first 2 letters. She had to follow the name strip and finish the name puzzle. 

2. It was fairly easy so we did it a few times with me changing up letter I provided.

3. Once she becomes comfortable spelling her last name (she can do her first name easily) I will eliminate the printed name card and let her do the name puzzle without any visual clues.

For the Oldest Diva I felt this was too easy. I made her one too (she doesn't like to be left out) but I wanted to challenge her a bit more (she still misspells her last name sometimes) so I made a few Missing Letter Name Puzzles where I added random letters of her name and she had to write in the missing letters to complete it.

To make it all reusable I put the puzzle sheets into sheet protectors and we used washable markers.

This was fun & just challenging enough for her.

What We Read:

Some other great name recognition activities we have worked on:
1. using letter tiles to spell names
2. stamping our name with alphabet stamps
3. using letter magnets to spell names
4. name hunt activities

A few great ways to practice name/letter writing:
1. write in shaving cream
2. write in a paint filled ziploc bag
3. use do-a-dot markers
4. painting names w/paint & paintbrushes or finger painting names
5. write on dry erase boards
6. write on magnetic erase boards (you can also use magnet letters to stamp on them!)

Great Ideas From Around the Web:
Name Books from Teach Preschool
Name Dig from Teach Preschool

Bern