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Free Printable Flashcards: Arctic Animal Flash Cards

November 14, 2017 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Winter is rapidly approaching and it seems like lots of parents and educators are getting ready for the cold season.

So, we thought we’d share a new set of free printable flashcards today – Arctic Animal flash cards!

I love learning about the Arctic with the kids. The animals that live there are so varied (and adorable).

Printable Arctic Animals Flashcards for Kids

Plus, there are all kinds of fascinating behaviors to study: from penguins that huddle together to keep warm to Arctic hares that lighten in color as they age for an amazing camouflage.

Read on to get your copy of these Arctic Animal learning cards – free!

If your students enjoy using these, be sure to check out our Spanish Arctic Animals Learning Card set for even more vocabulary practice!

Teach early learners about animals that live in the Arctic regions with these Arctic Animals flashcards!

Printable Arctic Animal Flashcards for Kids

To use these Arctic Animal flashcards, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are used below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer paper
Scissors
Laminator (Helps cards stay sturdy longer)
Hook and loop adhesive coins (optional)

This flash card set includes eight different Arctic animals:

Walrus
Sea Lion
Arctic Hare
Arctic Fox
Arctic Wolf
Orca Whale
Polar Bear
and Beluga Whale!

Simple Arctic Animals Flashcards for Kids

The first set of cards are flashcards to introduce students to each animal.

Be sure to read the name of each animal aloud and have students repeat it as they look at each picture.

The second set of cards are picture matching cards with the name only.

A page of separate animal pictures is included.

How to Use the Arctic Animals Learning Cards with Students

If you choose, you can put the flashcards on a ring for use at centers. Let students practice reading each animal name aloud as they come to each picture.

Once students have mastered identifying each animal, let them practice their recognition by finding the right picture for each animal name!

If you want to make this a reusable activity, add hook and loop adhesive coins to the back of the pictures.

Students can practice matching them up again and again!

Pretty soon they’ll be naming all the Arctic animals on their own!

Scroll down to get your free Arctic Animal Flash Cards!

Books about Arctic Animals for Kids:

For even more arctic animal fun, try these great kids’ books about arctic animals!

1. Polar Animals – Scholastic

2. Amazing Arctic Animals – Penguin

3. Over in the Arctic: Where the Cold Winds Blow – Marianne Berkes

4. Arctic A to Z – Wayne Lynch

Be sure to check out these other winter activities!

This fun hibernation sorting activity is a great way to teach students about animals that hibernate!

This easy polar bear paper bag puppet is a fun winter craft to make with kids!

This hands-on penguin life cycle sequencing activity is a simple way to learn about animal science during winter!

To get your copy of these Arctic Animals flashcards, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday!

IMPORTANT: If you have a pop-up blocker installed in your web browser, you will need to disable it in order to fill out the email request form.

>>> Arctic Animals Learning Cards <<<

More Polar Animal Ideas from the Early Elementary Team:

Penguin Addition to 100 with Hundreds Chart from Life Over C’s

Polar Animals Facts Game from In the Playroom

How Do Penguins Stay Dry? from Raising Little Superheroes

Polar Bear Food Chains from Rainy Day Mum

Polar Bear Place Value Math Games from Sugar Aunts

Polar Bear Footprint Multiplication from Still Playing School

Arctic Animals Sight Words Game from 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Polar Animals True or False? from Sallie Borrink – Living and Learning Outside the Box

Penguin Art Project from Preschool Powol Packets

Coffee Filter Crafts for Kids: Coffee Filter Snowman Craft

November 13, 2017 by Selena Robinson 14 Comments

We live in the Deep South. Which means that winter is kind of a one-week deal.

We do get cold weather and the occasional snow flurry, but for the most part, actual snow and ice winter only occurs every once in a while.

The few times we’ve had snow have been newsworthy affairs. The kids will just sit in front of the window and watch in amazement as it falls.

So they’ve never had the chance to make a real snowman in the yard.

But we still wanted to get into the wintery spirit, so we’re sharing a new one of our coffee filter crafts for kids – a coffee filter snowman craft!

Easy Coffee Filter Snowman Craft Project

This is such a fun and quick winter craft for the kids to do this year!

Read on to see how to make it at home!

Take the snowman theme further with our list of 15 fun snowman books for kids to read!

Make this cute coffee filter snowman craft with the kids on a winter afternoon!

Coffee Filter Crafts for Kids: Coffee Filter Snowman Craft

To make this coffee filter snowman craft, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

We went with blue construction paper for the background.

The black and orange pieces of construction paper are for making the snowman’s face.

Start by gluing the coffee filter onto the center of the construction paper. We put ours toward the bottom of the center.

Then use a black crayon or a black marker to draw two eyes in the upper center of the filter.

Cut out a carrot-shaped piece of orange construction paper. Glue it in the center of the filter to make the snowman’s “nose”.

Cut out four or five rough circles of black construction paper to form pieces of “coal”.

Arrange them in a semi-circle and then glue them down to make the snowman’s “mouth”.

Making a Simple Coffee Filter Snowman Craft

Time to add the top hat!

Cut out a rectangular piece of black construction paper and glue it directly on the top of the coffee filter.

Easy Coffee Filter Snowman Craft for Kids

Then add a narrow rectangle of black construction paper to the bottom of the hat to form the brim.

Finally, use a white crayon to add a few “snowflakes” falling in the background and you’re done!

Kids might want to add their own twists to this craft by decorating the snowman’s hat, drawing a winter scene in the background, or giving him different colored eyes.

You could even add long eyelashes and long hair to make a “snowwoman”!

Watch me make this craft in the video below!

Winter Themed Preschool Activity Calendar

Did you enjoy this coffee filter snowman craft? Add even more snowman-themed fun to your early lessons with this printable preschool winter activity calendar!

Preschool Winter Activity Calendar for Kids

Use the web-linked versions to get instructions for each of the themed activities.

Perfect for planning winter lessons for early learners!

To get your copy of these Arctic Animals flashcards, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday!

IMPORTANT: If you have a pop-up blocker installed in your web browser, you will need to disable it in order to fill out the email request form.

>>> Preschool Winter Activity Calendar <<<

Don’t miss these other fun winter craft ideas for kids!

Make this fun and easy toilet paper roll snowman craft with little ones!

This easy penguin family paper plate craft is such a cute winter craft to make with kids!

Simple Hibernation Unit Study for Elementary

November 9, 2017 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

We’re sharing another entry in our unit studies series today: a fun hibernation unit study!

Since winter time is fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to look at hibernation – how it works, what it is, and which animals do it every year.

Plus, it’s a great excuse for talking about sleep, which I desperately need more of these days. (I’m sure I’m not alone there.)

Printable Hibernation Unit Sorting Activity

Even if your students are always on the move and rarely want to sleep (like mine), learning about hibernation is just plain fun!

It’s really amazing to learn about mammals that sleep most of the winter season and what they do to prepare for that time of year.

And that’s what this hibernation unit is designed to help kids do. Plus, there’s a printable hibernation sorting activity you can pick up for free!

Read on to see how to get your copy.

If you enjoy this unit, don’t miss our bears unit study and our list of children’s books about owls!

This hibernation unit study is full of fun hibernation crafts and activities for kids!

Hibernation Unit Study for Elementary Kids

When we put together a unit study, we typically include books, crafts, printables, and more.

While I don’t always use every resource, I like to have as many as I can. That way, we can always stretch a topic out if the kids are super interested.

In this hibernation unit, you’ll find books about hibernation, crafts and activities for learning about hibernation, and a printable hibernation animals sorting activity.

There’s also a super cool hibernation facts video that explains this process in kid-friendly terms.

What is Hibernation?

Watch this video and see if students can answer the questions that follow!

1. What is hibernation? (Answer: The long sleep that some animals take during winter.)
2. Why do animals hibernate? (Answer: Because the weather gets cold and food becomes hard to find.)
3. How do animals prepare for hibernation? (Answer: As winter gets closer, they eat a lot of food to store fat that will keep them alive during winter.)
4. Why do some animals store food before winter? (Answer: These animals wake up from their hibernation to eat a little.)
5. Name a few animals that hibernate. (Answer: Bats, snakes, bears, hedgehogs, ground squirrels, groundhogs, and marmots)
6. Where do animals hibernate? (Answer: Wherever they feel safe from predators. Some hibernate in caves and some hibernate under the ground.)
7. What is the difference between sleep and hibernation? (Answer: During hibernation, the animal’s body temperature drops and its heart rate slows down. These things don’t happen during regular sleep.)
8. What is it called when animals hibernate during summer? (Answer: Aestivation)

Hibernation Books for Kids

Share a cozy storytime session with these kids’ books about hibernation! (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Which Animals Hibernate? Sorting Activity

Once we learn about what hibernation is, it’s natural for students to wonder which animals hibernate and which animals don’t hibernate.

Teach them about some of the species that do with this free printable animal sorting activity!

Printable Hibernation Unit Sorting Activity for Kids

This is a very simple resource to use for teaching hibernation in early grades.

Students can cut out the animal picture cards and then paste them into the correct column.

Hibernation Sorting Activity for Elementary

And an answer key is included!

To get your copy of these Arctic Animals flashcards, click the image or the link below to have it sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday!

IMPORTANT: If you have a pop-up blocker installed in your web browser, you will need to disable it in order to fill out the email request form.

>>> Which Animals Hibernate? Sorting Activity <<<

Hibernation Crafts and Printables:

Try these crafts and printables about hibernation for more learning fun during your hibernation unit!

Did you enjoy this hibernation unit study? Check out these other winter learning ideas!

These easy kid crafts for winter are a perfect way to pass a cold winter's day!

These owl books for kids feature gorgeous pictures and illustrations for learning about these nocturnal flyers!

These winter books for kids are great for sharing as a family!

DIY Pop Up Thank You Cards

November 7, 2017 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Last weekend, some good friends invited our family over for dinner. We had a wonderful time with them, so we decided to have the kids make some thank you cards.

But any old thank you card just won’t do, so DIY pop up thank you cards it is!

These were such a fun project so share with the kids! And it only took a few minutes for all of us to create together! Read on to see how to make these with your family!

These are wonderful for helping kids learn to show appreciation for acts of kindness or gifts they receive from friends and family. Plus, they can decorate them in their own special way!

And for other simple kids’ crafts, try my list of super easy preschool crafts you can make in 10 minutes!

DIY Pop Up Thank You Cards

To make these DIY pop up thank you cards, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links provided here for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Scrapbook paper (One for each card)
Printer Paper (One piece makes two cards)
Glue stick
Child-safe scissors
Washable Markers
Stickers

Start by cutting a piece of printer paper in half. Then fold each half into halves to make two separate cards.

We ended up making three, so we used a piece and a half of printer paper.

Use the scissors to cut narrow slits into the fold of the printer paper.

You’ll need to make two cuts for each pop-up frame you want. We wanted to make three pop-up frames, so we made six slits.

Push the slits back through the paper and crease them to make stand-up frames. These will be the base of your pop-up pictures.

Now cut out a piece of scrapbook paper to fit the size of your printer paper card.

Glue the back of the scrapbook paper to the outside of the printer paper. That way, the scrapbook paper patter will appear on the outside and the pop-up frame will appear on the inside.

(Note: It works best to fold the scrapbook paper in half first. That helps it fit to the printer paper better when you glue them together.)

Since our scrapbook paper was patterned with lovely butterflies, we decided to cut out some of the small butterfly pictures and use them for our card.

Before gluing them down, we cut the pictures out and placed them on the card to make sure they’d fit.

Then we just glued the pictures to the frames and added a handwritten thank you message.

All folded up. Look how pretty it is!

Our younger kids wanted to make some cards too. They used stickers to decorate their pop-up frames so that they would “stand up” when opened.

All we have left to do is hand them out to brighten someone’s day!

These would be a wonderful way for children to show gratitude to family members, friends, teachers, neighbors, and more at any time of year!

Have you tried making these DIY pop up thank you cards with your family? Let me know how you liked this project in the comments!

For more simple crafts, try these ideas!

Plus, follow my Simple Crafts for Kids Pinterest board for more ideas!

100 Fun Learning Activities for Preschoolers

November 6, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When you take on the responsibility of teaching toddlers and preschoolers at home or in the classroom, it can be a challenge to come up with new activities that will hold their attention.

We’ve gotten to homeschool four little ones in our homeschooling journey and each one of them has been different.

They’ve had different interests, different learning styles, and very different personalities.

So the activities that worked for one preschooler didn’t necessarily work for the next or the next or the one after that!

And that’s why it’s good to have a huge variety of preschool activities that you can go to at anytime.

Read below to get some inspiration from this list of 100(!) fun learning activities for preschoolers!

These activities feature plenty of practice with early concepts in math, literacy, fine motor skills, and even science!

If you try some of these, let me know which is your favorite!

And be sure to check out our list of fun preschool worksheets and activities for more hands-on learning!

100 Fun Learning Activities for Preschoolers

Image c/o: yanlev / depositphotos1. Preschool Color and Number Sorting Worksheets – Look! We’re Learning!

2. Early Childhood Science Activities – Susan C. Evans

3. Five Senses Unit – Some Random Lady

4. Fall Preschool Worksheets – Look! We’re Learning!

5. 3-Step ABC Sensory Bin – This Outnumbered Mama

6. Printable Emotions Daily Check-in – Totschooling

7. Static Electricity Butterfly Experiment – I Heart Crafty Things

8. Preschool Farm Counting Worksheets – Look! We’re Learning!

9. Butterfly Math Mat – Look! We’re Learning!

10. DIY Color Matching Activity – Natural Beach Living

11. Printable Farm Shape Matching Activity – From ABCs to ACTs

12. Fall Preschool Alphabet and Number Playdough Mats – Look! We’re Learning!

13. Simple Scissor Practice – This Outnumbered Mama

14. Squishy Snow Sensory Activity – Coffee Cups and Crayons

15. Preschool Fall Memory Game – Look! We’re Learning!

16. Autumn Leaf Suncatcher Activity – Fantastic Fun and Learning

17. Saltwater and Waves Experiment – Gift of Curiosity

18. Preschool Pumpkin Ordinal Number Worksheets – Look! We’re Learning!

19. Are You My Mother? Unit Study – Susan C. Evans

20. Apple Preschool Matching Worksheets – Look! We’re Learning!

21. Ocean Animal Literacy Game – The Letters of Literacy

22. Preschool Butterfly Life Cycle Lesson – Pre-K Pages

23. Apple Harvest Preschool Scissor Skills Printables – Look! We’re Learning!

24. Teeth Mini Unit – Some Random Lady

25. DIY Bubble Frames – Brain Power Boy

Pages: 1 2 3 4

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids That Actually Work!

November 2, 2017 by Selena Robinson 32 Comments

Getting enough sleep is a major problem for kids and adults with ADHD. I’ve been a light sleeper for years, but I had no idea it was related to ADHD until I started researching symptoms.

Personally, I CANNOT go to sleep without reading first. If I try to just lie down, my mind will race with a thousand “I need to” and “I really should” thoughts, and eventually I’ll jump up and start doing stuff. Not good if I expect to be a relatively happy mom the next day.

Our kids tend to be light sleepers too. Tigger and Roo take a very long time to fall asleep, and poor Pooh has struggled with night terrors ever since he was an infant. The irony is: The less sleep kids with ADHD get, the worse their symptoms are. So we’ve had quite a few rough homeschooling days due to lack of sleep.

I’ve been reading lots of information about establishing good sleep habits, and today I’m sharing three ADHD sleep tips for kids (and adults)!

If this post is helpful, be sure to read my list of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around!

Image: Deyan Georgiev / Dollar Photo Club

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids

1. Provide plenty of physical activity during the day.

For years, my husband has done manual work. On days that he works, he rests well at night because he’s so exhausted from the day. On weekends, though, he tends to stay up late into the night.

Turns out that’s related to ADHD! When kids and adults with ADHD exert themselves during the day, they sleep more soundly at night. Make time for your kids to get up and move vigorously during the school day and they should rest better.

2. End screen time a few hours before bed.

It’s no secret that kids tend to get excited after watching television, but that is true to an even greater degree in kids with ADHD. And it’s not just TV. Any kind of screen time, including computers, tablets, and smartphones, can be overstimulating and make it harder for kids to go to sleep at night. Of course, as I write this, it is 11:38 p.m., so this is a “Do as I say, not as I do” moment. 😉

We’ll be talking more about screen time limits later in the series, but it is critical that we minimize (and even eliminate) screen time when possible to avoid sleep problems and loss of focus. That’s where adding in physical fitness can help, because it gives kids an outlet for their energy instead of adding more stimuli.

3. Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it.

We’ve used a set bedtime in our family for years. But that’s not all that’s involved in establishing a bedtime routine. You know how doctors encourage you to create a routine of bathing, reading, and singing to help babies learn to sleep at night? We should keep that going with our kids long after babyhood.

We covered the importance of routines for ADHD yesterday, and those same points apply to the bedtime routine. That means that consistency is critical. Once you establish your bedtime routine, stick with it every night. Over time, your kids’ bodies will learn that nighttime is for winding down and resting.

Note: I’ve been hearing good things about melatonin. My daughter’s pediatrician actually recommended it to us during her last visit. But I’ve been hesitant to try it, because I’ve heard that it gives some kids nightmares. So if any of you have any thoughts or experiences with melatonin, please tell me about them! (Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. Please consult a doctor before deciding how to treat ADHD in your family.)

Have you struggled with helping your kids with ADHD go to sleep? Do you have any ADHD sleep tips for kids that work in your family? Tell us about them in the comments!

Need more help parenting and teaching kids with ADHD? Read these posts for ideas!

For more help parenting kids with ADHD, follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest!

Don’t miss these other great posts!

Homeschool Unit Studies: Owl Unit Study

October 31, 2017 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Fall is a great time of year to learn about nocturnal animals and owls are no exception.

We don’t see a lot of owls down here in the South, but we sure hear them after dark. When I was a kid, owls were kind of scary to me. But now that I’ve learned more about them, they are truly fascinating, incredible animals. I mean, the head rotating alone marks them as one of the coolest animals around.

Which is why I wanted to share this owl unit study as one of our homeschool unit studies! Read on to learn more about these incredible creatures! And be sure to check out our fun coffee filter owl craft for a cool art project!

Homeschool Unit Studies: Owl Unit Study

Owl Notebooking Pages

Grab these free printable owl notebooking pages to help kids organize the facts they learn about owls! You can use these for copywork, report writing, or handwriting!

To download them, just click the image or the link below.

>>> Printable Owl Notebooking Pages <<<

Facts About Owls

Watch the video below about spotted owls and see if the kids can answer the questions that follow.

Where do spotted owls live? (Answer: Along the west coast of North America)
What is a spotted owl father’s job? (Answer: To hunt food for the owlets)
How far can a spotted owl turn its head? (Answer: 180 degrees)
Why don’t spotted owls make any noise as they fly? (Answer: Their feathers are so light and thin they make no sound.)
How long can a spotted owl live? (Answer: Up to 16 years)
How long is the wingspan of a spotted owl? (Answer: Up to four feet)

Learn about the snowy owl with the video below and try to answer the questions.

Where do snowy owls live? (Answer: In the Arctic)
What do snowy owls eat? (Answer: Lemmings)
How long can snowy owls go without eating? (Answer: Up to 40 days)
How do snowy owls adapt when food is scarce? (Answer: They may have fewer owlets.)

Owl Crafts and Activities for Kids:

These fun owl crafts and activities are a cool way to make learning about these creatures into a hands-on experience!

1. Coffee Filter Owl Craft – Look! We’re Learning!

2. Paper Plate Owls – Happy Hooligans

3. Owl Skip Counting Craft – Kids Activities Blog

4. Owl Eyesight STEM Exploration for Kids – J Daniel 4’s Mom

5. Simple Origami Owl – Easy Peasy and Fun

6. Sponge Painted Owls – Buggy and Buddy

7. Feathery Owls Color Matching Activity – To Be A Kid Again

8. Autumn Owl Black Glue Art – Artsy Momma

9. Paper Bag Snowy Owl Craft – I Heart Crafty Things

10. Owl Painted Rocks – Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls

11. Potato Print Owl Craft – Crafty Morning

12. Cupcake Liner Owl Craft – A Little Pinch of Perfect

13. Pinecone Owls – Fireflies and Mudpies

14. Stone and Shell Owl Craft – Rhythms of Play

15. LEGO Owl Building – Frugal Fun 4 Boys and Girls

16. Owl Addition 1-10 Printable – Simple Fun for Kids

17. Printable Owl-Themed Alphabet Game – The Educators’ Spin On It

18. Owl Mini Eraser Math Worksheets – Royal Baloo

19. Dissecting Owl Pellets Science Experiment – Kid World Citizen

20. Montessori-Inspired Owl Printables – Living Montessori Now

Books about Owls for Kids:

Check out this list of lovely children’s books about owls with the kids for read-aloud time!

20 Beautiful Owl Books for Kids

Ready to share more fall learning activities? Try these ideas!

Get more ideas for learning about autumn on my Fall Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

Plus, you can subscribe to our email newsletter for plenty of fun homeschooling lessons and ideas!

Slowed Down Parenting in a Sped Up World

October 30, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Did you know that the Earth rotates at a speed of about 1000 miles an hour? I remember learning that in school and thinking “It doesn’t feel like it’s going that fast to me!”

Fast forward 25 years and I think it feels like it’s at least that fast, maybe faster. Maybe I just needed to be an adult to realize it.

Have you noticed that life just moves faster than it used to? We have the privilege of homeschooling our children, which gives us a lot of flexibility regarding our schedule. But even with our own daily routine, it still feels as if the days are just flying by.

Sunday evening is like the climb up a steep drop on a wooden roller coaster and from Monday morning on, it’s like we’re heading down at top speed and I’m just trying to hold on until the end.

That is not the life I intended for my children. I don’t want them flying through the years, only to look back on their childhood as a thrill ride that went by too fast.

So I’m committing to learn how to parent with intention – slowing down our parenting, even though the world is speeding up. Here’s how.

Images c/o: Wavebreakmedia / depositphotos

How to Parent with Intention in a Fast-Paced World

Scale back.

Many of us, homeschooling parents included, are simply doing too much. I’m living with ADD and I tend to take on way too much: too many work assignments, too many interests, too many homeschooling activities. It’s no wonder that I started feeling frazzled a few years into my life as a mom.

Late last year, I decided to see how it felt to scale back. Instead of saying “Yes” to every opportunity that came along, I started saying “No” – just to try it. Guess what? It felt fabulous. I found out that my days with my four children are already pretty full and didn’t need to be crowded with more.

Sit down.

Something else happened when I scaled back. I found that I had more time to sit down with my children. Instead of just overseeing what they did, I starting sitting with them to see what they were learning, how they felt about it, and what it inspired them to do.

I also started sitting down for more relaxed activities with them: reading, playing, drawing, crafting – all things that I thought I was too busy to do before. After the initial disbelief (“Mom? You’re actually doing this with us?), they started talking to me more openly about their interests and feelings. It was like getting to know them on another level.

Stay close.

My oldest daughter is in the throes of tweenhood and she’s feeling apprehensive about entering the next stage of her life. She’s worried about transitioning to high school, choosing a career, navigating her life among her peers, and deciding who she actually wants to be in life.

She’s been a little…difficult during this time. And it’s seemed like she doesn’t want my input, help, or advice as she prepares for this part of life. But I’m learning to stay close, to remain nearby – always available, always supportive, always reassuring. Because of that, she’s opening up to me more, inviting me into her life. If I had been too busy to scale back or sit down, I would have missed the signs of her budding independence and how I needed to adapt to it.

How do you keep your family close, even when life gets busy? Do you have any tips for how to parent with intention? Please feel free to share your experiences in the comments!

Don’t miss these other parenting tips!

And see even more tips for a happy family life on my Parenting with Joy Pinterest board!

Fall Sight Words Flashcards

October 26, 2017 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

Are you in the fall mood yet?

We had our first actual cool weather day here yesterday and it was wonderful.

I put on my favorite sweater, walked out the door, and enjoyed a hot coffee. Of course, we’ll have highs in the 80s again later this week, but for those few minutes, it really felt like fall had arrived.

Printable Fall Sight Word Literacy Cards

Fall is a great time to focus on building sight word skills with students.

If you’re working on sight words this year, these fall sight words flashcards are a fun way to strengthen reading skills and get into the fall spirit!

Practicing Fall Noun Sight Word Skills with Kids

Keep reading to see how to get your copy.

By the way, be sure to take a look at our Fall Alphabet and Number Playdough Mats too!

These fall sight word learning cards are perfect for building literacy skills during autumn!

Printable Fall Sight Words Flashcards

To use these fall sight words flashcards, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links are listed below. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer paper
Scissors
Laminator (if you want to reuse them later)
Hook and loop adhesive coins (optional)
Dry erase markers (optional)

These flashcards are perfect for kids who are working on sight word skills, whether they’re toddlers or even first graders!

In this early literacy resource, you’ll find flashcards for the following fall-themed sight words:

Apple
Bear
Cat
Cow
Farm
School
Night
And School!

Practicing Fall Sight Words at Literacy Centers

There’s also a blank set of cards without the words so that kids can practice identifying each picture.

A set of cards with just the words is also included to help students learn to recognize the words alone.

There’s also a set of cards with the words only to practice recognizing the words on their own.

How to Use the Fall Sight Words Flashcards with Students

There are several ways to use these fall noun sight words learning cards in the classroom.

Fall Themed Sight Words Learning Cards for Kids

Cut apart the picture cards and let students practice identifying each item before introducing the written words.

Fall Themed Sight Words Practice for Kids

Add in the written noun sight word flashcards and practice identifying each picture by reading the words.

Students who are ready to practice writing can use the blank word labels to write the sight word for each card.

You may wish to laminate the cards and hand out dry erase markers for the labeling activity.

Keep the flashcards nearby for students to check their work at centers or in morning tubs.

You can even add hook and loop adhesive coins to turn the matching activities into reusable practice at centers.

Scroll down to get your fall sight words flashcards!

For even more fall fun, check out the following kids’ books about fall as well as some fun fall crafts and activities for children!

Kids’ Books about Fall

1. Hooray for Fall! by Kazuo Iwamuara

2. Fall (The Seasons) by Nuria Roca

3. Mouse’s First Fall by Lauren Thompson

4. I See Fall by Charles Ghigna

Kids’ Fall Crafts and Activities

1. Fall Playdough Recipe – Learn Play Imagine

2. 50 Free Fall Printables – Look! We’re Learning!

3. Fall Button Tree Quiet Bin – Hands On As We Grow

4. Leaf Stamping Fall Tree Craft – Crafty Morning

5. Fall Snow Globe Craft – Look! We’re Learning!

Get even more ideas for learning about fall below!

Use these realistic leaf identification activity cards to help students recognize common tree species!

Use this printable preschool fall activity calendar to plan an entire season of ideas for early learners!

This hands-on oak tree life cycle sequencing activity makes learning about fall plant science fun for early grades!

To get your copy of our Fall Sight Words Flashcards, pick up our Seasons of Sight Seasonal Sight Word Learning Cards set!

The fall sight words learning cards are inside, plus noun sight word practice for spring, summer, and winter too!

Watch the video to get a look at this resource in full!

To get your copy of our Seasonal Sight Word Learning Cards, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check them out below!

Coffee Filter Crafts for Kids: Coffee Filter Dog Craft

October 24, 2017 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Growing up, we had a little toy poodle named Misty. She was grey all over and my mother, who was a dog groomer, always cut her hair so that she’d have a little puff at the top of her head. She usually wore a blue collar.

Our kids have only asked for a pet a few times so far (thankfully), and I’ve managed to divert them each time. I am so not ready to have a pet and four children right now.

But when we got ready to make a new one of our coffee filter crafts for kids, I was totally open to making a coffee filter dog craft. See how we did it below!

If your kids enjoy this project, try some of our other animal coffee filter crafts, including our coffee filter owl, coffee filter cat, and coffee filter moose!

Coffee Filter Crafts for Kids: Coffee Filter Dog Craft

To make this coffee filter dog craft, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links provided here for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

I went with a blue construction paper background because it makes it easier for the colors to stand out. But you can use any color you like.

Start by using a black crayon to draw two eyes in the top center of the coffee filter.

Add a light brown circle over one eye (to make a spot) and then color the rest of the coffee filter dark brown.

Color both areas in completely.

Now add an upside down triangle for the nose.

Draw a mouth by making two curved lines that come down from the nose in either direction.

Now it’s time to add some ears! We drew two floppy ears in brown crayon and then colored them in with a brown marker.

Then we decided to add a few whisker freckles on each cheek.

And a few bones for the background and we’re done!

This was a fun and simple craft that only took a few minutes. Plus, it’d be a great fit for a unit about dogs, pets, or even family (if you have a pet).

Try some of these other easy crafts for kids!

Get more fun craft ideas on my Simple Crafts for Kids Pinterest board!

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