Homeschool Curriculum Archives

Easy Fall Leaf Garland Craft for Kids

September 19, 2019 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

Since fall finally made its appearance down here in the South, we decided to round up some of the fall leaves in our yard and make a garland.

I’ll admit: I’m not really one for home decor. I didn’t learn much about it as a child and I’ve been a tad stubborn about doing it as an adult.

But, after sharing this easy fall leaf garland craft with the kids, I’m committed to adding a bit more “home” to our house.

This is a really simple fall craft that kids will have fun making. It’s easy, it only requires a few supplies, and it adds a sweet reminder of fall to the home.

For more fun fall kids’ activities, don’t miss our list of 50 fall books kids will treasure!

Easy Fall Leaf Garland Craft for Kids

To make this DIY fall leaf garland craft, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Assorted fall leaves (choose the most colorful you can find)
Tempera paint (optional)
Paintbrushes (optional)
Clear tape
Bright yellow yarn
Hole puncher

Rather than making leaves out of construction paper or some other medium, we just thought we’d hang actual leaves.

We let them dry out for a couple of weeks so they’d be easy to punch holes in.

Choose your leaves about two weeks before you intend to make your garland. Sit them on a counter or in a plastic bag so that they’ll have plenty of time to stiffen before you make the craft.

I helped the kids place the hole punch, but they pushed the lever (which they loved).

To keep the holes from spreading and cracking the leaves, we punched them as close to the center as possible and towards the stem end.

Since these leaves were just brown, we wanted to add a bit more color.

Tempera paint to the rescue!

We didn’t choose any particular art designs in advance. It was more of a “paint and see what happens” open-ended art activity.

All that was left to do was string the leaves on our yarn!

When we made a fall leaf garland a few years ago, we found lots of different colored leaves.

Those were gorgeous as is, so we just hole punched them all and let the kids get started stringing the leaves on a long piece of yarn.

Everyone had a designated pile to work with and they took turns adding their leaves to the garland.

This was such a nice afternoon activity. Threading the leaves was good fine motor practice for the kids.

We all had fun choosing leaves together. And it was nice to see something we made together hanging in the home all autumn long.

Want more fall activities? Check out these posts!

Plus, get more awesome fall inspiration on my Fall Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

Fall Leaves Count and Match: Preschool Concentration Game for Kids

September 16, 2019 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

We’ve been working on counting and number recognition with our little one lately, so in the spirit of autumn, I thought I’d share a fun fall math preschool concentration game that little ones will love to play!

One of the best ways I’ve found to get my kids excited about learning is to play lots and lots of games. That way, they get to practice basic concepts without even realizing it.

So for my smallest learner, this concentration game was an easy way to help her work on counting.

And it only takes a few minutes to make too!

This would be a fantastic fall math center activity for early learners. Or you could turn it into a fall themed busy bag!

If your kids like this game, be sure to check out our apple preschool counting puzzles for more preschool fall math fun!

Fall Leaf Count and Match Preschool Concentration Game

To make this fall math preschool concentration game, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

To assemble the game, print the flashcards and then laminate them.

Kids can be pretty rough on pieces of paper. This way, the cards will stay crisp enough to reuse.

Here’s a tip: If you print these on regular printer paper, kids will be able to see the numbers and dice through the back. Which doesn’t make for much of a challenge.

So I printed them on patterned cardstock.

That way, the game looks better and it’s more fun for the kids to try to match up the cards without seeing what each one is in advance.

Once you’ve laminated the cards and cut them out, lay them out face-down. Let the kids practice turning them over one by one.

The goal is to match the leaf number cards with the leaf dice cards. The leaf with “5” on it corresponds to the leaf that has five dots on the die.

To make matching easier, the leaves are color-coded. You can even use them to match colors for younger kids!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Fall Math Preschool Concentration Game!

Stop by to see these other fall learning ideas for early grades!

To get your copy of our Fall Preschool Concentration Game, click the image or the link below to visit my store!

>>> Match a Leaf! Preschool Concentration Game <<<

Printable Oak Tree Life Cycle Activity

September 9, 2019 by Selena Robinson 15 Comments

We had a huge, shady oak tree in our front yard for many years. So the kids got to explore an oak tree life cycle up close.

When we had to have it cut down a few years ago, we were genuinely sad.

What’s fascinating, though, is that we still have tiny oak tree plants that shoot up in the middle of our bushes to this day.

So many of the tree’s acorns have been buried under the ground over the years that they keep germinating and growing, no matter what!

So I thought it would be cool to share a printable oak tree life cycle activity that you can use to teach students about how oak trees grow, even if you don’t have a live oak tree nearby.

This would be an excellent fall science lesson or an activity to place at science centers during this time of year!

Read on to see how to get your set free!

And, for more fall science, don’t miss our Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity!

This easy oak tree life cycle activity is such a fun way to teach kids about how trees grow during fall! Take it with you on a nature walk or use at fall centers!

How to Use The Oak Tree Life Cycle Activity

To use this printable oak tree life cycle activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

This set includes a cut and paste life cycle diagram, as well as a printable oak tree life cycle wheel.

Use the wheel to help students memorize the steps in the growth of an oak tree.

Then challenge them to place the steps in the right order with the cut and paste activity.

You could even laminate the labeling activity and use hook and loop tape to turn it into a reusable lesson for centers or busy bags!

Scroll down to get your copy of this printable Oak Tree Life Cycle Activity!

Try more of these fall learning ideas!

This printable fall scavenger hunt is so fun for getting kids outside this autumn!

This printable apple life cycle sequencing activity is perfect for helping students learn how apples grow! Use it at science centers or in morning tubs!

These apple tree ten frame counting mats are so fun for early fall math centers! Makes a great morning tub math activity too!

To get your Oak Tree Life Cycle Activity set, click the image or the link below to have the file sent directly to your inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter this Sunday night!

>>> Oak Tree Life Cycle Activity <<<

Printable Fall Memory Game for Kids

September 5, 2019 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Fall is in the air!

For us down here in the Deep South, that usually means high temperatures in the mid-80s. But I’ll take that over the high 90s anyday!

While the temperatures don’t drop too much, we do sense that the air is drier and cooler, which is a huge relief after a sweltering summer.

So I thought it was a great time to share this printable fall memory game so that the kids can start getting ready for autumn…when it finally shows up here.

This is such an easy, low-prep activity! You just print the product, cut out the cards, and you’re good to go. Plus, it would make a fantastic busy bag.

Read on to see how to get your copy free! And, for more fall fun with early learners, take a look at our printable Apple Counting to Ten Puzzles!

Printable Fall Memory Game for Kids

To use this printable fall memory game for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Cardstock
Laminator (optional)
Scissors

This simple fall game features two pages of fall-themed picture cards with words. There are 12 different images with two cards each.

To add a little color to this game, print your cards on patterned cardstock.

The cards hold up better when printed on cardstock and the pattern makes it difficult to see through the back of the cards when they’re placed face down too.

Let the kids place these on the table and then race to see who can collect the most matches first!

Scroll down to get your printable fall memory game for kids!

Take a look at these other fall ideas for young ones!

Follow my Fall Activities for Kids board on Pinterest for even more autumn-themed fun!

To get your copy of this printable fall memory game, just sign up for our email newsletter! You’ll get access to this, and LOTS of other printables free, in our exclusive Subscriber Library!

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Run into any issues? Send me an email at selena@lookwerelearning.com.

5 Reasons to Go Fall Camping and a Fall Scavenger Hunt for Kids!

September 2, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Lots of people think of camping as a spring or summer vacation and there’s good reason why.

You get to spend all day outside, you can explore nature when the days are long, and you can wear shorts the whole time.

But fall is also an awesome time to go camping as a family. And there are lots of reasons why!

Read on to see why fall camping is a great vacation for families! And pick up a free printable fall scavenger hunt you can share with the kids while you’re camping out!

Want more ways to spend time in the great outdoors as a family? See five ways you can get outside with the kids more!

5 Reasons to Go Fall Camping as a Family

1. The camping rates are affordable.

Camping tends to be fairly inexpensive in the first place. If you go tent camping, you’ll only have to pay for the campsite fee each night.

But rates tend to be lower during the fall and that makes it a great time of year to grab a campsite!

2. You won’t have to deal with bugs.

Insects are usually all over the place during the hot, humid weather of summer. But in the fall, bugs (especially mosquitoes) are few and far between. Since we live in the Deep South, this makes fall camping a definite win.

3. The autumn colors are glorious.

If you plan your fall camping trip right, you’ll be sleeping outdoors when the trees are at their most beautiful. In our area, we tend to see fall foliage around late October and into mid-November, right when the weather is turning crisp.

And there’s nothing like sitting around a campfire with gorgeous fall leaves all around you.

4. Campsites are less crowded.

After the new school year begins, most families take a break from vacations. Which means fewer campers! If your school year includes a fall break (like ours does), that is a perfect time to book your camping trip together.

5. Fall is a wonderful season to spend time outdoors with the kids.

There are so many fun outdoor activities you can try with your family on a fall camping trip!

Roast marshmallows around the bonfire.
Gather up colorful leaves and make a DIY leaf garland to hang inside your tent.
Get a handful of leaves and add them to a baby food jar to make an easy fall leaf snow globe.
Or try an easy fall scavenger hunt with the little ones, like the one below!

Printable Fall Scavenger Hunt for Kids

This printable fall scavenger hunt is a fantastic fall camping activity to try with the kids! Since it has words and pictures, you can even use it with pre-readers!

Print several copies and see who can find the most fall items to check off first!

Scroll down to get your copy of Fall Scavenger Hunt for your kids!

Try some of these other fall learning ideas and activities!

Follow my Fall Activities for Kids Pinterest board for more autumn ideas!

To get your free fall scavenger hunt, sign up for our email newsletter! You’ll get this printable, plus lots more, in our exclusive Subscriber Library!

By the way, if you don’t see the welcome email in your inbox, check your spam folder. Sometimes it ends up there.

Just follow the instructions below to sign up!

Aprendemos Colores! Spanish Color Words Activity

August 29, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning how to say color words in Spanish is always a fun lesson for kids.

Colors are all around us and learning to identify them is a great way to help students use the new Spanish vocabulary words they’re using.

But when you want to a little artistic touch to this lesson, this Spanish color words activity is a perfect way to get kids excited about their new vocabulary words!

This is such a fun lesson for foreign language learners in early grades!

Plus, it makes a nice take-home activity for kids to work on with their families. And, if you’re homeschooling, this is an excellent Spanish language learning worksheet to add to your collection.

Read on to see how to get your set! And, for more ways to learn Spanish at home, don’t miss our Spanish Family Words Vocabulary lesson!

¡Aprendemos Colores! Spanish Color Vocabulary Words Activity

To use this Spanish words activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

This product includes eight Spanish color activity pages. Each one features a different color by word picture that kids can create as they learn their Spanish vocabulary!

There are pages that only teach three colors and some that teach up to six colors. So you can differentiate the learning level by assigning simpler color activities to beginning learners.

Be sure to let the kids hang up their Spanish coloring creations when they’re done!

Scroll down to get your copy of this Spanish vocabulary activity for kids!

Try these other Spanish language learning ideas for kids!

And you can follow my Foreign Language Lessons for Kids Pinterest board for more inspiration!

To get your copy of ¡Aprendemos Colores! our Spanish Vocabulary Words Activity, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Spanish Color Words Activity <<<

Apple Tree Life Cycle Sentence Writing Activity

August 26, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning about apple tree life cycles is such a fun fall science lesson for kids. Plus, if you’re able to actually go apple picking, you can see this process in real life!

Studying the life cycle of an apple tree is also an excellent activity for learning sequences with early learners.

Since the growth process follows a set of fixed steps, it’s a good way to talk about what happens first, second, third, and so on.

And that’s why this printable apple tree life cycle sentence writing activity makes such a good lesson for early grades!

With this easy, no-prep writing activity, students can practice reading, writing, and sequence while learning about fall science!

Read on to see how to get a copy of this sentence writing activity for your students.

And see more ways to study how apples grow with my Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity!

Need to work with early learners? Take a look at these Apple Alike! Same or Different Worksheets too!

Apple Tree Life Cycle Sentence Writing Activity

To use this apple tree sentence writing activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Colored pencils
Laminator (optional)
Dry erase markers (optional)

This apple life cycle writing activity includes eight different writing pages.

Each page includes a sentence for students to read, color, trace, and then write on the lines provided.

Apple Tree Life Cycle Sentence Writing Activity for Kids

Since each page features one step in the apple tree life cycle process, students can also practice placing the steps in the correct order as they work!

These would be fantastic for fall science centers!

Just laminate each page, place the activity pages on a ring, and let students use them again and again with dry erase markers!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Apple Tree Life Cycle Sentence Writing Activity!

Don’t miss these other writing lessons for early grades!

And see more fun fall learning ideas on my Fall Activities for Kids Pinterest board!

To get your copy of this Apple Tree ELA! Apple Tree Sentence Writing Lesson, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

>>> Apple Tree Sentence Writing Activity <<<

Fun Preschool Matching Worksheets for Early Learners

August 22, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Do you have preschoolers who are raring to go with independent work?

Our youngest learner has always wanted to jump ahead to what she called “big stuff”. She’s a self-motivated child and she loves working on resources on her own.

In the early years, though, it’s important to keep learning as fun as possible.

Which is why this list of fun preschool matching worksheets is perfect for preschoolers and kindergartners!

Preschool Matching Worksheets for Early Learners

There are several themes here, so you can use one of these resources at almost any time of the year.

And you can make them into reusable activities in just a few steps!

Read on to get the full list. Be sure to check out our list of engaging apple books for preschoolers while you’re here!

These fun preschool matching worksheets make it easy to teach early learners how to recognize similar objects!

How to Use Preschool Matching Worksheets

These are no-prep resources, so you can truly just print them and go.

If you use these matching worksheets as a one-time lesson, you’ll only need a few items: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer paper
Pencils
Laminator (optional)
Dry erase markers (optional)

Fun Preschool Matching Worksheets for Kids

Each of these preschool resources contains instructions and an answer key.

Just print them out, read the instructions together, and off they go!

If you want to reuse any of these at centers, simply laminate the pages and let students complete them with dry erase markers. Wipe clean and they’re ready to go again the next day.

Check out the full list below.

If you choose one of these, I’d love to know which one your students liked the best!

Preschool Matching Worksheets for Early Learners

These are a few early learning resources that can help preschoolers and kindergartners practice matching up similar objects!

Each set of worksheets features a different theme that you can use year round!

Plus, you can also use these printables to introduce or reinforce new skills, including counting to ten, spelling with sign language, and recognizing ordinal numbers!

Turn any of these worksheets into math or literacy center activities by laminating the pages and letting students use them with dry erase markers!

Snowflake Preschool Matching Worksheets

Learn about recognizing similar objects during winter with these snowflake matching worksheets!

Since the snowflakes are similar at first glance, this is a good resource for early learners who have practiced recognizing similar objects before.

Pumpkin Preschool Ordinal Number Worksheets

Learn how to count with ordinal numbers and practice matching skills with these pumpkin-themed worksheets!

A lesson is included to explain how to count with ordinal numbers. Then students can practice matching up each pumpkin with the correct ordinal number place.

Cookie Counting to Ten Worksheets for Preschool

Add counting to ten to a lesson on recognizing same and different with these cookie-themed matching worksheets!

Early learners can match up the same cookies based on the number of chocolate chips on each one.

ASL Weather Fingerspelling Worksheets

Get a head start on early literacy with these sign language fingerspelling weather worksheets!

Students will learn how to form the letters to spell each weather word. Then they can practice matching the correct ASL spelling word with the English weather word!

Did you like this list of preschool resources? Don’t miss our other early learning ideas to try!

Share some of these fun preschool counting puzzles to help early learners practice counting from one to ten!

This list of 10 minute easy preschool crafts is perfect for a quick crafting session with little ones!

Share these printable preschool resources with early learners at home or in school! Perfect for hands-on early learning!

Printable Apple Tree 1-10 Counting Mats

August 19, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Learning to count and make ten can be a tricky concept for preschoolers.

It’s one thing to recite the numbers in order from one to ten, but it’s another to understand that you can add two numbers together to equal ten.

Especially since there are so many ways to make ten!

So I thought these fun apple tree 1-10 counting mats would be a fun way to bring this concept to life for preschoolers!

Unlike our printable apple tree counting mat, which focuses on groups of four, these printables help children visualize the amounts that make up the numbers from one to ten.

Read on to see how to get your copy of these counting mats for your students!

And, for more apple learning fun, don’t forget to check out our Apple Alike! Same or Different Worksheets!

Apple Tree 1-10 Counting Mats

To use these 1-10 counting mats, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

There are ten counting mats in all in this set: one for each number from one to ten.

There are also red and green counting pieces included. If you’re using this with a preschooler, you might find it best to cut out the apples yourself.

If you decide to let the kids do it, be sure to use child-safe scissors. Apple mini erasers would also be great for this!

Each of the counting mats shows the numeral, the number word, and a blank ten frame.

So students can use the counting pieces to fill in the ten frame and show the correct number of apples for each numeral.

I like to use these with hook and loop sticky dots to make a reusable activity.

You could even laminate the mats to make them last longer, especially if you’re using them in math centers or morning tubs.

Since the apples come in both green and red, students can combine them to show that one plus one equals two, three plus two equals five, and so on.

You can also show them how to subtract by completing the ten frame and then taking apples away one by one.

Scroll down to get your copy of our Printable Apple Tree 1-10 Counting Mats!

Don’t miss these other early learning activities for kids!

To get your copy of these Apple Tree 1-10 counting mats, check them out below!

Over 75 Adorable Apple Crafts for Kids

August 15, 2019 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Nothing says “fall” like apples. We don’t really start to see apples on trees around here until late August, but I wanted to start planning some of our fall crafts as early as possible this year.

And that’s why I’ve rounded up over 75 adorable and easy apple crafts for kids to make!

Apples are associated with fall, but they’re also associated with back to school time, so these are perfect for fall crafting or even late summer crafting (if you’re really psyched about apple season).

Fall is easily my favorite season of the year. And we try to make it as educational as we can each school year.

If you want to add even more fall learning fun with your kids, don’t miss our Apple Alike! Same or Different Worksheets or our Apple Life Cycle Sequencing Activity!

Over 75 Fun and Easy Apple Crafts for Kids

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

2. Paper Plate Apple Craft – Midlife Healthy Living

3. Sew an Apple Fall Craft – Mommy Evolution

4. Tissue Paper Plate Apple Craft – Jinxy Kids

5. Apple Craft with Pool Noodles – Gluesticks and Gum Drops

6. Marble Painting Apple Craft – The Crafting Chicks

7. Bubble Wrap Painting Apple Craft – Typically Simple

8. Back to School Button Craft – Laura’s Crafty Life

9. Pony Bead Apple Craft for Kids – It Happens in a Blink

10. Paper Apple Weaving Craft – Arty Crafty Kids

11. Apple Tree Kids Craft – A Night Owl Blog

12. Tissue Paper Apple Craft – Messes to Memories

13. Easy Paper Apple Craft – Sweet Silly Sara

14. Apple Footprint Craft – Raising Little Superheroes

15. Yarn Apple Garland Craft – Red Ted Art

16. Felt Apple Craft – Easy Peasy and Fun

17. Yarn Apple Craft for Kids – About a Mom

18. Apple Tree Circle Punch Craft – Easy Peasy and Fun

19. Paper Cup Apple Shaker – Crafts on Sea

20. Apple Birdseed Bird Feeders – Natural Beach Living

21. Pom Pom Apple Tree Craft – Crafts on Sea

22. Apple Suncatchers – Crafty Mama in Me

23. Paper Plate Apple Craft – It Happens in a Blink

24. Tissue Paper Apple Tree Craft – Fantastic Fun and Learning

25. Puffy Paint Caramel Apple Craft – I Heart Arts and Crafts

Pages: 1 2 3

Apple Seek and Find Shape Sorting Worksheets

August 12, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Do you remember how old you were when you first learned how to recognize shapes?

I remember learning about the octagon in particular, because I started looking for STOP signs just so I could say “octagon” and feel really smart.

When you’re teaching preschool, shapes are a critical math skill to cover. The great thing is that learning shapes is a pretty fun activity already, so you don’t have to worry about making it fun.

But if you’d like to add a little more hands-on learning to this objective, these apple-themed shapes worksheets for preschool are a great way to do it!

Read on to learn how to get a copy of these shape worksheets for your early learner!

And, if you’d like to do more fun apple learning, don’t miss our Apple Matching Worksheets and our Apple Counting Puzzles!

These apple seek shape sorting worksheets are such a fun way to help early learners practice shape recognition!

Apple Shapes Worksheets for Preschool and Kindergarten

To use these apple shape sorting worksheets for preschool and kindergarten, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer paper
Crayons
Laminator (optional)
Dry erase crayons (optional)

This set of early learning worksheets includes 12 separate shape finding worksheets with a sweet apple theme!

The following shapes are included:

Circle
Square
Triangle
Rectangle
Heart
Crescent
Star
Oval
Rhombus
Pentagon
Hexagon
and Octagon

Both color and blackline versions of each page are included in this resource.

A full answer key is included as well!

How to Use Shape Sorting Worksheets with Early Learners

There are a few ways you can use these shape sorting printables with your students.

Begin by asking if anyone can identify the shape on the apple in the top left of the worksheet.

Then introduce students to the shape word on the page. You can even have the class spell it out loud.

Preschool Apple Shape Sorting Worksheets

The directions are printed on each page. Read through them with your students and check for comprehension before beginning.

You might even want to complete one with the class to give them a head start.

Apple Shape Activity Pages for Kindergarten

Walk the students through the shape choices on the apple. See if they can spot the featured shape for that page.

Apple Shape Sorting Worksheets for Kindergarten

After they’re done, have them count how many of the shapes they found. You can also ask them to identify the other shapes in the apple.

Ask how they could tell the difference between those shapes and the shape they were seeking for that worksheet.

If you’re using the blackline version, let students color in the apples, shape word, and apple shape activity too!

Turn this into a math center resource by laminating the pages and allowing students to use dry erase crayons to complete the activity.

Shape Worksheets for Kindergarten Students

See this resource in action in the video below!

Scroll down to get your copy of these Apple Seek and Find Shape Sorting Worksheets!

Have more apple learning fun with these activities!

These printable apple counting puzzles are perfect for early math lessons! Use them at fall math centers or for an interactive apple lesson for little ones!

Try a fun way to teach counting to your preschooler - this Apple Tree Printable Counting Mat!

This apple themed shape sorting worksheets set is so fun for fall math centers! Early learners can use these to practice recognizing all four basic shapes!

To get your copy of our Apple Shapes Worksheets for Preschool, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store!

Coffee Filter Crafts for Kids: Coffee Filter Apple Craft

August 7, 2019 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

It’s still warm where we are. (It’s the South. It’ll be warm through November.)

But I simply cannot wait for fall. I love fall. It’s easily my very favoritest time of year. And one of the best parts of fall is ripe, juicy apples!

So for our latest coffee filter craft project, I’m sharing a coffee filter apple craft that’s easy enough for preschoolers.

They may need a little help cutting the filter into an apple shape, but after that, they’ll be good to go on their own!

So this is a perfect craft idea for preschool, kindergarten, or even older kids who might want to add their own touches.

And it’s an excellent art activity for an apple thematic unit or following a read-aloud selection that features apples!

If this craft is a hit with your kids, try some of our other easy crafts, including a Coffee Filter Flower Craft or our Coffee Filter Sailboat Craft!

Want more apple learning fun? Check out these Apple Alike! Same or Different Worksheets!

Coffee Filter Crafts for Kids: Coffee Filter Apple Craft

To make this coffee filter apple craft, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Flatten out the coffee filter as best you can.

Color the entire filter bright red.

Flip the coffee filter over and sketch a rough apple shape on the back with pencil.

Use scissors to cut out the apple shape. Then flip the filter back over and glue it in the center of the construction paper.

Draw a stem and leaf at the top using colored pencils.

Add some fun polka dots and you’re done!

If you cut the filters into apple shapes ahead of time, this would be a fantastic craft for playdates or kids’ parties!

Just hand them the filters, construction paper, art supplies, and glue and see what the kids come up with!

Ways to Make A Coffee Filter Apple Craft

You don’t have to stick with a typical red apple when you’re making a coffee filter apple craft. Try these fun variations too!

Make a Golden Delicious apple with a friendly worm by using a bright yellow crayon to color the coffee filter and sticking a construction paper “worm” in the top.

Make a Granny Smith green apple by using a light green crayon.

Or make a Red Delicious apple that has a nice-sized “bite” out of it!

Just make the coffee filter apple craft like usual and then use scissors to cut out a single big chomp!

Like this easy apple craft? Try these other simple crafts!

See more easy crafts for children on my Simple Crafts for Kids Pinterest board!

Back to School! Creative Writing Prompts for Kids

July 29, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

A new school year usually brings a new set of worries for parents…and for kids.

I’ve noticed that, as my kids grow older, they start to struggle with feelings of self-consciousness and uncertainty. And the first place I start to notice it is in their writing.

Even my bookworms who used to be able to write with abandon start to feel unsure about how to express their feelings as they move through the upper elementary grades and closer to middle school.

So I thought this set of back to school writing prompts would be a great way to start the conversation about the new school year, even if students feel less than enthusiastic.

These would be great for individual students or take-home writing assignments. Or you could use them for a collaborative writing activity as a group!

Keep reading to see how to get your copy! And, for more practice with writing in elementary grades, take a look at my Back to School All About Me Writing Prompt!

Back to School Writing Prompts for Kids

To use these back to school writing prompts, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

This product includes a list of back to school writing prompts and a word bank that features nouns, verbs, adjectives, and questions for students to use in their compositions.

Plus, there are 10 different lined pages for students to use as they work!

All of the questions are very open-ended and personal, so even the most reluctant writer will feel comfortable with a least one of the prompts.

Need to save on ink? A line art version is also included!

If you use that one, let students color in the pictures for themselves to add a little art to this activity.

As the teacher, you can complete a prompt too! Be sure to share your response with the class!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Back to School Writing Prompts!

Stop by to see these other ELA learning ideas!

Follow my Fun Language Arts Ideas for Kids board on Pinterest for more ELA teaching tips!

To get your copy of our Back to School Writing Prompts, click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!

>>> Back to School Creative Writing Prompts <<<

Fun Preschool Counting Puzzles for Early Learners

July 25, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Do you have puzzle fans in your early childhood class?

My children always loved playing with puzzles when they were young. We had boxes of them all around the house for years.

Since puzzles are usually a big hit at early math centers, we’ve shared several preschool counting puzzles here.

And here they are all in one place – which is great if you’re planning your early math lessons for the year!

These are excellent for math centers, but they also work well for morning tubs, independent work, or homeschooling. Particularly if you have younger ones who need to work quietly while you teach an older child.

Read on to see the full list.

And, for more early childhood teaching ideas, take a look at our list of 20 printable preschool resources!

How to Use Preschool Counting Puzzles with Kids

Whenever I set up counting puzzles for early learners, I always go to the same list of supplies.

If you’ll be using preschool counting puzzles often, you might want to pick up these basic needs before you get started. You’ll use them over and over again.

(This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer paper
Laminator (helpful for keeping the puzzle pieces intact for use later)
Scissors

You don’t have to laminate your number puzzles, especially if you print them on cardstock. But I always do.

Little hands can be unusually hard on paper math manipulatives. I found that an unlaminated resource rarely survived a month or more.

My laminated preschool resources, though, are still going strong – years later!

Fun Preschool Number Puzzles to Try

There are plenty of ways to add number and counting fluency in early grades, but these are some of the preschool counting puzzles we’ve shared here.

Below you’ll find several different themed resources – so you can work on cardinality throughout the year!

Preschool Counting Puzzles

Ready to teach early learners to count from one to ten! Use these fun preschool counting puzzles to make this concept into a fun, hands-on lesson!

Prep these resources once and then use them over and over again to reinforce counting fluency!

Apple Count! Apple Number Puzzles

These apple counting to ten puzzles are a wonderful resource for the back to school and fall seasons!

Use them along with an apple or fall unit to help students practice relating numerals to sets of objects!

Pirate Printable Counting Puzzles for Kids

These fun, pirate-themed counting to ten puzzles are so cute for a pirate unit!

Designed to be self-checking, these puzzles make a wonderful math center activity!

Printable Shark Counting to Ten Puzzles for Kids

Studying sharks or ocean life? Add these fun shark counting puzzles to your unit!

These puzzles come in two versions: one with numerals and matching objects and a second with number words and matching objects.

An excellent way to introduce number word literacy!

Rainbow Number Word Matching Activity for Kids

Try these rainbow themed number and number word matching puzzles during spring!

Since this resource does not include cardinal objects, it's a good step up for early learners who have mastered counting objects to ten.

Also available as a digital activity!

Ladybug Number Word Counting Puzzles

Move on to number word literacy with these ladybug number word puzzles!

These have three pieces each and they help students connect numerals, cardinal objects, and number words - all at the same time!

Also available as a digital activity!

Don’t miss these other preschool learning ideas!

Put together a simple preschool apple unit with these fun apple activities for preschoolers and kindergartners!

Easy Shape School Bus Craft for Kids

July 23, 2019 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

I know it’s still technically summer, but school in our area starts next week, so we’re fully in the back to school spirit around here.

And that means school shopping, open house events, and weeknight meal planning – all of which I’ve been frantically doing for the last couple of days.

Our kids are pretty excited about school this year (so far), but if you have little ones who are…less than enthusiastic about going back to school, a fun way to get them in the mood is to make a cute back to school craft.

Which is where this easy shape school bus craft for kids might come in handy!

This is such a simple way to start getting kids to think about school and learning for the new school year!

Read on to see how to make this for yourself. And for more fun with kids’ crafts, take a look at our easy Ladybug Paper Craft!

Easy Shape School Bus Craft for Kids

To make this easy shape school bus craft for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

A copy of our printable school bus craft template
Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper
Scissors
Glue stick
Ballpoint pen

To start, print out the school bus craft template. Since the template already has colored shapes, you can just print and get started without having kids color it in.

Use scissors to cut out all of the shapes on the template. (If your child is cutting the shapes out, be sure to use child-safe scissors.)

To make the school bus, begin adding the blue squares and rectangles to the yellow rectangle.

Glue them down. Place the blue rectangular piece second in line to serve as the “door” of the bus.

Next, glue the gray small circles onto the center of the larger black circles. These are the bus’s “tires”. Glue those on the bottom edge of the yellow rectangle.

Add the half circle and triangle shapes to each end of the bus as the vehicle’s lights. Glue those in place.

Finally, use an ink pen to trace the outline of each window and door and you’re done!

The blue bus would make a great craft for a transportation unit, because you could talk about public buses and how they serve the community.

And, since all of the bus template pieces are basic shapes, this would be a wonderful craft for a shapes lesson too!

Don’t miss these other easy kids’ crafts!

Be sure to follow my Simple Crafts for Kids board on Pinterest!

Travel Tales! Vacation Creative Writing Activity for Kids

July 22, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

It’s already back to school season. Can you believe it?

Personally, I’ve had a wonderful summer break and I am not in any way ready to get back to class. I have a pretty strong hunch my kids feel the same way.

But, like it or not, summer is coming to an end. So, I thought it would be a little easier to get back to ELA with this easy creative writing activity about summer vacation!

We usually take a vacation each summer. This year, we went camping for the first time. And we didn’t die!

My kids had a lot to say about that trip, but I also wanted to encourage them all to write about it, including my younger learners.

This simple vacation-themed creative writing prompt is great, because it’s a bite-sized lesson. So if you have reluctant writers, they won’t be intimidated by it at all.

Read on to see how to get your copy for free! And, for more fun with ELA, don’t miss my Donut Colors Sentence Writing Activity!

Travel Tales! Vacation Creative Writing Activity for Kids

To use this vacation creative writing activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Cardstock
Pencils
Child-safe scissors (optional)
Colored pencils (optional)

This activity includes five pages of prompts: four with different colors and a line art version.

I found it best to print it on cardstock, because I wanted kids to be able to cut out their finished writing and hang it up on the wall.

If you use the line art version, kids can color in the suitcase themselves!

Students can use this activity to describe their actual vacations or to write about places they’d like to go. And, since it’s evergreen, you can use it any time there’s a school break, including, fall, winter, and spring.

Scroll down to get your copy of our Vacation Creative Writing Activity!

Take a look at these other ways to learn with ELA!

Follow my Language Arts for Kids board on Pinterest for more ideas!

To get your free copy of Travel Tales! Vacation Creative Writing Activity for Kids, click the image or the text below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers Store!

>>> Travel Tales! Vacation Creative Writing Activity <<<

Preschool Playdough Mats: Cupcake Playdough Mats

July 18, 2019 by Selena Robinson

It’s time for us to share another one of our preschool playdough mats and this time we have cupcakes!

Cupcakes are just plain fun. Whenever I say the word “cupcake”, I just start to smile involuntarily. It’s science.

So I thought these cupcake playdough mats would be fun for little hands! They’re great for building fine motor skills, color recognition, and more.

And they’re perfect for a cupcake unit! Because you can never learn too much about cupcakes, right?

Printable Preschool Cupcake Playdough Mats

Read on to see how to get your copy of these fun printable mats for some playdough time with the kids!

Ready for more fine motor skill fun?

Don’t miss our other preschool playdough mats, including Mountain Do-A-Dot Shape Mats and Fall Alphabet and Number Playdough Mats!

These printable cupcake playdough mats are perfect for building fine motor skills in preschoolers! Plus, they're adorable for a cupcake unit!

Preschool Playdough Mats: Cupcake Playdough Mats

To use these playdough mats, you’ll need the following: (Affiliate links provided here for convenience. For more, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer paper
Laminator (to reuse the mats for another time)
Play dough

This product includes four different cupcake mats – two with faces and two without.

I thought the cupcake faces were adorable, but if your child prefers the ones that look more like food, no biggie!

Printable Cupcake Playdough Mats for Kids

These would make fantastic busy bag additions.

You can print them, laminate them, and add them to a busy bag with dry-erase crayons or dot markers and let your child color in the circles!

Personally, I love the use of playdough for fine motor skill building.

Kids can practice rolling the dough into small spheres and then placing them on the free spaces on each mat.

You can use different colors to practice color recognition or even work on counting by counting how many playdough balls you can add to each picture!

Scroll down to get your set of printable cupcake playdough mats!

Don’t miss our other preschool playdough mats!

Build fine motor skills and letter recognition with these fun forest alphabet playdough mats!

These beach themed number playdough mats are fun for practicing recognizing numbers from 0 to 9!

To get your set of these printable cupcake playdough mats, use the image or the link below to have it sent to your email inbox!

You’ll also get our weekly newsletter – this Sunday!

Click here to get your free printable resource

>>> Printable Cupcake Playdough Mats <<<

Animal Diagram! Habitat and Diet Animal Sorting Activity

July 17, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve learned quite a bit about animal diets and behavior with our kids. But it can be tough to keep all the information straight in your head afterward.

Who lives where?

Who eats what?

And, once you learn that some animals live on both land and water and that some animals eat both meat and plants, it can get really confusing.

So we’re sharing a fun and simple animal science lesson for keeping up with animal diets and habitats – a Venn diagram animal sorting activity!

Printable Animal Sorting Venn Diagram for Kids

This is such a cute animal science activity for early grades! Plus, it can work as a science center activity you can reuse!

See how to get your hands on a copy below!

And, for more ways to learn about animal behavior, take a look at our nocturnal and diurnal animal sorting activity too!

Teach students about animals with this animal diets and habitats sorting activity! Such an easy way to learn about animal science with young learners!

Habitats and Diets Animal Sorting Activity

To use this printable animal sorting activity, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printable Animal Diets and Habitats Sorting Activity for Kids

This product includes a cut and paste animal diet activity, as well as a cut and paste animal habitat activity.

Printable Animal Habitat Sorting Activity

For the animal habitats lesson, kids can cut out each animal.

Then practice sorting them according to whether they live in water, on land, or both!

For the animal diets activity, they can cut out the animals and then practice sorting them according to their diet.

Be careful! Some animals eat both plants and meat!

And, if you need a little refresher on which animal goes where, there’s an answer key included for each activity!

Animal Diets and Habitats Sorting Activity

Scroll down to get your copy of our Diets and Habitats Animal Sorting Activity!

Want to learn more about animals with the kids? Check out these other learning ideas!

These simple bird species identification cards are fun for learning about common bird species during spring! Use them with early grades science lessons!

Pick up these printable sea monster notebooking pages to learn more about incredible creatures of the deep!

Learn about the fascinating world of sharks with this printable shark food chain game!

Learn about what animals eat and where they live with this fun Venn diagram animal sorting activity! Perfect for science centers and early learners too!

To get your copy of our Animal Diagram! Habitats and Diets Animal Sorting Activity, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check it out below!

Sign, Spell, & Match! Sign Language Alphabet Puzzles

July 15, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

I’ve always loved teaching our children American Sign Language.

We use ASL in our local congregation, but I also like using it to build early literacy skills in our kids.

In fact, when we practice spelling words, the kids generally fingerspell each word as they say the letter.

I’m convinced that learning to sign has made them better spellers overall.

Since ASL is such a wonderful tool for early spelling skills, I thought it would be awesome to combine it with letter recognition in these printable sign language alphabet puzzles!

Printable Sign Language Alphabet Matching Puzzles for Kids

These are wonderful for literacy centers!

Plus, they’d make great quiet time activities, since kids can practice matching up the puzzle pieces again and again.

Read on to see how to get your set!

And, for more practice with signing skills, check out our printable ASL weather fingerspelling lesson!

Ready to teach little ones how to sign? These fun sign language letter matching puzzles are perfect for building early signing skills!

Sign, Spell, & Match! Sign Language Alphabet Puzzles

To use these printable sign language alphabet puzzles, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

This set of ASL alphabet puzzles includes one set of three puzzle pieces for each letter of the alphabet.

Kids can complete each puzzle by matching the uppercase letter, the ASL sign, and the lowercase letter.

Cut them out and mix them up. Then challenge the kids to see how quickly they can complete all the puzzles!

Be sure to help them practice forming each ASL letter sign as they go.

These would also make a great take-and-go learning activity.

Simply laminate each puzzle, cut the pieces apart, and put the puzzle pieces into a reusable bag.

Kids can practice matching up letters on any flat surface while you wait!

Scroll down to get your copy of our Sign Language Alphabet Puzzles!

Ready to work on more early literacy skills with your students? Try some of these other literacy activities for kids!

Help early readers learn to rhyme with these fun rhyming word puzzles!

These fun ocean playdough mats are great for practicing literacy and fine motor skills!

Practice reading sight words this summer with these fun summer sight word flashcards! Great for building reading fluency before the new school year!

To get your copy of our Sign and Match! ASL Alphabet Puzzles, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store or check them out below!

Work on letter recognition and learn sign language at the same time with these printable sign language alphabet letter puzzles! Perfect for early literacy practice!

A to Z Race! Finish the Alphabet Worksheets for Kids

July 8, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

When I was young, I remember learning how to recite the alphabet in order with the ABC song.

Actually, I think every child born before 1985 or so learned it that way.

I thought I could teach my kids the alphabet in the same way. And they did learn to recite the song. But, when it was time to actually start reading, I’d forgotten to help them match up the letters with the sounds in the song.

We had to go back to the beginning and memorize what each letter looked like and then go back and review the order from the song.

These finish the alphabet worksheets for kids make that process just a tad easier.

These are simple to use with early learners. Plus, they’re free!

Keep reading to see how to score your copy! Want more ways to work on learning the alphabet with kids? Take a look at our Consonant and Vowel Phonics Flashcards while you’re here!

A to Z Race! Finish the Alphabet Worksheets for Kids

To use these finish the alphabet worksheets for kids, you’ll need the following: (This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

Printer (with ink)
Printer Paper I used Astrobright paper here.
Pencils

This product includes three different finish the alphabet worksheets.

All three have several letters of the alphabet missing, so it’s up to students to fill in the blanks!

Plus, each alphabet worksheet has a different theme, including space…

dinosaurs…

…and the circus!

If you’re working with these themes with your class, you can use one of these worksheets with each unit!

An answer key for each worksheet is also included.

Scroll down to get your copy of our Finish the Alphabet Worksheets for Kids free!

Take a look at these other early literacy learning ideas!

See more ways to teach early learners on my Learning for Little Ones Pinterest board!

Ready to get your hands on these Finish the Alphabet Worksheets? Click the image or the link below to visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store and get them free!

>>> Finish the Alphabet Worksheets for Kids <<<

20 Fun LEGO STEM Activities for Kids

July 4, 2019 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

STEAM education is everywhere these days.

In fact, many schools now offer specialized classes and camps for kids who have an interest in learning science, technology, engineering, art, and math together.

If you’re new to teaching these concepts, though, STEM can be a little intimidating.

But it doesn’t have to be! You can actually make STEM education fun. Especially if you try some of these fun LEGO STEM activities with the kids!

I don’t know a single child who doesn’t love building with LEGO. And anytime we can make learning into a hands-on experience, our kids have a much easier time grasping the concept we’re teaching.

So when you use LEGO bricks to demonstrate abstract concepts, it becomes so much easier for children to understand what they’re learning.

And, if you can make learning into a fun activity, then you won’t have to pull teeth to get the kids to do schoolwork, right?

Take a look at these easy STEAM activities below and try to find a few your kids might like! Don’t forget to see our roundup of 45 easy STEM activities you can try at home too!

20 Fun LEGO STEM Activities for Kids

1. LEGO Bar Graphs – Look! We’re Learning!

2. 10 Frames Math with Lego – A Little Pinch of Perfect

3. Timed Lego Build Game – Simple Play Ideas

4. Lego Science Scavenger Hunt – Fun a Day

5. Coding a Lego Maze – Research Parent

6. Lego Balance Scale STEM Project – Kids Activities Blog

7. Lego Displacement Experiment – Lemon Lime Adventures

8. Printable Lego Challenge Game – Artsy Fartsy Mama

9. Lego Bridge Building Challenge – Frugal Fun 4 Boys

10. Lego Solar System – Kitchen Counter Chronicles

11. Lego Stamping Activity – Powerful Mothering

12. Lego Number Identification – Simple Play Ideas

13. Lego Skip Counting – Kids Activities Blog

14. Pick Two Lego Math Game – Creative Family Fun

15. Lego Shadow Towers Science – Lemon Lime Adventures

16. Lego Pulleys STEM Building Challenge – Frugal Fun 4 Boys

17. Printable Lego Challenge Card Game – One Mama’s Daily Drama

18. Lego Challenge Wind Racers – Lego Librarian

19. Lego Pendulum Painting – Kids Craft Room

20. Building Lego Paper Machines Challenge – Frugal Fun 4 Boys

More LEGO STEM Activities for Kids to Try

Do your kids love LEGO so much they’ll want even more LEGO STEM activities to try? Here are some of our very favorite LEGO learning ideas your kids might like too!

(This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

LEGO Chain Reactions Building Kit

LEGO Creator Pirate Roller Coaster Building Kit

LEGO Wild Wool Preschool Game

Did you love these LEGO STEM activities? Try some of these other STEM learning ideas too!

And see even more ways to teach STEM at home on my STEM for Homeschoolers Pinterest board!

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