Cardboard and Blocks Equal Building Possibilities

Most of my groups of kids love to use blocks. Often we will put out blocks with little or nothing else. The kids enjoy creating in different ways with the blocks.

However, I try to add different materials - just to stimulate more thinking and encourage kids to expand their ideas. Of course, recycled materials make great construction materials. This time, we added cardboard pieces (from boxes) and cardboard tubes.

As is my practice, I put out the items with little direction beyond: "You can use these with the blocks if you choose."

We tried various arrangements of cardboard, blocks, and tubes.

We created structures and playgrounds.

And we even incorporated other items into our structures.

These materials are great for the classroom. You can use whatever you have on hand. If you have large pieces of cardboard or long tubes, cut them smaller or shorter. If they get torn or damaged, just toss them. (Or better yet, find a way to use them in sculptures or murals in the art center!)

Easy and Versatile Feel Box

When I think about teaching resources, I like easy ideas...and ideas that are little cost. I like things that can be used in different ways or for different types of activities. That's why I love this feel box.

You need an oatmeal box and a large NEW men's athletic sock. Slide the sock over the oatmeal box -  and the feel box is ready. Put in anything that you want kids to feel--small toys, nature items, magnet shapes, anything.

The box is recycled and the sock can be purchased at the dollar store. The items that go in the box are things you already have. Easy. Little cost. 

Kids reach in through the sock and feel the items. They can easily pull them out.

This is a great activity for all ages of kids. I've used it with one-year-old toddlers and kindergartners. With younger kids, I just put in 1 or 2 items. With kindergartners, put in several items and lay similar items beside the box. 

They can feel one of the items they can see and then find items that feel the same inside the box. 

Another advantage - no peeking! Kids cannot see inside the box, even when they reach inside it.

This box can be used in games in circle time. You can add it to any center, depending on what is inside it. Use it in small groups to feel letters or shapes. Place something inside to develop thinking and reasoning skills - guess what it is by the clues you get from its shape, size, and texture.

When you're done, you can store it as is, or pull off the sock and drop it in the box for storage.

Board Game DIY

Do your kids like games? Mine do. Every year my kids love to play games at a table. I've found that they like me to play, too. Here are some games we have made. Use these ideas to springboard off and make your own games for kids.

Trail Game

This game is a favorite. We've used it for many years. I used paper scraps to make spaces for the trail. When I first made the gameboard, I didn't include lines along the sides of the colored trail; that caused confusion. For the spinner, I taped paper strips to a paper circle and taped all of that to a lazy susan. Place an arrow beside it and spin away. (They love the spinner!) For game pieces, we use foam beads. But we've used game markers from old games, small Lego bricks, and buttons as game pieces, too. (For more details about this game, see this post.)


Trail Game #2

I made this adaptable board game using a file folder and stickers. Create the trail across the folder. Create cards for moving through the trail with stickers and index cards. This game now resembles Candyland. Use binder clips for game pieces. Easy and fun to play. Add words, letters, numbers, or quantities of dots to your cards to add more learning opportunities. (For more details and ideas see this post on Pre-K and K Sharing and this post on Brick by Brick.)


Large Trail Game

I used the Giant Game Floor Mat to make a large trail game. I printed arrows and words on paper and slid into the mat. We used a purchased spinner and lids covered with colored tape. This game is fun because it's super-sized. You could also make a homemade game mat by taping large freezer ziplock bags to a tablecloth or drop cloth. (See this post for more details about the game and markers.)


Counting Game

I made this counting game recently for us to play. I made a trail of stickers around the outside of a folder. On some of the stickers, I drew a square. I made a "river" in the middle of the folder. Kids would roll a numbered cube and move around the trail. (We used old game markers.) When landing on a square, kids rolled a cube and counted that many marbles to put in the river. This was a lot of fun. (See this post on Pre-K Pages for more details and variations.)


Race Game

Cindy made this game. We've played other games like it in our class and the kids love it. In this game, the bears (or markers) are competing, not the children. Draw a grid on a piece of heavy paper. Use stickers to mark each color "lane." (You could also color the spaces with a marker.) Make a cube with matching colors on the sides. (Use a boutique tissue box as a homemade cube.) Kids take turns rolling the cube. Whatever color is on top of the cube indicates which bear moves one space. Continue playing until one (or all) of the bears reach the finish line.

What games have you made? I'm always on the lookout for more!

Inspiration from the Blogosphere

Lately I've been seeing posts related to my favorite thing - repurposing materials and creating your own resources. Here are a few that have inspired me recently--

• D.I.Y. Letter Stamps (Make, Take, Teach)
  
• Craft Stick Marble Run (Frugal Fun 4 Boys)
  
• Traffic Signs (Doodles and Jots)
  
• QTip Manipulatives (Kindergarten Smorgasbord)

My kids enjoyed using newspaper rolls to build. They explored lots of ways to use them. Check out my post on Pre-K and K Sharing.

Follow my Dollar Store and Dumpster Ideas Pinterest Board. Pins about ways to reuse, repurpose, and recycle are added regularly.

Favorite Things: Lids

A couple of years ago I had a periodic blog series of favorite things. (Here's a quick round-up of some of my favorite favorites.) I decided that I need to bring back those periodic posts. And, for the first one, I'll feature something that I have blogged about a lot and use regularly - my bag of lids.

I started saving lids a few years ago with no particular purpose in mind. I have amassed quite a collection. In the past two weeks we have used these lids for--

Making letters

Making groups of ten

In the past we've used them for these and other things.

We used them as a base for an art exploration.

We used them as game pieces.

We used them to build.

We used them to explore shapes.

We count them, sort them, and sometimes ignore them for other things.

I have grown to love my bag of lids.

Others have used lids in interesting ways, too.

• Deborah at Teach Preschool has done lots of learning with lids.
• Crafty Journal made homemade stamps.
• Picklebums made a music stick (instrument).
• Learning4Kids lists 10 quick ideas for lids.

How have you recycled and repurposed lids?

Using Uno Cards in Second Grade

Yesterday was my turn to post on PreK & K Sharing blog; I posted about using cards to teach number skills.

Last year I posted about ways we were reusing my Uno cards in my first grade class. When I moved to second grade this year, my cards came with me.

We've been using the cards in one of our centers with addition and subtraction. I like using the Uno cards rather than regular cards because the numerals are large on the cards and I can easily make two-digit and three-digit numbers.

The game we've been playing - draw two cards and make a two-digit number; draw two more cards to make another two-digit number. Add the numbers together.

Other ideas:

• Create a three-digit number. Tell how many hundreds, tens, and ones.
• Draw two cards for a two-digit number. Figure out what to add to get to 100. (We'll do this in the center this week.)
• Create 2 two- or three-digit numbers and compare (greater, less).
• Create two- or three-digit number. Tell what is 10 more, 10 less, 100 more, 100 less than the number.
• Give two kids a group of cards. Each student will turn over two cards and create a number. The greater number gets the cards.

Sometimes my kids just like to draw cards, create numbers, and write them on a dry erase board.

What games do you like to play with cards?

Inspiration from the Blogosphere This Week

Here are things I've tweeted, linked to, or posted to Evernote this week. (No, not pinned. I don't do Pinterest.)

DIY Junk Bingo Game (Teach Preschool) - Deborah posts a terrific idea. I'm going to figure out a way to do this with my second graders.

12 Awesomely Easy But Incredibly Ugly Indoor Activities for Kids (What Do We Do All Day?) - Indoor activities that kids do my themselves. According to the blogger, these may be ugly but they're awesome. I agree.

Storing and Organizing Independent Reading Books for Students (Clutter-Free Classroom) - Oh, does my classroom need to be clutter-free. I certainly enjoy reading about and saving ideas to make that happen. These ideas are great for getting a handle on students' independent reading. I'm going to implement some of these. (Honest, I will.)

DIY Notepads (Make, Take & Teach) - I love a good DIY/reuse and recycle idea. This one has lots of possibilities. I really like having the adhesive recipe.

Stretching Sounds in Words (Mrs. Jump's Class) - I've been looking for simple techniques and strategies for helping my struggling readers. I really like Stretchy. (And I think I need some wands. Wait! There are some in my garage right now!)

Why You Shouldn't Respond When a Difficult Student Has a Good Day (Smart Classroom Management) - Getting a handle on classroom management has been a challenge for me...especially lately. This post really made me think about some of my responses.

12 Half-Truths Pundits Say to Teachers (Education Rethink) - John always makes me think and rethink. His post has some great thoughts about reformers and their comments to teachers.

Top 12 Hilarious Teacher Jokes (Teach Hub) - And something just for fun!

An eclectic mix - but I guess I'm an eclectic reader.

What post did you save, tweet, link to (or pin) that I need to read?

Favorite 2013 Posts from the Blogosphere

I love using Evernote. I use it to store ideas and posts that I want to remember and use. What I discovered as I looked through the notes I made during 2013 - I save a lot of things and don't review those ideas. I rediscovered some ideas that I really want to try. 

As I looked through those ideas and thought about this past year, I chose some top posts that inspired (or will continue to inspire) me. 

Starting with the Answer (Matt B. Gomez) - Give kids the answer and ask them to come up with the story/question. This post echoed in my mind for a while. And it's the inspiration for our morning math routine.

Ten Ways to Deal with a Hard Year (Education Rethink) - Okay, technically this post was in 2012, but I have continued to reread it through 2013. John Spencer states some truths about hard years. My first year last year was challenging...and this year has had some challenges, too. John's post reminds me to look for the successes and to look for the learning.

Two Words the World Needs (Jon Acuff) - This post is no longer active. Jon has moved and his old posts have disappeared. (One reason I love Evernote. I copied the post into my notes and can still read it offline even though it's gone online.) Jon wrote: "The world has a lot of stuff. It does. .... But there is one thing that the world is lacking. One thing it is desperate for. More you." This post challenged me to think about what my class really needs - it needs for me to bring my own unique perspective and talents to help my kids learn.

How a Second Grader Got Me to Stop Teaching and Start Listening (Elementary Math Maniac) - I'd recommend this post just for you to see how a second grader is thinking about addition. But this post also challenges me to remember that my students are thinking and building understanding in different ways. Sometimes I need to guide it and sometimes I need to listen and understand it.

Using Twitter in the Primary Classroom (Learning and Sharing with Ms. Lirenman) - This post is inspiring and I wanted to start using Twitter in my classroom this year. I tried and ran into connection problems. Then I moved schools and was confronted with starting over - so I haven't accomplished this goal. But I still want to do it and this post continues to remind me why.

25 Clever Classroom Tips for Elementary School Teachers (Buzzfeed) - I love quick ideas, especially reuse or repurpose ideas. These are some fun ones. (I use binder clips to label my student mailboxes and Angry Bird beanbags go on desks when students leave the room.)

As I read through all those notes, I discovered these top ideas from 2013 that I want to try--

Interactive Notebook (Matt B. Gomez)

Early Finisher Board (Teaching in the Early Years)

Junk Drawer in a Box (Education Rethink)

Brain Chains (Teacher Tipster)

Got any great links to share with me?

Leftovers Are Free Resources

I posted today on the collaborative blog Pre-K and K Sharing. Since it's after Thanksgiving, I naturally thought about leftovers. Check that post for some ideas for using items leftover from your activities.


Here are some other posts about using leftovers--

• What kids did with leftover strips
• Leftover cereal boxes (from Centers and Circle Time)
• Leftover paper could be used for cutting practice (idea from Pink and Green Mama)
• Paper scraps can be used for water bottle collages
• Here's the post about recycling our art
• Leftover notepads can be great for writing (and in the writing box)

I often toss leftover items in the collage box. I put large pieces of paper, envelopes, or leftover books (paper stapled together) in the writing box. Odds and ends find their way into the blocks center.

Don't toss those leftovers! Put those "loose parts" out for kids to use in their own ways.

Repurpose Your Outdated Tech

In today's world, we have lots of outdated technology. New devices are always coming out; upgrade and you have old technology lying around. Repurpose some of that for your kids to use.

On the PreK and K Sharing collaborative blog I have posted ways to use outdated technology with your kids.

How do you use outdated technology with your kids?

I'm also interested in using current technology with your kids. What kids of apps and devices do you use with your kids?

I recently found the blog Digital Kindergarten, with information about technology and kids. What blogs would you recommend?

(This summer I was a part of a great blog book study. Check out the posts and comments regarding Teaching in the Digital Age.)

DIY Inspiration from the Blogosphere

I love to repurpose and reuse items. I love seeing how teachers improvise and make resources for themselves. Ingenuity and creativity always inspire me. This week, these posts triggered my thinking. And made me want to DIY myself.

Pre-K Pages: Crate Storage Shelves and Cubbies - I saw a shelf with baskets at a store and thought it would be great in a classroom. Then I saw this simple but practical idea from Vanessa. Now I'm thinking that I can make a shelf myself and find baskets to add. In fact, I'm thinking of lots of ways I could use crates and zip ties. 

Growing in Pre K: Organizing Letter Tiles - I always clip and save organization ideas; I guess that's because I'm usually not very good at organizing all my stuff. This idea for letter tiles is one that I'm currently using - except I didn't label the lid like Ellis did. But I'm thinking this type of idea would work for counters and lots of other smaller resources.

NurtureStore: Make an Art Caddy - Simple to do with simple tools and resources–that's usually what I'm looking for. I'm not all that handy with power tools. This idea fits my needs and abilities perfectly. I see all kinds of possibilities with cups and box lids. Thanks Cathy!

Play at Home Mom: Funnel Rack - This is a great idea for water play and other sensory exploration. This one requires wood and tools, but it doesn't seem too involved to accomplish. And, now that I've seen this wonderful idea, I can be on the lookout for something that could function in a similar way.

Pink and Green Mama: Scissors Practice Box - A small self-contained "center" to practice cutting. Maybe something like this could be a part of a stocked art shelf, so kids would know where paper and scissors are for just cutting or for making materials for other projects. Maybe I need to make a box for practicing our paper punching skills. Hmm.

What DIY inspiration have you seen this week?

Relapse

My sickness raised its head again. I was walking through my office building and came upon this.

People have been moving throughout the building and they've been using these plastic boxes. The movers will stack the boxes on the rolling platforms to transport them from office to office.

But what did I think? "I wonder what kids would do with some of those...." The lids fold closed so we could stack them. We could climb in and out of them. We could fill and empty them. We could use those rolling platforms for all kinds of fun.

Yes, I am a sick man. I wander through thrift stores and dollar stores. I spy all kinds of fun items in grocery stores and discount stores. I rescue lids, containers, and other stuff from the trash can.

Honestly, I'm not a hoarder. Just a preschool/kindergarten teacher.

What fun things could your kids do with these plastic boxes?

(I promise. I didn't stash any in my car. But I think it would have been fun to have a few!)

Tales from the Thrift Store

Today I'm blogging at PreK and K Sharing collaborative blog.

I'm sharing things I've found in thrift stores and charity shops that can be repurposed for the classroom.

Here are a few of related posts—

Doing a Little Weaving

5 Unusual Objects for Your Classroom

Our Bookstore

Outlining Letters

Builders

What are some great finds you have discovered at thrift stores, charity shops, garage sales, or other resale places?

Repurposing Inspiration from the Blogosphere

I love to repurpose, reuse, and recycle stuff. We use all kinds of things for different purposes. For example, we used a cooling rack (and wood kindling and tissue paper) to create a campfire for our fishing trip. We cooked our "catch" over the fire.

This week I read some other great ideas and inspiration for reusing and repurposing items.

Reuse sweet potato bags and cardboard for sewing cards - The Wish to Find Out: Simple Sewing for Toddlers

Recycle and reuse bottle lids for art explorations - Inspiration Surrounds, Creativity Abounds: Bottle Top Creations

Repurpose old drawers for imaginative play - Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning: Good Old Drawers

Reuse an old game spinner and burner cover to create a better, easier-to-use (and changeable) spinner - Pre-K Pages: Easy DIY Magnetic Spinner

Recycle food containers and number labels for your grocery store - Getting Messy with Ms. Jessi: Numbers Everywhere

Repurpose all kinds of things to create invitations for play - The Imagination Tree: Creating Invitations to Play


Let's repurpose with purpose - and let kids play and learn!

Scrap Paper

Today I'm posting on PreK & K Sharing blog - that shredded paper, usually trash, can be a treasure.

That's true of all kinds of paper that you may want to toss. Here are a few other ideas—

Cut up old maps to draw or paint on.

Put out paper scraps, tape, and markers.

Cut up abandoned paintings - or community paintings - 

and use the pieces for projects.

Our paper scraps go into a basket that's always available

(along with glue sticks and scissors).

Sometimes those scraps get used in fun ways at the writing table.

Sometimes those scraps become fun creations.

Our scraps often become a part of other projects.

In what ways do you use paper that may be tossed?

Let's Paint Together!

I often look for ways kids can create together. We've done murals and group collages, all adding bits and pieces to an overall piece. But one of our favorite things to do together is paint.

Painting together creates community. Kids expand individual thinking by building on one another's thinking.

Techniques are shared and expanded. Kids explore cause and effect.

Process triumphs over products - because so many are involved, the end-result changes and evolves and ultimately ends up in an experiment in color-mixing.

But my favorite part of community painting is that it stays in the room. The wonderful creation doesn't go home. For a while, it will live in the classroom, inspiring us with its swirls and colors.

But then it can become part of other things we do. Pieces of our community painting become part of our collage materials.

Kids can use those pieces to explore and create.

We love painting! Today I'm linking up with other blogs on PreK + K Sharing to talk about painting.