There are many skills that are learned in early childhood that are the foundation for skills that will be learned as they grow. Learning the alphabet, for example, often comes before letter recognition, learning how to put on a shoe comes before knowing how to tie the shoe, knowing how to count is typically learned before number recognition, and so on. Once those foundational skills have been learned and practiced, it opens the door for the next level of complexity to be learned.
There are many ways to teach these various skills and strategies. I’ve made a scavenger hunt game that you can play with your child or class as they are learning to recognize numbers. It’s quite simple— you cut out the squares with pictures, hide the pictures, then send a child on a hunt to find them. As they find each square, they can count how many pictures are on the square, then match and glue the picture square next to the corresponding written number.
If you want to reuse this activity, simply laminate the papers to protect them. You could put velcro dots on the back of each picture square and next to each written number. If you wanted multiple children to participate in this, you could assign them each a number, print off the worksheet on different colors of paper and have them find only their color, or encourage them to work with a partner to find each picture square.
This printable is free, but please only use for personal or classroom use. This is not intended for resale.
Where were you on that fateful day In September 2001? Were you busy at work or learning at school Or had your day just barely begun?
Did you watch it unfold As it aired on TV? Was your heart uncertain and scared? Did you ask yourself, “How can this be?”
The world stood still and everyone watched; We sat in disbelief and in shock. How could there be such evil? Our faith and trust they did rock.
Shaken and battered, Afraid and unsure, Forward we moved, Knowing unity could cure.
People all over stepped in and stepped up. Amidst all the sadness, the terror, and pain, Selfless heroes helped others, Not seeking any personal gain.
While some ran away to escape the debris, Others ran in, one objective in mind: To help who they could whatever the cost, And do their best to save lives.
As the dust settled down, And we began to restore, As a country we came together, Unified and changed evermore.
As those who did witness The events of that day, We must never forget And must teach our children to do the same.
Teach them to love, to be kind, and uplift, Show them how to lead with kindness and grace. Ensure that they know that hate never wins, That love conquers all, and everyone has a place.
Teach them to care, to listen, and help. To look out for others, to lend a hand when they’re called. Above all else, let them never forget: United we stand, divided we fall.
-Logan Nielsen, 2025
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As today marks 24 years since the tragic events of September 11, 2001 took place, may we all take a moment to reflect on that day and the people whose lives were forever changed because of those events. May we teach our students and our children about this day, just like our parents and teachers taught us about previous wars and history-making/changing events. Let us encourage all we come in contact with to be a little kinder, a little more gentle, and a little more helpful. May we spread kindness and love whenever we can, and may we never forget this day.
We can all agree that there are pros and cons to giving kids homework, and that it really should only be given if it’s meaningful. Reading, for example, is homework I’m never mad about. Building reading skills is crucial for life long success, and the more kids do it, the better they will be at it. Sending home a coloring page, however, doesn’t seem as meaningful to me. Fun? Sure. But a good use of precious after-school time? Not so much.
I saw a social media post the other day that got me thinking about things that aren’t assigned as homework, but maybe should be. Skills that are important for every day life, people skills, and problem solving skills. Grading them would be subjective, and participation and effort would matter more than the outcome, but what is learned/gained would set kids up for long term success beyond the walls of the classroom.
How would something like this be assigned and evaluated? I suppose it depends on the skill being practiced. Perhaps teachers can create a “menu” of possible skills for students to choose from. Maybe some teachers would want to assign everyone in the class the same task to work on. Some might even want to create “task groups” where small groups of students are all given a certain task and can help each other and cheer each other on. Evaluation might look like parents signing a log, pictures, written reflection, or some other tangible or observable result of the student’s practice.
What kinds of things would be assigned? I think this depends on your students’ needs and situations. Obviously, a high school teacher is going to assign some things that are geared more toward older kids, such as learning to balance a bank account, whereas a kindergarten teacher might assign something like learning to tie shoes.
Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
Learning to balance a bank account
Learning to make a phone call and set an appointment or order food— not everything has to be done through an app
Going to the store to make a purchase— selecting your items, conversing with a cashier, and sticking to a budget are great skills
Cooking a simple meal (with adult supervision)
Spending time outside— fresh air does wonders for both the body and mind
Doing a puzzle or playing a board game with at least one other person— teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship are essential
Sitting down to eat a meal as a family— a great chance to have good conversations
Helping with household chores— those skills are needed!
Helping people
Learning how to write a letter, address an envelope, and send it in the mail
Go to the library, get a library card, and check out some books
Free play— giving kids unstructured play time is SO important for their imaginations
If possible, learning how to maintain a yard
Learning how to give and receive compliments
When it’s an appropriate age, learning to ask someone out on a date, face-to-face
Finding a good sleep routine
Screen-free time— it’s good for so many reasons
Spending time at a retirement or assisted living facility— the older generation can teach us so much
Meditation
Some might argue that parents should be incorporating these skills into their family’s routines and lives, but not all family situations allow for things like this, and unfortunately, not all parents are supportive and involved in their children’s lives.
And yes, teachers already do so much, using their days to teach core subjects. But I don’t know of a single teacher that wouldn’t mind devoting at least a little bit of time to helping their students build skills that will set them up for life long success.
Regardless of where you stand regarding these things being assigned as homework, I’m sure we can all agree that the rising generation needs support, guidance, and encouragement as they navigate life and learn essential skills.
Sometimes kids get a little mixed up when trying to understand the difference between fact and opinion. In their minds, their opinions make sense, and seem like fact to them. They often cannot grasp the idea that other people might think differently or have different preferences. A fun way to introduce the concept of opinion is by using “would you rather” or “this or that” type activities.
In order for students to understand that people can have differing opinions, they need to see and hear it. Students need to also be able to defend their opinion with more than just a “because I like it” as their reasoning. If given a choice between the ocean and the mountains, and the ocean is chosen, the student should be able to explain what it is about the ocean that they prefer.
To help you with this activity, I’ve created a worksheet for you download for free! I’ve made two different worksheets— one to be used as a writing assignment, and the other to be used as a math assignment.
On the writing worksheet, you will find several pairs of words. Have students read through each pair and circle which of the two words in the pair they prefer. Then, have them choose three (or more if you want) of their choices to defend. On the back of the worksheet, have them write a short paragraph about why they prefer the word they circled, giving concrete examples and solid details.
On the math worksheet, you will find the same pairs of words. Again, have students read through each pair and circle which of the two words they prefer. Next, students will ask each classmate what word they circled, then put a tally mark next to the corresponding word. Once they have asked all of their classmates, they will total the tallies for each word, then fill in the bar graph accordingly. Finally, students will write three questions that could be answered using the data displayed on the bar graph.
If neither the math or the writing worksheet fits your needs, you can always just use the “This or That” pairs as an ice breaker or conversation starter. It’s also an excellent self-starter for the beginning of class or a time filler when you have just a few extra minutes left in class.
However you use it, I hope you enjoy it! As always, my downloadable worksheets are strictly for classroom or personal use only. Please do not resell, repost, or claim as your own.
I typically only have one of my kids home with me each afternoon, but yesterday my kindergartner was home sick. My preschooler was excited to have a buddy at home with her, and insisted they play with our magnetic tiles. I got them out of the closet and expected them to start building and creating with them. Instead of doing that, I was surprised to see that they had begun to sort the tiles by size, shape, and color. My teacher heart leaped as I watched them unintentionally engage themselves in a pre-math activity. Learning without them knowing it’s learning? Yes, please!
These kinds of activities are a win-win for both kids and teachers (or parents). The kids are going about the task, having fun playing, all the while learning or practicing skills or knowledge they have learned. Oftentimes as teachers, we purposely set up these kinds of activities for our students. We try to plan and execute fun, engaging ways to teach our content. We intentionally create opportunities for fun in our classrooms— sometimes students can hardly believe that they are actually having a fun time at school!
Sometimes these kinds of activities and learning opportunities happen naturally, without us even trying, such as what happened with my kids and their magnetic tiles. These unintentional lessons can be a gateway to further learning as kids experiment with methods, concepts, and ideas. They can lead to increased problem solving, hypothesis forming, and further investigation.
If we can get students to become active participants in their learning, they are more likely to remember what is being taught. Connecting an experience to a concept allows for the brain to create a new synapse or neural pathway. It’s amazing! Allowing the brain to work cooperatively with the hands, eyes, ears, and other senses heightens the learning experience and makes it more memorable.
When we allow kids to push the limits of learning on their own, amazing things happen. If we let go of some of the control over an activity or task, oftentimes students will take control and learn more than we had planned for— which is never a bad thing! It’s hard sometimes to let go and allow students to explore, but the reward can be great if we do.
Giving students the opportunity to take initiative with what they are learning lends itself to students becoming more engaged and interested in the learning process. It’s especially amazing if they get to a point where they forget or don’t even realize that they are learning or doing school work. Having fun and learning? A golden combination, for sure!
Columbine High School. Robb Elementary School. Sandy Hook Elementary. Santa Fe High School. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school. Virginia Tech University.
Do any of these sound familiar? These schools are all tied together by one thing— one thing that no school should ever be marked by: senseless acts of violence in the form of mass shootings.
Today feels heavy. Another school experienced tragedy this morning as it was attacked with a senseless act of violence. More children, teachers, school staff, and families traumatized because of one person’s decision. Their lives will never be the same again, forever marked by this day and its events.
Hearing about these kinds of tragedies happening is hard, and it never gets easier. I think if it did easier to hear, that would mean we’ve become desensitized and numb to the issue, and I hope we never reach that point. I honestly hope there comes a day when we don’t even have to worry about this kind of stuff happening in our schools.
It’s horrific to think that our children have to practice shelter in place and active shooter drills at school. No child should ever have to worry about that. But the sad reality is that they do. I’m grateful for teachers who take these drills seriously and who would do anything to keep their students safe in the event of an emergency. It’s a heavy responsibility to place on our teachers’ shoulders, but it’s one that they take on when they choose to become a teacher.
I was a sophomore in high school when the Columbine High School Massacre happened. I remember being in complete shock and disbelief that something so evil and cruel could happen. It was such a foreign concept to me. I wish it was still a foreign concept.
While I wish I could say that this sort of thing will never happen again, history has proven to us that that is unfortunately not likely. Even though we cannot control what other people choose to do, we can control ourselves. As teachers, we can create a safe, loving environment in our classrooms. We can prioritize the safety of our students and make sure we have a plan of action that can be quickly implemented if ever the need arise.
And while I know that there isn’t a one-and-done, super easy solution to this epidemic, we can do our best to treat one another with kindness, respect, and love. We can teach our children to do the same. We can and must stand up against violent, senseless acts, because our children deserve that from us.
So today, take a minute to hold your loved ones a little closer and a little longer. Teach them to be kind. Teach them to respect others and to stand up for what is right, even if no one else does.
This world we live in today is anything but easy, but we can do our best to face it with courage and strength. And to those who have personally been affected by these terrible, senseless acts, I send my love and share your heartache. May you be lifted and carried as you grieve.
We’re just over a week into the new school year, and one of my kids has already pushed back over required reading time. For the past several years, his teachers have set a required time for reading every night, ranging from 20-30 minutes. As an avid reader and former teacher, I’ve obviously been on board with these daily reading requirements. It’s a no-brainer for me.
This year, however, his teacher won’t be assigning a specific amount of time or number of pages to read each night. Instead, students have a chart on their school computers where they can log any minutes they read, though it’s not a requirement or an assignment. Naturally, my son took that to mean, “I can read for even just one minute and put that in my log!” Fourth graders, right?! You can imagine his dismay when I told him that even though his teacher wasn’t going to assign reading time, my husband and I were. Despite his nightly protests, we have held strong to this boundary, and most nights, after his 30 minutes are up, he asks if he can read just a little bit more— and who am I to say no to that?!
You might wonder why I choose to pick this battle. After all, it would be much easier to give up the fight and not have to listen to the whining and protesting every night. I’d probably even gain “cool mom” status with my son if I didn’t have him read. But honestly, I am not out to win “cool mom” status, and pushing through the whining is 100% worth it to me.
You see, I’ve encountered so many teenagers who struggle to read. Kids who really are very smart and capable, but just are not where they “should” be in regards to reading. Kids who are terrified to read out loud in front of their peers because they are not confident in their reading abilities. One way to combat this is to have kids read regularly— even a short 15 minutes a day can make a world of a difference in reading ability.
Reading goes so far beyond opening a book and following along. It opens doorways to many other skills! Reading increases vocabulary, improves writing skills, boosts confidence, encourages imagination, and increases knowledge, among other benefits. Reading is a life long skill. I know not everyone will continue to pick up a novel and read as adults, but the foundational skills gained through reading in the younger years are vital. Even on days I don’t pick up a book to read for fun, I am still reading things all day long— a menu at a restaurant, a recipe as I cook dinner, the labels on food at the store, road signs, texts, social media posts, and so on. The ability to read is one that cannot be put on the back burner.
In order for young kids to become better readers, they must keep reading. If someone wanted to be a better football player, they would continue to play football. The same goes for reading. It is simply a skill that must not be ignored. I might even go as far as to say that reading is one of the most important skills that can be learned. It is, after all, something that is used in every other subject they will learn. It is a skill that they will use no matter what career path they use.
So the next time your child or one of your students complains about reading time, remind them that you are actually helping them— Helping them become better readers, writers, thinkers, and doers, because reading is the key to opening doors to the future.
