Bringing Olympic Magic to Your Classroom

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been quite invested in the Winter Olympics since they started just over a week ago. There’s nothing quite like watching the world come together to cheer on top athletes as they live out their dreams. It’s inspiring and heartwarming. We’ve been able to sit down as a family and watch some of the events, and it has been so much fun!

I thought it might be fun to also bring the magic of the Olympics to the classroom. There are so many neat activities you can do with your students to bring the spirit of the games to the room:

  • Hold your own class Olympics– think minute-to-win-it type games or even make up your own “sports”
  • In small groups, have students construct ski jumps with cardboard, tin foil, paper, and whatever else you can find
  • Research the host country and learn about its customs, food, language, and geography
  • Make a large chart and keep track of the medal count together as a class
  • If you have a connection to someone who does a sport that is in the Olympics, invite them in to talk to your students about that sport
  • Have students draw themselves doing one of the sports
  • Graph medal counts as a math activity (see free printable below)
  • Survey the class on their favorite sports (see free printable below)
  • Pick one of the countries competing and learn some words from their native language

There are endless options to pick from to bring the Olympics to your classroom. Find what’s right for your class and have fun with it!

**The free downloads are for personal or classroom use only. Do not resell, repost, or claim as your own.** 

Math: Valentine’s Style

Number recognition and basic counting skills are fundamental math skills, and who says they can’t be fun to learn?! In fact, students are more likely to invest in and become engaged in learning these skills if they can connect a happy emotion to the experience.

I’ve put together a couple of fun, engaging Valentine’s Day themed early education math worksheets.

** These free downloads are for personal or classroom use only. Do not resell, repost, or claim as your own. If you’d like to share with others, please refer them to this blog post. **

Valentine’s Day Word Unscramble

It’s no surprise that I’m a fan of holiday themed classroom fun! Valentine’s Day is just a few short weeks away, and it’s time to start thinking about some fun activities for your class to do. When we can combine fun with something educational, it’s a teacher win! 

I’ve created a fun Valentine’s Day Word Unscramble that you can print off and use in your classroom or at home. Use the letters in the word “valentines” to make as many new words as you can. Use it as an individual activity or turn it into a group activity and game. 

** This free resource is intended for classroom or personal use only. Do not resell, repost, or redistribute. **

January Might Be the Longest Month of the Year

January is one of those months that seems to drag on and on and on. There aren’t any big holidays to look forward to, and the weather is usually cold and dreary. As a teacher, inclement weather typically means indoor recess, and depending on your class, that could mean extra chaos. If you need something to keep your kiddos entertained in such an event, look no further! Attached below are two Winter Find & Count worksheets– one in color, and one in black and white– that you are welcome to print off and use in your classroom. (Parents, also please feel free to use in the event that the dreary January days get a little extra long and you need a quiet minute!)

** This resource is strictly for classroom or personal use. Do not resell it, repost it, or claim as your own. **

Back to School Word Scramble

Middle grade teachers– this one’s for you! If you’re needing a quick self-starter for your students to do sometime during the first week of school, I’ve got you covered! Below you will find a free downloadable Back to School Word Scramble worksheet.

Download, print, and make some copies for your class, and just like that, you’ve got yourself a quick activity for your students to do while you take attendance. To extend the activity, you could also have them write a short story using all of the words!

**Please do not re-sell, re-post, or claim printable as your own.**

Summer How-To List

Summer time tends to provide kids with ample amounts of free time, which can be a blessing and a curse. Some kids do really well with extra time, and are very creative in how they fill their extra hours. Others, however, struggle with imagining up ways to spend their days, which often leads to lots of, “Mom! I’m bored!” 

Many families create a summer bucket list in hopes of finding ways to reduce boredom over the summer months. It’s a great idea, and provides an easy answer to, “What should we do today?” I’m a big proponent of having the kids help create the list. Obviously, adults should over see the list making to ensure that the desired activities are within the financial, time, and logistical limits the family has. 

In addition to a summer bucket list, I’ve also heard of many families instituting a summer “how-to” list. Each family member comes up with a list of a few things they want to learn how to do over the summer break. Lists could include important life skills such as how to do laundry, cook a meal, tie shoes, mow the lawn, place and pick up a food order, and so on. Other skills might include new hobbies, such as learning to sew a pillow, draw, crochet, or code. Again, adults should guide list making to help kids set realistic goals and to ensure that goals are feasible. 

The idea of a “how-to” list is appealing to many, since it provides kids with something to do, but also gives them an opportunity to learn something and keep their minds active. It’s a win-win! 

To help you get started on your own summer “how-to” list, I’ve created a free download you can print off and use with your kids. Even if you don’t have kids, you can use this for yourself– there isn’t an age limit for learning new things!

** As always, this download is free, and should only be used for individual and classroom use. Please do not resell or claim as your own. **

Summer I-Spy Printable

Summer is in full swing over here! We’ve survived one full week of summer break, and I’ve heard, “I’m bored!” more times than I can count. While I’m not a cruise director and don’t have to provide my kids with activities 24/7, it is nice to have something on hand to pull out for the times when you just need a minute of quiet.

I created a fun free summer themed I-spy page that you can print out and have your kids or students do. I’ve included both color and black and white versions for your convenience. You can print and laminate so they can do them over and over again, or print them and have them do the page as is.

*Please enjoy the summer I-spy pages, but please do not resell them, repost them, or claim them as your own.*