Teacher Resources

How to Make Flannel Board Activities FAST!

June 6, 2022
how to make flannel board activities fast

As a mom to two busy teenagers, time to make beautiful triple layer flannel board activities is just not in the cards. Watch the video below to find out my trick that saves me time, but still brings the flannel board activities alive for kids. As far as finding felt pieces for your flannel boards,…

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5 Benefits of Circle Time

October 15, 2020
preschool circle time

There are many unique learning benefits to having children learn together in a group setting. It may seem like a simple daily ritual within the classroom, but when you look closer, there is so much learning happening just beneath the surface. No matter what you call it (circle time, morning meeting, ect.) this gathering is…

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Transition Songs for Preschool

October 5, 2020
transition songs for preschool

Transition songs are songs that can be used to help your students move from one activity into the next. They send the directions of what you are asking the students to do, but by using music rather than your speaking voice, the children are more likely to pay attention. Why Does Music Work So Well…

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How to play digital tracks on your phone or Ipad with video tutorial

September 25, 2020
how to play songs on your phone at circle time

Let’s be honest. You have no time to waste finding that CD with that one song on it that would fit perfectly at circle time. Why? Because that’s a recipe for “adios teacher, I’m off to play with the blocks!” A few months ago I shared 3 Reasons Why Preschool Teachers Shouldn’t Use CDs. But…

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3 Ways to Use Music as Medicine ESPECIALLY in Times Like These!

April 6, 2020
person listening to music

“Where words fail, music speaks.” -Hans Christian Andersen It’s no secret that our world is experiencing unprecedented times and our lives are filled with so much uncertainty. How do we stay positive and productive without letting the never-ending negative news get us down? Enter music as mental medicine. As an early childhood music educator, my days are…

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Sing-along Songs All About Food

April 1, 2020

This week we are learning all about food, yum! Kids love this theme because it is so meaningful. And when a topic is meaningful, they make connections. To make it extra fun, I used a chef puppet to introduce many of the songs. This was a great way to capture their attention as they couldn’t…

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How to know what’s ok to share in your online circle times

March 29, 2020
child with parent on computer

Over these last few weeks, many of us have gone from classroom teachers to online educators and are faced with questions we need answers to now! One of which is what are the rules around sharing music via Skype/Zoom/YouTube etc? That’s just the question I received this week from a teacher……. Question: My preschool team has…

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How to get your students’ attention WITHOUT yelling!

March 8, 2020
transition songs preschool

Ever heard someone singing a familiar tune, but the words were different? They were singing a “piggyback song” and if you are someone that works with children (and even adults), you will want to utilize this very effective group management strategy on a frequent basis. From hand washing to lining up, this strategy beats the…

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5 Ukuleles that Won’t Break the Bank

March 4, 2020

Ever thought of learning to play the ukulele? You might be saying, who me? I don’t have a musical bone in my body! Well guess what, learning to play an instrument is a skill, not a talent. Still with me? Now that we’ve got that hurdle out of the way, I’d love to help you…

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3 Reasons Why Kids need to Move to Learn

October 7, 2019
WHY KIDS NEED TO MOVE

“I can’t get my kids to sit still at circle time!” If I had a nickel for every time a teacher told me they struggled with this, I’d be rich! Do you want to know the reason why kids can’t sit at circle? Kids need to move! It makes the brain function at its best.…

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7 Secrets for Circle Time

September 19, 2019

Do you know what the biggest struggle is when it comes to circle time? Keeping kids engaged! Here’s how it goes….you plan this amazing list of activities to do at circle time, but you can’t even get a word in edgewise! With kids complaining about not having enough space, someone’s in their seat or they…

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How to Make a Flannel Board Box

June 3, 2019
how to make a flannel board

When I was about 3 years old, I had a Sunday School teacher, Fern Peterson, who always told us flannel board stories. I loved her and all her stories. Turns out, flannel board stories still work! I know this because, well, I tell a lot of them and kids are super, duper engaged. For many…

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7 secrets of circle time!

Tips for challenging behaviors at circle time