Easy and Fast Writing Center Addition

My kiddos (and I) start getting tired at the end of the year--so I like to start adding some new additions and new choices to our center rotations to keep things exciting! 

Now that my kiddos are writing independently, letter writing is the perfect addition! They love writing letters to their friends and families, but I think they really love putting their letters into envelopes and 'mailing' their letters.

You can find my letter writing activity sheet and some other make your own cards in my writing pack on TpT, but you can also just leave blank, lined, paper for them to create their own! 

I make sure that my students know my expectations when they begin this center.  Some of these expectations include: writing at least 4 sentences and addressing the envelope. 

Then, I make the center a little bit more 'fun' by adding stickers to decorate their note and envelope, and I add this cute, little, mailbox found here.  Trust me, the mailbox is SUCH a motivator! (It's the little things.)

 Happy writing!!
Would love for you to share your writing ideas with me on the Kindergarten Smiles Facebook Page!
 

SaveSaveSaveSave

Collage Blanket [A GREAT room mom gift idea!]

I don't normally share things like this on my blog, but this is too good not to share! I kept seeing the ads on my Facebook page or my Instagram for these Collage.com blankets.  When I finally clicked on the website to check it out, I was really impressed!

The website gives you the option to connect to your social media outlets, meaning that it can quickly gain access to your photos (I am all about quick and easy)! I connected to both my Facebook and Instagram by signing in. Then, you just scroll through and choose some of your favorite photos--the more photos you choose the smaller they will appear on your blanket; however, you can choose A LOT or a few.  I went with a few of my family favs!

You can easily play with the layout and move photos around as well...its super simple! I checked out really easily and gave my cell number at check out. I immediately received a text confirming my order and then a couple days later a text saying my blanket was on its way!! AMAZING service!

 We all love this blanket, its SO soft and snuggly! My husband is actually snoozing under the blanket right now as I type this, haha! Ours is a 50x60 sherpa blanket.

I always tell you guys that the second I became a mom, I became obsessed with all the craft keepsakes and memory pages! Then it dawned on me, what a great gift this photo blanket would be for a room mom! You can add photos of their child from throughout the school year and surprise them!! Collage.com always has amazing discount codes so it would be an inexpensive and cherished gift! 

St. Patrick's Day Craft and Other Fun Ideas

St. Patrick's Day is a magical time for the kids.  We always read some fun St. Patrick's books that day and make a leprechaun trap in groups (STEM). We also do a fun cooking activity together! 

For writing on St. Patrick's Day we make this super cute leprechaun craft. There are different writing options to choose from, and I give my students the choice of what writing page they want. You can grab this craft HERE.

Another one of my favorite things to do is put on music and work on a directed drawing. 

I love First Grade Blue Skies directed drawing activities and she has a great leprechaun FREEBIE HERE.  These make for a very relaxing afternoon! A great Friday activity!

Another one of my favorites is this FREEBIE HERE from Sunny Days. It was made for a second grade classroom, but I think kindergarten and first graders would love it as well! Being a mom, I LOVE these kind of keepsake projects!

This would be a great way to turn your cooking project into a STEM project as well! Instead of play-doh, you can use large marshmallows or even the small white powdered donuts!! This way your cooking project is totally independent! You can grab this FREEBIE HERE from Creatively Teaching First.

I would love to hear your fun ideas for St. Patrick's Day below!

You can also grab some of my in store freebies by clicking on and of the images below.