Month: January 2025

Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions, but let’s be honest—it can also be one of the most overwhelming. The endless to-do lists, growing workloads, and desire to give our best to our students can leave us feeling stretched thin. If you’ve been feeling this way, you’re not alone. Let’s dive into some practical strategies to help reclaim our time, sanity, and joy in the classroom.   1. Prioritize What Matters Most When faced with a mile-long to-do list, it’s easy to feel paralyzed. Start by focusing on what really matters: Which tasks directly impact your students’ learning and well-being? Which ones can wait or aren’t essential? And here’s a biggie: let go of the idea that your classroom has to look Pinterest-perfect. What’s more important is creating a positive, nurturing environment where students can thrive—and where you can breathe. 2. Schedule Self-Care Like It’s an Appointment Self-care isn’t…

The Lunar New Year is a wonderful celebration that offers so many opportunities for students to connect to culture, tradition, and creativity. This year, I wanted to bring the magic of the celebration into my classroom in a hands-on, engaging, and educational way using my Hands-On Chinese Lunar New Year Activity Centre Bundle! This bundle was designed to help students learn about the Lunar New Year while supporting fine motor development and creative exploration through playful, hands-on activities. These activities are versatile, engaging, and easy to implement—perfect for bringing the celebration to life in the classroom while making learning fun. Here’s how we’ve been celebrating the Lunar New Year with these activities: All of my holiday activity centre bundles include four versatile and fine motor-friendly activities that connect learning to creativity. Here’s how we’re using each one to celebrate the Lunar New Year: 1️⃣ Roll and Build – Get Creative…

As educators, we know the magic that can happen when we offer students opportunities to engage in hands-on learning. My Building of the World Cards have been a game-changer in our classroom building centre, not just for the intended purposes but for the unexpected benefits they’ve brought to our daily learning. Here are some of the most surprising wins I’ve seen since incorporating these cards into my classroom: 1️⃣ Cooperation and Problem-Solving Skills Flourished What started as a simple activity quickly turned into a collaborative experience for my students. Building structures based on the cards encouraged them to communicate, negotiate, and delegate tasks. It’s amazing to see students step up as leaders, share ideas, and celebrate their successes as a team. These problem-solving experiences are real-world skills in action, disguised as play. 2️⃣ Engagement and Active Learning Took Center Stage There’s something about these cards that captures students’ imaginations. Whether…

The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to refresh your classroom. After the holidays, a reset can create a feeling of excitement, renew focus, and make learning environments feel like new for both you and your students. Let’s chat about three simple yet impactful ways to energize your space this January! 1️⃣ Rotate Toys and Materials Sometimes, all it takes to reignite student interest is a little rotation! Swap out toys and materials for items that may have been tucked away for a while. Bring out those blocks, puzzles, or manipulatives you haven’t used since September—they’ll feel brand new to your students! 2️⃣ Collaborative Winter Mural Turn a blank wall into a collaborative project space. Provide students with cutouts of snowflakes, penguins, or mittens to decorate and place on a “Winter Wonderland” mural. This activity fosters a sense of community while giving the classroom a fun look!…

January is a whirlwind! Between getting back into routines and re-engaging students after the break, it can feel like there’s no time to add anything extra to your plate. That’s why I love sensory bins or tables—simple, engaging, and low-prep activities that keep students busy while supporting important skills. Sensory bins can be great to support calm transitions, fine motor development, and sparking creativity. Here are three of my favourite low-prep sensory bin ideas for this busy time of year: 1. Scrap Paper Cutting Bin Have a stack of scrap paper lying around? Sure you do! Go check the photocopy room – I guarantee there will be scrap paper in there! Toss it into a bin along with some kid-friendly scissors and let your students cut away! My students love those fancy scissors that make the cool patterns! Cutting is a fantastic way to strengthen fine motor skills, and the…