FDK Learn and Play

  Whether you're new to kindergarten, or a veteran teacher returning after our province-wide shut down - this year kind of feels like everyone's first day of teaching all over again. We're all very nervous, unsure, and if you're like me - feeling unprepared for the many unknowns coming our way this September. Here in Ontario, our kindergarten program is built on the principals of play-based learning, which sometimes seems impossible in our current pandemic reality. I know we're all hoping to spend as much time outdoors as possible, but being outside is not always an option. Students will still need to learn through play and explore while inside the classroom. I felt really overwhelmed with trying to find a starting point, so I decided to come up with a list of the most used and loved toys and materials in my classroom and go from there. In the end, I have a list of materials that are easy to clean, and easy to separate if need be so that each child can have their ow...

It's not a great time to be a teacher in Ontario - we're fighting for the future of a publicly funded quality education amid a storm of misinformation. While I can't combat all of the misinformation floating around in the media and on social media, I can share a little bit of my own personal truth as a teacher. Contrary to the stance I see taken by a great number of keyboard warriors on social media platforms - I care about my students. A lot.  As you know by the name of this blog, I teach full day kindergarten (FDK) in Ontario, Canada. The FDK program is "play-based" - which means I set out educational provocations for the children to play, learn and explore in a structured and well documented environment. It is NOT a free-for-all, which is a common misconception. I spend my nights thinking of new and exciting ways to get my students interested in mathematics, science, literacy and the arts - and I spend much of my paycheque bringing that to life. Here are tw...

Do you incorporate sensory play into your programming? I understand why people don't - it can seem daunting to figure out what materials to use, and I know people worry about the mess. But I've been tinkering around with sensory play since 2012, and I'm going to share my tips on how to make it meaningful, engaging, and best of all - EASY!  First up - the container! When I first started in kindergarten I used the large sand/water table that was in the room, and I only filled it with (you guessed it!) sand or water. Now, I do still use the large table, but typically I have wheeled it outside or used it with larger scale activities. What I have found works for me now is a clear storage bin (I buy the 32 litre size) with a lid that latches. There are a few reasons I like to use these bins. First of all , they are large enough for the kids to really get in there and have a good time with the materials, but they are small enough that typically only 2 - 3 kids can play together...

I love a good STEM activity, and today's was one of my favourites! It is perfect for the winter holidays, or to just brighten up a grey winter day. You will need a few supplies: 2 sizes of plastic cups, water, food colouring, small pebbles or clothes pins, battery operated tea lights or regular tea light candles, and whatever decorative elements you have on hand (we used small pom poms, glitter, pipe cleaners and small craft gems).  Our finished ice lanterns Step 1: You will need to make sure that one of your cups can fit inside the other, because this is what will end up creating your lantern shape. Pour some water into the larger cup - the amount of water depends on how tall you want your lantern to be. Remember that when you place the other cup inside and weigh it down, the amount of water inside the larger cup will become displaced and rise. We wanted taller lanterns, so we poured a fair amount on water in our larger cups.  Step 2: This is where you will need the ...