Puppet Theater DIY

So I was driving to the corner store yesterday and found what turned into this adorable puppet theatre!

Finished Puppet Theater

It started out like this

Wood structure in side of the road shape!

I got my friend to go pick it up for me and bring it home.  I was trying to figure out what it may have been originally used for?  Some kind of kitchen thing I'd guess?  I really have no idea. Imagine this structure covered in layers of dust and cobwebs and gunk.  I used TSP and the whole bit to clean it up nice.   I even got out my handy dandy steamer

 I was originally thinking I could turn it into something for the laundry room when all of a sudden I was struck by the shape of the top!  It looked like a puppet theatre.

I primed it and then painted it... and sewed the curtains with fabric I already had at home!  I used a $2 curtain rod from the dollar store to hold the top curtain where the show takes place, and just stapled hemmed fabric to the inside of the theatre to hide the performers (and to hide puppets and stuffed animals).

Here's the finished product

I LOVE it!!!

How to Keep Markers with their Lids!

These have changed my life with markers!  LOL!

years ago, before blogs became so popular, I had an endless and disorganized "bookmark" system on my computer filled with preschool and kindergarten teaching websites.  I saw a post where someone had filled a margarine or yogurt tub with plaster of paris and then set the lids of the markers in to dry.  It was great, but not very "cute"  and I needed cute in my classroom.  

From there,  I saw another teacher site (again,  it was maybe 7 or 8 years ago so I'm sorry I don't remember who to send you to) a woman who had a system similar to the one I have up above.  If you know the site, please comment so I can put a link to their site!

Anyhow, is an easy DIY project to store your markers that you can whip up for your classroom from scrap wood, a drill, a spade (if that's what you call it), and a hammer.  Hot Glue is optional.

I started with a few scrap pieces of 1 x 4 and 1 x 2 wood.  You could use whatever wood you have at home.  Most people have something laying around in their basement or garage.  Drill holes in the wood using one of these.  I THINK you call them a spade but I'm not sure.  

The small one is for the Crayola Original Fine Line Markers, and the large one is for the Crayola Original Broad Line Markers. 

 When you drill the holes, the cap won't fit in unless you hammer it.  This is important because you want a super tight fit.  I've used two of these in my kindergarten classroom for the past seven years and a lid has NEVER popped out.  When the markers run out, you simply replace the markers and use the new lids for something else (I always threw them in the craft centre).

So,  go from this

to this!

Some little people might not have the strength in their hands to pull the markers off the base.  If this is the case,  simple SIT the markers in the appropriate lid.  The colours do NOT dry out if they are just sitting there.  When I use them for my charts, I put one hand on the base and pull the marker out.  I love these and so have my kindergarteners!

Birthday Balloons with Curly Straws

Thanks to the wonderful pinterest, I came up with my first DIY project for my grade one classroom. I've been teaching kindergarten years, and am just moving up to grade one!  I'm super excited and told myself I'd try to make a few things for my classroom each week on the holidays.  Here's my first one!

Here are a couple I found on pinterest or google.  This one is from Once Upon a First Grade Adventure.  She has a great printable for you to use here too!!!

This one is from One Happy Teacher

And this one is the one I chose to follow most closely because had a bunch of card stock paper in fun bright colours in my grade one classroom that I could use up. I also love the magnetic letters.  I have trillions of them in my classroom so this is how I'm going to set it up!  I love it!  Go check out her blog at Mrs. Ring's K-Crew Kids.  She even has a printable for the balloons!  

And finally,  here is mine!  

Thanks, Mrs Ring!

Printable Camping Theme Concentration Game

Here's a camping twist on the classic concentration game (CLICK HERE)

Print two copies of this activity. Turn the cards upsdie down on the table and have students pick two cards at a time. If they are a match, students keep the cards! If they're not a match, lay them back down and try again!

I have lots of other printables for your kindergarten, preschool, daycare or grade one classroom over on my old website.  Feel free to take a look at play2learnprintables

Camping Theme Math Printable for Primary Grades

Here is another free printable for you to use in your kindergarten or grade one classroom.  (CLICK HERE)  for a camping graph and spinner for a math centre!

Use this spinner to play a graphing game with your kindergarten or grade one students.  Print it on card stock and then laminate the spinner.  Then, use a pin to poke through the middle of the circle.  Place a paperclip on a brad and then put the brad through the hole.  Bend the clips from the brad and then flip the spinner.  If you land on a green tent, then put a marker on the column with the tent.  

You can buy the paper fasteners (we call them brads, I am not sure why) from any office supply store.  

Come  back soon for more free printables for use in your kindergarten, grade one, or early primary classroom!  

Camping Printables for Kindergarten or Grade One

Here's a cute little game for you to use in your classroom in Kindergarten or Preschool, or for your summer camp!  It's a roll and build game from my old site at play2learnprintables.

(CLICK HERE for your free campfire printable)

This is a fun game that enhances turn taking skills in your kindergarten, preschool or young primary child.  

Print both the construction piece and the game pieces. Cut out the game pieces and then laminate. Use a die and have children build their creation. Turn this into a fun game.  Children take turns rolling the die once.  If they roll a six, then they add the piece next to the six on the construction sheet.  If they roll a six again, then they miss that turn.

Come back for more free printables!  I'll be posting regularly.

More Kissing Hand Activites (including Calendar)

As promised, I'm back with some more Kissing Hand printables for you to use in your classroom.

Here are some cute calendar pieces and monthly headers for you!  (CLICK HERE)

Here are some days of the week cards for you to print and use for your daily calendar in your primary classroom or preschool.  (CLICK HERE)

Use heart shaped erasers to line up beside the number on the card. If there is a number 3 next to Chester and his mom, then place 3 hearts in the row beside them! Enjoy playing Kissing Hand number match (CLICK HERE)

This is a fun Roll and Build Game.  Print the instruction sheet and the game pieces (to save ink, you can cut out a square of blue for the background). Cut out the game pieces and then laminate. Use a die and have children build their creation! Make this into a fun game. Players take turns rolling the die once. If they roll a six, then they add the piece next to the six on the game instruction sheet. If they roll a six again, they miss that turn! (CLICK HERE)

CLICK HERE for a black and white version  

Kissing Hand activities

These are all activities from my website from years ago.  Some of you might be interested so I thought I would share here in the blogging world (which, I'm sure you can tell, I'm new at!)

The Kissing Hand is a back to school favourite in the primary grades, and I've often started off September with a lot of learning focusing on the book.

Here is a cute Kissing Hand Graphing and Spinner Activity for you to download (CLICK HERE)

This is a clothespin counting activity.  Have students count the "kissing hands" on each card and then place a clothespin on the correct number. Place a small heart sticker on the back of the correct number for self checking!  (CLICK HERE)

Next I have a Kissing Hand math mat.  Use heart shaped erasers as counters to add to your mat. Roll a die or choose a number from a bag and add the corresponding number of heart erasers to the handprints. Teach one to one correspondence and numeration! (CLICK HERE)

Kids love playing concentration!  Here's one for the Kissing Hand (CLICK HERE).  Print two copies of this activity, cut out and laminate. Lay the pictures upside down and then flip over two at a time. If you get a match, then you keep the cards!

So I'm out of time for now, but I have more activities for you to see...  Either check out my Kissing Hand Page on my old website at www.play2learnprintables.com   or click "Follow" on my blog so that you can see the rest without having to click... I'll be putting it up later today!

Thanks for checking out my blog!  I hope to make this a great resource!