# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Brain bins are what I call morning tubs in my first-grade classroom. They include open-ended materials that my students use to explore, create, build, and- dare I say it, play with during the first 8-10 minutes of our day. Brain bins are our morning work every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. (On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we complete another open-ended morning work activity called See Think Wonder Write.) To put it simply, brain bin time is an easy, low-management time in our weekly routine that sets a happy tone for our day. It helps my students wake up, warm-up, and shouts, "Good morning! Get ready to THINK today!"

Rationale and Research for Brain Bins

For some, the word play or the concept of first-graders building with blocks and assembling puzzles can be looked down upon as a "waste of instructional time." I imagine statements such as, "Think of the literacy instruction that could be done in those ten minutes a day," or, "My students are struggling too much to play. I need them to work on _____ right when they get into the room," being whispered. Let me first start by saying, I get it. I, too, have students in my classroom who are struggling to read. I, too, feel the enormous pressure of test scores, data, and intervention needs. I, too, have read the research about increasing independent reading time as much as humanely possible during the school day.

But I also know what research says about child development. Over my years as an educator, I've come to deeply know the works of Maria Montessori, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and so many others as well as I now know the benchmark cutoff scores for our diagnostic testing. I know that without time for unstructured inquiry, imaginative play, and an opportunity for students to develop social competency, we are doing our children a long-term disservice. I know that regardless of the high pressures of state-testing and the ever-increasing demands of educators, my students are more than a score.

I also know that my students come to me as six-year-olds. While we pour over Lexile Levels, DRA scores, and national percentiles, our six-year-olds are silently begging us to let them be kids. I know that the levels in creative thinking among students in our country has continued to decline since the 1990s ( Kim, 2011). I know that in 2010, an IBM global study of more than 1500 CEOs cited creativity as the most sought after quality in an employee. I know without time to explore, create, build, and play, I fail to provide my students with what a whole child needs to succeed. Brain bins are a small way that I am responding to these issues within my classroom - and my students LOVE it! It is for this reason, that I am sharing this blog post with you. I hope you enjoy it!

The image that I created below does a great job at summarizing the skills that brain bins can foster in just a short amount of time during your morning:

Brain Bin Management and Storage

Now that we've chatted about what brain bins, or morning tubs, are, let's quickly talk about how I manage them, organize them, and of course, what I put into them!

( The remaining part of this post includes some Amazon Affiliate links for your convenience, so that you can find and reference the materials and supplies I refer to. This just means that my blog receives a tiny compensation if you click on these links- at absolutely no extra charge to you!)

The picture below shows the back wall of my classroom. I've used the IKEA Trofast Storage System to house my brain bins and word work centers. My brain bins are numbered 1-6 and the materials are kept inside of the orange tubs. You can also keep it simple and use these durable storage contains found here that I use to store materials that are not currently being used.

When students come into our classroom in the morning, they check the whiteboard to see which brain bin tub their table gets to use that day. This year I only have five tables in my classroom, so our sixth orange tub is left empty. At the end of the day, I simply put the bottom label on #1 and rotate them all down. (I used magnets to attach them to the whiteboard.) I only switch the materials in my brain bins every six weeks or so. This allows my students to go to each brain bin station roughly six times. (They do not get bored, and the point of this rotation system is to encourage students to use the materials in new, innovative, and creative ways each time they get the tub out!)

Students work quietly at their tables while our school's morning announcements play for about 8-10 minutes. I use the Class Dojo Noise Level Meter during brain bin times and because my students might CRY at the thought of losing the privilege of brain bins, they are so great about adjusting their volume if they get a little excited. At the end of our morning announcement time, students clean up, put their bins away, and grab their math binders to start our day. Easy and fun!

I love that my students of all levels get to begin our day on a HAPPY note. I love that my struggling students are not immediately entering my classroom with anxiety over a review page that they cannot complete independently. This is the same feeling I have when we complete our See Think Wonder Write routine on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can read all about this integrated learning routine HERE.

Favorite Brain Bins

Now, let's get to the fun part! WHAT do I put into my brain bins? Let me start by saying that it doesn't have to be expensive or daunting. Truly! Throw Popsicle sticks into a bin and see what kids can do! Put q-tips, construction paper, and glue sticks into a tub and watch creations unfold. Get creative! After all, that is our goal. I'll share a lengthy list at the end of this post, as well as links to other bloggers who use morning tubs, but let me first share some of my classroom's FAVORITE brain bins to date!

Dado Squares - These 3-inch interlocking squares can be assembled in all kinds of ways. They received multiple toy awards, including the Preferred Choice Award and the National Parenting Seal of Approval. I love how easy they are to store in a small space, and my students love how many ways they can use them! This set increases fine motor skills and promotes reasoning skills as students work to built structures that stand and are balanced.

Magformers - Magformers are a little pricey, but they are SO fun! They scream "creativity" with elementary students (and even adults!). My students love building structures and designing everything from robots to houses to towers. I only keep a small amount in my tub (because of the price) but this encourages collaboration, which is exactly what my goal is!

Bristle Blocks - Bristle Blocks are an awesome sensory building material that allows students to connect the pieces in tons of ways. Their unique shapes promotes all kinds of 3D building and creativity.

Foam Peg Blocks - I actually took these from my toddler's bedroom and put them into our brain bins this month. (Shh!) My kids LOVE them! They interlock and can be used to create and build all kinds of imaginative pieces. I also love that they are foam, which means they are super quiet!

iSpy Bingo - Don't forget about adding cooperative GAMES to your brain bins! My students love this original iSpy Bingo game. I love that it promotes teamwork and socialization. Bonus- It works on visual processing skills, too, especially visual memory and visual figure-ground skills. ( You can read more about how to enhance visual processing skills in your students in this blog post.)

You can also read a blog post I devoted specifically to brain-boosting games in the classroom. This blog post features a list of child-friendly games that enhance critical thinking skills. All of the games featured would work perfectly as brain bins.

Squigz- These suction cup builders are a favorite. The second time I put these into our brain bins this year, my students cheered. I also like that they don't get messy because they stick right to the table. My students have amazed me with the elaborate structures they've created with these little suction toys!

Pattern Blocks- Pattern blocks are probably a material you already have in your classroom. Students LOVE to use them to make designs, pictures, patterns, and my students have even created games to go along with the shapes! Encourage students to identify the shapes as they play for added geometry practice.

Clip Connect Pieces or "Snowflake Blocks" as we call them- These little connectors are a hit, especially in the winter. My students have had fun making all kinds of snowflake designs using the pieces. Students have also explored some pretty complex patterns using all of the colors with this set.

Brain Building Planks by KEVA - These are so challenging and a great critical-thinking booster! Students work together to recreate the structures and models that are represented on the cards. There are varying levels of difficulty. The planks are shown in various ways to help students re-create the structure. They must learn to "see" the design from a birds eye view and a side-view. This morning tub really helps encourages "out of the box" thinking and problem-solving skills.

Legos - I purchased the Classic Medium Box of Legos for my classroom brain bin and it was just enough for students to be able to build, but also work together while creating. My students love when the Legos appear in the brain bins, and I love the engineering skills and problem-solving strategies that I get to observe!

Play Dough - I know, it can be "scary" to put play-dough out as a morning tub. However, I love play dough for morning tubs because of the sensory calming feel it can give to my high-energy students. It also helps students with poor handwriting skills develop hand muscles and dexterity in their fingers. When play dough is offered in my brain bins, my students know to grab a quick cleaning wipe during the clean-up process. Then, we're good to go!

Other Brain Bin Ideas

I hope the items above gave you a good jumping-off place for ideas and materials that can be added to your morning tubs. In addition to the above materials, here are some other creative ideas to use in your brain bins:

seasonal books

coloring books

popsicles

math cubes

geoboards

dominoes

tangrams

dice and paper - Let them create games!

iSpy books

Highlights Magazines

a tub of fairy tale books to reread and enjoy

stickers and writing paper

Brain Flakes

classic games such as checkers and tic-tac-toe

puzzles! (Do you know how many students today have never done puzzles?!)

toothpicks (What can you create?)

classic wooden blocks

kinetic sand

Quick Shopping Links

Below are quick affiliate links from Amazon for all of the materials I mentioned above! I hope this helps get you started in a convenient and easy-to-access way:

Additional Morning Tub Bloggers:

If you're looking for additional resources and ideas for morning tubs, you can also check out two of my favorite first-grade bloggers: Jodi from Fun in First and Catherine from the Brown Bag Teacher

Share Brain Bins With Others

If you loved the concept of using brain bins in your classroom- even if it used as your indoor recess routine- feel free to pin the image below to your Pinterest board to share with your colleagues, or pin them to refer back to later! Thank you so much for hanging out with me during this blog post. Be sure to follow me over on Instagram @missdecarbo for additional teaching ideas, and check out my curriculum shop for K-2 classroom resources!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brain Bins Promote Creativity and Essential Skills - Miss DeCarbo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brain bins are what I call morning tubs in my first-grade classroom. They include open-ended materials that my students use to explore, create, build, and- dare I say it, play with during the first 8-10 minutes of our day. Brain bins are our morning work every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
My students absolutely LOVE playing Classroom Management Games! I have designed the game set for January and February to cover any behavior needs you need to cover. You just choose the behavior focus before playing the game with your class. These games target those behaviors while positively reinforcing students meeting your expectations. Classroom games are played as a whole group and end with some sort of reward. You can also play the games in teams, tables, or individually.

I print the games on cardstock and laminate them. I use Velcro dots to attach the game pieces to the game boards. I have found the board games with spinners are easier to play on a magnetized surface. I just use magnets to attach the game pieces.

The first game is Brrr! BUMP. Just choose what behavior you want to focus on and write it on the laminated game board. When students do not meet expectations, the teacher gets to add a game piece to the board. When a student meets your expectations, that student gets to add a game piece to the board. The first with four in a row wins! Don't forget that you can bump each other off the board! I have included a list of mostly free prize ideas in the resource.

Winter Waddle can be played as class vs. teacher or you can play it by tables or teams. When a table or students are being on task, for example, they get to move their game piece. If students are playing against the teacher and not meeting expectations, the teacher gets to move the game piece. The first to the igloo wins!

This game requires students to earn pieces to build a snowman by the end of the day. If you are working on transitions, and students exhibit a quick, quiet, and smooth transition, they earn a piece of the snowman. I attach the pieces with velcro dots. If it's not built by the end of the day, they have to start over the following day.

My February games are all about ROBOTS! I think Love Robots are the cutest, so there you go! Robot Race, like Winter Waddle, can be played as class vs. teacher or you can play it by tables or teams. When a table or students are being on task, for example, they get to move their game piece. If students are playing against the teacher and not meeting expectations, the teacher gets to move the game piece. The first to the end wins!

True Love Tic Tac Toe is played like traditional Tic Tac Toe. When students exhibit the positive behavior, the student gets to add an X to the game board. When students do not meet expectations, the teacher gets to add an O to the game board. The first with three in a row wins!

Finally, Love Robot requires students to earn pieces to build a Love Robot by the end of the day. If you are working on cleaning up, and students exhibit that behavior, they earn a piece of the robot. I attach the pieces with velcro dots. If it's not built by the end of the day, they have to start over the following day.

If you are interested in playing these games with your students, click any of the photos to check the resource out. We are a Positive Behavior Support school, so these games meet the requirement of having a whole group behavior incentive. I have these for the entire year, so I hope they will help you and your students as your are working on your classroom community. I hope you have a great rest of the school year!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
January and February Classroom Management Games

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
My students absolutely LOVE playing Classroom Management Games! I have designed the game set for January and February to cover any behavior needs you need to cover. You just choose the behavior focus before playing the game with your class. These games target those behaviors while positively reinforcing students meeting your expectations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Incentive Chart & Sticker Printables {Snowflakes & January} Freebie

Do you use incentive charts to motivate students or keep records in your classroom? If so, these might be perfect for you!

This is the first in a series of printable charts and stickers. Each one features monthly clip art, available with and without a month title as well as in color and black and white. This product uses my EZ Cut marks to help the busy teacher spend less time trimming. You can trim right to the edge of the chart as well, if desired. Each page can be printed on standard 8.5 by 11 paper and will have a faint gray line to facilitate simple trimming with a paper cutter or scissors. The stickers are available with and without the EZ Cut grid in case you prefer to cut without the lines. To make the stickers, you can print on a full sheet label. If you are a thrifty teacher or don't have full sheet labels, the "stickers" can be cut and glued as well. And, of course, other stickers or stamps would work well too.

Do you have a special request for the graphics you would like on an incentive chart? Feel free to contact me to see if it is something I can accommodate. I would love to make something to meet your needs if I am able!

The copyright on the adorable graphics used on this product are from Scrappin Doodles and my TPT Freebie License number is TPT129746.

I hope you enjoy this freebie. You could make my day by leaving some feedback to let me know how you like them and/or by following my store! Thank you!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Incentive Charts & Sticker Printables {Snowflakes & January}

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Incentive Chart & Sticker Printables {Snowflakes & January} Freebie Do you use incentive charts to motivate students or keep records in your classroom? If so, these might be perfect for you! This is the first in a series of printable charts and stickers. Each one features monthly clip art...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Happy Holidays! You and your students will enjoy these 12 free Brain Break Cards. These quick and fun activities were created to get every student in your class up and moving. Perfect for this wiggly time of year!
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
12 Task Cards (prints 4 to a page)
DIGITAL:
Google Slides - Slideshow

Great for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th grade!

This resource uses American English and is not editable.
Here's what teachers are saying:
✏️ "My kids love a good brain break and these were super fun and easy to teach them! The favorite was definitely Ice Sculptures! Thank you!" -Lorin R.

✏️ "My class loves themed brain breaks. Throughout the day, we pull out a card, or multiple, and take a fun movement break. They love these!" -Kerri L.

✏️ "These are just wonderful! We've had two days of 10 degree weather here in Ohio already this week, and too much indoor recess makes my second graders SO wiggly! Thanks for sharing! I love how some of the fun activities can even be winter party games!" -Stories and Songs in Second
____________________________________ Be the first to know about discounts, freebies and new resources! Get TPT credit to use on future purchases:

Go to your My Purchases page.

Click on the Provide Feedback button to leave a rating and a short comment.

You'll earn TPT credits, which you can redeem on future purchases!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ WE STRIVE FOR 5 STARS! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

NEED HELP? Before leaving feedback:
About the Author
Rachel Lynette is a published author of over 120 nonfiction books for children on a variety of subjects, as well as several teacher resource books. She has written for publishers such as Harcourt, Thompson-Gale, Rosen, Children's Press, Evan-Moor, Kagan, and several others. This resource reflects more than a decade of professional writing experience.
Terms of Use
This resource was created by Rachel Lynette and Cassi Noack for Minds in Bloom INC., all rights reserved. It may be used by the original purchaser for single class use only. Teachers may distribute this product in email, through google classroom or over the Internet to their students (and parents) as long as the site is password protected. In other words, you may distribute it to your own students, but may not put it on the Internet where it could be publicly found and downloaded.

If you want to share this resource with colleagues, please purchase additional licenses from TpT. Thank you for respecting these terms of use.
This product is happily brought to you by Rachel Lynette and Cassi Noack of Minds in Bloom.
SKU: 1568663

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Brain Breaks for Winter Holidays FREEBIE - 12 Fun Activity Cards about Winter!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Happy Holidays! You and your students will enjoy these 12 free Brain Break Cards. These quick and fun activities were created to get every student in your class up and moving. Perfect for this wiggly time of year!WHAT'S INCLUDED:✍️ PRINT:12 Task Cards (prints 4 to a page)Black-lineColorDIGITAL:Google...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Wolf’s Chicken Stew - Story Time Read Aloud for Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fluency: The Most Ignored of the 5 Pillars of Reading

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you looking for a letter recognition resource for your preschoolers? Then, grab this free printable Penguin Letter Search Activity! There are so many different ways to use this resource to make learning the ABC's fun this winter! One of the five pre-reading skills that your kids need to learn is letter knowledge.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today I'm sharing four easy snowflake crafts for kids that you can make using our free snowflake template including our mosaic snowflake craft you can see above. These are one of our most popular winter crafts for kids and they're great for preschoolers as you can use them as a way to support scissor skills and fine motor skills.
RELATED - Winter Tree Painting Ideas for Kids
As well as being suitable for preschoolers these snowflake crafts are also suitable for kids both a bit younger and older than that as they're easily adaptable for toddlers or school age kids - this is really helpful if you're looking at weather crafts and activities with a group or if you have more than one kid at home.

You'll also find that once you start trying out these activities using our snowflake template you'll start thinking of lots of other ways to use it too depending on what you already have at home, it's really easy to adapt so have a hunt in your craft box and see what you can find to use!
I have included links to affiliate programmes in this post if you click on these and buy I may earn a small commission. Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk.
What You'll Find on This Page

Easy Snowflake Crafts for Kids

All of the snowflake crafts for kids that I've shared in this post use our free snowflake template and where possible I've printed the template onto white card* or blue card* rather than paper.

As you'll be using a fair bit of glue this tends to stop it getting too sloppy or (even worse!) tearing, go with what works best for you and the snowflake craft you are making though.

I've also used PVA glue* (school glue) for the snowflake crafts that involve sticking as it's generally better than a glue stick for holding different textures.

If you like the snowflake crafts for kids that I'm sharing today make sure that you bookmark this post or pin an image so that you can return to it later, especially if you want to grab the snowflake template another time!

I've also shared a quick video of one of these snowflake crafts in action to this page so give it a watch if you'd like to see how the crafts can work.

Plus keep reading for some ideas for snow books for kids, some of our favourite winter crafts for children and of course the snowflake crafts themselves.

Snow Books For Kids

As an ex-bookseller I can't help but keep an eye out for themed books that I think would be great to read alongside some of our activities.

These books about snow all look great and would be perfect for sharing while you keep snugly and warm inside during those colder months.

Mosaic Snowflake Craft for Kids

This mosaic snowflake is a great way to practice scissor skills and fine motor skills.

Cut some coloured scrap paper into pieces and then glue it into place on your snowflake - older kids will be able to do this more neatly - can they do it without overlapping?

With younger kids you could discuss the different colours you're using or any different shapes, are there squares, triangles or rectangles?

Older kids can do the gluing themselves where as if you want the coloured paper to actually be on the snowflake then you might want to help younger kids with that part.

Of course if you don't mind where the paper gets stuck then just let them go for it!

Scrunched Paper Snowflake Craft

I really love tissue paper* in kids crafts because it's such a nice sensory material to use - while you craft you can chat about what noises it makes as it tears and as you screw it into shapes to glue down, how does it feel?

Try making different sizes and shapes with the tissue paper too with small screwed up balls of the paper and longer sausage shapes to go along the snowflake.

I've used blue tissue paper for this as that's what we had at home but white tissue paper would be great too, especially if you print this onto blue paper or cardstock.

Pom Pom Printed Snowflake Craft

Pom poms* are one of those things that we always seem to get in craft packs but are never quite sure what to do with them (yes, us too.)

We love using pom poms as a fun alternative to paint brushes or finger painting - you can hold on to them with fingers or if you'd rather try not to get messy hands then using a clothes peg is a great alternative.

It's fun to try using different sized pom poms for this too, making big and small sized paint blobs.

Put your coloured paint onto a reusable plate for an easy way to access it.

Rice 'Painted' Snowflake

Rice is a great alternative to glitter when you're crafting with kids and easy to dye if you fancy adding some colour to it - I like this tutorial for DIY coloured rice from Paging Fun Mums.

Covering the snowflake shape with glue first means that even very young children can get involved in this activity as they sprinkle rice over their snowflake and gently shake off any excess.

I find that PVA / school glue* works a lot better for this craft.

Free Snowflake Templates

All of the crafts in this post were made using our free snowflake template.

To download both the template used in the activities below and an additional PDF with three smaller snowflakes check out our free snowflake templates.

More Winter Crafts and Activities for Kids

This scrunched tissue paper snowman is easy to make and pretty cute!

Finally this simple polar bear craft has been really popular (and is another cute make!)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Today I'm sharing four easy snowflake crafts for kids that you can make using our free snowflake template including our mosaic snowflake craft you can see above. These are one of our most popular winter crafts for kids and they're great for preschoolers as you can use them as a way to support scissor skills and fine motor skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"I love everything you develop - Thanks!" "I LOVE ALL OF YOUR PRODUCTS THEY ARE PERFECT!" "Easy to use and engaging resource." "A great, well-rounded winter packet!" "Super!!!! Really needed this!!!" "I absolutely love her resources." "So many resources! Perfect for kinder or beginning first." "Easy to use and great for snow day work!"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
January No Prep Math & Literacy Pack - FREEBIES - Keeping My Kiddo Busy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
JANUARY MATH AND LITERACY ACTIVITIES Whew! December is over and the new year is here! I love January because I always get a burst of energy after the long break off from school. I think we all kind of need this as teachers to recharge our batteries and start fresh.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your preschoolers and kindergarteners will have "snow" much fun learning the ABC's this winter with this free printable Snowman Letter Search Activity!

Snowman Letter Search Activity:

With this winter-themed resource, your kids will be working on their letter knowledge which is one of the five pre-reading skills that they need to learn.

Activities like this one will help your pre-readers practice identifying the letter names, shapes, and much more!

Getting Ready To Use Snowman Letter Search Activity:
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure here.
What's Included:

2 Snowman Lowercase Letter Search Worksheets

1 Snowman Lowercase Letter Search Mat

26 Snowball Capital Letter Cards

What Else Is Needed:

For a reproducible activity:

For a reusable activity:

White Card Stock

Scissors

Laminator

Laminating Pouches

Small Manipulatives

To prepare this letter search activity for your pre-readers, fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

After receiving the email with the printables, download and print the snowman worksheets on copy paper.

Then, print the snowball cards on white card stock.

How To Use The Snowman Letter Search Activity:

For this letter recognition activity, your young learners will pick a snowball card and say the name of the capital letter on it.

After your children identify the capital letter, they will search for the matching lowercase letter on the snowman.

When your kids find the correct letter, they will color it in with a crayon or mark it with a bingo dauber.

If your children are using the mat or colored worksheet, they can cover the letters with small manipulatives like mini erasers, white pom poms, or cotton balls.

Your preschoolers and kindergarteners will then continue to pick capital letter snowball cards until they have found all the matching lowercase letters on the snowman mat or worksheet.

This Snowman Letter Search Activity is a fun way for your pre-readers to practice identifying and matching capital and lowercase letters this winter!

Extend The Activity:

You can pair this resource with your children's favorite snowman books. Here are a few of our favorites:

How to Catch a Snowman by Adam Wallace

The Biggest Snowman by Steven Kroll

Sneezy the Snowman by Maureen Wright

Your preschoolers can do more snowman-themed activities this winter like these:

Preschool Snowman Craft from Books and Giggles

Snowman Do a Dot Printables from Crystal and Comp

Snowman Pattern Printables from Homeschool Preschool

Pin It For Later:

Do you want to save this letter recognition resource for later? Pin this to your alphabet activities board on Pinterest and it'll be here for when you're ready!

You May Also Like:

These Winter Morning Tubs are fun, hands-on activities (including 5 literacy and 5 math morning tubs) that your preschoolers or kindergarteners can use to learn and review concepts. Click on the picture to learn more about this bundle!

More Letter Recognition Activities:
Snowman Letter Find Activity Snow Globe Letter Match Activity Winter Letter Maze Preschool Worksheets
Download the Snowman Letter Search Activity:

To get this letter search activity emailed to you, fill out the form below with your name and email address.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your preschoolers and kindergarteners will have "snow" much fun learning the ABC's this winter with this free printable Snowman Letter Search Activity! With this winter-themed resource, your kids will be working on their letter knowledge which is one of the five pre-reading skills that they need to learn.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Creating a snowman sensory table doesn't have to be complicated or take a bunch of time, AND I love that I can sneak academics in! Plus, it can be used for weeks with all the fun ideas I have to show you in this post. Sensory bins are an excellent option for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students because they are still developing their fine motor muscles and skills. They will utilize these muscles, along with hand-eye coordination and much more, to complete these snowman sensory bin activities! Plus, read on to find out how to dye chickpeas in 4 easy steps!

Also, check out my Alphabet Letter Cards Bundle for tons of letter cards with adorable themes! These cards are the perfect size for adding to your sensory bin!
Grab the FREEBIE by entering your email in the box at the bottom of this post . This post contains affiliate links which means I earn a tiny commission when you use my links at no cost to you.
Counting Tray! Take a plastic paint tray or egg carton and put numbers at the bottom of each section. Students will use tweezers or their pincer muscles to pick up the small sensory filler items and put that many in each area. I added pom poms and plastic snowflake confetti for this snowman sensory table. Students can focus on just one color to count, just pom poms, or just snowflakes.

Sort by Color! To make these cute snowman ornaments, I used clear plastic ornaments that I removed the metal top off of. Then, I wrapped the top with different colors of tape that matched the colors of the sensory filler in my bin. Lastly, I drew faces on the ornaments with permanent markers.

Students will sort the chickpeas or pom poms by colors into each snowman ornament. They can use tweezers or their fingers to pick up and sort. There are a lot of different tweezers/tongs that you can use in your bins. Here are a few of my favorites: hand tongs, rainbow tongs, different-shaped tongs, and jumbo tweezers.

Snowflake Letter Cards! Add in my FREE snowflake letter cards below to practice letter identification, letter sounds, matching capital and lowercase letters, sight word spelling practice, name practice, and so much more! The letter cards should be printed on cardstock and laminated for durability so that you can use them year after year!

Students will find the letter cards and spell or match on the table around them. They could also use a recording sheet to write down the letters they find or the words they spell.

Snowflake Letters FREEBIE! Grab the free snowflake letter cards (capital and lowercase letters) and three-letter match worksheets! The letter cards are great to add to sensory bins for letter identification, matching, and spelling activities! The free resource includes a capital, lowercase, and mixed case worksheet. Students can find the matching letters and then trace them with a marker, pencil, or crayon.
>>Grab the FREEBIE by entering your email in the box at the bottom of this blog post!<<
Step 1: Place chickpeas in a thick baggie. If you are making small batches, use sandwich-size bags. If you are making a big, single-color batch, use a gallon baggie. I usually go to Target to buy chickpeas because they are about a dollar a bag.

Step 2: Add acrylic paint and close the baggie. Just a few squirts will do. I used metallic paint to make this fun snowman sensory bin.
How to Color Chickpeas!
Step 3: Shake, shake, and shake! Massage the color into the chickpeas! This is the fun part that students can help with! If the color isn't bright enough for you, just add a few more squirts of acrylic paint and continue to mix.

Step 4: Grab a tray and cover it with wax paper or foil. Spread the chickpeas on the tray and let them dry. Remember, this paint will stain, so be careful to work over the wax paper!

***Let the chickpeas air dry for 24-48 hours before placing them in an airtight container. This ensures that all the moisture is out of the chickpeas.

Making the Sorting Snowmen! I used clear plastic ornaments, and I removed the metal hanging top. Next, place a piece of tape around the opening for each color of sensory filler you are going to use. I used some glitter washi tape to add more sparkle to my snowman sensory bin! Then, I drew faces on the ornaments using permanent markers. Add them to your snowman sensory table for a great tool to collect and sort the sensory filler.

Just a few more tips to make your sensory table a huge success in your room!

Tweezers, treasures, and small tools! Don't forget to add tweezers or small scoops for students to use during play. When students use tweezers and small tools, they are strengthening their fine motor muscles and developing hand-eye coordination. These skills are both super important for writing letters and drawing! The Dollar Tree usually has tons of small scoops, tweezers, or kitchen tools. Be sure to check the party section for small scoops, containers, or tongs.

Treasures can be anything you have in your room, from pom poms to mini erasers, small plastic toys, to confetti pieces. Students will use their imaginations and will love learning in your sensory bins!

If you don't have room or access to a large sensory table, don't worry. You can make sensory bins in pencil cases, plastic totes, or shoe boxes! Sensory filler can be stored in a Ziploc bag so you can reuse the same tubs throughout the year.

Remember to grab the FREE snowflake letter cards and worksheets by typing in your email below!

Check out my post on how to dye beans for another great sensory table filler option!

Grab my Alphabet Letter Bundle to get tons of great letter cards with a variety of themes!

Want to complete the Snowman theme in your room? Check out my Snowman Math and Literacy Centers for more great resources!

Read my blog post all about Snowman Centers for more great frosty ideas for your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten room!

Love these ideas? Pin this image!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Snowman Sensory Table & How to Color Chickpeas Tutorial

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Creating a snowman sensory table doesn't have to be complicated or take a bunch of time, AND I love that I can sneak academics in! Plus, it can be used for weeks with all the fun ideas I have to show you in this post.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There's no doubt about it-many of the best careers now and in the future are in computer science. That means that schools have a responsibility to ensure kids have a good grounding in the field, including a chance to learn coding languages like JavaScript and Python. Fortunately, there are a lot of terrific coding websites for kids and teens, both free and paid.

Don't know anything about coding yourself? That's OK! You can learn alongside your students. Several of these sites offer all the materials teachers need to conduct lessons, even without any background knowledge. Every student can benefit from learning how to code, so here's where to start when you're ready to take the plunge.

Cost: Free

This is easily one of the most popular coding websites for kids ages 8 and up. It teaches the Scratch language, which has a simple visual interface kids will pick up in a flash. Using Scratch, they can create games, animations, and more, then share them with others around the world. Video tutorials walk you through what you need to know so kids will be creating cool stuff in no time.

Cost: Free

As with any language, the earlier students start, the better. Scratch Jr. is Scratch's younger cousin, an app designed for kids ages 5 through 7. Kids can experiment with it on their own, or adults can use tutorials to help them get started. As they play, they'll write stories or create games, learning Scratch without needing to read. As their skills develop, they'll be ready to move onto the main Scratch website.

Cost: Free

This is one of Google's coding websites for kids. By playing simple games, kids pick up basic coding skills like loops and conditionals. The levels get harder as you progress, eventually building to complex skills in Javascript. You can download the games to play offline, and the site is available in dozens of languages. The games are fairly intuitive and best for upper elementary and older.

Cost: Free

Want to experiment a bit with coding without a big-time commitment? Check out Code Monster. The simple interface teaches you some basic Javascript by walking you through a series of challenges. Any student who can read can play around with this site. There are nearly 60 lessons, from basic variables to more complex animations. There's no opportunity to save your progress, though. Instead, use it as a casual way to introduce kids to coding.

Cost: Free

The folks behind Code.org created the Hour of Code program, which is helping to bring coding to kids everywhere. They're dedicated to empowering women and other underrepresented groups in computer science. Code.org provides free courses, activities, and even local classes. They offer courses for teachers too. Like many other coding websites for kids, they offer content in multiple languages.

Cost: Introductory Kickstarter program is free. Schools can get access to all content for all teachers and students for $1,250/year. Individual subscriptions available on a monthly basis.

Kodable is designed for K-5 schools and students, including pre-readers. The all-in-one curriculum teaches everything from Javascript to Sequence, with fun practice games to keep learners engaged. The free Kickstart program lets you try out 49 lessons, plus offers unlimited use of their creative tools. Paid plans include learning outcome reports along with access to the full library of practice levels.

Cost: $449 per classroom (3 teachers, 35 students); custom school and district plans available.

CodeMonkey is one of the top coding curriculums available for K-8 students. Teachers get everything they need to teach coding, regardless of their skill level. You'll find lessons, videos, automatic grading, and a classroom dashboard. Gamified learning makes the experience fun for kids. Different programs are available for various grade levels, starting with block-based coding for pre-readers and building to Python and Chatbot at the middle school level.

Cost: Free trial and activities; school plans start at $25/student (100 student minimum) with discounts for higher enrollment.

Tynker is a computer science curriculum for grades K-12. Their new high school courses include advanced classes like AP Computer Science. Students can learn a wide variety of code languages. Plus, they can complete cross-curricular projects in social studies, English, science, and math. Tynker also offers three mobile apps, including one for Minecraft modding. Try Tynker for free by checking out three courses to start. They also have Hour of Code activities and weekly STEM projects.

Cost: CodeCombat individual plans start at $99/year. Contact Ozaria for classroom or school pricing quotes.

CodeCombat is a coding game that's been around for several years now. Kids follow a story adventure and learn coding along the way. Teachers began using CodeCombat in their classrooms, inspiring the company to create Ozaria, a site specifically designed for teachers to use with their students. Ozaria includes lesson plans and slides to go along with its game-based storyline. Both Ozaria and CodeCombat are best for upper elementary through high school.

Cost: Free

Khan Academy is one of the top free learning sites, and they've got plenty of lessons in coding. You won't find adventure games or flashy animations. But you will get a good grounding in how coding works, with talk-throughs and practices along the way. Upper elementary through high school students can use Khan Academy on their own for self-paced learning.

Cost: Free basic plan, with Pro plans available at the classroom, school, and district level (pricing varies).

Middle and high schools looking for a computer science curriculum may want to check out this site. In addition to coding courses, you'll find lessons on cybersecurity, physical computing, web design, and much more. Students can even earn industry certifications, preparing them for future careers. The free basic plan includes broad access for students, while the Pro plans provide additional teacher resources and tracking tools.

Cost: Basic plan is free; Individual Pro pricing starts at $19.99/month, with free school plans available.

Try Codecademy with high school students interested in pursuing computer science as a career. They can take free basic courses in coding, web development, cybersecurity, and data science. Schools can get free access to the entire course catalog through a partnership with Clever.

Cost: 3 payments of $149 per 12 week course.

CodeWizardsHQ offers live online coding classes for students ages 8 to 18. This is an excellent solution for parents looking for enrichment classes for their kids. CodeWizardsHQ also partners with PTAs to provide activities for spirit nights, plus the opportunity for affiliate income.

Do you use a website to teach coding in your classroom? Come share your experiences in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Our Favorite Websites for Teaching Kids and Teens to Code

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There's no doubt about it-many of the best careers now and in the future are in computer science. That means that schools have a responsibility to ensure kids have a good grounding in the field, including a chance to learn coding languages like JavaScript and Python.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Is spring on the way, or do we have six more weeks of winter? We'll officially find out this year on February 2, when Punxsutawney Phil makes his annual prediction based on whether or not he sees his shadow. This quirky tradition may not have much scientific basis, but there are lots of fun curriculum tie-ins for the classroom. Whether you burrow into a good book, dig into data and probability, or explore light and shadows, these Groundhog Day activities will get students thinking and learning about the seasons.

(Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!)

1. Read Substitute Groundhog by Pat Miller and stage mock interviews

When Groundhog wakes up sick the day before his important duty, there's a frenzy to interview potential substitutes.

Buy it: Substitute Groundhog at Amazon

Activity: This is a fun story for teaching students to use text evidence-there are lots of reasons why different animals would and wouldn't be good fits. There are two Groundhog Day activities you can try. Have students use puppets or make masks and stage mock interviews. End with a class vote.

Learn more: @mrsparisiskclass

2. Read Go to Sleep, Groundhog! by Judy Cox and make a puppet

It's the night before Groundhog's big day and he just can't sleep. He goes for a moonlight walk and sees amazing new sights.

Buy it: Go to Sleep, Groundhog! at Amazon

Activity: Make a peeking groundhog puppet using a paper plate and a craft stick.

Learn more: @ourplayplacetucson

3. Read Groundhog Gets a Say by Pamela Curtis Swallow and separate fact from fiction

This story features a knowledgeable rodent who is passionate about sharing the truth about his species.

Buy it: Groundhog Gets a Say at Amazon

Activity: Ask students to chart real information vs. imaginary elements of the story.

Learn more: Crosscheck info about groundhogs at National Geographic Kids or DK findout.

4. Read Groundhog's Day Off by Robb Pearlman and write Groundhog Day newspaper articles

Feeling undervalued, Groundhog skips town for a vacation. When his departure is all over the news, Groundhog realizes the townspeople's appreciation, and all is righted before the big day.

Buy it: Groundhog's Day Off at Amazon

Activity: Ask students to think of a person who does a lot for them. Then have them make a list of 10 ways that they appreciate that person.

Learn more: This Teachers Pay Teachers bundle has an interactive reading lesson plan and newspaper-themed follow-up activities.

5. Read Groundhog's Dilemma by Kristen Remenar and vote on students' preferred season

Overestimating his level of influence, various animals angle to sway Groundhog's announcement about whether there will be six more weeks of winter.

Buy it: Groundhog's Dilemma at Amazon

Activity: Host a debate and ask students to contribute persuasive arguments of their own before taking a preference vote. More sledding vs. no coats at recess? Tough call!

Learn more: How To Hold Debates in Your Classroom from Think, Grow, Giggle

6. Read Groundhug Day by Anne Marie Pace and have some shadow fun

This title covers so many bases-it's a Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day preview in one! When the other animals realize Groundhog is afraid of his shadow, they suggest tons of fun shadow activities to reassure him.

Buy it: Groundhug Day at Amazon

Activity: This would be the perfect inspiration for a morning of shadow-themed Groundhog Day activities, like a shadow dance party, shadow puppets, and silhouettes.

Learn more: Play to Learn Preschool has lots of sweet ideas.

7. Read What's That Shadow? A Photo Riddle Book by Christopher L. Harbo and play a shadow guessing game

The photographs and rhymes in this title will have students clamoring to guess what makes each shadow.

Buy it: What's That Shadow? at Amazon

Activity: After reading, enlist a few LEGO enthusiasts to build this shadow theater for you.

Display mystery objects behind it for students to guess using their shadows.

Learn more: North Shore Mums

8. Read The Black Rabbit by Philippa Leathers or Dreams by Ezra Jack Keats and explore how shadows can be larger than life

Both of these charming stories explore how supersized shadows can be surprising.

Buy it: The Black Rabbit and Dreams at Amazon

Activity: Head outside with your students to see if you can reenact the stories with a puppet.

Learn more: Swap out the Halloween references for Groundhog Day ones in this lesson plan from Scientific American that investigates how to use a lamp or flashlight to change the size of a shadow.

9. Read Moonbear's Shadow by Frank Asch and talk about how shadows move with the sun

Bear gets frustrated when his shadow keeps scaring away the fish before he can catch them. It turns out patience is the answer; by the afternoon, his shadow is in a different spot.

Buy it: Moonbear's Shadow at Amazon

Activity: Here are two Groundhog Day activities to try. Use art to explore where shadows fall or create a human sundial.

Learn more: Science Sparks and Rhythms of Play

10. Read Groundhog Day Suit by Dee Smith and make a groundhog paper doll

Groundhog knows he has an important message to deliver on Groundhog Day and wants to arrive in style! He snips, sews, and adds decorations to his suit so he can look perfect during his big moment.

Buy it: Groundhog Day Suit at Amazon

Activity: Create a groundhog paper doll kit, like this vintage printable. Or keep it simple and provide students with a line drawing of a groundhog and let them create their own adornments.

Learn more: Mostly Paper Dolls

11. Read Groundhog's Runaway Shadow by David Biedrzycki and talk about friendship

Phil and his shadow don't get along that well anymore-they're just so different from each other. So Shadow runs off to see the world.

Buy it: Groundhog's Runaway Shadow at Amazon

Activity: Ask students to think of a friend and make a list of ways they are the same and ways they are different. Brainstorm the benefits of having a friend who may think and act differently than you would.

Learn more: Watch 12 of Our Favorite Videos for Teaching Kids About Friendship.

12. Learn more about the history of the holiday

Many people wonder just what is Groundhog's Day and why do we celebrate it? How did it all begin? This short activity will give kids a little insight into this February 2nd tradition.

Activity: Share this printable from The Literacy Nest.

Learn more: Read more about the history of Groundhog Day here.

13. Make predictions: What will Phil do?

Making predictions is a skill that good readers use to comprehend what they are reading on a deeper level.

Activity: The day before Groundhog Day, gather your students together and have each of them vote on whether this will be a "yes" year or a "no" year.

Learn more: Read about how accurate Punxsutawney Phil's predictions have been throughout the years at Live Science.

You can keep it extra simple like the example above from @stamper_library. But how cute is this version from @teachinginruffles?

14. Conduct a full-scale survey

Data collection is a math skill with real-life applications.

Activity: Conducting a class survey about Groundhog Day predictions is a super-fun way to practice math skills. Look how much fun the kids at @rvsroomone are having.

Learn more: Here's one sample survey you could use.

15. Try groundhog glyphs

Glyph charts are a fun way to tally, graph, analyze, and report data.

Activity: The kids in TeachersLove.com 's class loved this fun Groundhog Day glyph art project.

Learn more: How To Use Mathematical Glyphs in the Classroom from The Fun Factory

16. Use Groundhog Day to teach about probability

There are so many creative ways to teach probability in the elementary classroom.

Activity: Try these fun spinner games to celebrate Groundhog Day with your students.

Learn more: @vestalsclassroom

17. Learn about groundhog burrows, then write about it

Kids love learning about the unique habitats different animals live in. Did you know that groundhogs live in burrows and dig up to 700 lbs. of dirt when digging their burrows?

Activity: Have your students pretend they're groundhogs and do a little descriptive writing. First, ask them to draw their burrows. Then have them write a few sentences about their home from the point of view of a groundhog. Finally, help them make a little groundhog face to add to their project.

Learn more: Groundhogs & Their Burrows from Just Cara Carroll

18. Make a craft that explains the two possible outcomes on Groundhog Day

Sometimes it's hard for grown-ups to even remember what it means if the groundhog does or does not see his shadow.

Activity: This cute craft teaches kids whether seeing its shadow means an early spring or six more months of winter.

Learn more: Almost Unschoolers

19. Make a groundhog measuring stick

Make your math unit on measurement even more fun by helping your students make their own themed rulers.

Activity: Use paint-stirring sticks from your local home improvement store to create these adorable groundhog measuring sticks.

Learn more: Enchanted Homeschooling Mom

20. Conduct a groundhog facts animal study

Engage your class with this hands-on unit packed with fun science activities all about groundhogs!

Activity: Learn about mammals, parts of a groundhog, the difference between groundhogs, and more.

Learn more: A Dab of Glue Will Do

21. Finally, we'll just leave you with these adorable little guys

Source: @letslearnwithstyle

What are your favorite Groundhog Day activities? We'd love to hear about them in our WeAreTeachers Helpline group on Facebook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
21 Fun Ways To Celebrate Groundhog Day in the Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Is spring on the way, or do we have six more weeks of winter? We'll officially find out this year on February 2, when Punxsutawney Phil makes his annual prediction based on whether or not he sees his shadow. This quirky tradition may not have much scientific basis, but there are lots of fun curriculum tie-ins for the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Every teacher needs to be cheered for and hyped up right now. Teachers, in case you aren't getting the support you need, we're here. Read this. We see you. You're doing a fantastic job. We appreciate you so much.

10 things every teacher needs to hear:

1. There would be no other professions without you.

If there's one thing I want you to remember every day, it's this. Every profession is made possible by teachers paving the way. Any time your job feels "worthless," remember that it's literally THE JOB that creates all other jobs...and that's what makes it special.

2. The compliments your students give you (though rare) are 100% true...

And there are even more kids who will never admit that they just love you! The student that told you they looked forward to your class? They weren't just saying it to get the passing grade; they really meant it. When someone compliments you, take it and use it to drown out all the negative.

3. Everyone has bad days, even teachers.

It can feel like you're not "allowed" to have bad days because it bubbles over onto your students and causes them to get down, too. It can feel like you're a failure when you have an "off" day simply because you have so many little eyes watching you. You're only human, though, and no one is "great" all the time. Pandemic teaching is exhausting and it's okay to have hard days.

4. You truly shouldn't be asked to do all that you're doing this year (or any year for that matter).

During this crazy time of distance/virtual/online/in-person/hybrid learning, you're literally completing 564332 tasks under 2784472 job titles every. single. day. You're doing the near-impossible and you're just EXPECTED to know how to do ALL OF IT. Let that sink in for a moment. And then let go of the guilt for not being able to do it all. No one could.

5. "You're not a bad teacher, those kids are just bad."

Okay, they're not really bad kids; we all know that. But the popular meme has truth to it. December just brings out the worst in kids. They want to see Santa more than they want to see another vocabulary word or math problem. It's just plain science. By December, kids need a break as much as the teachers. We all just need a break from each other. It's not you.

6. At the end of the day, it's a job.

Teaching is a calling. You mean more to your students than you know. Teaching becomes a part of who you are as a person after years of being a teacher. However, you have a life outside of teaching; it's okay to ENJOY that life. Teaching is WORK. While it changes you, it shouldn't become ALL of you. You're doing yourself a favor by separating your job and your LIFE.

7. Take care of yourself.

Go to the bathroom. Take a lunch break. Take a sick day. Don't let anyone BULLY you into denying yourself basic human rights just because it seems to inconvenience someone else.

If someone has to take your class because you're out sick, that isn't your fault. Schools should not be so understaffed that you can't take a sick day (or mental health day) when needed. You should be able to eat lunch, and take your time. You shouldn't have to TRAIN YOUR BLADDER to wait HOURS. Just no. Providing more teacher support starts with normalizing basic care.

8. No one is prepared right now.

Even the Pinterest teachers weren't pinning ideas like "How to Thrive in a Pandemic" or "Covid-Safe Chic Classrooms" in 2019. NO ONE IS PREPARED for 2020 teaching. If they act prepared, they're lying; it's just not possible. We're all taking it day-by-day and pretending like we have any clue what we're doing in the 2020-2021 school year in hopes that the kids don't realize just how LOST we really are. I'm starting to think that this school year should count as TWO of my twenty-five years until retirement.

9. They are learning.

The students are learning. Maybe they're failing some things and missing some assignments, but they're learning how to be resilient in the face of uncertainty. They're learning more about technology than ever, and they're learning how to be extremely self-sufficient. They're LEARNING, which should always, always be the end goal, anyway.

10. Thank you.

I know you don't hear it enough, so I'll tell you again: thank you.

Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for showing up every day, in the middle of chaos, in the middle of a pandemic, in the midst of economic crisis and emotional struggle and your own personal issues. Thank you for providing kids with one constant this school year, even when you may have none. Not only would there be no professions without teachers, but there'd also be a lot less wisdom and fulfillment in the world without education-so thank you.

Every teacher needs to feel supported, appreciated and seen. If you aren't a teacher, pass this on to the teachers in your life. It just might make their day a little brighter to know someone cares.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Things Every Teacher Needs to Hear Right Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Every teacher needs to be cheered for and hyped up right now. Teachers, in case you aren't getting the support you need, we're here. Read this. We see you. You're doing a fantastic job. We appreciate you so much. If there's one thing I want you to remember every day, it's this.