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Wide Open School's mission lives on at Common Sense With schools back in person, we have closed this dedicated distance-learning site designed to guide families and educators through the sudden shift to remote learning. Discover More Great Resources for Families & Educators

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Example of daily schedule while at school is closed

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Michigan Virtual Learning Continuity Courses

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20 Screen-free things to do with kids indoors

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20 Screen-free things to do with kids indoors

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The coronavirus pandemic has closed schools worldwide. Most schools are catering for home learning so that children can continue with their education despite the necessary measures. Let's take these difficult times as they come and try to focus on the positive rather than negative. Spending time at home allows you to spend some quality time with your children, which you may not have otherwise been able to have.

Below are some ideas of screen-free things you could do with your kids, during this time. Staying indoors to keep safe and healthy is imperative but it doesn't have to be boring or detrimental. After your children have finished with their e-learning tasks, read on to see what you could do with them.

1. Homemade gifts. Encourage your child to make a gift for someone or a greeting card. There are many ideas and instructions online, start searching!

2. Get baking. Bake some cakes or biscuits. Have them help you in the kitchen! Who doesn't need a great helper?

3. Reminisce. Sort through old photographs, make a scrapbook of memories. It might sound a bit old fashioned but it's so therapeutic and you get to spend quality time with your kids.

4. Organise. Get your child to sort through their belongings and throw out what they don't need. Ask them to organise their room.

5. Draw or create a family tree. Why don't you even make an art gallery at home and show of your child's artwork?

6. Chat. Let your child spend time with their friends on Skype or phone. Teenagers especially, truly feel isolated if their aren't in contact with their friends.

7. Treasure hunt. If you are lucky enough to have a garden create an exciting treasure hunt with clues and home-made treasures for your kids to find.

8. Get gardening. Show your child how to take care of plants and let them garden, too. If you live in apartment, go to your balcony plant some flowers in pots.

9. Movie time. Having a family 'film day' is a great way of spending time together watching favourite movies. To make it educational, ask your child to write a film review or draw a movie poster.

10. Show time. If your children like performing, go through carnival/halloween outfits and help them to put on a show for the family. They can even work on some literacy skills in a fun way by writing a play script and act it out.

11. Puppets. Make finger puppets and help them create their own puppet show. Make a theatre out of a box and get creative.

12. Read. Start a family book club. Discuss what your favourite characters and what part you liked best and why.

13. Picnic time. Have a family picnic indoors, on the balcony or in the garden.

14. Create. Make potato stamps, stamp paper or even a shirt.

15. Adventure time. Go camping in the garden or the living room.

16. Sports. Make your own mini-golf course in the living room. There are many online ideas you can easily recreate.

17. Homemade games. In the evenings get the kids to design a game that you can make the next day - give them ideas to keep it simple such as a paper boat race in the bath or homemade skittles using a tennis ball and empty toilet rolls.

18. Origami. All you need is paper and instructions which can be found online, will keeps kids amused and they will learn a new skill.

19. Theatre. Encourage the kids to put on a play or a magic show. They could even use the dress up with clothes and props from around the house. If you have a camera, you can even film it to watch later or for some great memories.

20. Games. Play board games and card games, I'm sure there are some lurking somewhere in the house.

Like and share this post to spread the ideas! ❤

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20 Screen-Free Things To Do With Your Kids Indoors When School Is Closed

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The coronavirus pandemic has closed schools worldwide. Most schools are catering for home learning so that children can continue with their education despite the necessary measures. Let's take these difficult times as they come and try to focus on the positive rather than negative. Spending time at home allows you to spend some quality time...

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In response to requests from educators, Adobe has announced that it will be providing free at-home access to Creative Cloud apps to those students who usually only have access on-campus. It's one way the software maker is trying to empower students to keep learning amid campus closures caused by the novel coronavirus.

"With many schools facing physical campus closures and moving to online learning due to COVID-19, we're announcing that we're giving greater access to Adobe Creative Cloud desktop apps to facilitate distance learning," reads the announcement. "We believe that doing so will make it possible to keep coursework, teamwork, and student progress on track through at-home access to Creative Cloud for students and educators."

Higher education and K-12 institutions that pay for on-campus access for their students simply need to request "temporary 'at-home' access" through this link. Once verified, access will be granted, free of charge, through May 31st, 2020.

"As our education customers work to ensure both safety and learning continuity in their communities, it is our goal to help them with the tools they need to move through these uncertain times," continues the post. "Our commitment to do so in a seamless way continues to be unwavering."

The story of how this update came to be is almost as good as the news itself. RC Concepcion, a Professor at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, can be credited with helping to catalyze this change by simply... asking Adobe for help.

"We have been running around-as every other university-quickly coming up w an action plan to keep serving our students through COVID-19," Concepcion tells PetaPixel. "Teaching communications, we rely a huge amount on Adobe Sofware-reporters, cinematographers , photographers, designers. It dawned on me that a lot of student access was here at school and that with any students at universities, there would be many that couldn't afford using the software."

So he got on Twitter and just asked. 5 minutes later, he received a response from Adobe VP of Creative Cloud Mala Sharma thanking him for connecting; 48 hours later, Adobe officially announced free at-home access for students.

Thanks for reaching out @aboutrc with your concern for your students 48 hours ago. We hope students and faculty will benefit from having access to @creativecloud to continue learning and creating. Stay safe and healthy! Thanks @AdobeForEdu team for pulling this off rapidly.

- Mala Sharma (@Malasharma) March 13, 2020

"Adobe is a big company, but in my experiences with them they've always shown support in areas of community good. From helping out senior citizens on projects I've come up with, to supporting initiatives in teaching young students in Laos Southeast Asia - there's never been a time where their response hasn't been one of wanting to help," says Concepcion.

"I'm proud that, in this effort, they shown that they can move quickly and do their part to help bring some normalcy and creativity to a special group of people in our community. Students."

To learn more about this program and some of the other ways Adobe is trying to minimize the creative disruption caused by the virus, head over to the Adobe Blog or the Adobe Support site.

Update on 3/18/20: Adobe is now giving all subscribers 2 months of Creative Cloud subscription for free, regardless of educational status.
Image credits: Header photo by Buro Millennial, CC0

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Adobe Offers Students Free At-Home Access to Creative Cloud Apps Amid Coronavirus Closures

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In response to requests from educators, Adobe has announced that it will be providing free at-home access to Creative Cloud apps to those students who usually only have access on-campus. It's one way the software maker is trying to empower students to keep learning amid campus closures caused by the novel coronavirus.

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DK Find Out! | Fun Facts for Kids on Animals, Earth, History and more!

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Tips for Video Conferencing with Anxious Students

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Freckle by Renaissance - Differentiation Platform for K-12

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Accelerate literacy equitably with differentiated resources.

K-12 coverage of standards and skills

Over 1,000 nonfiction and fiction passages that adapt to each student's level

Teachers can assign a specific standard for some or all students to practice

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Freckle by Renaissance | Reach Every Student at Their Level

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Freckle helps K-12 teachers differentiate instruction and reach every student at their own level across Math, ELA, Social Studies and Science.

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subscribe to Life Kit: Parenting podcast

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Parents, let's be honest: Many of us are struggling right now.

Some have lost loved ones to COVID-19; many of us have lost jobs. And nearly all of us have spent the past two months juggling new parenting responsibilities as our children stay home and schools shift online.

In March, NPR's Life Kit team put together this guide to help parents navigate the tumultuous early days of the pandemic. But in the intervening weeks, the challenges have changed. So we checked in with Rosemarie Truglio, a developmental psychologist and senior vice president of curriculum and content at Sesame Workshop, to gather wisdom you can use during this current phase.

When is this gonna be over?

At the beginning of the pandemic, kids' questions were often easy enough to explain with a little science. What is COVID-19? Easy. How can we keep from getting it? There are no guarantees, but hand-washing works wonders!

Now, however, the top question in the minds of many kids - and adults - is, when will the coronavirus crisis end? And that one is mysterious and unexplainable. Still, it requires an honest answer, says Truglio, one that's hard for some parents to say: "I don't know."

But don't stop there. Shift the conversation by asking, "What do we have control over now?" And then plan an activity that's fun, that your kids can look forward to and that you can control, pandemic be darned.

One example: Go camping - in a nearby state park, in your backyard or even in your living room. Pitch a tent, roast marshmallows (on the stovetop if you have to) and gaze up at the stars - even if you have to cut them out and tape them to the ceiling.

What matters in this confusing, indefinite time, Truglio says, is that kids feel some sense of control and have something happy they can mark on the calendar. There have been so many great examples of families getting creative to mark milestones and special occasions - drive-by birthday parades, graduation yard signs, even a DIY trip to Disney World.

Forgive yourself

We all need to forgive our kids when they cross a line now and then. But you also need to forgive yourself if you don't always handle their misbehavior with the optimal amount of patience and grace. Most of us are not at our best right now, and that's OK.

"We're human beings, and we're going to lose it. All of us, even myself," Truglio says. For her, it was when she was working from home and her Wi-Fi went out. Her son tried to console her by giving her a hug, but what she really needed was some space.

To make sure we lose it less often, Truglio says, try to take a breather whenever you start to feel overwhelmed by a situation - just put a door between yourself and your child for a minute or two and practice some deep breathing. Also, be sure to recharge your batteries by scheduling a little me-time here and there; maybe it's watching your favorite show once the kids are in bed or taking a hot bath while another grown-up in the house looks after the kids.

If you've never tried meditation - or you've not made time for it lately - we can't recommend it enough. Even 10 minutes of quiet can do wonders for your pandemic-thinned patience.
(Here's a quick mindfulness tool that Life Kit recommends.)
But if you do lose it with your kids, Truglio says, the important part is that you model the process of making amends. Truglio went back to her son, apologized and got that hug after all.

Build kids' resilience and self-sufficiency

Many of us feel torn and guilty as we try to balance our kids' needs with our bosses' demands. A lot of the time it feels like the only way out is to hand our young ones a screen. But Truglio says this is an opportunity to parent differently, in a way that equips our children with essential life skills.

"This is not a time for kids to think that they can have their parents' 100% attention," says Truglio. "It's so important for children to build what we call resiliency skills. And part of resiliency skills is to have them cope with disappointment and frustration."

It's OK to say, "I just can't be with you right now, and I trust you to figure this out."

"Let kids have the space to be creative problem-solvers. Because when you remove yourself and have them be much more self-sufficient, they are developing these important critical thinking skills. You're empowering them to be problem-solvers."

These days, Truglio says, many kids are so reliant on the adults in their lives that "they're afraid to make a mistake because they think that mistakes are bad. And we need to flip the script on that as well and say, 'That's how you learn!' "

Schoolwork isn't the only way to learn at home

We've heard from many parents concerned that their children aren't learning enough in this time of emergency remote instruction. Teachers and school budgets are spread thin, and often, even the kids who are fortunate enough to have computers and access to Wi-Fi aren't getting more than an hour or two of instruction each day.

To that, we say, focus on the things you can control. Truglio has some good news here: Our homes are already full of potential learning experiences.

Cooking together, for example: "You have a literacy component because we're reading the recipes. We're reading ingredients. It's a math moment as we're measuring. It's a science moment as different substances are changing because of the properties of matter."

Board games - which we've explored before as a rich way to teach math - can also build kids' ever important social-emotional skills, helping them grapple with concepts of fairness, chance, strategy and practice.

Different families, different rules

As lockdowns soften and rules change around the U.S., families might disagree about some things - like whether to get takeout or when to wear a mask.

This can be confusing for children. If your child sees other kids playing together in the park, for example, she may think you're being unfair - or even mean - for not letting her do the same.
If you have a life hack on coping with the coronavirus crisis, give us a call at 202-216-9823, or email us at If you want more Life Kit, The audio portion of this story was produced by Sylvie Douglis. subscribe to our newsletter. LifeKit@npr.org. Your tip could appear in an upcoming episode.
When you explain, Truglio says, "it's about putting a positive spin on this: 'These rules are put in place by our family because we need to make sure that we're staying healthy.' "

The more your child hears that these rules are about helping - that they are empowered to be helpers - the easier it will be for them to understand and ultimately embrace them. Truglio suggests something like, "'We need everyone in the family to do their part. And so this is why you're playing such an important role!' "

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When Will This Be Over? Sesame Workshop's Tips For Parenting During A Pandemic : Life Kit: Parenting

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Many parents are struggling right now - juggling kids at home 24/7 and coping with their own losses. In this episode, Rosemarie Truglio, a developmental psychologist and senior vice president of curriculum and content at Sesame Workshop, offers helpful pandemic parenting tips.

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Teach your Monster to Read - Grades DK-K

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Mindfulness for elementary students (May 8, 2020)

Why Mindfulness?

As we all try to navigate these new days as parents, we are encountering unique challenges. Our routines are altered, our plans adapted and our children a bit unsettled.

Our district understands the adversity students and parents are facing and we would like to support parents however we can.

One of the most effective paths is through a program called mindfulness. The goal of mindfulness is to assist in self-regulating our emotional state through maintaining a present moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, physical state, and surrounding environment with an attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance.

The LOCS plan

LOCS' Mindfulness Instructor, Stephanie Harris, will be providing a community resource during the school closure period with video sessions for our parents and students.

The first video debuted on March 25, 2020 at LakeOrionSchools.org/Mindfulness and on the LOCS YouTube channel (Youtube.com/LakeOrionCommunitySchools). This debut edition was geared toward parents as part of the district's Parent University program.

Though it is intended as a resource to help our LOCS parents, the strategies can support all adults in our community and beyond. Feel free to share with your family members and friends elsewhere to help them adapt to these circumstances.

We invite all parents and community members to embrace the session and hope it helps relieve some stress in these unusual times.

Mindfulness video schedule

Monday -- Middle and High School (Daytime)

Wednesday -- Parents/Adults (Evening)

Friday -- Elementary School (Daytime)

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Mindfulness - Lake Orion Community Schools

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Mindfulness for elementary students (May 8, 2020) Why Mindfulness? As we all try to navigate these new days as parents, we are encountering unique challenges. Our routines are altered, our plans adapted and our children a bit unsettled. Our district understands the adversity students and parents are facing and we would like to support parents however we can.

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ABCmouse.com's reading curriculum spans the entire range of early reading, from learning the names of each letter and the sounds they represent to being able to read books, starting with a few words on a page and gradually advancing to paragraphs. The curriculum for first grade also includes writing and language skills, such as sentence structure and punctuation, parts of speech, and practice with writing genres.

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ABCmouse.com's reading curriculum spans the entire range of early reading, from learning the names of each letter and the sounds they represent to being able to read books, starting with a few words on a page and gradually advancing to paragraphs.

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Hi there! 👋🏽

This page has moved. You can find all six of our printable non-screen activity sheets here.

Pobble provides award-winning digital tools for teaching writing. Teachers, sign up now to receive exciting lessons full of writing activities to engage your children each day!

Sign up for Pobble here!

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Simple and fun non-screen activities that children can do at home

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What can teachers and parents do when there's no school? Online learning from home is great and offers children opportunities to develop...

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This is a virtual site to help with math

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Online manipulatives bring all of the learning and fun without the mess. Our math virtual manipulatives help students grasp abstract concepts through modeling. Literacy virtual manipulatives create a fun space for practicing spelling, rhyming, and more!

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Virtual Manipulatives | Mathematical Modelling | Toy Theater

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Original teaching tools aimed at supporting teachers in the elementary school classroom. Two color counters, 3D dice, probability spinners, graph builders, fraction bars, base ten blocks, and more!

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During a global pandemic, it's easy to focus on logistical concerns. There are certainly plenty of them. But your emotional health - and the emotional health of our students - deserves attention, too.

Our students react to what they see on the news as well as how they see us react to sudden unemployment, sickness, and the loss of life that COVID-19 threatens. If we're not careful to pay attention to our collective well-being, we may end up with a statewide mental health crisis on our hands.

There's no playbook for parenting or teaching during a pandemic, but our Michigan Cares Portal can help both parents and educators support their students' emotional and mental well-being while managing their own emotions and responsibilities.

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During a global pandemic, it's easy to focus on logistical concerns. There are certainly plenty of them. But your emotional health - and the emotional health of our students - deserves attention, too. Our students react to what they see on the news as well as how they see us react to sudden unemployment, sickness, and the loss of life that COVID-19 threatens.

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Unite for Literacy provides free digital access to picture books, narrated in many languages. Literacy is at the core of a healthy community, so we unite with partners to enable all families to read with their young children.

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Raise a reader by getting the best book recommendations, reading tips, and discounts delivered straight to your inbox.

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Games to play not on a device

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Students love to play games in math class. So we've curated (and created!) the best math games we know and put them in one place, to make sure that students will be learning math and engaged through play.

These games are notable for their:

1. Student Choice
2. Mathematics is the engine of the game
3. Easy to learn and quick to play - perfect for classroom use

Want more? Check out the Mathematical Games Minicourse. A 115-minute recording with accompanying 45 page booklet of favorite games for pre-K - 2nd grade.

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Students love to play games in math class. So we've curated (and created!) the best math games we know and put them in one place, to make sure that students will be learning math and engaged through play. These games are notable for their: 1. Student Choice 2.

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To the people of Michigan: Headspace is here for you

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Staying inside isn't always easy, but Governor Whitmer & Headspace are here for you during these challenging times. Now more than ever, it's important to take care of yourselves.

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Teachers can use Mindful Powers as a supplemental activity in their classroom. You can also use it in a small-group station and set the Focus Timer to give students a visual aid while they work. The overall feeling of having a creature to care for may draw in your more nurturing students, so consider having it be part of a rotating daily classroom "job" to care for the Flibbertigibbet. Meet with students one-on-one to build a relationship as they talk to you about their experiences. Teach a lesson on mindfulness and then use the Mindful Play section as an extension of whole-group learning. Use it as an incentive tool as all your students listen to the stories together, or as a transition activity after students return from recess. Finally, consider suggesting this as an app for parents to use at home.

Teachers can purchase the full version of Mindful Powers to listen to more stories, change settings, read articles on how to start mindfulness, and access the privacy policy and a FAQ. While the developers note that $4.99 is reflective of the content past the free trial, it appears that only about an hour of stories is included in the paid version.

Continue reading Show less

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Mindful Powers Review for Teachers | Common Sense Education

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Teachers can use Mindful Powers as a supplemental activity in their classroom. You can also use it in a small-group station and set the Focus Timer to give students a visual aid while they work.

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You're invited to join the ranks of young scholars at Adventure Academy, a fully immersive virtual universe for those seeking knowledge and adventure. Gain access to hundreds of hours of educational activities teaching essential skills in math, language arts, science, social studies, and much more!

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Free: Online Mindfulness Class for Kids!

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Mindful Schools has created ten free mindfulness classes for kids (as seen on CNN). Join us online - for mindful activities, mindful movement, read-alouds - and let's have fun exploring mindfulness together. Free Online: Mindfulness Class for Kids! Sign up to receive classes and mindfulness resources in your inbox.

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Communication Skills
Includes strategies, social articles, and graphic organizers to improve conversational skills, language strategies in the classroom, games, and teacher resources.

Social Behavior
Includes explicit break-downs of the hidden rules that underlie social interactions, strategies and social articles to address social behavior, visual tools to identify feelings and emotions in self and others, songs and games, teacher resources, and more.

Social Skills Toolbox
Includes specific lessons, graphic organizers, and workbooks to address the communication and behavioral skills that impact socialization.

Emotions Color Wheel
Offers a powerful visual tool to help one group feelings, and accurately label and define emotions.

Social Emotional Skills
Provides classroom activities, card sets, and worksheets to enhance perspective-taking skills and expand emotional vocabulary.

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Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs

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Communication Skills Includes strategies, social articles, and graphic organizers to improve conversational skills, language strategies in the classroom, games, and teacher resources. Social Behavior Includes explicit break-downs of the hidden rules that underlie social interactions, strategies and social articles to address social behavior, visual tools to identify feelings and emotions in self and others, songs and games, teacher resources, and more.

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Picture Books * Graphic Novels * Chapter Books * Wordless Stories * Informational Books Earth & Space Science * Biology * Engineering & Technology * Math Concepts * Mythology How-To Books * Biographies * Historical Fiction * Jokes & Riddles * Rhymes & Songs

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STEM Activities Delivered

Get great educational resources for your classroom, home, and beyond to your inbox each month.

K-12 Education Newsletter Beyond the Classroom Newsletter

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Science Friday Educate creates free science and STEM activities, lessons, and resources for caregivers and educators.

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Check out the Fluency & Fitness+ plans for your K-2 classrooms. We even accept purchase orders and give discounts for schools.

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Thinking Time Pro - Cognitive Skills for Early Learning is an app for preschool and kindergarten that focuses on improving kids' cognitive ability. Kids journey through four games that tap into such executive function tasks as working memory, logical reasoning, flexible thinking, attention, and inhibitory control. Games ask kids to repeat sequences, continue patterns, and sort by changing rules as tasks get more challenging. For example, kids begin with sorting by either color or shape, and then sorting rules change mid-game; kids must inhibit their initial impulse to sort according to the old rules. When kids successfully complete all four tasks, they earn a fish to add to their aquarium. The parents' section includes a progress tracker that scores overall performance, gives sub scores in the four skills (memory, reasoning, inhibition, flexibility), compares performance to that of other kids of the same age, and details progress of the preceding four weeks.

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Thinking Time Pro - Cognitive Skill Training Review for Teachers | Common Sense Education

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Thinking Time Pro - Cognitive Skills for Early Learning is an app for preschool and kindergarten that focuses on improving kids' cognitive ability. Kids journey through four games that tap into such executive function tasks as working memory, logical reasoning, flexible thinking, attention, and inhibitory control.

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Stress-free science lessons for K-5 distance learning

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Orion Township Public Library - Grades DK-12

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Orion Township Public Library - Grades DK-12

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May need library card number to access some of the OTPL sites.

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Need to find information for a report? Struggling with a homework assignment? Explore an online library resource or librarian recommended website!

Provided by the Orion Library

Provided by the Michigan eLibrary

Provided in partnership by the Orion Library and the Michigan eLibrary

Librarian Recommended Internet Site

With 3,500+ interactive books, educational games, puzzles, and other learning activities, ABCmouse.com's award-winning online curriculum is an invaluable resource for young learners (ages 2-6+).

Not available for home access.

World Book Online is a suite of online research tools that includes encyclopedia articles, primary source collections, educator tools, student activities, pictures, audio, and video, complemented by current periodicals and related Web sites. Modules includes Early World of Learning, World Book Kids, World Book Info Finder, World Book Reference Center, World Book Timelines, World eBook, and Enciclopedia Estudiantil Hallazgos.

(Grades K - 5) TumbleBooks is an online collection of animated, talking picture books which teach kids the joy of reading in a format they'll love. TumbleBooks are created by adding animation, sound, music and narration to existing picture books in order to produce an electronic picture book which kids can read, or have read to them.

In an effort to help library patrons during these difficult times, TumbleBooks has generously donated access to their entire suite of online resources through August 31, 2020. See https://orionlibrary.org/resources/tumblebooks/ to access these additional resources.

Not available for home access.

In an effort to help library patrons during these difficult times, TumbleBooks has generously donated access to their entire suite of online resources through August 31, 2020. See https://orionlibrary.org/resources/tumblebooks/ to access these additional resources.

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Need to find information for a report? Struggling with a homework assignment? Explore an online library resource or librarian recommended website! Provided by the Orion Library Provided by the Michigan eLibrary Provided in partnership by the Orion Library and the Michigan eLibrary Librarian Recommended Internet Site With 3,500+ interactive books, educational games, puzzles, and other learning activities, ABCmouse.com's award-winning online curriculum is an invaluable resource for young learners (ages 2-6+).

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World Geography Games Online - Let's play and learn Geography!

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Brain-engaging geography map games: learn countries of the world, capitals, flags, US States, continents, oceans, mountains, rivers, islands and much more.

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Practice Sight Reading and Sight Singing Exercises Online – Sight Reading Factory®

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SightReadingFactory.com makes practicing the important skill of sight reading quick, easy, effective and fun! This cloud-based service allows you to customize and generate unlimited sight reading examples instantly, on-demand for students of all ages and abilities.

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Managing our emotions is hard, whether you are four or six or forty six! Teaching our children to effectively manage their feelings and emotions is such an important, ongoing task for both teachers and parents - there is no one-size-fits-all lesson for helping children to understand feelings, it takes many, regular touches as a child moves through the following stages of emotional development;

Recognising a range of emotions in themselves and others

Recognising the physical and emotional responses we have to each of these emotions

Learning to express their own feelings verbally

Learning to calm oneself down in the face of overwhelming emotions, and

Learning to treat others with kindness and empathy.

Useful in both the home and the classroom, this collection of resources and activity suggestions includes tools that can act as useful prompts for discussion with children about a wide range of emotions, and guide you as you help your children to develop effective strategies for managing overwhelming, stressful feelings and emotions.

The collection includes feelings and emotions based printable posters, games, booklists and activity ideas to use with children across a range of ages.

Learning to master big emotions and the associated skills of emotional regulation helps children to succeed not just in childhood but right through to adulthood. And you never know... in helping your child, you may just find a strategy or two to help yourself.

The Managing Big Emotions Calm Down Poster Series

5 Steps for Managing Big Emotions Poster: The first poster in our Big Emotions series uses a hand motive to gives kids five options for working through overwhelming emotions.

9 Calm Down Ideas for Kids Poster: Nine effective calm down strategies handpicked for kids! Our emotions aren't one-size-fits-all feelings, and neither are the ways we each prefer to calm down.

Calm Down Yoga for Kids Poster: Combine movement with positive affirmations in this positive approach to teaching children to manage stress, anxiety and overwhelming emotions.

Take 5 Breathing Exercise Poster: Breathing has a huge impact on emotions and this simple technique helps kids learn the connection between controlled breathing and the positive impact it can have on feelings and emotions.

Useful Yoga & Mindfulness for Kids Resources

Calm Down Yoga for Kids Poster: Let yoga teach your child about patience and how to manage their bodies and emotions at the same time.

Walk Through the Garden Yoga Poster: Seasons change, and so do our children. Teach your child that their daily lives are much like the wind that blows through the treetops through this simple yoga routine.

Sun Salutation Yoga Poster: Increase flexibility and feelings of happiness with this fun and simple Sun Salutation Yoga sequence.

The Ultimate Library of Yoga for Kids Videos: Just when you think there can't possibly be any other yoga options out there for your kids, you'll want to check out our ultimate library of kids vids for more fresh ideas. A great resource for teachers with students of all ages.

8 Fun Breathing Exercises for Kids Printable: Controlled breathing can help children to feel more in control of their emotions and this collection of eight fun breathing exercises makes breathing for mindfulness more accessible for children of all ages.

5 Mindfulness Apps for Kids: These five fabulous apps for kids make screen time more mindful and meaningful.

5 Mindfulness Ideas for Families: Connect as a family with these five ideas for supporting your family to grow and bond.

Feelings & Emotions Games for Kids

Feelings & Emotions Activities

5 Preschool Circle Time Lessons About Emotions - No Time for Flashcards

Preschool Emotions Song: How Are You Feeling Today? Let's Play Music

Feelings & Emotions Books for Kids

Pin for later:

Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

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Teaching Feelings and Emotions: 30+ Best Resources to Use With Kids

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Managing our emotions is hard, whether you are four or six or forty six!

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Tips for Parents of Young Children who Communicate Without Words

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The activities below are available for free download, and are to be used in educational and/or private settings. They may not be used elsewhere or for other purposes (such as for profit) unless explicit permission is granted.
Below will find: Blank Comic Book Pages, Special Activities, "Finish This Story!" Story Starters, "How to Draw..." Instructions, "Finish This Comic!" Comics, and Drawing/Writing Prompts.
More activities are being added to this page regularly, so make sure to check back for more. And if you like the activities below, don't miss my activity books, GIVE THIS BOOK A TITLE and GIVE THIS BOOK A COVER, available wherever books are sold!
Click on the numbers below to find a variety of different blank comic book pages. Each number corresponds to a different arrangement of panels on the page. Print out a few of each, or a bunch of one kind, and make your own comic!

Special Activities

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the Introduction to Hand-Lettering sheets!

Click HERE to download the above Thank You activities!

Click HERE to download the above Haiku Diary activity!

Click HERE to download the above Thank You activities!

Click HERE to download the above Earth Day activities!

Click HERE to download the above Earth Day activities!

Click HERE to download the above Halloween activities!

Click HERE to download the above Halloween activities!

Click HERE to download the above Halloween activities!

Click HERE to download the above Halloween activities!

"Finish This Story!" Story Starters

Click HERE to download the above "Finish This Story!" activities!

Click HERE to download the above "Finish This Story!" activities!

"How to Draw..." Instructions

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

Click HERE to download the above "How to Draw..." activities!

"Finish This Comic!" Comics

Below you will find a collection of comics that are incomplete. Look closely at the pictures, then figure out what you need to add to complete the comic!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Click HERE to download the above incomplete comics!

Drawing/Writing Prompts

Below you will find some drawing prompt activity sheets. Completed drawings can also be used as creative writing prompts.

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheets!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above activity sheet!

Click HERE to download the above Spanish version activity sheets!

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The activities below are available for free download, and are to be used in educational and/or private settings. They may not be used elsewhere or for other purposes (such as for profit) unless explicit permission is granted. Below will find: Blank Comic Book Pages, Special Activities, "Finish This Story!"

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Smithsonian Science Education Center - Grades K-6

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Smithsonian Science Education Center - Grades K-6

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We offer free Smithsonian STEM games and simulations online or for download! Our games are designed with clear learning objectives, vetted by our team of curriculum experts, and are used by students around the world!

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We offer free Smithsonian STEM games and simulations online or for download! Our games are designed with clear learning objectives, vetted by our team of curriculum experts, and are used by students around the world!

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Learning Center - Lake Orion Community Schools

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Learning Center - Lake Orion Community Schools

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Cignition’s FogStone Isle lets kids explore, create and engage with math through real-world scenarios. Unlike most game-based learning programs, FogStone […]

Polyup is a free and open computational thinking playground where students can experiment with numbers and functions. Students will “mod”, […]

Refraction focuses on teaching fractions and discovering optimal learning pathways for math education. Refraction lets you bend, split, and redirect […]

This lets you play with math while exploring a 3-D virtual world, filled with number creatures and mathematical machines. It […]

Dragon Box teaches you algebra through visuals. You solve for x and have fun doing it. It really encourages algebraic […]

SET is a board game where any table becomes the board. It is a highly addictive, original game of visual […]

In this app you have to release the creature from jail by turning the gears. It helps you develop number […]

Mancala is a family of board games played around the world, sometimes called “sowing” games, or “count-and-capture” games, which describes […]

Muggins math board games and manipulatives are not only educational but make learning FUN! Built the old fashioned way with […]

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Mancala is a family of board games played around the world, sometimes called "sowing" games, or "count-and-capture" games, which describes [...]

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Power Your Potential with MakeMusic Cloud - MakeMusic

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Our music education software frees up teachers to focus more on their student’s progress. Packed with an ever-growing music catalog, dynamic practice tools, and vetted resources to help you and your students thrive. Discover how MakeMusic Cloud can transform your music education experience.

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Oakland County ESL Resources for parents

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Oakland County ESL Resources for parents

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Hey Sigmund | Anxiety in Teens | Helping a Child with Anxiety

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We know that anxiety can be tough for anyone. And that's what Hey Sigmund is all about. We're here to help you deal and fight anxiety.

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There's a strong link between understanding words and understanding what you read. Children with learning and thinking differences do better when they spend more time learning words. Here are some teaching methods to improve your child's vocabulary.

Provide a description of the new word. For example, maybe you're teaching your child the new word merchant, which is common in upper elementary social studies textbooks. You can talk with your child about the local merchants in your town. What kinds of stores are in your town? What do they sell?

Once you've described a new word, ask him to come up with his own way to describe it. For example, after explaining how fortunate you are to have such a nice family, your son might explain how fortunate he is to have the latest video game.

By acting out a word, your child better understands it. This may be particularly helpful if your child has lots of energy and loves to run around. The new word frolic can come alive through jumping around like a puppy, a goat or a lamb. Why not bring it outdoors as well?

Get some pencils and paper. Without using words, draw a quick sketch of the new word. You might decide to represent the new word reluctant by drawing a person standing at the edge of swimming pool with only one toe in the water. Your child, who is reluctant to eat vegetables, might draw of a big bowl of broccoli.

Teach him the meanings of common prefixes, suffixes and root words . For example, the prefix multi- means many and the suffix - less means not or without. Geo is a root word that means earth, as in geo logy. Recognizing these patterns helps with meaning.

Using a list of new words, ask your child to write a story. In order to do this well, your child will need to use all of the words correctly. Bringing words together from a list will take imagination. Encourage your child to be creative.

7. Tell me once, tell me twice...

Use the new word often. For the new word essential, you might talk about what is essential to pack for a camping trip or discuss what is essential for happiness. A checklist of essential chores might help remind your child to walk the dog, do his homework and clean his room before dinner.

About the Author

About the Author

Ginny Osewalt&nbsp

is a dually certified elementary and special education teacher with more than 15 years of experience in general education, inclusion, resource room, and self-contained settings.

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There's a strong link between understanding words and understanding what you read. Children with learning and thinking differences do better when they spend more time learning words. Here are some teaching methods to improve your child's vocabulary. Provide a description of the new word.

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Looking for free social skills activities and social skills worksheets? Well, then you'll love this collection of social skills resources for teachers and parents. You'll also find lots of tips for how to teach social skills!

There are lots of different social skills to work on with our children that it can really be overwhelming at times. However, there are lots of ways to reinforce social skills concepts through play and/or with printable resources, as you'll see below.

The resources below go beyond just using a social story though.

Yep, you'll find activities that let your child practice what they're learning and help them discover the hidden rules that make certain social situations tricky to navigate.

You'll also help them learn about their emotions, how to handle them, and how to self-regulate their bodies.

This post contains affiliate links. Basically, I make a small commission when you use these links, at no additional cost to you.

Tips & Resources for How to Teach Social Skills

Wondering how to teach your child social skills? You'll find these resources helpful!

Using Social Stories & Scripts for Teaching Social Skills

Wondering how to use social stories to teach social skills? Or where to even find some good quality social stories? These resources will help you. I highly recommend checking out the social stories library first as it's got tons of beautiful social stories that are ready to go!

Social Skills Activities

Emotions, friendships, listening skills, sharing...there's a lot of social skills to teach! So whether you are looking for social skills activities to do at home with your child or you are looking for activities for social skills groups, you'll find lots of fun ideas to try below.

Social Skills Worksheets & Printables

Social scenarios are full of hidden rules. These social skills worksheets and printables will help your kids determine what to expect during social situations, practice certain skills, and so much more!

Books for Teaching Social Skills

Some helpful books for teaching social skills to autistic kids.

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Social Skills Activities, Worksheets, & Resources

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Looking for free social skills activities and social skills worksheets? Well, then you'll love this collection of social skills resources for teachers and parents. You'll also find lots of tips for how to teach social skills! There are lots of different social skills to work on with our children that it can really be overwhelming at times.

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Create an account, click "NO" to join a class.

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Enjoy fun science games for kids while learning more about science and technology. There's a range of free online activities to try with something for everyone whether you're interested in animals, plants, chemistry, biology, physics, space, magnets, electricity, forces, light, sounds, gases or other science related topics. Put yourself to the test by trying to complete as many of the interactive challenges as you can, the games start off easy but will be fully testing your technology skills and understanding of the science behind the game in no time.

Have fun learning online with these cool science games. It's free and easy to use so just scroll down the page, find a game you like the look of and give it a go!

Learning about living things is a very important part of science. Humans like yourself are part of this group and the more you can learn about how your body works the better. There are also lots of games & activities to do with other living things such as animals & plants.

This selection of games & activities include some of the physical processes that control our everyday lives. Find out how electricity works, how our eyes use light to see, how forces such as friction work and the physics behind how the earth sun & moon behave.

The matter that makes up our earth can do weird and wonderful things, find out more with these fun games & activities. Experiment with solids, liquids and gases as you learn more about material properties, melting points, rocks, soils, ice, water & steam.

Solids, Liquids & Gases

Have fun learning about solids, liquids and gases by experimenting with different forms, using different conditions to change them from one form to another.

Detective Science Games for Kids

Use your science skills while playing the role of a detective in a range of fun games and activities that will challenge your knowledge of electricity, friction, magnets, microorganisms, life cycles and other interesting science topics.

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Fun Science Games for Kids - Free Interactive Activities Online

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Enjoy fun science games for kids while learning more about science and technology. There's a range of free online activities to try with something for everyone whether you're interested in animals, plants, chemistry, biology, physics, space, magnets, electricity, forces, light, sounds, gases or other science related topics.

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1001 Actvities for Elementary School Age Kids

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Elementary school kids are creative, capable, and so much fun! Sometimes they just need a good idea for how to spend their time...we have tons of fun ideas!

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Enter Classcode: Waite49958
No assignments will be entered just explore the website.

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The Global Storybooks Portal is designed specifically for teachers, parents, and community members around the world. It makes 40 selected stories from the African Storybook available in major national, immigrant and refugee languages of individual countries, regions, and groups.

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Stay-At-Home Free Printable Care Package

Big Life Journal is dedicated to helping you and your children get through this unsettling period of increased shelter at home.

Below you can download our exclusive Stay-At-Home Care pack with ideas to get your children moving and learning while staying indoors!

Many ideas in this package were suggested by our growth mindset community of parents and teachers.

The 10-page printable pack includes:

- Indoor Games & Activities to get your children moving

- "I'm Bored" list of indoor activities for children (both alone and with their siblings)

- "Things I Can Do" for teens and older children

- Stay-at-home resource lists including growth mindset movies, TV shows, and books

- My Daily Learning Projects template for children (all ages)
Big Life Journal for ages 11+
Grab a growth mindset journal for your children:

A growth mindset is not about being smarter. It's about happier, more resilient children who approach life's challenges with confidence. It's about teaching them they can achieve ANYTHING with hard work and dedication.

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Stay-At-Home Free Printable Care Package

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Big Life Journal is dedicated to helping you and your children get through this unsettling period of increased shelter at home. Get your own exclusive download of our Stay-At-Home Care pack with ideas to get your children moving and learning while staying indoors!

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This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Are your learners having trouble with CVCE words? Try these free clip cards for extra reading practice!

If you have learners that have trouble distinguishing between CVC and CVCe words, this printable is for you.

What are CVC and CVCE words?

CVC words are consonant-short vowel-consonant.

Examples: cat, box, rod, wig

CVCe words are consonant-vowel-consonant-silent e.

Examples: rake, tube, like, poke

How to use the printable

1. Print and laminate the pages.

2. Cut apart the cards.

3. On the back of each card, draw a small dot on the back of the correct answer using permanent marker.

4. Give your learners clipping clothespins.

5. Have your learners read each word and clip the corresponding picture. They can turn the card over to check their answer.

( Tip: If you don't have clipping clothespins, use these as "pinch" cards. Learners can simply pinch the correct answer before they flip to check their answer.)

While you could skip it, I definitely recommend using a marker to dot the answer on the back.

That way the cards are self-checking.

In the above example, my preschooler read the word quickly without reading to the end. She read "pop."

She pinched the answer and turned the card over ... only to see that she had pinched the wrong picture.

I asked her to turn the card over and read the word again ... this time, noticing the final letter.

Now she had it!

I made the cards tricky on purpose. In the above example, learners who don't remember to make the vowel long will likely pinch the picture of "cut."

But when they flip the card to check their answer, they'll realize they need to try again.

Learners will also have to remember how to distinguish b/d ... or they'll likely pinch the picture of "rob." ( Check this post for free b/d posters that will help.)

I hope you can use these clip/pinch cards!

More free resources

© 2019, Anna G. All rights reserved.

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Free clip cards for CVC & CVCE words - The Measured Mom

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This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Are your learners having trouble with CVCE words? Try these free clip cards for extra reading practice! If you have learners that have trouble distinguishing between CVC and CVCe words, this printable is for you.

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100+ Free Social Emotional Learning Resources

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Social and emotional learning, often known as SEL, is the process that helps kids learn critical skills, attitudes, and mindsets for social and emotional success. These skills cover five major areas: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and responsible decision-making. I

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Are you looking to enhance your classroom curriculum this year with innovative journal writing topics? It is easier than you think. Simply take some time to explore the exciting things to write about in a journal ideas outlined below. You'll be glad you did! 🙂

For many students in the classroom, journaling is their favorite time of the day. While students across all grade levels enjoy having a few moments of peace and quiet to collect their thoughts and express their creativity, they often do not know where or how to get started.

This is why it is important for teachers to have plenty of journal ideas available to help get those creative juices flowing. All too easily, a student is going to claim that they have "nothing" to write about and there is "nothing" new to say. However, teachers know that there are endless things to write about in a journal.

Teachers in every subject area will find that writing in a journal is an effective complement to their current curriculum. Daily writing is a practice that benefits students both personally and academically, and it gives students an outlet before they begin the lesson of the day. Sometimes, all it takes is just a gentle nudge and an excellent journal topic idea to get them to love the art of journaling.

51 Things to Write About in a Journal

The following writing ideas range from creative story starters to responses to current events and news articles. Through journaling, students can explore different styles of writing while also developing their own arguments and ideas.

1. I am the one who...

2. My first memory is...

3. My wildest dream vacation is...

4. If I were in the circus I would be...

5. I believe...

6. Describe a person you admire.

7. I can...

8. Sunshine makes me feel...

9. The most amazing thing I've ever seen is...

10. I'm thankful for...

11. What do you want the most out of life?

12. What are the characteristics of a hero?

13. What do you think of people who use profanity in public?

14. If I were famous, I would...

15. I wish I were there when...

16. If I were a fish in the ocean...

17. My favorite places.

18. My least favorite places.

19. How a puppy feels.

20. My ideal day is...

21. Is it better to give or to receive?

22. If I had three wishes I would...

23. My most embarrassing moment is (or would be)...

24. Where would I go in a time machine?

25. Describe a rainstorm from above the storm clouds.

26. Write from the perspective of a mouse going down a hole.

27. Describe a rainbow to a blind person and do it so that the blind person can say without a doubt that they have SEEN a rainbow!!!

28. What was your favorite meal?

29. What does snow feel like?

30. What does squishing sand through your toes feel like?

31. Write a letter to yourself 1, 3, 5, 10, or 20 years from now.

32. Write a letter to yourself as a child of ___ years old.

33. Write a thank you letter to your favorite teacher.

34. If I could be anything in this world, I'd be...

35. If I could be anywhere in the entire UNIVERSE, I'd be...

36. Write about the taste of peanut butter, how it smells, and how it looks.

37. How would you feel as a passenger in a spaceship on the way to the Moon?

38. How can you make friends?

39. How do you keep your teachers happy?

40. Describe Sundays at your house.

41. Observe at least 5 things you see happen on your way home from school/work and write about them.

42. Describe a place from your past.

43. Describe your concept of luxury.

44. Describe a family member.

45. Describe sloppy.

46. Describe your ride home.

47. Nothing can be worse than...

48. Write about your strengths and weaknesses.

49. Describe the most comfortable spot you can find.

50. The problem is___. And this is what I plan to do about it...

51. The joy of today is...

More Writing Topics for Kids

Writers of all ages often need some help in the form of journaling prompts and ideas to help get them started. Young journal writers in particular often enjoy writing about fun, exciting, new prompts.

If you were in need of some fresh topics and ideas for your young writers, we hope you found some good ideas in this prompt list!

Whether your kids have written one journal entry or 100 journal entries, a journal practice can have a positive impact on their lives. Moreover, journaling has many positive benefits and is an excellent means of self-expression and self-discovery. So, get and keep your kids journaling on a regular basis this school year.

Until next time, may your students journal on...
If you enjoyed these 51 Exciting Things to Write About in a Journal,
please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest.
I appreciate it!

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Exciting Things to Write About in a Journal

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Are you looking to enhance your classroom curriculum this year with innovative journal writing topics? It is easier than you think. Simply take some time to explore the exciting things to write about in a journal ideas outlined below. You'll be glad you did!

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What is Hour of Code™

Hour of Code™ is a global movement to introduce people of all ages to computer programming in a fun way. Tynker's Hour of Code™ games and activities can be taught during the December event, or year-round.

Your class will love Hour of Code with Tynker

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Tynker's Hour of Code activities

50+ fun coding activities to keep your students engaged, motivated, and rewarded as they learn programming the fun way!

No programming puzzle games experience is required of teachers or students!

Learn to program connected devices.

Teacher Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

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Hour of Code | Coding Puzzles, AI and Games | Tynker

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Learn to code by playing fun coding game, puzzles & projects like Minecraft, Hot Wheels, Monster High, and many in Hour of Code activities. Tynker makes learning to code fun!

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ABCya! • ABCya! • Learning Games and Apps for Kids

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Educational games for grades PreK through 6 that will keep kids engaged and having fun. Topics include math, reading, typing, just-for-fun logic games… and more!

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Copyright © Pearson Education. All rights reserved.

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Savvas Learning Company is a trademark of Savvas Learning Company LLC.

MyMathLab is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with TheMathWorks, Inc. or its software MATLAB®.

Pearson is proud to partner with Savvas Learning Company to offer the best in AP®, Honors, and Electives products.

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MathXL for School: K-12 students and teachers

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Copyright © Pearson Education. All rights reserved. Savvas Learning Company | Pearson Higher Education | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy Savvas Learning Company is a trademark of Savvas Learning Company LLC. MyMathLab is in no way sponsored by or affiliated with TheMathWorks, Inc. or its software MATLAB®.

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Mission US: For Crown or Colony - Grade 5

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Mission US: For Crown or Colony - Grade 5

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Supports Social Studies

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Mission US: For Crown or Colony? | PBS LearningMedia

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Mission US is a multimedia project featuring free interactive adventure games set in different eras of U.S. history. The first game, "For Crown or Colony?," puts the player in the shoes of Nat Wheeler, a 14-year-old printer's apprentice in 1770 Boston.

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Create, teach, share, sell and purchase music.

Noteflight's online notation editor is easy to use, customizable, and ready for professional use anywhere you are; on any device.

Purchase the music you love in Noteflight Marketplace. Download, print, play, and adapt the music notation files you purchase.

Sell your arrangements and original works on Noteflight Marketplace, powered by ArrangeMe!

Search the Marketplace Song Catalog for copyrighted songs allowed to be arranged.

Create and sell unlimited scores, record live audio into scores, print parts, enter or transcribe using any MIDI device, share with specific users, organize your scores into collections, and more!

Designed for music educators at all levels! Create a private website for students where all users have Noteflight Premium features, including recording, performance, and assessment tools.

When you sign up for Noteflight, you're joining the world's largest community of music writers and readers. You can choose to collaborate with creative and passionate users from around the world!

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Noteflight - Online Music Notation Software

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Create, teach, share, sell and purchase music. Noteflight's online notation editor is easy to use, customizable, and ready for professional use anywhere you are; on any device. Purchase the music you love in Noteflight Marketplace. Download, print, play, and adapt the music notation files you purchase.

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Welcome to Worry Warriors! What is a Worry Warrior?

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Created by: Aaron Hart, Jim DeLine, Elyse Loughlin, Lori Dunn, Brandon Herwick, Kevin Reinisch,
Charla Parker Krahnke, Mike Martinez, Andrea Hart
Special Contributions: Deedi Boland
Design: Eliza Kuhn & Aaron Hart

Physical educators know and understand the need to get students active and engaged as soon as they enter the PE classroom. This collection of instant activities serves to help teachers get students moving quickly, while also providing meaningful learning tasks designed to work toward grade-level [...]

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Curriculum Resources Professional Development OPEN Equipment Discounts Youth Sports WHAT'S NEW Quick links to our newest curriculum modules. Check out all OPEN resources See what's new on BelieveInYou.com Request A Proposal for Professional Learning

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Be Active Kids is an award winning, signature program of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. This innovative, interactive health program for children ages birth to five is available to adults working in child care centers, child care homes, and schools across North Carolina.

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Learning good social skills is a vital part of your child's education. Help your children grow into confident young adults with our fun social skills activities for kids.

Why Social Skills Activities?

What does your child need to develop positive social skills? You might think that playing with their friends would be enough to learn all the social skills they need to. But, in fact, they also need guidance about appropriate behavior and good communication. Social skills activities provide parents and teachers with opportunities to observe the social skills of students and guide them to improved social behavior.

Social Skills Activities from JumpStart

Our free social skills activities will help your kids learn good etiquette because:

These are activities that help your child master important social skills such as making conversation, negotiating with peers and handling conflict.

Inspired by top-notch research, they use fun methods to teach your child to listen, communicate and cooperate.

Social skills activities come in a variety of forms but all of them have the same goal - to help your child become a better communicator and learn to work with others.

Check out these free printable activity sheets today! And when he's done with them, don't forget to check out our other free educational worksheets for kids, only on !

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Learning good social skills is a vital part of your child's education. Help your children grow into confident young adults with our fun social skills activities for kids. What does your child need to develop positive social skills? You might think that playing with their friends would be enough to learn all the social skills they need to.

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A curriculum-connected, supplemental learning tool for elementary school educators

How PebbleGo Works

With just one simple username and password for your entire school, signing in for even your youngest students is a snap.

Your students are all set for simple, safe, and fun research that will develop a lifelong thirst for knowledge.

What Five Years of PebbleGo can mean for your students.

Georgia Brown Dual Immersion School's five-year journey with PebbleGodemonstrates that when a school is empowered with resources that support and share its beliefs, students are successful.

Get PebbleGo updates in your inbox!

We'll send you one email every month full of helpful articles, free lessons, and updates.

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Discover the go-to curriculum-connected research tool specifically for elementary school educators and students

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April 2024 Editor's Pick

Students reinforce their knowledge that DNA is the genetic material for all living things by modeling it using toothpicks and gumdrops that represent the four biochemicals (adenine, thiamine, guanine, and cytosine) that pair with each other in a specific pattern, making ...

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Ignite STEM learning in K-12 - TeachEngineering

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Free, K-12, NGSS standards-aligned STEM lessons and hands-on activities for teaching elementary, middle and high school science, engineering design and math. Search by concepts or specific Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to Ignite STEM learning in K-12.

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New to
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Introducing Xello for Higher Education:

Enabling colleges to create authentic connections with prospective students.

14x

more engaging than the average education software program

20%

of student logins happen outside of school hours

1M +

hours spent using Xello each academic year

Engage Your Students, Empower Your Educators

Accessible, Secure, and Trustworthy

Built to meet the needs of today's schools and students, Xello is FERPA compliant, EdFi-certified, meets WCAG 2.0 (Level AA) standards, and is part of the Student Privacy Pledge.

Trusted by Districts and State Departments From Coast to Coast

Book a Demo with Our Experts

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College & Career Readiness Software that Inspires Students | Xello

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Xello is engaging college and career readiness software that unlocks every student's potential by opening their eyes to future possibilities and equipping them with the self-knowledge, skills and confidence to build actionable plans for future success.

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If a teacher was using this program in their classroom, the student will know their login information.

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Problems are randomized, allowing students multiple opportunities to get the practice and feedback they need on the road to mastery.

Go beyond right and wrong. As soon as a student submits an answer, they get a detailed age-appropriate explanation.

DeltaMath allows teachers to mix and match problem-sets, control rigor, vary due dates, and, with PLUS or INTEGRAL, create tests and problems of their own.

Use DeltaMath's modules to create high-leverage assignments and track student learning. With DeltaMath PLUS or INTEGRAL, students also get access to help videos. Create and assign tests, assign specific problem-types, even create your own problem.

Learn More

Problems solved with DeltaMath

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Supports social studies

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HISTORY | Watch Full Episodes of Your Favorite Shows

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Watch full episodes of your favorite HISTORY series, and dive into thousands of historical articles and videos. To know History is to know life.

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Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!

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LearnEnglish Kids is brought to you by the British Council, the world's English teaching experts. We have lots of free online games, songs, stories and activities for children. For parents, we have articles on supporting children in learning English, videos on using English at home and information about English courses for your child.

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Kids don't say, "Beloved parent, I'm having difficulty in my daily life. I don't fully understand what's happening, I miss my friends, I'm afraid someone I know is going to die and it feels like life will never be normal again." Instead, they throw tantrums, become clingy, sulk, backtalk, refuse to do anything you ask, wet the bed, pick fights with siblings and suddenly forget how to do basic tasks they mastered years ago.

Whew! Let's step back, take a few deep breaths and learn a little about your child's brain: Safety is the brain's most basic need, followed closely by connection. When we feel unsafe or disconnected, our brains downshift from the higher centers responsible for learning and problem solving, to the lower reactionary centers. That's why all those challenging behaviors are popping up, and why a minor frustration is now Titanic in size.

We can help children (and ourselves) by creating a sense of safety, connecting, and cultivating a new sense of normal with these five tips:

1. Young children co-regulate with trusted adults and older children feed off our internal states. Our calm nurtures their calm. Our distress increases their distress. Check in with yourself. How are you faring? Practice active calming by taking three deep breaths when you feel yourself becoming frustrated, fearful, angry or desperate. Seek out activities and call people who calm you. Limit your news intake, social media and other sources of stress. Be a Safe Place for your child.

Acknowledge your feelings and your children's. Know that children's fits and meltdowns aren't just about the momentary point of frustration that triggered them; they're about the underlying state of uncertainty they're experiencing. Offer them calm, comfort and reassurance with deep breathing and phrases like, "You're safe. You can handle this. We'll get through this together." Encourage them to name and manage their feelings. And forgive yourself when you're the one who's had the fit or meltdown.
Helpful Free Resources:
2. Focus on safety and connection. The brain functions optimally when it feels both safe and connected. Children need to know that life is going to be different and that you will find a new normal together. Make safety and connection your top priority, especially in the first days; you can always add academics, chores and such later.

If you don't already practice active calming, start! Conscious Discipline uses S.T.A.R., Balloon, Drain and Pretzel breathing, and there are dozens of other websites with helpful breathing games and yoga for kids.

Build extra togetherness into your day. For young children, this might look like extra reading or playing blocks together. For older children, it might be doing a puzzle or playing a favorite video game together. Notice whatever your child is doing and join in their play. Go outside and play. Get down on the floor and play. Wrestle. Giggle. Snuggle. Hug, high five and enjoy. Connection isn't just good for your mood, it builds neural connections in your child's brain and increases cooperation (and who couldn't use a little of that right now?).

Age-appropriate information increases safety; "You're fine" does not. Information will help reassure and soothe children's fears, but it's important to know when enough is enough. Explain to children why life is different using the simplest terms possible. Answer their questions honestly, without offering too much detail or overwhelming them with information. Watch the news in private rather than having it running in the background all day. Limit social media for your children and yourself. Focus on statements like, "You're safe. You can handle this. We will get through this together," instead of dismissing with comments like, "Everything's okay," or "It's not something you need to worry about."
Helpful Free Resources:
3. Create your new normal. The brain thrives on predictable patterns. Our daily and weekly patterns have been turned upside down without warning. Creating a new normal begins with a new daily routine. Families with older children can work together to co-create your new daily schedule (co-creating gives children a way to exert some control over the situation), while parents of younger children will create the schedule for them. Plan it, draw it, label it, post it somewhere obvious and refer to it often so children know what to expect.

A successful daily schedule might be: Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, project time, outside time, lunch, free play, rest time, family time, dinner, wash/brush, PJs, read, bed. The activities during "project time" could vary between creative play (art, dress up, building blocks), academics, gardening, household projects, or exploring online resources like museum tours, dance classes or storytelling sites. Be certain your schedule has ample opportunities for play. Creating a rhythm to your days and knowing what to expect next cultivates a sense of safety.
Helpful Free Resources:
4. Give children ways to contribute. Contribution lights up the reward centers of the brain and releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. Verbally highlight the way your family is helping your community and hospitals by staying home. Draw pictures and make cards to mail, leave on friends' and neighbors' doorsteps, or drop off at a nursing home.

Provide lots of little ways for children to be helpful at home and offer authentic praise for their helpfulness. The contribution needs to be voluntary, not coerced, in order to release those feel-good brain chemicals. Ask, "Do you want to make my coffee this morning?" If the answer is, "No," let it go. If the answer is, "Yes," show them how to make coffee and then rave about how helpful it was for them to brew it.
Helpful Free Resources:
5. Shift toward seeing the best. Notice your inner and outer speech. Are you "stuck at home" with your kids, or do you have an opportunity to connect with family and keep the community safe while you work from home? Are you "stuck at work," or are you helping to keep the community running by staffing hospitals, grocery stores and other important functions in spite of the risks? Are selfish people hoarding things, or are frightened people trying to make sure their families have enough? Are government officials doing too much/not enough/stupid things, or are they doing the best they can with constantly changing information about an unexpected, unprecedented threat? Should those idiots know better than to go out, or are there millions of individuals who are helping each other by staying home to slow the spread of the virus?

It's easy to get caught up in what's going wrong. Instead, make an effort to consciously shift toward helpfulness. Use your words as a spotlight to illuminate the behaviors you want to see more of and aspects you find helpful amidst the fear. The more positive aspects you discuss around your children, the more they are able to see the best in the situation. The more you notice and verbalize children's helpful actions, the more helpful they will become. Shifting your perspective from what you don't want to what you do want paves the way for a healthier internal state for you and your children.
Helpful Free Resources:
For 20+ years, "We're all in this together" has been one of the basic tenets of Conscious Discipline. It seems ironic that a virus that requires social distancing to slow its spread has drawn our attention to how intimately connected we truly are as friends, neighbors, communities and nations.

Conscious Discipline offers a wealth of social-emotional information online to help you during this challenging time. Some of the items are purchasable, but in keeping with our belief that we're all in this together, many of our webinars, podcasts, videos, printables, articles and other items are absolutely free for you to use.

We hope these resources are helpful. We are holding you in our hearts and wishing you well during this challenging time. This article is also available in Spanish.

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COVID-19: Five Helpful Responses for Families | Conscious Discipline

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Kids don't say, "Beloved parent, I'm having difficulty in my daily life. I don't fully understand what's happening, I miss my friends, I'm afraid someone I know is going to die and it feels like life will never be normal again."

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Join our diverse community of educators, entertainers and health professionals empowering youth with the transformative power of hip-hop.
Get special access to free resources, videos, music, and other perks!

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Join our diverse community of educators, entertainers and health professionals empowering youth with the transformative power of hip-hop. Get special access to free resources, videos, music, and other perks!

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Discover the world of art in a fun and easy way. Explore and learn about some of the most famous works from the Gallery's collection, make your own art, and share it with friends. The NGAkids Art Zone app for iPad lets you explore your inner artist.

Description

The NGAkids Art Zone app has eight interactive activities inspired by works in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, plus a sketchbook for freehand drawing and a personal exhibition space where users can save and display art created with the program. The child-friendly interface, easy-to-use tools, and the overarching emphasis on discovery, careful looking, and artistic self-expression make the NGAkids app educational and fun for the whole family.

NGAkids activities are designed for children to use-unassisted-in a recreational, nonacademic context. They are not art lessons, although our programs are extremely popular in schools and are often used as an adjunct to the traditional curriculum. The low-key activities preserve a sense of quiet exploration that encourages artistic expression and creativity. This absorbing, self-directed interaction has a long-term impact. The fact that children are encouraged to figure out how things work and to mentor each other adds a unique dimension to the experience, one that sparks a personal connection to art that often lasts a lifetime.

If you share artistic creations made with our app on social media, please be sure to include the hashtag #ngakids. We look forward to seeing what you make!

Don't have an iPad? Email [email protected] for the PC version of these interactives.

Special Features

The NGAkids app provides an immersive experience as children visit a virtual art museum and explore a variety of works spanning more than 300 years of art history. High-resolution graphics, careful attention to detail, and exposure to a variety of subjects, painting styles, and techniques help convey an authentic understanding of the artistic process and reinforce their familiarity with the fundamental elements of art. Although not games in the traditional sense, unexpected animation and audio features enliven the programs and help make learning fun.

There are 10 sections to explore:

* Portrait
* Landscape
* Seascape
* Still Life
* Action Painting
* Exploring Color
* Color Field
* Collage
* Sketchbook
* My Art Gallery

Works of art by a wide range of artists-including Edward Hicks, Fitz Henry Lane, Berthe Morisot, Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Mark Rothko, Josef Albers, and Robert Rauschenberg, along with several anonymous American naive painters-serve as inspirational models.

The National Gallery of Art is committed to producing quality children's programming that provides informative, entertaining, and age-appropriate content for kids of all ages. We hope you and your children enjoy the NGAkids app, and we invite you to plan an in-person visit to the Gallery, where many of the original works of art that inspired this program are on display.

NGAkids is supported in part by a generous grant from the Ruth S. Willoughby Foundation. Apple, the Apple logo, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.
Additional Resources

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Discover the world of art in a fun and easy way. Explore and learn about some of the most famous works from the Gallery's collection, make your own art, and share it with friends. The NGAkids Art Zone app for iPad lets you explore your inner artist.

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If there's one thing that is for certain, it's that occupational therapists love to see carryover. We love to encourage functioning and independence with personal goals across environments. It's through occupational therapy home programs that we encourage families, parents, and teachers to get involved with a child's goals so they can accomplish skills at home, in the classroom, and community.

I wanted to put together some activities that OTs can add to home programs that build skills. Use these as part of OT recommendations in occupational therapy teletherapy sessions, or in home programming as a result of changes in our current public health situations. Whatever your situation is, here are some activity recommendations that promote movement, learning through play, and help to keep the kids off screens.

Occupational therapy home programs for movement

So...many of us are dealing with the uncertainties of coronavirus and the possibility to be sent home from wor. School based OTs who are contracted into a school district may even be out of work if and when school students are sent home to learn from home. They may see the need to send home activity plans with children who will be stuck indoors. Other therapists are working within the available technology systems that are in place and can work with children remotely or via teletherapy. In each of these cases, there is a need for therapist-recommended activities that require items that are probably in the homes of most parents.

Use these activities to encourage play and movement. Encourage playing together as families. These activities have therapeutic benefits, but they are also great for family time, too.

Home Occupational therapy suggestions

These monthly movement activities use a lot of items found around the home.

Here are fine motor and coordination activities using a simple deck of playing cards.

Here are movement, dexterity, and strengthening activities using craft pom poms (or cotton balls work really well, too.)

Here are activities with paper clips to encourage coordination, visual motor skills, perception, and dexterity.

Here are sensory diet activities for the backyard.

Here are 31 ways to learn through movement and play. These strategies are perfect for learning at home or homeschooling.

Playdough is a powerful tool that can be added to home therapy programs! Here is a giant list of activities using play dough.

To encourage gross motor movement, core strengthening, and heavy work for sensory needs, try these indoor recess activities. They work at home, too!

Looking for home programming and OT home activities? These resources are full of ideas:
Visual Motor Activities Executive Functioning Activities Handwriting Activities Calming Heavy Work Activities
"Push In" Therapy at Home- Combine OT interventions with learning at home using these movement-based, goal oriented activities that can be incorporated into learning, math, reading, etc.

OT at Home...Play Games!

A lot of times, families have board games in the home that they haven't played with in a while. Family time games like the ones in the posts below can build essential skills that might be addressed in therapy, too. Use time spent at home to play games and work on therapy goals at the same time. Here are some game suggestions:

These Games to Improve strategy and planning are fun to play and better for the brain!

Here are more games to improve executive functioning skills.

Games that improve pencil grasp build fine motor skills, but don't seem like "work". Do you have any of these fine motor games in your game closet?

Visual Tracking Games are fun ways to work on an essential visual processing skill...visual tracking! This skill is needed for visual attention, reading, writing, and so much more.

Raid the game closet and use some items you have around the house to Build Math Skills with Games.

In fact, there is a lot of learning that happens with board games. Here is how you can learn with games you already own.

These are games and toys that build skills in reluctant writers.

Build wrist stability for improved precision and strength in the hands with these games and toys to improve wrist stability.

Looking for more ways to keep the kids busy at home while working on developing skills? Run a search through the search bar above!

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Occupational Therapy Home Programs - The OT Toolbox

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If there's one thing that is for certain, it's that occupational therapists love to see carryover. We love to encourage functioning and independence with personal goals across environments. It's through occupational therapy home programs that we encourage families, parents, and teachers to get involved with a child's goals so they can accomplish skills at home, in the classroom, and community.

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Welcome to my last "gift guide" for this holiday season! You can check out my 25+ Gift Ideas to Expand Speech Skills post and Stocking Stuffer Ideas to Expand Speech Skills post for more ideas. When I was finished with my 25+ Gift Ideas post, I realized I had not included GAMES! I use a lot of games in my therapy, as do many pediatric speech pathologists. I often adapt traditional board games to fit the needs of my client's/student's needs, however there are some games that are fantastic for speech, language and social skills development just as they are and are great gifts for little ones! This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your Convenience.

Two companies I love for educational games for 3-6 year olds are Thinkfun and Educational Insights . I also love games by Blue Orange Games , especially for social skills building and story telling (in older children).

I've created two lists here for you. The first list is compromised of simple preschool games that are NOT language heavy. I use these games in therapy for three purposes: 1) To introduce young children to the concepts of simple games, 2) To teach and build social-cognitive skills like turn taking and joint attention (particularly in children with social cognitive delays- autism, ADHD and sensory processing disorder, among others) and 3) as a reinforcing activity while I teach other speech/language skills (i.e. working on producing speech sounds). These games do not require a ton of language just on their own, which makes them great for targeting other skills while having fun. My second list is made up of games that are more language-heavy and therefore are great for speech & language development right out of the box. These are all games I have used in the past or currently own myself. Here they are, in no particular order!

These games can be used to teach and reinforce turn taking, joint attention, eye contact and non-verbal communication while introducing young children to the concept of table games. Like I explained, these games require little language but can be used to teach some basic vocabulary as well.

1. Sneaky Snacky Squirrel

2. Don't Break the Ice

3. Lucky Ducks

This is a game I use a lot with little ones to help teach the basic turn taking skills needed to play games as Lucky Ducks is a fairly simple matching game and children are usually motivated by the moving ducks.

4. Honey Bee Tree

5. Hi Ho Cherry-o

Hi Ho Cherry-O is a pretty popular preschool game. The concept is very similar to the Sneaky Squirrel game in that the first to get all your cherries in your basket is the winner. Great for turn taking, counting, color ID, and even early addition and subtraction concepts.

6. Pop Up Pirate

7. Cootie

A classic preschool game, Cootie is great for turn taking, body part vocabulary and fine motor skills. In fact, for children with fine motor delay this game can be a little challenging so you may need to help these kids build their cooties.

8. Uno MOO Preschool Game

9. Zingo by Thinkfun

10. Hello Sunshine Game

Wonderful for teaching locative concepts, Hello Sunshine Game is a FUN active game where you take turns hiding Sunshine (a plush sun) in different places while learning about locative concepts. I LOVE games like these that get kids moving (not just sitting in one place) and help teach skills in a playful and meaningful way. Though targeted for 18 months and up, it can be see for any young child with speech and language delays as well. is a FUN active game where you take turns hiding Sunshine (a plush sun) in different places while learning about locative concepts. I LOVE games like these that get kids moving (not just sitting in one place) and help teach skills in a playful and meaningful way. Though targeted for 18 months and up, it can be see for any young child with speech and language delays as well.

11. Laundry Jumble Game by Educational Insights

12. The Cat in the Hat I can Do That Game

13. Dr. Seuss What's in the Cat's Hat? Game

14. What's In Ned's Head?

15. Where is it? Game

OK, here are two bonus games: I have NOT played these, but have come recommended to me for various reasons so i thought I'd share them with you. They are on my wish list!

Richard Scary's Busy Town

Hullabaloo

Now it's your turn, what are YOUR favorite games for 3-6 year olds?

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15+ Great Games for Speech, Language & Social Skills Development {ages 3-6} - Playing With Words 365

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Welcome to my last "gift guide" for this holiday season! You can check out my 25+ Gift Ideas to Expand Speech Skills post and Stocking Stuffer Ideas to Expand Speech Skills post for more ideas. When I was finished with my 25+ Gift Ideas post, I realized I had not included GAMES!