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Affordable and Engaging Building Toys and Provocations

February 24, 2017

Simple is best. My mom and my grandma always swore by it. Now I believe it! Despite “knowing” this for my life (aka being told this) it has taken years for me to fully embrace a simplistic understanding of play. My children grew up with us not always ever getting the “latest and greatest” but they were never lacking a variety of toys, often colourful and plastic. Mostly these experiences were thanks to great local thrift stores and a mom who was never willing to pay full price for anything! lol

Play

As I have delved deeper and deeper into understanding play, watched and learned along with them, I have developed a deeper appreciation for simple items. I see the richer experiences and their imagination grow. As a result, I prefer open-ended activities which allow children to decide where to take their play.

My students have shown me their love for all things simple. One of our biggest hits has simply been cardboard roads with real photos of our local community. They can take any shape, design and students can add to their play in an unlimited way.

This is the aftermath of an afternoon of creative building. You can see a lake in the background, a green carpet as the zoo in the foreground and the “remains” of roads where there were different buildings from our community. There were six students who collaborated to make this. I wish I had a photo of what it actually looked like. It was amazing. I printed each photo twice, put them back to back to each other and then laminated them together. Super easy, affordable and relatable for the students in my class as it is relevant to their personal lives.

Ideas for pictures in your community to laminate:

  • aerial view of an airport
  • apartment buildings
  • aquarium
  • bakery
  • banks
  • baseball field
  • car wash businesses
  • car dealerships
  • CN Tower
  • coffee shops
  • farms
  • fire stations
  • football fields
  • forest
  • gas stations
  • grocery stores
  • hotels
  • houses
  • markets
  • movie theatres
  • museums
  • Niagara Falls
  • parks
  • pet stores
  • police stations
  • race tracks
  • restaurants
  • ski hill
  • soccer fields
  • stores
  • swimming pools
  • toy stores
  • train station
  • zoo

No more worrying about which expensive toy is going to be the new “thing” in my classroom. A simple gift for which I am grateful for!

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Hi, my name is Michelle. I am a wife, mother of two and a teacher. Our family has two dogs - one recently fostered in a rescue scenario. I love creating teaching materials to support my student's learning journey and love that this can support busy teachers with engaging activities for your students! Our family loves exploring the outdoors by hiking, biking and boating.
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I love exploring sight words with my students with I love exploring sight words with my students with interactive activities!
This Build a Snowman activity challenges students to solve the word before the snowman is finished! Find this activity now in my TpT store!

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Digital write the room is a run way for students t Digital write the room is a run way for students to engage in a fun, seasonal writing activity! This version also includes a paper copy so parents who want to print it can hide the words around their house! 

#distancelearning #distancelearning2020 #kindergarten #writing #kindergartenwriting #writetheroom #gradeone #gradeoneteacher #kindergartenteacher #ece #literacyactivities #digitalliteracy #iteachkindergarten #iteachfirst
Non-standard measurement is a joy for children! T Non-standard measurement is a joy for children! 
Throughout the year we try to focus on measurement in many different ways. What different types of cubes do you think our students used to measure these objects? Any other materials? They found a bunch!
Check out my store for a set for each month of engaging snap cube measurement activities!
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My students absolutely love being detectives and s My students absolutely love being detectives and searching for write the room pictures throughout the classroom! These fall animals are a part of my October set. 

💡My write the room activities are in the midst of getting a revamp! Download the new files to if you already own them! 

#iteachk #kindergarten #writetheroom #kindergartenwriting #iteachkindergarten #kindergartenteacher #kindergartenactivities
GIVAWAY CLOSED! @learnandplayinfdk congratulations GIVAWAY CLOSED! @learnandplayinfdk congratulations on winning this giveaway! Please send me your email in a DM and I’ll email you the file! Thank you to all who participated!

My Number sense Google Slide Activities are finished. These are a perfect digital addition to your classroom or for distance learning.
I’ve decided to give one away to a lucky educator! 

How to enter:
1️⃣ Like and save this post
2️⃣ Leave me a comment below about the number sense concept your students struggle the most with recognizing
3️⃣ Tag an educator who also may want to win this

For additional entries
💡Share this post in your stories.
💡 Follow my TpT store - link in bio

The giveaway will be finished at 8 PM Tuesday, November 17th! 
Good luck! 💕

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😂 I wonder how long my hair will grow this year 😂
I wonder how long my hair will grow this year! 🤷🏼‍♀️ #teachersofinstagram #teacher #teachersappreciationweek #teachersrock #teachermeme #longhairdontcare
This makes me giggle! What are you leaning towards This makes me giggle!
What are you leaning towards? 😂

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