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How to thrive not just survive – 14 top tips for a stress-free year

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When a new school year gets underway, it’s often with a feeling of excitement – but also a slight feeling of fear or apprehension. It can be daunting, as you know how busy it will get at times, and how you will be asked to dig deep and find superhuman powers as you tackle lesson plans, new students, different classes, new colleagues, new processes, a new curriculum or a new school environment. That’s on top of your day-to-day teaching. It’s a lot.

While you may feel switching to survival mode is the only way through, it is possible to thrive not just survive. How do you make the school year as enjoyable as possible? Maximise joy and minimise stress with this refresher. It’s thrive time…

 

1. Remind yourself of the rewards

Teaching can be a job that asks a lot of you. Rather than focus on the negative as you head into the school year, remember the core reasons you chose this marvellous career!

Remind yourself of the impact you’re making.

Look for those ‘aha’ moments with the students.

Congratulate yourself on your tenacity and skills.

Take pride in what you do well.

Remember that you are making a difference every day.

 

2. Prioritise self-care

Yes, everyone talks self-care. But are you doing it? Take care of your wellbeing in this busy first term when you’re getting established, so you have a deeper well of positive energy to pull from. A few small daily self-care practices can make a big difference in relieving stress, supporting good mental health and showing up for your students in the best way.

If stress is building in the classroom, breathe in deeply, hold it for a few seconds, then exhale slowly for a few seconds. Repeat that deep breathing for 2 minutes to lower your stress response and gain control.

Take a 5-minute brain break or mini-meditation to decompress throughout the day.

Outside the classroom, self-care can mean carving out quiet time, not over-scheduling your life, doing things you love and saying no to things you don’t. When in doubt, reach for an affirmation card to bring you some calm and focus.

 

3. Eat healthy & exercise

Staying healthy is the single most important way to keep yourself happy and motivated throughout the school year. A healthy diet and exercise regimen is a natural mood enhancer and energy booster too!

Cool moves: Find exercise you like – yoga, walking, gym – and schedule it when you can so it’s a regular part of your work week.

Restorative sleep: Those zzzzzs are a powerful way to stay healthy. Regular sleep lets your body and mind rejuvenate so you can meet the day with energy instead of fatigue.

Food as medicine: Getting the fuel your body needs to stay sharp will help you no end in the classroom. Prioritise fresh fruit, complex carbohydrates, leafy greens and lean proteins. Try to curb unhealthy snacks. (But also cut yourself some slack – you’re only human!).

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water each day. H2O hack: fruit is loaded with water so you can also top up your intake there.

 

4. Make time for you-time

Your free time matters. It helps you avoid teacher burnout – especially in the school year when it’s go go go. Here’s how to make it happen so you maintain that energy.

Boundaries: Put some firm boundaries in place. If you can leave schoolwork at school, do! This might mean saying no sometimes to both personal and professional opportunities – but boundaries will make you more content as a teacher.

Thrive tip: Turn off notifications on your phone for work emails!

 

Happy place: Lean into hobbies, pets, friends, family, Netflix, the beach, road trips… find your happy place outside of school hours and carve out time for it. Having some ‘you time’ and taking the dog for a walk, getting that massage or enjoying a leisurely brunch will help support a healthier balance in your life, and make your teaching time more energised, focused and less stressful.

You’ll be a better you: You work long hours but remember that your personal time is important to protect, so you can keep being the teacher you love being – and your students will thank you for it!

Thrive tip: In each term, book in some watertight ‘you time’ dates – a friend catch up, a bushwalk or a family BBQ. Schedule them in advance so when the term hits, those dates are locked and loaded.

 

 

5. Talk to your colleagues

No-one understands the demands of a teaching job like other teachers, so work those workplace friendships! Communication and meaningful social connection can be stressbusting in so many ways.

You’ll laugh and support each other, relax with each other and build healthy perspectives and potential solutions for problems that arise.

Never be afraid to ask for help. It’s a sign of strength. So, reach out, offload and share – remember, a problem shared is a problem halved.

You can help others too which feels awesome!

It’s chemically proven! ‘Feel good’ conversations trigger higher levels of dopamine, oxytocin, endorphins and other biochemicals that give us a sense of wellbeing. Gotta love that.

 

6. Book some professional development

Upskilling and staying motivated is important, so make time to top up on your professional learning and update your skill set throughout the year. Write a list of what you’d like to learn and seek out conferences or seminars that could inspire your teaching. There are lots of training opportunities offered by so many organisations. You can learn so many new things even in one day. Perhaps you could aim for a bit of PD each term to help with your wellbeing and sense of growth.

 

7. Keep calm and plan

Before the year goes too far, stay ahead with a physical (or digital) planner. It will give you a great sense of calm and a feeling of accomplishment! Using a teacher planner, jot down notes or goals you want to achieve and put dates in place. The more organised you feel during the year, the more the stress will melt away and you won’t feel so overwhelmed.

 

8. Make the classroom clean a dream

Classrooms have a habit of getting cluttered really easily, even early on in the school year. Aim to stay on top of tidying throughout the year with a system – recycling, take-home work, rubbish, store away. Perhaps put students in charge of tidying up work on the wall. At the end of each term, do a mini-clean and tidy. Send projects or artworks home that you don’t need to keep in the cupboards or in tubs or drawers any more.

 

9. Tackle reports like a pro

Reporting is a real skill and twice a year, it will come up on you before you know it! Keep notes along the way (in your planner perhaps) that will help you when it gets to report writing time. Otherwise it can be all-consuming writing meaningful comments and assessments. When the time comes, find a quiet place that works best to write your reports efficiently and use a method that focuses you. Be strategic and disciplined with your time, and don’t let it take over your time completely. You’ve got this.

 

10. Familiarise yourself with curriculum changes

For many teachers, 2023 is a year of change as the new Australian Curriculum Version 9 (https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/) comes into play as well as revisions to the NZ Curriculum (https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Refreshing-the-New-Zealand-Curriculum). How do these changes impact your lesson plans? Take the time to understand the implications in the classroom and shape your teaching accordingly. Evaluate the relevance of the resources you’re using.

 

11. Outsource the admin

Having time to prepare for your core teaching duties is a hot topic!! Research shows that many teachers juggle an ever-expanding workload. To avoid burnout, learn what tasks you can outsource throughout the school year. Put your hand up for admin support wherever and whenever it’s offered and available.

 

12. Plan holidays

Plan regular mini-breaks or holidays throughout the year. Get online. Book something. Explore travel sites. Plan a home reno. Whether you unwind best with a vacation or staycation, planning a break is motivating and will give you something to aim towards after all the hard work you put in. As a wise person once said, you can’t pour from an empty cup, so make sure a little break, even if it’s just a weekend, fills up your cup.

 

13. Be imperfect

Remember that what you’re doing every day is enough. Many teachers feel stressed and are prone to burnout because they feel they need to do more. Banish the perfectionism. You’re in a wildly human job at the end of the day, dealing with many different people – students, parents, principal, admins, the school community. Keep stress at bay by reminding yourself that you’re doing enough.

 

14. Look for the opportunity in each moment

What strengths and skills are you honing in the classroom, even when the moment may not be one of your finest? Find the opportunity in every moment – the good or the bad. The school year may have challenges, but even on the toughest day, there’s a lesson – not just the ones you’re sharing with your students, but one for you. Look for it and see it as the opportunity it is – to self-reflect, to improve, to pivot or to keep doing what you’re doing! Remember, your goal this year is to thrive and keep that passion alive!

 

Plan for the best and apply some of these tips to keep your tank full! Making your school year stress-free is possible if you prioritise yourself, prioritise your growth as a teacher, connect with others, plan ahead – and don’t forget to hydrate and breathe deep every day! And of course, when you thrive, your students do too.

 

 

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Top EC resources you need for 2023

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As 2022 comes to a close and we start to plan for the year ahead, we look back and evaluate the year’s learning curriculum. What worked well? What experiences did the class enjoy most? What resources were the most popular, and what made them barely spend a minute on the shelf as children delved into play each day? 

It’s not just the high quality that ensures a resource lasts a long time (that’s important of course), but the high value of that item that makes it a winner. But what’s high value in an early childhood setting? 

Undoubtedly it’s the open-ended play value of a resource that allows for endless adaptability. Innovative resources that empower children to inquire and experiment that nourish creative minds to find creative solutions. For children’s autonomy and confidence to blossom, in turn, giving them the desire and strength to explore and continue exploring new and exciting things. 

Let’s read on to take a closer look at MTA’s top EC resources for 2022, and some of the reasons why they make the difference.

 

Early Years Planner Tidal Creek

teb2023-e1 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/TEB2023-E1

 

Is there any better way to start each day than with a satisfying feeling of organisation? Everyone’s favourite MTA Early Years & Teacher Planners are the ultimate organisational tools. Exclusively developed with teachers & educators, these premium quality A4 spiral bound planners provide flexibility for your teaching programme and class curriculum.

It’s not just the flexible layouts of these planners that make them a favourite; it’s also the ‘extras’ featured throughout. There’s inspiration to motivate, teaching tips & ideas to support educators in their profession, dedicated spaces to keep on track with goals & plans and possibly the absolute most important – spaces to make sure ‘me time’, or self-care happens for wellbeing. Brilliant! 

The Tidal Creek cover has fast become the most popular, with artwork designed by Lauren Greatorex. Lauren is a proud Malgana, Nyikina and Jabirr Jabirr woman living on Kariyarra County in Port Hedland. Her artwork is inspired by her mission to connect with her ancestral heritage. ‘Tidal Creek’ represents the tidal pools during a king tide on Nyikina. Lauren loves acrylic because of its ability to dry fast, which allows her to layer colours when painting.

We love it when functionality is also beautiful! 

 

Bamboo Counting Set

qgp922 product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/QGP922

 

Maths meets loose parts! The Bamboo Counting Set consists of 10 bamboo cups with 55 wooden sticks for endless number exploration. Children are encouraged to place the correct amount of sticks in the corresponding cup or find and collect objects in nature or around the classroom. Objects can be sorted in a variety of ways: by size, colour, material, shape, etc. It’s a brilliantly authentic resource for children to learn through doing as they experiment with written numbers and their quantity relationship.

Number sense, or the basics of learning numbers, can be a source of fun and intrigue. Simple games and rhymes, visual aids, patterns, classification and measurement involving numbers can all lead to numerical confidence. Use the Bamboo Counting Set on its own or combine with markers & paper to promote mark-making as children experiment with symbols and their meaning, recognition of quantities and mathematical language. 

A lifelong love of maths is ready to begin!  

 

Natural Spaces – Low Heavy-Duty Adult Chair

dm4564 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/DM4564#

 

There’s so much to say about the Natural Spaces Low Heavy-Duty Adult Chair, you see, it’s not just an ordinary chair…

This chair is specifically designed for adults to sit at low levels. Educators and teachers often have to sit on children’s furniture which is too small or not stable enough. OHS ergonomic assessments have identified the need for a low chair which is designed for adult use. To solve this problem, MTA have designed a chair which accommodates educator comfort while working at lower heights. This chair is the result of tests that use the innovative ViSafe movement sensing technology. These tests have resulted in a chair which is specifically designed to provide adult educators a comfortable and stable seat while working.

Made with beautiful maple ply and a solid silver metal frame tested to 170kg as specified under AUS/NZ 4688.2:2000. Each leg has a plastic foot to avoid classroom noise and minimise floor scratches. It even features low maintenance wipe clean surfaces. Yes please! 

Why is it important for educators to sit at low levels? 

Being part of the group where they can meaningfully socialise and engage with their educators and classmates at eye level brings possibilities rich with learning. Children feel a sense of belonging, ensures children feel safer, more in control and more connected. Being at eye level communicates that you’re meaningfully there for them, paying attention to their needs and interests.

We learn by seeing and doing too. When you’re at eye level, you’re there to support and scaffold children’s learning, to role model safe & appropriate behaviours, to join in and demonstrate tasks or the use of tools, including cutlery at mealtimes, scissors at the craft table, speech and communication and so much more. 

The possibilities of a chair! 

 

Harmony Outdoor Moveable Play Kitchen

hmy10243 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/HMY10243

 

Outdoor cooking adventures await! The Harmony Outdoor Moveable Play Kitchen makes a welcoming invitation for copious hours of imaginative culinary play. Built to last, it’s made from sturdy FSC Eucalyptus and features stainless steel fittings & rust-resistant metal hardware for extra longevity. Its manoeuvrability makes this furniture piece a firm favourite too. Whether you’re chasing the shade, resetting play spaces or sharing resources between classes, simply lift one side of the kitchen with the handle and move it about the learning environment on its sturdy wheels.

A child-sized version of a kitchen provides the perfect space to engage in imaginative and creative play, building independence and autonomy to scaffold valuable life skills. It’s a space for children to imitate the actions they see at home and in the wider community, widening vocabulary and communication styles as children work with new objects, engage in conversation and talk about what they’re doing. It can be social play rich in teamwork and problem-solving as children negotiate, share, take turns and work with each other. Or it can be quiet, solitary play where children immerse themselves in their own culinary world as they take a break from a busy day. In any which way, the Harmony Outdoor Moveable Play Kitchen is responsive to children’s changing needs.

What culinary treasures will be served up today?

 

Magic Scarves

GJ2306 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/GJ2306

 

Magic Scarves remain a favourite open-ended resource for their limitless play possibilities, with the play value ensuring value for money! Each set of 12 scarves comes in 4 primary colours – blue, yellow, green and red. They’re ultra-durable and yet super soft and light as a feather! They provide tactile experiences that nourish children’s senses, creativity and imaginations for years to come.

You see, Magic Scarves can transform into any myriad of things, giving free rein to children’s imaginings as they adapt the scarf into anything the day brings. Will the scarf be a set of colourful fairy wings, a protective superhero cape or a majestic wizard’s cloak? Whether they’re used for decorative drapery, curtains for cubby houses or puppet shows, small world scenery, music, dance and movement, to wrap around dolls or to wear as dress-ups, the generous 68cm size makes them large enough for just about anything! 

They’re a must for every class!

 

Rainbow Families

FR495 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/FR495

 

The simple design and absence of facial features adds to the open appeal of Rainbow Families, with children’s imaginations, or inner picturing abilities, adapting the figures to represent literally anyone and to express any range of emotions as they engage in play, rich with possibilities. Made with FSC schima and finished with non-toxic paints and dyes, these adorable colourful people also bring peace of mind to an environment well-looked after. 

From a doctor with their patients to a café owner and their customers, the whole community can be represented as children use these 16 brightly coloured block play people to imitate real life. They’re ready to engage in small-world play, practise naming and sorting colours, compare and classify sizes and so much more. They enrich play with dollhouses, building sets, towns and roadways and make the most beautiful classroom displays. In any which way you choose, they’re built to last the rigours of play. 

Rainbow Families would love to reside in your learning community! 

 

dëna – Kids Diverity Set

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https://www.teaching.com.au/product/DTKIT03

 

Children begin to develop their sense of self from a young age, making their interactions, their environment and wider community influential to their identity. A simple yet significant way to support children in developing a positive understanding of themselves and others is ensuring they have access to a wide range of inclusive learning resources. Learning resources that nourish children’s self-esteem and confidence to flourish while fostering respect and open-mindedness for others.

This dëna Silicon Diversity Set communicates the values of empathy, equality, diversity and inclusion with a powerful tribute to the beauty of all skin tones. The kit includes a large 12-piece rainbow along with 12 people – representing the skin tones of everyone on our planet.

It’s a wonderfully open-ended resource suitable for children of all ages – right from birth. BPA, PVC, latex and phthalate free, these multifunctional silicon sets evolve with children’s developmental stages too. They’re ideal as a teether, a sensory resource, stacking and building, small world play, cooking moulds, water play, classroom displays and more. 

Little hands won’t want to put them down! 

 

Multi-Sensory Pre-Writing Tray and Board

akr20616 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/AKR20616

 

The Pre-Writing Tray & Board is a multi-sensory tablet for developing pre-writing skills and eye-to-hand coordination through the creative representation of figures using touch – inspired by the Montessori methodology by engaging sensory stimulation to further engage children’s processing and memory. By engaging the thousands of touch receptors in our fingertips, neurons fire signals via nerves to the spinal cord, the brain stem, the thalamus and finally to the cerebral cortex for processing. Children can use this sensory input to explore early literacy and numeracy by experimenting with mark-making in the sand – drawing shapes, and connecting lines and curves as they begin to form shapes, symbols, numbers and letters.

And for easy setup, these sets include all you need to get started – a wooden tray with reversible board (one side is a blackboard for chalk and the other side is a whiteboard for erasable marker pens), chalks, eraser, felt tip pen, a bag of sand (0.5kg) and a sand smoother. Brilliant! 

Let literacy and numeracy abound! 

 

Stockholm  Rectangle Corner Mirror

ach20212 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/ACH20212

 

Mirrors and the reflections they make can be a source of fun, intrigue and experimentation, creating a whole host of incredible learning opportunities too. Available in Rectangle and Square, these Corner Mirrors make terrific spaces for open-ended play that nurture children’s natural curiosity, leading to endless inquiry and discovery.

Made from environmentally friendly FSC plywood, these mirror pieces feature a wooden base panel plus 2 x mirrored side panels for mesmerising mirror investigation. The mirrors themselves are scratch resistant and made from acrylic so they won’t shatter like glass for super safe learning environments and peace of mind.

Add in some open-ended resources to invite children to play with colour, light and reflection or create an inspiring space for dramatic play. Why not add cushions or drape fabric over to create a magical cubby or sensory nook?

Who knows what they’ll be each day!  

 

Wooden Outdoor Pan Scale

teb6265 Product

https://www.teaching.com.au/product/TEB6265

 

Numeracy is part of our daily lives – the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions to use mathematics in a wide range of situations each and every day. Whether we’re managing money, scheduling calendars, measuring cooking ingredients or tallying up sports scores, numeracy plays a big part of what we do. 

 Promoting the development of numeracy competencies in early childhood welcomes children to become confident & familiar with numeracy from a young age, learning by doing as they engage in mathematical ways of thinking, extend mathematical language and vocabulary as they use mathematical concepts to make sense of their world – in turn, sparking a lifelong love of mathematical knowledge. Who knows where their journey will take them? 

A terrific way to enrich numeracy exploration is offering problem-solving situations to experiment with. As children work through solutions to obstacles, they strengthen their analytical skills – resourcefulness, creativity, abstract thinking and logical reasoning. 

Made from sustainable Eucalyptus wood, this Outdoor Pan Balance has become a fast favourite to take numeracy exploration into the great outdoors, where children can explore the weight of objects found in nature. Gumnuts, pebbles, pinecones, shells and all sorts of outdoor treasures provide children with natural provocations to explore. Combine found objects with traditional building blocks, Fraction Blocks and loose parts for any number of possibilities. 

Experimenting with the weight of objects today can lead to the weight management of intergalactic rockets tomorrow! 

 

Thanks for joining us over here at the Modern Teaching Blog today! 

We’ve loved chatting about our Top 10 resources for the year; which one has been your favourite? 

 

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13 Crafting Ideas For The Festive Season

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The most magical time of the year is fast approaching, which makes now a perfect time to organise your upcoming holiday season arts & crafts.

In this blog, we’ll showcase wonderfully inspiring crafting ideas to get you started. Whether you’re looking for classroom decoration activities or Christmastime keepsakes with memories to treasure for countless years to come, you’ll find all the projects you need for children of all ages including step-by-step guides to take the hassle out of planning.

So, sit back & relax and choose your favourite bright & merry handicrafts to release children’s festive creativity.

 

Santa’s Cookies Porcelain Plate

 

Santa's Plate

 

Father Christmas must get hungry with all that work he does! Santa’s very own cookie plate will surely go down a treat! White porcelain plates make a wonderful blank canvas for children to decorate with drawings and words, using glass & porcelain markers or paint. Whether it’s “Cookies for Santa”, “Carrots for Rudolf” or a personalised plate for the Christmas lunch table, children are sure to enjoy making their own tableware to be treasured for years to come.

To set the markers and paint for wear & tear and dishwasher use, the plate will need to be baked in an oven. Simply set oven to 150 degrees C, and once the oven temperature has been reached, bake the plate for 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow to cool before removing. Santa’s plate is now ready for his favourite snacks.

*TOP TIP – Paint provides great overall coverage of colour, while porcelain markers provide precise detail.

Featured Products;

Porcelain Plates

Glass & Porcelain Markers

Glass & Ceramic Paint

 

 

Ceramic Hanging Ornaments

 

ermaic Hanging Ornaments

 

Fun & festive ceramic hanging baubles, also in Santa shapes, Christmas trees and candy canes and stockings make beautiful gifts and keepsakes.

Decorate your ceramic surfaces with porcelain markers, ceramic paint or poster paint and finish off with glitter glue or Christmas-themed glitter for extra sparkle and pizzazz.

Perfect for hanging around the classroom, on the Christmas tree at home or to gift as thoughtful presents that will no doubt take pride of place!

Featured Products;

Ceramic Hanging Bauble

Glass & Porcelain Markers

Glass & Ceramic Paint

Metallic Silver Porcelain & Glass Painter

Metallic Gold Porcelain & Glass Painter

 

 

 

Air Dry Clay Ornaments

 

Air Dry Clay Ornaments

 

Air dry clay, cookie cutters, wooden stampers and glitter glue – yes please! So many crafting favourites feature in this action-packed handicraft experience. The end results make very special ornaments that will surely adorn the family Christmas tree for countless years into the future. Metallic yarn in red, green, gold, silver or blue makes the perfect hanging cord to match the sparkly austere texture of the glittery clay to hang proudly.

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Using the wooden rolling pin, roll out a handful of air-dry clay until it is smooth and flat (roughly 1cm thick to ensure your decorations are sturdy).
  2. Press a cookie cutter shape into the dough and press firmly until it cuts through the clay.
  3. Gently remove the excess clay (this clay can be used again or used to make extra embellishments including clay beads).
  4. Next, press one of the block print stamps into the clay and lift, creating an indented pattern.
  5. Using a skewer or the pointed end of a pencil, gently poke a hole in the top of your shape (ensuring your hole is large enough to thread your chosen cord or twine).
  6. Lift your decoration and gently smooth down the edges with your fingers.
  7. Set aside for 24 to 48 hours to dry.
  8. When the clay ornament is completely dry (firm to the touch) add a thick layer of glitter glue to the surface, letting the glue flow and sit in the indented pattern.
  9. Set aside to dry for 24 hours.
  10. When your ornament is completely dry, thread your desired length of cord or twine through the decoration, and tie in place with a knot.
  11. Lastly, tie off the very ends of the cord/twine with a firm knot to ensure your decoration is ready to hang safely.

 

*TOP TIP – Adding several layers of glitter glue (and setting aside to dry between layers) will add extra shine and lustre to your decorations.

 

Featured Products;

White Creatistics Air Dry Ceramic Clay

Christmas Cutters Set

Christmas Block Print Stamps

Christmas Glitter Glue

 

 

Pinecone Australian Animal Ornaments

 

Pine Cone Aussue Animal Ornaments

 

These adorable Australian animal pinecone ornaments pay tribute to the natural environment around us, incorporating flora & fauna-themed natural resources and textiles.

To make these cute critters, simply use strong tacky glue or a glue gun to stick the pre-cut pieces onto the pinecones provided and attach the length of twine at the top to hang on the Christmas tree. Included in the pack are 5 koalas that hold a piece of holly and 5 kangaroos that hold a candy cane – perfect for a festive-themed activity for the holiday season.

*TOP TIP – Pairing this crafting activity with Australian Animal story books or pretend play will enrich children’s exploration of literacy and language.

 

Featured Products;

Pinecone Australian Animal Ornaments

Mini Glue Gun – Low Temperature

Tacky Glue

 

 

Paper Straw Decorations

 

Paper Straw Decorations

 

Over recent years the nation has been ditching plastic straws to better care for our environment – replacing those harmful plastics with eco-friendly paper alternatives, which is fantastic news both for the environment and for us teachers so we don’t need to ditch our favourite straw crafts!

These sweet Christmas trees are super simple to make, gluing ascending lengths of paper straws onto wooden paddle pop sticks and adding a length of twine to hang. Glitter pom poms or sparkly stars will make the perfect finishing touch to your project.

*TOP TIP – It’s not just Christmas trees that can be made – why not try candy canes, stars and bell shapes, or swap the pop sticks for pipe cleaners for round threaded wreath ornaments.

 

Featured Products;

Assorted Paper Straws

Green and White Bakers Twine

Red and White Bakers Twine

Glitter Pom Poms

Adhesive Christmas Stars

Paddle Pop Sticks

Creatistics Strong Craft Glue

 

 

Gingerbread House

 

Gingerbread House

 

No holiday season is complete without a Gingerbread House! Whimsical and looking oh-so-delicious, these quaint wooden houses make beautiful seasonal displays or props to inspire imaginative play. Made from plain MDF, they’re calling out to be decorated with paint, patterned paper and Christmas embellishments & finished off with Christmas Bio Glitter & Stars.

 

*TOP TIP – Decorating Gingerbread houses over multiple days will allow glue to dry in between the paper and embellishment layers for a more workable crafting surface.

Featured Products;

Gingerbread House

Christmas Candy Colour Chenille Sticks

Building Pattern Paper

Mini Christmas Trees

Green Pom Poms 

Red Pom Poms

Christmas Assorted Buttons

Cotton Wool Balls

 

 

Native flora-inspired Christmas Wreath

 

Native Flora Inspired Wreath

 

Traditionally, the Christmas wreath’s evergreen foliage represents growth, and the circular shape having no beginning and no end signifies eternal life. For such a long time they have been hung on the door to welcome the Christmas spirit in to bring good luck to all.  These stunning wreaths may just bring you some good luck during the holiday too!

Made from a wooden base to provide a stable surface in which to glue or weave any number of arts & crafts resources, these beautiful wreaths make the perfect adornment for any front door.

The steps below are terrifically age-appropriate for older students. Younger students or preschool-aged children will likely enjoy painting their wreaths with wood-appropriate paint and using PVA washable glue to stick down Christmas collage items.

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Apply strong glue over one surface of the wooden wreath and press a sheet of hessian onto the glue, set aside to dry.
  2. When the glue has dried, cut away excess Hessian.
  3. To make the leaves, fold a green piece of paper in half, and then half again (snipping with multiple layers of paper makes for light work). Two pieces of green A4 paper have made all the foliage for one wreath.
  4. Using a pencil, draw leaves or sprigs of leaves onto the paper and carefully cut around. Using a few shades of green will add depth and drama to your wreath.
  5. Arrange your leaves around the wreath and glue into place.
  6. To make the flowers, cut strips of red paper lengthways (1 piece of A4 paper will make 8 flowers).
  7. Using scissors, make fringing by carefully snipping down the length of the paper leaving ½ cm on one edge (snip gently to avoid cutting through the strip).
  8. Next, roll the fringe into a tight coil, adding a little bit of glue to hold in place. Pinch together to hold for a few moments (you can also use a peg to hold them in place until they dry completely). When thoroughly dry you can make the flowers look realistic by gently scrunching the petals to fan them out.
  9. Use strong glue to adhere the flowers onto the wreath.
  10. Glue any additional embellishments onto the wreath as desired.
  11. Attach a length of jute string to the top of the wreath and it’s ready to hang!

 

*TOP TIP – A layer of Hessian over the wooden wreath continues the natural feel and creates the perfect surface to weave or thread wire ornaments through.

Featured Products;

Wreath with Bow

Christmas Bows

Wreath Decorations

Nature Cover Paper

A4 Christmas Cover Paper

Jute Hemp Twine

Hessian Sheets Natural

Tacky Glue

 

 

Shrink Film Ornaments

 

Shrink Film Ornaments

 

Shrink Film makes for incredibly fun art experiments! A teacher’s dream, the Christmas Shrink Film Ornament Pack includes all you need to make a whopping 96 bauble ornaments, with coloured pencils and hanging thread included. Simply use coloured pencils to design your bauble shapes and then bake in the oven to reduce the size by roughly 60%, turning your decoration into thick hard plastic.

The pre-cut Christmas ornaments are wonderfully convenient, however, if you’re after free form to design then the clear shrink film or printable shrink film options are terrifically open-ended.

 

Baking Instructions:

  1. Colour in your design on the matt side of the shrink film using coloured pencils or permanent markers.
  2. Preheat oven to 150°C.
  3. Place design on a lined tray (matt side up) and bake in preheated oven.
  4. Plastic will begin to shrink after 10 seconds. Remove from oven when plastic has returned to its flat shape.
  5. If your pieces don’t lie completely flat, lightly press with a spatula, cardboard or oven mitt.
  6. Wait for the shrink film to dry completely before handling.

 

*TOP TIP – With shrink film, coloured pencils go a long way. A very light shading only will result in bold and vibrant colours.

Featured Products;

Christmas Shrink Film Ornament Pack

Shrink Film Activity Pack

Mini Jingle Bells

 

 

Woven Christmas Tree Cards

 

Woven Christmas Tree Cards

 

These festive Christmas tree cards incorporate paper crafts & threading together to make oh-so-special greeting cards for spreading the holiday cheer. The metallic and glitter elements add a magical touch to bring children’s creations to life.

To adapt this activity for younger early childhood age groups, simply omit the threading elements, with children enjoying pre-cut lengths of yarn to glue down into a tree design, using washable PVA glue, age-appropriate embellishments and liquid crayon markers to decorate the inside.

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mark the threading holes with a pencil, and then poke a tapestry needle or skewer through the pencil marking all the way through the cardboard.
  2. Cut a length of yarn, thread your needle, and then weave the yarn up and down, threading in and out of the holes until you’ve created a Christmas tree design.
  3. On the front of the tree use a length of metallic gold yarn to weave in and out of the tree, creating a Christmas Tree tinsel design, and tie off on the front reverse.
  4. On the front reverse of the card, secure your yarn with strong tape and create a flat surface).
  5. Glue half a piece of coloured cover paper onto the inside of the card to cover the back of the tree and press down to flatten (glue sticks are ideal for this task, so the paper won’t crinkle).
  6. The front of your card is now ready for embellishments – pom poms, a Christmas star and glitter glue.
  7. Set aside to dry completely for 24 hours.
  8. Your card is now ready for drawings or writing on the inside – paint pens are ideal for vibrant creations over coloured paper.

 

*TOP TIP – Writing or drawing on the coloured cover paper before sticking it inside the card will make a more workable surface for younger students.

Featured Products;

White Cards and Envelopes

Green Acrylic Yarn 

Gold Metallic Yarn

Glitter Pom Poms

Adhesive Christmas Stars

Tapestry Chenille Needles

Christmas Glitter Glue

A4  Christmas Cover Paper

Creatistics Superstik Glue Stick

Tacky Glue

 

 

Wooden Crafts

 

Wooden Crafts

 

Pre-cut Wood Crafts are the perfect combination of woodworking, imagination and art – essentially blank canvases in which children can tinker with paint, glue and collage materials to design & personalise works that are truly their own.

You’ll find an incredibly large offering of wood crafts at MTA, so much to choose from that’ll make teachers giddy with excitement, including convenient ornament or tree packs that include all the glue, paint and embellishments you need to complete the activity.

 

*TOP TIP – Messy mats or table coverings make brilliant surfaces to protect tables from wet and messy play art activities.

 

Featured Products;

Wreath with Bow

Hanging Christmas Tree

Wooden Snowflake Decorations

Wooden Christmas Ornaments

Christmas Collage Pack

Metallic Christmas Collage Pack

Handmade Christmas Paper

Fabric Paint Set

 

 

Woven Wire Ornaments

 

Woven Wire Ornaments

 

Beautifully simple wire ornaments make a welcoming invitation for children’s personalisation. Use wire, yarn or string to weave around, filling the open space with Christmas colours and finishing off with metallic yarn & beads – and a sparkly pom pom star for the tree.  Your woven ornaments are ready to hang on the tree year after year or share as gifts for loved ones.

Yarn can be wrapped around the wire ornaments in free form using your hands only (ideal for early childhood) or incorporate sewing elements into the activity using tapestry chenille needles for older students or plastic lacing needles for younger students. Tying off your yarn after every few wraps will ensure the younger years don’t unravel their creations when they need to take a break.

Tying off your yarn after every few wraps will ensure the younger years don’t unravel their creations when they need to take a break.

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cut a long piece of your desired coloured yarn and tie it around the metal shape (tying the yarn onto the wire shape will ensure you have a firm grip to get you started).
  2. Gently weave the yarn around the shape, wrapping over and under, in and out and all around, pulling firmly to ensure the yarn stays in place.
  3. When your decoration is starting to look colourful and almost finished, it’s time to start adding beads.
  4. Thread or slip a bead over the yarn, adjusting it into place as you continue to wrap the yarn.
  5. Add as many beads for your desired look, and finish tie the yarn firmly to the decoration to keep it all in place.
  6. Lastly, add a length of twine to the top of the decoration, making sure to tie it at the end to create a loop for hanging.

 

*TOP TIP – The thick acrylic woollen yarn is easier to handle and wrap to create form and colour, with the more delicate metallic yarn bringing a sparkly touch to finish off.

Featured Products;

Wire Ornaments

Metallic Gold Yarn

Green Acrylic Yarn

Red Acrylic Yarn

Christmas Pony Bead

Glitter Pom Poms

 

 

Festive Terracotta Garden Pots

 

Festive Terracotta Garden Pots

 

Personalised pots with seedlings are the perfect growing gift to keep the festive season thriving long after the Christmas Tree has been packed away. Endless decorating options await with the terracotta surface lending itself to porcelain or paint markers, paints and embellishments. Sparkle paint metallic markers and glitter glue add a magical touch for Christmas-inspired decorating.

The terracotta pots are available on their own, or as a Garden Grow Kit complete with wooden plant stakes and herb seeds to make sure the finishing garnish is ready for your Christmas feast!

TOP TIP – Use a spray varnish to ensure your pot is ready for outdoor use with a permanent barrier to dirt, tarnish, wear & tear and moisture.

 

Featured Products;

Garden Grow Craft Kit

Fine POSCA Markers

Bullet  POSCA Markers

Christmas Ribbon Rolls

Natural Hessian Sheets

 

 

Iron-On Bead Ornaments

 

Iron on Bead Ornaments

 

Have you tried making Iron on Bead ornaments? Simply arrange the Christmas-coloured beads on the peg boards to make your desired pattern. You’re then ready to fuse the beads together using a hot iron to make a long-lasting ornament to adorn classrooms, homes or the beloved family Christmas tree.

But it’s not just ornaments that can be made! Iron-on Beads are incredibly versatile – either fused together or used as traditional beads for loose parts threading. Ideal for jewellery including bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Glue them onto wood and paper crafts for textural collage embellishments. Make festive hot drink coasters, gift tag decorations, hanging key chains or bag decorations and even plates for treasured trinkets! My only advice for this activity would be to buy several tubs – because they’re wonderfully addictive!

 

STEP BY STEP

  1. Arrange the beads into a design on the boards.
  2. Warm a household iron to high making sure the steam is off.
  3. Cover the design with a sheet of ironing paper.
  4. Iron over until the beads start to melt and fuse together into a colourful and flexible shape.
  5. Allow your design to cool before removing from the bead board.
  6. Cut a length of twine and tie onto the top of your ornament ready to hang.

 

TOP TIP – Iron-on Beads are small loose parts, perfect for school-aged students. Preschool age groups (aged 3+ years) may find the Jumbo-sized Iron on Beads and boards a more comfortable working size.

 

Featured Products;

Christmas Iron on Beads Kit

Creatistics Iron-on Beads Pack

Red and White Bakers Twine 

 Red Metallic Yarn

 

 

*All these Christmas crafting activities can be modified or adapted to suit different age groups, taking away small parts for children under 3 years of age and replacing them with larger safe parts. Where scissors, glue guns or irons are used, educators may use adequate supervision to suit the needs of the children (pre-cut shapes for young children, PVA glue in place of glue guns etc.) or educators may safely carry out risky steps themselves (such as the iron for iron on beads).

 

What are your favourite seasonal crafts for the holiday season?

 

Download: Christmas activities PDF Bundle

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Ten Frightfully Good Activities For The Spooky Season

Various Halloween themed craft supplies

Halloween is such a fun time of year for spooky crafts and activities, with plenty of opportunities to bring out children’s creativity and imagination. From dressing up in costumes and decorating the classroom or home to scavenger hunts, and arts and crafts, there’s something for everyone to have a wickedly good time! Read on for some quick, easy and festive Halloween projects that will have you howling!

 

Paper Bag Monsters

Spooky bag monster craft project
Paper bag monsters are a versatile craft experience for children to let their imaginations run wild! These plain bags can be decorated in whatever wacky characters come to mind, with children freely exploring the open-ended materials offered and choosing to use them in their own wonderful ways. Add language and storytelling to the experience by creating storylines with their characters or find a cosy spot for children to engage in spooky monster puppet play when their paper bag creations are dry.

 

Featured products:
Paper Bags 
Dot Markers 
Jumbo Creations Box 
Paper Shapes 

 

Ghost Pencil Toppers
frightful ghosts pencil toppers craft project
Add some spooky excitement to drawing and writing with these quick and easy paper pencil toppers. Simply draw a ghost character onto thick paper or cardboard and cut the shape out, punch two holes in the ghost and gently thread the pencil or pen through the holes and abracadabra, your adorably spooky pencil toppers are ready for action.

 

Featured products:
White Cover Paper 
Coloured Pencils 

 

 

Spooky Book Placeholder
Spooky Book Placeholder
Made from only a few simple paper folds and embellishments, this is one cute creature that’s batty about storytime! Grab yourself a square piece of black paper and follow the folding sequence pictured below.

Bat Bookmark Folding Instructions

Add some little wings, fangs and joggle eyes, and this adorable spooky book placeholder is ready to join in the reading. Let your imaginations run wild and fold all sorts of fun creatures with a spooky twist – bats, pumpkins, cats, frogs, owls, ghosts and more!

 

Featured products:
Matt Paper Squares 
Gloss Paper Squares 

 

Storytelling Pop Sticks
Storytelling Popsticks
Storytelling is an activity rich in language and communication! It’s a time for children to hone their concentration and listening skills, explore feelings and emotions, share their own experiences and learn from others in an interchange of knowledge. Stories can explore aspects of STEM, problem solving, memory recall and provide a place where children can freely express their thoughts and imaginings. We love storytelling!

These adorable props provide visual prompts for children and educators to tell a story. Draw some story characters on thick paper or cardboard, colour them in, cut them out and stick them onto pop sticks (for extra durability, the drawings can be laminated before they’re added to the pop sticks). Follow the characters from a favourite storybook or create your own for all sorts of imaginative tales. Once upon a time….

 

Featured products;
Pop Sticks 
Coloured Pop Sticks 
Coloured Pencils  
Coloured Jumbo Pencils 

 

Spider Tic Tac Toe
Spider Tic Tac Toe drawn in chalk on slate
Also called Noughts & Crosses, Tic Tac Toe is a fun and simple game for young children to build maths skills, including counting, predictability, problem solving and special awareness. Taking turns to lay their pieces on the board, whoever gets three in a row, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally, is the winner! This is a traditional game that can be made up with all sorts of odds and ends – to make the game board, use paper and markers or a hard, flat surface and chalk or sticks. To make the playing pieces, simply find four of something that’s different from the other player’s pieces. We’ve made spooky bottle top spiders in two different colours, but you could use stones, shells, wood slices, counters etc.

 

Featured products:
Bottle Tops 
Pipe Cleaners 

 

Loose Parts Dough Creatures
Loose Parts Spooky Dough Creatures
With loose parts play, anything can happen! Children can move loose parts freely,  adapting and turning them into anything their imagination desires. A selection of open-ended loose parts makes a wonderfully inspiring invitation for children to explore, experiment, inquire and invent, and with the addition of dough or modelling clay, children are sure to make some fantastical creations!
To make a treasured keepsake that will last, switch the dough or modelling clay for air-dry clay, which will harden beautifully in a day or so, ready to adorn the classroom or live on at home.

 

Featured products:
Modelling Clay Kit 
Creatistics Dough Kit 
Creatistics Dough Set 
Craft Essentials Kit 

 

Happy Halloween Bunting
Happy Halloween bunting
Adorable FREE printable Happy Halloween bunting!

These sweet and spooky characters are sure to bring festive cheer to the learning environment – whether it’s the classroom, after school setting, home learning or weekend fun – the finishing touch to any Halloween party is here. Simply print out as many copies of the bunting as you desire, snip out the shapes, follow the hole punch guide and string up your spooky triangle bunting.
No need to worry about waste either. Paper bunting can be saved and reused next year, snipped up for spooky collage art, popped into the recycling or even shredded and added to the compost to make nutritious soil to grow yourself a real pumpkin!

 

Featured products:
Jute Hemp Twine 
White Cardboard 
Happy Halloween Bunting  FREE PDF Download 

 

Outdoor Story Stones

Outdoor Story Stones
Combine storytelling with the wonder of nature with these adorable story stones. Made from a mix of natural stone and resin, they’re built to last the rigours of play outside, allowing outdoor nature play to guide imaginative storytelling. The sights, sounds and textures of the great outdoors all make wonderful prompts for scenes where anything can take place. Story stones can also be made by adding simple illustrations to stones or small wooden branch cuts.

 

Featured products:
Story Stones – Fairy Tales 
Story Stones – Outer Space 
Story Stones – Under the Sea 

 

Batty Paper Crafts

frightful bat paper craft project with google eyes and gluesticksPaper arts and crafts are fantastic for children learning about colours and shapes. Snipping paper is also a fun way to work on scissor skills. Joggle eyes will help bring children’s creations to life and may even inspire some spooky storytelling! The paper shape pictures can decorate the classroom or be taken home as gifts to share the excitement of the spooky season.
This activity can also be adapted for different age groups to make sure everyone’s safe. Children confident with scissors may like to snip their own shapes out, where younger ones might benefit from a selection of pre-cut shapes to choose from.

 

Featured products;
Coloured Paper 
Joggle Eyes 

 

Spooky Fairground Bowling

Spooky Fairground Bowling craft project using cardboard rolls Fairground bowling games are a timeless tradition for all good parties, and this sweet, spooky version is a hoot. Add some wacky faces to sturdy cardboard rolls and take turns knocking them down with any ball you have handy. These ghosty characters look great with plain white rolls or decorated with paint, markers, coloured paper and all sorts of embellishments for endless design options. For older children, numbers can be added for scoring up the total points knocked over for fun maths practice.

 

Featured products:
Cardboard Tubes 
Craft Rolls 

 

*All these activities can be modified and adapted to suit different age groups, taking away small parts for children under 3 years of age and replacing them with larger safe parts. Where scissors are used, educators may use adequate supervision to suit the needs of the children or offer pre-cut shapes.

 

What are your favourite spooky crafts and activities to celebrate Halloween?

 

 

About the Author
Penny Groen is an Early Childhood Teacher who has been working in Early Childhood Education and Care settings around Sydney for 17 years. She has a passion for working in meaningful partnerships with families and communities, providing a responsive and engaging curriculum where everyone feels welcome to contribute. You can see Penny’s interest in the natural world with all the weird and wonderful experiments growing both inside and outside the classroom. Penny’s also known for equipping children with the tools to explore their interests and celebrate the discoveries each day brings.

 

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Mother’s Day; Craft Ideas For Kids

Mother's Day Craft Ideas for Kids Preview

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and there are lots of teachers and educators searching for the perfect gift idea for the students in their class to make for the special mother figures in their lives. If you’re looking for fun and cute Mother’s Day craft ideas for kids, then you have come to the right place! There is something so special about handmade gifts from children that mothers really treasure. Read on to find out some of my favourite craft ideas for kids to make for Mother’s Day.

Wooden Hanging Heart Frames

Wooden Hanging Frames art activity on grass background

I love these Wooden Hanging Heart Frames because of their versatility, there is so much you can do with them! Whether you’re leaving them plain for a more natural look or painting them with pastel paints, these frames are bound to look beautiful. If you’re leaving them plain, they look really nice paired with brown cardboard, ‘MUM’ tiles and plain wooden beads. If you’re after something a bit more colourful, using pastel paints to paint over the MDF wood is the way to go. Once dry, embellishing these with coloured cardboard showcasing drawings and special messages inside the love heart frame looks really sweet. Alternatively, adding a little extra sparkle with biodegradable glitter or pastel sequins also looks great! Finish off these Wooden Hanging Heart Frames by tying on a pipe cleaner so that these beautiful gifts can be proudly hung somewhere special for Mum to always see.

MTA Product Used:
Wooden Hanging Heart Frames
Pastel Paints
Pastel Crate Craft Kit
Wooden Letter MUM tiles – set of 20
Bio-Glitter Set of 8 
Plain Wooden Beads – pack of 300

Heart Shaped Key Rings

Heart Shaped Keyrings craft activity on grass background

Mothers are always carrying their keys around with them, so what better reminder that they are loved than these adorable Heart Shaped Key Rings? If you are a time-poor teacher and after a quick and easy Mother’s Day craft for your students, then I highly recommend these key rings. Simply cut out cardboard in a heart shape (you can use the plastic from the key ring to help with shape and sizing) and then your students can draw and write a special Mother’s Day picture and/or message. Alternatively, how cute would a photograph of each child look inside these clear key rings?! I am positive all mothers would love a special keepsake like this.

MTA Product Used:
Heart Shaped Key ring – Pack of 10

Wooden Bead Necklaces

Wooden bead Necklaces craft activity on grass background

Making necklaces for Mother’s Day is hands down my absolute favourite crafty gift and my students always enjoy making them for their Mum/mother figure too! The reason why I think necklaces are the perfect handmade gift is because they are pretty quick and easy to make AND I love seeing how happy it makes children when they see their Mum proudly wearing their creations. Now we know that mothers are absolute angels who will pretty much wear anything their children make them… but how good would it be if they actually got beautiful necklaces that didn’t clash with most of their outfits? That’s why I love these Wooden Bead Necklaces that were made using plain wooden beads, natural beading cord and beads that were painted with pastel paints. The wooden beads are lovely and natural and the beads that have been painted with pastel paints are subtle enough to go with almost any outfit. You can even make a matching bracelet by threading the wooden beads onto a pipe cleaner and tying it around!

MTA Product Used:
Plain Wooden Beads – Pack of 300
Natural Beading Cord
Pastel Paints
Pastel Crate Craft Kit

Handmade Cards

Handmade cards craft activity on grass background

Is there anything more meaningful than a handmade card? I don’t think so! As a teacher, I know nothing beats a card that a student has made for you, which is why handmade cards are at the top of my favourite craft ideas for Mother’s Day. I love the look of these Natural Cards and Envelopes, they are a beautiful natural colour and the perfect blank canvas to get creative with! Children can use a range of craft materials to turn these cards into something special. My personal favourites are ‘If Mums were flowers, I’d pick you’ that can be paired with felt flowers, and, ‘I love you to pieces’ which involves cutting a heart shape in the front and then having lots of small felt pieces on the inside of the card. So sweet!

MTA Product Used:
Pastel Crate Craft Kit
Natural Cards and Envelopes – Pack of 20
Wooden Letter MUM Tiles – Set of 20
Felt Flowers – Pack of 100

Wooden Box Display Frames

Wooden Box Display Frames craft activity on grass background
Last but definitely not least in my favourite Mother’s Day craft ideas for kids is these adorable Wooden Box Display Frames. These frames are really cool because the contents inside the frame can be viewed from both sides through the clear plastic panels. They are perfect for displaying sweet messages, drawings and embellishments with craft materials such as felt flowers, pom poms, ‘MUM’ tiles and buttons. These display frames would also look very nice with a photograph inside them. So many options!

MTA Product Used:
Pastel Crate Craft Kit
Small Box Display Frame
Wooden Letter MUM Tiles – set of 20
Felt Flowers – Pack of 100

 

What is your favourite Mother’s Day craft idea for kids? We’d love to hear from you!

ABOUT HEIDI:
Heidi Overbye from Learning Through Play is a Brisbane-based, Early Years Teacher who currently teaches Prep, the first year of formal schooling in Queensland. Heidi is an advocate for play-based, hands-on learning experiences and creating stimulating and creative learning spaces. Heidi shares what happens in her classroom on her Instagram page, Learning Through Play. See @learning.through.play for a huge range of activities, play spaces and lesson

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Super Stories For Starting School

Book blog starting school preview

A happy new year to you all, and welcome back to the MTA Book Blog!

It doesn’t feel like very long ago at all that we were shining a light on our picture books for brighter times — I do hope you were able to enjoy that fantastic Brighter Times discount! And now here we are at the start of a brand-new year, hopefully full of brighter times ahead but definitely full of fabulous books just waiting to be discovered!

In the spirit of things that are brand new, for this first post of 2022, we’re going to be taking a closer look at some perfect picture books to support children who are starting school for the very first time this year.

Starting school is undoubtedly one of the most enormous and most emotional milestones in a young child’s life, and never more so than right now. With many of the children moving up into primary school this year having spent the last two years with decidedly disrupted routines, the transition to primary school is likely to be one that is approached with understandably increased anxiety and trepidation. As always, books to the rescue.

We have selected some utterly wonderful picture books to help young children prepare for the move mentally, physically and emotionally in our Starting School Book Pack. So grab your lunchbox, say one last goodbye to the cat and check you’ve got your lucky scrunchie, because we’re off to school!

 

‘First Day’ by Andrew Daddo and Johnathan Bentley

First Day book cover and quote

We start the day with the sweet and touching ‘First Day’ by Aussie author/illustrator duo Andrew Daddo and Johnathan Bentley. In ‘First Day’, we join a little girl and her mum as they prepare for the first day of school. But who is reassuring who?

In this cleverly written story, it’s not until the final page that the narrator becomes clear, and we realise that it’s the little girl who has been speaking the comforting words to her mother throughout, coaching her through the day, anticipating the challenges and conceding that she too has some first-day nerves.

‘I might have to be a bit brave, too.

But it’s not for long.

Let’s meet here when the bell goes.’

The transposition of traditional adult/child roles in books is always a source of delight for children, and ‘First Day’ is a great example of this. In demonstrating that those feelings of anxiety and uncertainty are not only natural but also shared by a big-brave-all-knowing adult, the book brilliantly models emotional vulnerability and allows children to find comfort in knowing they’re not alone in their first-day feelings.

 

‘Starting School’ by Jane Godwin and Anna WalkerStarting School book cover and quote

For our next lesson, we’ll be looking at the gorgeously illustrated ‘Starting School’ by another Aussie author/illustrator team, Jane Godwin and Anna Walker. In this story, we are introduced to five children on their first day of school. Each child has different expectations coming into the classroom, and each one has a very different first-day experience.

‘Polly is trying to be brave.

Sunita doesn’t know anyone, but she feels ready for school.

Hannah feels excited, but Tim doesn’t want to leave his mum.

Joe has found an interesting book about dinosaurs.’

For me, it’s this diversity in the experiences that are presented that is the most valuable element of ‘Starting School’. As children approach school age, this also coincides with the development of their ‘theory of mind’; the understanding that other people have motivations, emotions and experiences of events that may differ from their own. This is crucial for a child’s social-emotional development, particularly within the context of establishing new friendships and relationships in a school community.

A follow-up discussion with your new starters about which one of the children in the story — if any — had the same feelings they did on their first day will encourage children to share their own experiences, promote empathy and further develop their theory of mind as they acknowledge the diversity of experiences within their new classroom.

 

‘The Wild Guide to Starting School’ by Laura and Philip BuntingThe Wild Guide to Starting School book cover and quote

For our final lesson of the day, we’re in for a real treat with an adorably hilarious picture book from powerhouse Aussie husband-and-wife team Laura and Philip Bunting. If laughter is the best medicine, then allow me to prescribe a big gulp of ‘The Wild Guide to Starting School’ to soothe those first-day jitters. ‘The Wild Guide to Starting School’ reads as a how-to guide that will have your little ones giggling on every page as they learn what to do and — importantly — what not to do when they get to school. Helpful tips include:

  • Scissors are for chopping paper, not haircuts.
  • When making new friends, try to avoid licking.
  • It is not okay to eat the teacher.
  • Do not poop in the sandpit.
  • Do not poop on your teacher.
  • You don’t win friends with poop.

At this point I should probably point out that the characters in ‘The Wild Guide to Starting School’ are all Australian animals (although would it be that much of a stretch?), which adds fantastic comic value and allows for some truly brilliant illustrations. However, amongst the silliness there is genuinely helpful advice, as well as some big-hearted truths about how devoted and caring teachers are and how everyone is feeling lots of Big Feelings, all of which are valid and all of which are perfectly normal.

 

There goes the bell! That means it’s time to wrap up this week’s post, tidy our tables, gather our things (how did I lose my sock?) and head on home, ready to do it all again next time!

So, if you’re looking for the perfect picture books to ease your new starters into your classroom — or if you’re an early childhood educator looking to help prepare your intrepid little learners and ensure their transition to primary school is as smooth as possible — then look no further than the titles in the Starting School Book Pack. These sweet, relatable and fiendishly funny books will fill your little ones with knowledge, confidence and empathy as they embark upon this most exciting of new adventures.

 

See you on the playground!*

 

*kidding, I’ll be in the library.

 

 

About the Author

Emily Bruce is the Managing Editor at Modern Teaching Aids (although she prefers the term Grammar-Wrangler-in-Chief). She has worked in children’s publishing in the UK and Australia for eight years and is passionate about finding the spark that ignites a lifelong love of literacy in the next generation of storytellers.

 

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Back-to-school essentials

Back to school classroom overhead view

Every new school year brings with it a level of excitement for both teachers and students. It is my favourite time of the year as everyone begins with a fresh start and an enthused energy for the year ahead. For teachers, we have the privilege of getting to teach a new class of students, designing the learning space from a blank canvas, and for many, the always-elusive goal to be more organised.

In this post I will be sharing some of my must-have resources for the classroom along with my favourite beginning-of-the-year activities to get to know your students and for your students to get to know each other.

 

Classroom Must-Haves:
When setting up my classroom I always like to have a theme or colour scheme. Over the years some of my favourite themes that I have created have been based on butterflies, ‘Up in the Sky’ (hot air balloons, planes), the ocean and the circus. I love having the colours of the learning space, resources and display boards match to set the tone of a creative organised space that welcomes students to our class.

Some items I love to include in my classroom are;


Classroom Caddies Laptrays and Chairbags

These products can be used in a variety of ways in the classroom and the best thing is that they all match.

 

Lap Trays
These Lap Trays are a great addition to any junior primary classroom. They allow for flexibility in the learning space during group work and also during independent learning. I love that these trays provide students with a hard surface to complete tasks in their books so they do not need to write on the carpet or flooring. I use these daily with my students during small group work that takes place on the floor space around the class. Many students also choose to use the Lap Trays during independent learning time so they can work in a quiet spot or away from others. In my classroom, I have a beautiful courtyard outside where my students sometimes choose to go outside to work and these Lap Trays allow them to have a suitable surface to work on.

 

Children with Laptrays sitting on floor

 

Classroom Book Caddies
These Book Caddies are a great way to store take-home readers and student books. I organise my student books in these Book Caddies and have labels on them for maths, reading, writing and inquiry books. I like having them all together for two reasons; the first being that students do not need to go to their tubs to get their specific book, rather I can either have the class captain hand the books out or I can call out student names to collect, and the second being that at the end of a learning experience students place all their books back into the Book Caddy and then I can easily view and assess their learning rather than searching through each student’s tub for their book.

 

Book caddies filled with books on desk

 

Classroom Caddies
These Classroom Caddies are perfect for shared stationery and the vibrant colours stand out when placed on classroom tables. The compartments in the Classroom Caddies allow for pencils, pens, scissors, glue, rulers to be stored neatly, making them easily accessible for student use.

Classroom Caddies are also a great resource for sharing required activity materials. During STEM and Inquiry Learning activities I use the Classroom Caddies to provide each group or table with the resources they need for the specific activity. I can organise the materials prior to the lesson and, upon completion, students can return the materials in an orderly way making clean up a lot more efficient.

Filled Classroom Caddies on classroom floor

 

Chair Bags
These beautiful Chair Bags provide students with a place to store their essentials without the hassle of a tub. I love the various pocket sizes which allow for students to store their devices, exercise books and the book they are reading, along with their essential classroom resources like a ruler, pencil case etc.

Filled Chairbags and Classroom Caddies on Desk in classroom

 

Beginning-of-the-Year Activities:
At the beginning of the school year the priority should be on developing relationships with your students and getting to know what they each like and are interested in. Spending time undertaking activities that highlight student personalities will support you as the teacher but also allow students to get to know each other and begin to develop new friendships. These activities also provide teachers with an insight to see how students work together, interact and complete tasks.

These are my favourite activities to get to know your students:

Jigsaw Activity:

Jigdraw DIY jigsaw activity

Materials
– Jigdraw – 20 Pack 
– Snap-lock bags

Each student receives a blank Jigdraw template with 20 pieces. Students draw a different image on each puzzle piece that represents something about themselves. Some ideas for images can be family, pets, hobbies, favourite food, favourite places etc.

Students place their completed Jigdraw pieces into a snap lock bag.

The snap lock bags are then randomly handed out to students who need to put the puzzle pieces together and then try to guess which student is represented by the images.

These Jigdraw blocks are also a great resource to use for students to share their learning during inquiry learning. They can then build upon their ideas and knowledge as the learning continues throughout the year.


Chalk Mindmaps

DIY Chalkboard Signs activity

Materials – Sidewalk Chalk 

Chalk is a great resource to have in any classroom. I have found the Sidewalk Chalk to be the perfect size and thickness for student use and it comes in great colours. Students can use the Sidewalk Chalk to draw directly onto concrete, but I have created blackboard-painted timber pieces for student use across many learning areas.

Students receive a number of blackboard-painted timber pieces and draw a giant Mindmap to highlight the topic they are given. The topic gets placed in the centre and then students write or draw their ideas and place them around the topic to create their giant mind map. This is a great visualisation too.

Some ideas I like to focus on at different times are;

    • Looking forward to this school year
    • Holiday reflection
    • Inquiry brainstorm, questions, wonderings
    • Spelling words
    • End-of-term reflections


I hope this blog post has provided you with some inspiration to help you set up your classroom or provide you with some beginning-of-the-year activity ideas to get to know your students.

 

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About the author

Eleni Kyritsis is an award-winning Year 3 teacher and Leader of Curriculum and innovation from Melbourne, Australia. Eleni facilitates professional learning workshops around the world that focus on unleashing creativity and curiosity in classrooms. You can contact her at elenikyritis.com and @misskyritsis

 

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Creating Welcoming & Calming Learning Spaces

Creating Welcoming & Calming Learning Text and Plant pot Vector graphic

A positive, nourished mindset is so important to keep the energy high all year round. Our goal is to support and nurture educators when the physical and emotional demands of day-to-day tasks and experiences exceed the amount of energy available! (Over a long period of time, this can lead to feeling overwhelmed and drained.)

In this piece, we’ll look at valuable ways in which learning spaces can be shaped to support and respond to children’s and families’ needs. This ensures everyone feels safe, connected and comfortable in the setting, including all the great educators out there worth their weight in gold!

 

 

Comfy & Cosy Spaces

Young girl sat on beanbag chair in childcare learning environment

 

Soft furnishings ensure children have access to a comfortable learning environment and can include anything from rugs and carpets to cushions, canopies, netting, fabrics and more!

Soft furnishings can transform a loud and busy learning environment by absorbing noise and helping to create pockets of calm where children can, for example, snuggle into a big cushion to read a book, or lie down and have a rest in a cosy and comfy spot. Soft furnishings can modify a rustic cubby house into an inviting and comfortable cave or create a welcoming area for the class to sit together to yarn, share stories and plan out the day’s events.

 

Featured Product:

MTA Spaces –  Navy Foam-Filled Lounger 

 

 

Calming & Reflective Spaces

Young girl sat in cosy nook reading

 

Calming and reflective spaces offer a peaceful learning setting in which children can embrace quiet. Here, children can spend time relaxing and reflecting away from the hustle and bustle of a busy classroom.

Cushions, fabrics, tents and dens can all contribute to quiet and reflective spaces, making cosy and comfortable spots for children to explore and make their own.

Combine these spaces with books, puzzles, soft toys, tea parties or anything else that children would like to add to their retreat. A calming and reflective space can be just the thing to refuel children’s energy.

 

Featured Product:

Stockholm Spaces – Cosy Retreat 

 

 

Spaces of Belonging

Peg People of the world on table

 

The way children and their families are welcomed into the learning environment makes an incredible difference to their sense of belonging. Belonging is all about feeling connected and secure, valued and accepted with the community’s people and place. A deep sense of belonging ensures the emotional wellbeing of children and their families can thrive, including their self-worth, confidence, capability and adaptability, to name a few.

Feeling secure and connected within their social and physical learning environments will also ensure that these settings become places of safety and refuge for children and families to work through the challenges and difficulties they might be experiencing.

Educators are in an excellent position to build a sense of belonging, not only with their words and actions but also with the physical settings too. Seeing welcoming resources such as wall hangings or displays or children’s names on parent communication pockets will invite families into the settings. Classroom journals will also empower children and their families to contribute to the program and the day’s happenings.

A place where everyone belongs.

 

Featured Product:

Peg People of the World

 

 

Mindful Spaces

Birds eye view of young girl surrounded by mindful picture cards

 

Affirmations, mindfulness and restful breathing activities, including yoga, can all help ‘cultivate calm’ while fostering a peaceful and positive mindset. Creating a daily ritual with affirmations and yoga
or meditation and breathing will empower young children to nurture their self-awareness, set positive intentions and work through emotional regulation in healthy and helpful ways.

Focusing on gratitude – the feeling of appreciation – is also a powerful way to see the silver lining when everything seems gloomy. These Positive Mindset Affirmation Cards and I Am Me Affirmation Cards can enable the building of confidence, resilience and self-esteem by helping children to find the sunny side of any situation.

 

Featured Product:

Mindful & Co Kids Yoga Flash Cards

 

 

Engaging & Inspiring Spaces

MTA Light table with chids hands and coloured shapes on top

 

It’s hard to feel motivated when you’re burnt out.

Refreshing your learning environment with a new and exciting project can go a long way in helping to reignite energy and enthusiasm. Light boxes and panels along with light box resources are wonderful tools to drive children’s motivation to explore and investigate with energy and enthusiasm. They light up the room in the most magical of ways, in turn bringing delight and wonder to learning curriculums.

Creating an engaging and inspiring learning environment ensures everyone wants to come back for more. What will happen today? The possibilities for discovery are endless!

 

Featured Product:

Stockholm Spaces – Round Table & Light Panel

 

 

Culturally Meaningful Spaces

Young girl playing with culturally meaningful resources on table

 

Culturally meaningful curriculums in early childhood settings increase opportunities for its community members to feel connected – a place to feel safe and secure, to feel loved, appreciated and valued. A place to belong.

If you’re thinking, ‘This sounds great, but where do I begin?’, a good starting point is to have a wander through your setting. Does everything in your setting reflect the diverse backgrounds of its community members (the children and their families, the educators and service staff, as well as the wider community at large)?

There’s no end to the items that you can meaningfully interweave throughout your environment. Include dolls, figurines, pretend food, dress-ups and props from around the world. Ensure children’s books portray the diversity of the world’s peoples, perspectives, cultures and abilities in a positive light. Make sure there are truly authentic cultural and Indigenous resources for children to connect with on a daily basis. Invite educators and families to share their cultural backgrounds – learn some keywords and phrases from different languages, learn a song or dance, cook foods from around the world or engage in traditional storytelling.

 

Featured Product:

Fair Trade Aboriginal Ceremony Matching Game

 

 

Purposeful Spaces

Childcare centre furniture

 

Learning spaces that are set up purposefully can bring safety and comfort and a sense of calm to the environment. The physicality of the space (the size, furniture placement etc.) communicates what is to happen, providing clear boundaries and fostering behaviours of motivated and engaged learners. Create breakaway areas, book corners and home corners or simply direct foot traffic in safe and effective ways.

How can a purposeful space be created? It might be through using non-fixed furniture pieces that can be easily moved around the room to create and define predictable play spaces. Open-backed shelving also acts as a barrier while allowing for maximum supervision. Rugs and carpets define a learning space, while the number of chairs, cushions and pillows communicate how many children the area is suitable for at any one time.

The resources chosen to join the space will also encourage positive behaviours. Organised and uncluttered spaces with a considered selection of materials will invite children to develop their skills and interests while interacting in positive ways and achieving learning goals.

 

Featured Product:

Stockholm Spaces – Circular Low Table

 

 

Creative Spaces

Paining easel with paintings hanging in childcare learning environment

 

With all those big feelings and emotions children are experiencing, spaces in which children can express themselves with art become even more important. The creative and expressive arts (including painting and drawing, dance, drama, music and movement) all allow children to work through their feelings and emotions by creatively expressing themselves, which is especially important when the words can’t be found.

Providing a space that includes a wide variety of creative materials ensures children have endless opportunities to process what’s happening in their world and come to terms with their experiences. A space where children’s voices and perspectives are seen and heard.

Creative spaces aren’t just for children though! A selection of art materials in the staff room can provide a creative strategy for educators to relieve stress. Drawing or colouring-in for adults can help boost positive feelings or simply take your mind off things.

 

Featured Product:

Premium Wooden 4-Sided Easel

 

 

Storytelling Spaces

Young girl and boy reading large storybooks in earlychildhood centre classroom

 

Grab a comfy cushion – it’s storytime!

Books that gently and sensitively capture the lived experience of lockdown, such as While We Can’t Hug, Share Your Rainbow and Windows are invaluable in helping children make sense of an ever-changing ‘new normal’ during the current pandemic. The Fun & Humour Book Pack is guaranteed to make children laugh with continuous joy and entertainment, while the Emotional Development Book Pack celebrates some important milestones in young children’s emotional development with just the right touch of imagination.

Whether it’s everyday shared reading with the Big Books Mixed Carton or storybooks that delve into specific topics, books are a powerful way for children to explore and process their feelings and emotions, supporting and empowering them to identify and articulate the things they are experiencing.

 

 

Multigenerational Spaces

White cots and blue armchair & cushions

 

Adult-sized furniture pieces ensure educators have places to sit safely and comfortably throughout the day, as well as provide welcoming statements for families to participate. Whether it’s reading a story from the Intergenerational Shared Reading Pack or providing a space for carers to feed their little ones before setting off, adult-sized armchairs, sofas, chairs and cushions will ensure a homelike setting where all the members of the learning community feel comfortable and welcome.

Featured Product:

Aalto – Full-Size High Back Armchair

 

A well thought out learning environment has the power to support the wellbeing of children & their families – and educators too! It can encourage exploration, enquiry and discovery – and can include open spaces to move about, cosy nooks to hide away and everything in between. It can respond to individuals needs and interests, provide stimulation and excitement, security and comfort, demonstrate cultural diversity and perhaps most importantly- a deep sense of belonging for all.

 

Thanks for joining us over here at the Modern Teaching Blog today!

 

 

About the Author
Penny Groen is an Early Childhood Teacher who has been working in Early Childhood Education and Care settings around Sydney for 17 years. She has a passion for working in meaningful partnerships with families and communities, providing a responsive and engaging curriculum where everyone feels welcome to contribute. You can see Penny’s interest in the natural world with all the weird and wonderful experiments growing both inside and outside the classroom. Penny is also known for equipping children with the tools to explore their interests and celebrate the discoveries each day brings.

 

 

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