No Time For Flash Cards

It’s almost August, so it’s time to start planning for preschool if you haven’t started yet. Here are my must-have resources, planning tools, and resources that make teaching PreK easier and more fun. Don’t miss the list of articles about how to teach preschool at the bottom of this list; these are resources I use and refer back to often.

Not all PreK teachers are eager to let their students use the classroom whiteboard, especially if it’s a smartboard, but I don’t have anything that fancy or technical in my PreK classroom. I have a regular old little whiteboard, and my students are encouraged to use it.

Since I orignially published this list of 99 Screen Free Summer Activities Since I originally published this list of 99 Screen Free Summer Activities in 2015, there has been a huge uptick in screen time for young children, and as a preschool teacher, I see this and the detrimental effects of too much screen time on development. As a mom, with littles at home and a work from home job I had to get stuff done.

This heart rhyming game and post were originally written during the pandemic when we were teaching virtually. Now, in 2026, I still use this rhyming activity every year. This rhyming game printable works in many classroom environments. Pop this rhyming game in your literacy center or on a magnet board during free choice, and let the children work on their rhyming skills. Rhyming is a vital literacy skill, and children learn it at different times depending on their individual development.

Valentines Day was never a huge deal for my classroom. But the week of Valentine’s day we talked a little bit about it, read some books, and made some fun heart art projects. I have a great mini-unit if you want me to do all the Valentine’s Day planning for you. Find it here. Children see the stores done up and I think building on the hearts they see everywhere and using this event (I have a hard time calling it a holiday) is useful, especially when you focus on families, friendship,  and love.

Child development is a complex process, and as someone with a graduate degree in early childhood development, I can say that the more I learn about it, the more I realize there is to learn. We know so much about this, but we are always learning more, which is perhaps why I find it so fascinating to dive into new research and find ways to apply it to my teaching practice.

Thankfulness, Family, and Food are the primary focus of my November preschool activities, not the Thanksgiving holiday. Yesterday, in my Facebook community, I shared a post inspired by discussions I have had over the years with other teachers titled “Should We Celebrate Thanksgiving at Preschool?” I’d love for you to check out the article and the ongoing discussion in my Facebook community, especially if the idea that there may be reasons not to celebrate it is new to you.

You don’t have to throw away calendar time; make it meaningful with a free linear calendar for preschool. On Friday, I facilitated a session at the Washington Association For The Education of Young Children’s annual conference. I spoke about math and how we can better teach it in simple, everyday ways. As part of the workshop, the attendees got access to a bunch of downloads, including something I’ve never given away for free before! My linear calendar! ​Why Use A Linear Calendar?

Need some great Halloween learning center ideas for your PreK class? I have everything you need! Halloween-themed educational activities for preschoolers for your learning centers to be used at free choice or even in small groups. Use these Halloween activities in your preschool class now or save them for your Halloween party.

Assessing preschoolers’ letter recognition can be a challenging task. Who likes to be tested? No preschooler I know! I like to use specific activities with my students that are fun but also allow me to assess where they are at and where I need to help them get to.