Welcome to My Play Based Classroom Blog
Hi there!
I'm Janelle - a play-based early years teacher who is super passionate about creating learning experiences that boost curiosity, creativity, and academic growth.
On this blog, I share practical tips for meeting curriculum benchmarks through a balance of explicit teaching and play, setting up the ideal learning environment and fostering social-emotional development.
So, let’s make play-based teaching work in your preschool, kindergarten, or first-grade classroom!
What is Play-Based Learning? A Guide for Early Years Teachers
Discover what play-based learning is, why it works, and how to use it in early years classrooms. Benefits, examples, and a free teacher guide included.
F to 2 Australian Curriculum Maths V9.0 Explained
Discover how to teach Australian Curriculum Maths F–2 with clear aims, six strands explained, and play-based strategies that save you prep time.
Effective Strategies for Teaching Acara Foundation Stage in the Classroom
Discover effective strategies for teaching the Acara Foundation Stage through play-based learning, differentiation, and authentic assessment.
Free List of CVC Words for Kindergarten
Looking for an easy way to teach CVC words for kindergarten? Download my free CVC word list with decodable sentences in this blog post and discover engaging, hands-on activities to build phonics and reading fluency.
No-Prep Easter Math Printables for Kindergarten
Looking for fun and easy Easter math printables for kindergarten? Check out my no-prep Easter math worksheets to keep your students engaged while reinforcing essential math skills like number concepts, patterning, sorting & more!
Our Daily Morning Meeting in Kindergarten
Discover how to run a successful daily morning meeting in kindergarten! Learn morning meeting activities, ideas, and tips to create engaging routines that foster classroom community, support student learning, and start your school day right.
First Day of Kindergarten Activities
Discover practical first day of kindergarten activities, tips for managing those first-day jitters, and ideas to build relationships, establish routines, and create a welcoming classroom community. You can also download my free resources to make your first day stress-free!
Planning for the First Week of Grade One
Make the first week of grade one a success! Discover practical tips, engaging activities, and flexible plans to build your classroom community, establish consistent routines, and feel confident knowing your first week of school planning is done.
My Play Based Kindergarten Daily Schedule
Discover how to create a balanced kindergarten daily schedule that combines play-based learning with explicit teaching. Get tips, practical ideas, and a free editable planning template to keep your students engaged and meeting curriculum goals!
Difference between Kindergarten Centers and Investigation Areas
What is the difference between kindergarten centers and investigation areas? Discover tips, strategies, and examples for both and create engaging learning areas that meet curriculum goals through hands-on learning.
What is Inquiry Based Learning in Early Childhood?
Discover how inquiry-based learning can transform your early childhood classroom by fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and deeper student engagement. Learn how this inquiry-based approach complements a play-based pedagogy and create a more engaging learning environment.
Reflection Time in a Play Based Classroom: How to Run It Effectively
Discover why reflection time is a vital part of a play-based classroom. Learn how to implement Walker Learning reflection strategies to connect play with curriculum and support student growth.
7 Benefits of Hands On Learning in Early Childhood Education
Discover the benefits of hands-on learning in early childhood education and learn how to effectively incorporate hands-on activities and resources into your teaching practice.
6 Ways to Use Picture Sorts in the Classroom
Discover 6 innovative ways to use picture sorts in your preschool, kindergarten, or 1st-grade classroom! Learn how these versatile resources can enhance phonemic awareness, vocabulary, and more and download my ready-made picture sorts to save yourself time and boost student engagement.
14 Best Ten Frame Games for Kindergarten Math
Discover the best ten frame games for kindergarten and get my free ten frame printable. You’ll easily build number sense and math skills with these fun and engaging math ten frame activities.
Vygotsky's Play Theory: A Guide for Play Based Teachers
Want to up your teaching game? Discover everything you need to know about Vygotsky Play Theory and how it can improve play based learning pedagogies in the early childhood classroom.
21 Activities for Teaching Phoneme Manipulation
Discover why we have to spend so much time teaching phoneme manipulation in kindergarten and get 21 engaging and effective classroom activities to help your students manipulate sounds with ease!
11 Teaching Tips to Overcome Word Segmenting Difficulties in Kids
Teaching word segmenting can be tricky, especially for kids who are just starting to grasp phonemic awareness. Effective strategies and the right instruction play a significant role in helping children overcome word segmenting difficulties. In this blog post, I share 11 practical teaching tips that will make a difference to your student's ability to hear and segment the individual sounds in words.