Hi there!
I'm Janelle - a play-based early years teacher passionate about creating learning experiences that ignite curiosity, creativity, and academic growth.
On this blog, I share practical tips on meeting curriculum benchmarks through a balance of explicit teaching and play, setting up the ideal learning environment and fostering social-emotional development.
Let’s make play-based teaching work in your your preschool, kindergarten, and first grade classrooms!
If you are familiar with the Walker Learning Approach, then you are no doubt also familiar with writing a Statement of Intent. This fortnightly planning document is vital to the success of your play-based learning program. Check out this blog post to see how we write ours.
Read MoreIf you think curriculum planning and mapping out your term is hard work and you find it a dreaded task that seems to take you forever, you are going to love this blog post on how to write a play-based learning term overview. I’ll show you my quick and easy process.
Read MoreDiscover how to teach ACARA Maths through play-based learning in Foundation to Year 2. This blog post shares hands-on strategies, activities, and resources aligned with Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum.
Read MoreAre you wondering how to write effective and age-appropriate learning intentions for your preschool or kindergarten classroom? In this blog post you will discover some practical strategies to help you write curriculum aligned learning intentions your kindergarten and preschool children can relate to and use.
Read MoreFind out what natural loose parts are and the benefits of using them in your classroom. In this blog post you will discover how to easily source loose parts from nature and get started with Reggio inspired natural loose parts play in your classroom. today.
Read MoreTeaching the early years chemistry strand and looking for some engaging and educational science provocations? This blog post has 5 hands-on learning invitations to help you teach about Materials and their Properties. There are also tips and ideas to help you set up your very own purposeful early childhood science learning provocations.
Read MoreDo you really need to display your learning intentions in a kindergarten or preschool classroom? In this blog post you will discover exactly what learning intentions are and learn some practical teacher tips and ideas for you to have success using or displaying classroom learning intentions in the early years learning environment.
Read MoreAre you interested in how Reggio Emilia provocations could enhance the teaching and learning in your play-based classroom? Many play-based teachers are aware of the highly regarded early childhood programs from Reggio Emilia in Italy. Discover how you can design learning provocations influenced and inspired by those in Reggio classrooms.
Read MoreGrab yourself some fun Easter writing prompts and a heap of Easter writing activities and ideas in this blog post. You will be able to keep your students engaged and writing all the way up until the Easter break.
Read MoreAre you interested in setting up some engaging invitations to play using loose parts? In this blog post you will discover how to use open-ended loose parts in your learning invitations. Learn how to set up those inspiring loose parts provocations and be on your way to fostering engagement and higher order thinking skills in your classroom.
Read MoreMindful Monday is a great way to start the school week. Discover how to run a classroom Mindful Monday routine with your students and build focus, resilience, and positive self-talk each week. If you are looking for a way to bring some mindfulness into your classroom, you are going to love this Mindful Monday activity.
Read MoreAre you teaching the early years biology strand and looking for some engaging and educational science provocations to help your students learn about Living Things? In this blog post there are 5 engaging living things provocations to inspire you. There are also tips and ideas to help you set up your very own purposeful early childhood science learning provocations.
Read MoreIn a mindful classroom your children will be focused and present in their learning. Sounds like a dream? You can create a mindful classroom and this blog post will help you. You will discover what mindfulness is and learn some simple tools and strategies for teaching mindfulness in your classroomm.
Read MoreTeaching science in a play based classroom is one of the easiest things you will ever do as a classroom teacher. In this blog post you will discover how play based learning and science education go hand-in-hand. I’ll share heaps of photos and ideas you can use in your classroom to teach science through play and learning provocations.
Read MoreWhat is the teacher’s role in loose parts play? In this blog post you will discover which loose parts are best for your children and find out how the teacher plays a vital role in the success of loose parts play in the classroom.
Read MoreIf you are looking for some engaging read alouds for the first day of school, this blog post has 5 wonderful picture books you can read aloud on the first day of kindergarten or preschool. I am sure you will want to add them to your classroom library!
Read MoreDiscover what a classroom community is and why you need to be building a classroom community at school. Find out my easy ways to build classroom community and get some tried and tested classroom community building ideas you can use.
Read MoreIf you are not already counting the days of school, I encourage you to do it!!. This fun math activity is popular in kindergarten and grade 1 because it is such an engaging way to teach and consolidate early number concepts. Your students will love this predictable daily counting practice and you will be surprised at how many early numeracy skills and concepts can be taught when you count and celebrate 100 days of school.
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