Books and Giggles
Seasonal and holiday ideas for kids
Inside: an apple beginning sounds digital activity for kindergarten or preschool students I created this fall digital letter sounds activity back when we were all doing distance learning, but it is still a great activity even when kids are there in person with you in the classroom. Apple Beginning Sounds Activity Do you have an…
Inside: This letter O craft features crayon-resist watercolor and a ready-to-go template. Easy peasy! Can you almost hear the crashing waves in this ocean themed craft? Can you just about feel a sea breeze on your face and smell the salt air? We haven’t made it to the beach yet this year – I keep…
I know I just posted a caterpillar craft last week, but this adorable idea for a caterpillar suncatcher craft hit me yesterday, and I just had to share it here! Like our button caterpillar craft, this one is based on Eric Carle’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It’s a suncatcher made with a plastic strawberry…
Inside: This monarch caterpillar craft is fun and easy for preschool and up. A spring thunderstorm knocked out our power this morning, and suddenly it looked like we were done with distance learning for the day. It was a great excuse to get crafting. There are lots of great caterpillar crafts out there, but we…
Inside: The Mitten activities to go with the picture book by Jan Brett. Includes crafts, printable resources, games and more for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary students. Raise your hand if you love Jan Brett! Her now-classic version of The Mitten is a favorite classroom read aloud every winter. This cozy picture book is perfect for…
Inside: A free printable sight word activity that goes with the book The Mitten by Jan Brett. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) If your students…
Inside: 10 winter books for preschoolers that they’ll love and you’ll adore reading aloud There are so many lovely children’s books about winter. As I put together this list, I included some of my all-time favorite picture books. I also found you a great selection of newer titles that I think you’ll love. Pair your…
Inside: Ways to incorporate wintertime fun into CVC activities for PreK and kindergarten. This time of year means snow, sleds, and hot cocoa — so why not use those ideas to add some winter fun into your CVC activities! When it comes to teaching CVC words, engagement is key. 6 CVC Activities to Try This…
All of these Thanksgiving activities for preschoolers and kindergartners can be done in your classroom or at home. Kids will have fun, learn and be ready for Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving Early Literacy Activities Letter recognition is FUN when there’s a spinner! This Thanksgiving resource in my store includes 3 differentiated letter and letter-sound activities, including the…
Inside: 25 pumpkin crafts for preschoolers, categorized by type of material used. I love that look of utmost concentration preschoolers get when they’re busy crafting. They’re working those fine motor muscles so hard! And as little scientists, they’re fascinated with the results. All they need to get started is a little bit of inspiration, plus…
Inside: This apple tree craft is easy enough for preschoolers to do in the fall or when they’re learning about Johnny Appleseed. I’ve been posting seasonal crafts in this space for five years now, and somehow never created our own apple craft! I even wrote a huge roundup of apple crafts but didn’t have my…
These cute Halloween puppets are a fun way to support oral language development and story retelling. You can have the children paint the craft stick bases, and then help them add the unique features to each puppet. If you’re looking for Halloween craft ideas that are inexpensive and have some play value, these craft stick…
We’re kicking off the fall season with an apple theme! In my dreams, the mornings now are crisp, and the apples are ripe. In reality, cooler weather is a long time coming here in Texas. It’s a good thing we can break out some new apple crafts and pretend! Apple Crafts You can pretend (or…
Inside: This summer name activity blends name recognition practice, fine motor skills, and science into one fun craft perfect for a sunny summer day. I could feel the sun baking my sunscreen-less arms, burning on a farmer’s tan. My mom was visiting from out of town, and we’d driven down to our Texas coast for…
Inside: Free printable letter recognition worksheets to go with two different picture books about ducks: Make Way for Ducklings and 10 Little Rubber Ducks (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising…
Inside: This Easter preschool activity includes a free printable that gives children a chance to practice letter recognition My whole classroom was quiet recently while my little preschool Sunday school class painted with watercolors. Each child created and investigated the colors with the utmost concentration at his or her own level of development. I had…
Inside: Free alphabet worksheets for preschoolers (and early kindergartners) that use stamp markers. This mini set has a spring theme for engaging letter recognition practice. (Disclosure: The links in this post may contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.) You know this:…
This free printable preschool Valentine activity is lots of fun! Your little letter learners can help the bee find hearts, flowers, and honey while practicing uppercase-lowercase matching. It’s an easy, engaging addition your Valentine’s Day literacy activities. Preschool Valentine Activity These adorable Valentine’s Day bees are as sweet as honey! I was excited to use…
Inside: how to make a popsicle stick unicorn craft with kids (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) I’m super excited about this cute unicorn craft I…
Inside: a paper Christmas tree craft inspired by the story North Pole Ninjas. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.) I lay half awake Saturday morning, listening…
I’m SO excited to share this adorable mini eraser Christmas tree with you! I think it would look super cute in a school office or on a teacher’s desk. Mini Eraser Christmas Tree Mini-erasers. ::swoon:: When I bought this little $3 tree at Target recently, I couldn’t resist also picking up a couple new bags of…
Inside: 30 holiday books for preschoolers, annotated and sorted into categories for you. Whether you’re looking for a new title to read aloud to your class or to your own children at bedtime, I hope this list will help you find exactly what you’re looking for. Update Fall 2023 – I moved the “new” books…
Today I’m sharing another fun Christmas tree craft with you. Just like the cupcake liner Christmas tree craft for kids that I shared recently, this craft is simple enough for preschoolers, but older kids can enjoy it too by adding more detailed decorations. Bump Up the Learning You can also make this Christmas tree craft educational:…
This easy Christmas tree craft for kids is perfect for class parties. It’s also a great choice for a simple craft station at a children’s holiday event. (Disclosure: Books and Giggles is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by…