KidSparkz news blog, featuring new and free preschool resources

7 Back to School Free Activities

9/1/2018

7 back to school activities for early learners - FREE!

Download these resources to make some fun activities for the first weeks of school. They could also be used to assess current skills.

Write Name and Draw Self portrait

BACK to SCHOOL Transportation Posters Oral Language

Here is a set of printables to use for the first week of school, or for a school time theme. Encourage a discussion about the ways children get to school. Have them think of some other ways, too, such as helicopter, or hot air balloon! Children draw a picture of themselves, and write name.

The 3 posters, showing a bus, a car, and walking to school, are in both color and b/w.

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Patterning Centers

Included in this 12-page pack:
• 4 ABAB pattern strips for the children to complete. Any of the hands-on pattern strips can be used as a teaching tool in a small group, or as an individual center. You will get best results by printing the pattern strips on cardstock. Laminate if desired.
• 1 ABB pattern strip
• 1 AAB pattern strip.
• 1 ABC pattern strip.
• Extension strips – tape or glue one or more of these to the end of the basic pattern strips to lengthen them, and provide spaces for the children to add cards to continue/complete the patterns.
• Set of picture cards to use to continue the patterns. Print several pages.
• 3 cut and paste activity pages in b/w for individual follow-up table work.

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School Days Trace and Count

Here are three school-themed tracing and counting pages for early learners. Count the sets, recognize and trace the numbers, add extra details (an apple for each backpack?) and color if desired.

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Apples in barrels

7 ways to show numbers 1-10

Countng center with an apples theme - show numbers 1-10 in 7 different ways.Picture

This is an interactive number and counting resource that can be used in many ways.
The 21-page pack includes 10 numbered barrel counting mats, and 6 cards to place on each mat. The cards show 6 different ways that each number can be represented: set of objects, finger counting, 10-frames, number words, dice and tally marks. (The 7th way is the numeral on the barrel).

The cards can also be used as flashcards for group teaching, in pocket charts, for wall displays, they can be placed in numerical sequence, and memory and matching games can be made by printing 2 or more copies.

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"I Go to School" Emergent reader

This is a predictable emergent reader that can be used for the first week of school, a Back to School theme, or any time during the school year. It is appropriate for pre-readers and early readers in preschool, pre-K and Kindergarten.

The reader emphasizes a sequence of things often done in the morning before going to school. On the last page, children can draw a picture of their own school, and/or themselves.

Here are the captions for each page of the reader:

I wake up in the morning.
I get dressed.
I eat breakfast.
I wash my face and hands.
I brush my teeth.
I pack my backpack.
I go to school.
Good morning, school!
This is my school. (Child draws own picture.)

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"Reading" Cut and Paste Sentences

Back to School emergent reading - cut and paste the labeled pictures to finish the sentences. Because of the repetition at the beginning, and the picture clue at the end, the children are able to predict what the sentences say, and are able to “read” them.

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Cutting on lines

Here is a set of printables to use to develop and practice early cutting skills. Lines are straight, curved, and zigzag. The theme is Ways to Go to School, and the pictures can motivate a discussion. Cut each page in half, to make 2 worksheets. Children cut on the lines, from the bottom to the top.

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