Back to School in an Early Childhood Center
Back to school season is in full swing and we are excited to see what you all have planned for the new school year! The creativity and enthusiasm we witness from our educational leaders is overwhelming, and we are so humbled to play a small part in your day-to-day.
As you get started in your planning, what are the top things you think through to keep yourself on track? We’d love to see your process and hope you will tag us in your classroom set up adventures!
We’ve shared 5 of our favorite tips below to help clear the summertime mind and get ready for a successful year in the classroom.
1. Refamiliarize yourself with your state guidelines, school calendar, and daily classroom schedule. Has anything changed? Is there anything you feel could be restructured to better accommodate you and your student needs? Having visual reminders of these items are important; where do you plan to post these within your classroom?
2. Look at your curriculum for the year. What areas are you focused on and where could you use new resources? One of our favorite areas is our dramatic play. What does your dramatic play area look like; are all of your outfits and materials still in good shape? A reading nook is one of the most welcoming and calming spots in the classroom–we’d love to see a picture of what you have created!
3. Optimize/refresh your skill-based centers. We love a good learning center, and there are endless opportunities to refresh and reimagine things. We have so many fantastic resources for themed center time play, such as STEM or light table fun. We even have new products, such as our Sensory Flower Tiles, that are a perfect addition to a sensory center or for outdoor exploration. See how Kindness Castle below utilizes her set with her children for various sensory play activities.
Footage courtesy of @kindnesscastle
4. Classroom behavior management and procedures. One of the most challenging aspects of a new school year is teaching the new classroom expectations for behavior and classroom processes. From lining up to snack clean up, to even where they sit for the morning meeting, it usually takes the first few weeks of school to teach the new routines. But this is so important! Another big aspect here is behavior management, which really falls in line well with social emotional skill development. One of our very favorite areas, be sure to look at some of our newer resources.
5. Classroom set up and organization. You might be a teacher if . . . you have the best organizational skills in town! We love you for it, and we have tons of fantastic organizational helpers, storage options, and even pretty labels for your blocks.
PRO TIP: Have resources you would love to have in your classroom? Family, friends and parents of your students LOVE a wish list to support your needs. You can create and share a wishlist by creating an account online at Constructive Playthings!
