This calls for a PAR-TAY!!!

Hey guys!! It's Katie, from Little Warriors! 

Goodness!!! Today I'm another year wiser older! My, how time flies by!!! 36!?!? Wha, wha, whaaaaaat??!?! How does that even happen?? I don't FEEL old, but, when I think about the number, it just doesn't seem quite right.

Thanks Deana!! You said it, girl! Ha!! #lovethatsong

AND, February is a very special month because not only is it MY birthday, but, it's also my blog birthday!!!! 

Shout out to Erin's Ink for drawing my cake and party hat!!!

Ahhhhhhh!!! Little Warriors is turning FIVE this month!!! Can you believe it??? I can't!! But, it's true! HERE is my very FIRST. EVER. post!!!! LOL!

So, with birthdays on my brain, I decided to do a little post about birthdays today!! Here are some things that I do for my birthday kiddos!

Last Summer I painted my U.G.L.Y., rusted lockers in my classroom with chalkboard paint! I cannot even tell you how much better they look! Especially when someone has a birthday! ;) I decorate their locker with colored chalk! It's so bright and fun and really makes them feel special!!

If you don't have lockers are chalkboard paint, another idea would be to use a dry erase marker and write on their table or lockers. I write little notes on my kiddos' tables sometimes. (Especially if I know I'm going to be out and have a sub the next day! It really helps them behave :)

These are the little gifts that I give my Kinders. I found these GEMS at the Dollar Tree last Summer and bought them ALL up!!! They are so fun!! They say "Happy Birthday" across the top AND they light up. PLUS, they have SIX candles on top! I mean, seriously!!! Could they be any more perfect???

A parent of one of my kiddos made me this little hat and neck sign. There is chalkboard material sewn to it to write the date and their name. It makes for a super cute picture!! (No, I don't make the boys wear the hat.)

And, of course we do a little GoNoodle for our birthday kids!! Here are my two favorites!

Want some more AWESOME birthday ideas?? Here are some posts that my Blog Hoppin' Buddies have done in the past! Read about how Erica's Edventures, The First Grade Parade, What the Teacher Wants, Sunny Days in Second, and Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connections celebrate the kiddos in their classrooms!!

Since you read all the way to the end on this post, and it's my special day, I have a birthday surprise for you!! I just finished this February pack last night! I think you'll love it!! AND, it's NO PREP centers! But, HURRY!!! This is a FLASH FREEBIE and it will only be free for 24 hours!!! Just click on the image below to grab yours for FREE today only!!!!

P.S. Remember that movie, Groundhog Day??? Good thing that's not real! Or, my birthday would never come!!!! Ha!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy to me! ;)

Do you GoNoodle? Do you GoNoodle PLUS???

 Hey friends!   Holly here from Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connections.  Since we are all in the "Back to School" mode now, I figured I'd share a little bit about one of my back-to-school life savers...

I'm guessing that MOST of you already know what GoNoodle is.  

{So, if you do... hop down to the midpoint of my post to see what's new with GoNoodle PLUS!}

If you DON'T know what GoNoodle is... read on (and thank me later! LOL).

GoNoodle is an online program that helps teachers and parents get kids moving with short interactive activities. Desk-side movement helps kids achieve more by keeping them engaged and motivated throughout the day!  GoNoodle is designed with K-5 classrooms in mind.

Here are the GoNoodle Facts...

• It's Free. Any teacher, anywhere, can create a free GoNoodle account and start using movement activities right away.
• It's Research-based: Using exercise science and cutting-edge research, we’ve designed all of GoNoodle’s activities to be healthy for the body, engaging for the attention, and beneficial to the brain in specific ways.
• It's Fast: Transition from listless to engaged in minutes. GoNoodle takes no time to setup, has content of a variety of lengths (from 1 minute to 20 minutes), and just requires you to press play.
• It's Designed for Long-Term Engagement: GoNoodle makes earning minutes of healthy activity a game that your kids play together. Motivate kids to stay active. Each class chooses a Champ -- a virtual mascot -- who grows as the class earns the minutes needed to advance to the next level. Reward them for engagement by helping them grow their Champ.
• Multiple Classes: For teachers who see multiple groups of kids each day, GoNoodle can be easily set up so that each class has their own game progress, Champ, and rewards.

So....What's Required???

GoNoodle is designed for use in the average classroom. All the teacher needs is:

• A computer.
• A broadband internet connection.
• A screen that all students can see (e.g., a projector, interactive whiteboard, or big monitor).

Already know all about GoNoodle?   
Then have you heard about .....

GoNoodle PLUS takes student engagement and achievement to a whole new level with core-aligned movement activities! 

Wondering what you can do with GoNoodle PLUS???

You can....

Channel kid energy and stimulate learning

Without leaving the classroom, students participate in a variety of purposeful movement designed to get the wiggles out and refocus the classroom.

Integrate movement with core subjects

We worked with core subject experts to create highly re-playable movement activities that develop memory and fluency in math, spelling, and vocabulary. The result: teachers tell us GoNoodle Plus helps students perform better.

Enough content for the entire school year

Our GoNoodle Plus activities have a ton of unique content so students will stay engaged for the entire school year. Teachers especially love the customizable word lists in Bodyspell, the thousands of math questions in Mega Math Marathon, and the variety of 13 different categories in Freeze It.

Move through any subject

GoNoodle Plus users get access to My Questions -- a feature which allows teachers to create and share custom sets of questions on any topic that can be played in select GoNoodle Plus activities. With My Questions, GoNoodle Plus can be used to practice ANY subject.

AHHH!  Folks, "My Questions" is an AWESOME feature!  It brings review lessons to LIFE!  Your kiddos will LOVE it!

Want to know more?  Straight from GoNoodle, here are some FAQs:

What does GoNoodle Plus include?

GoNoodle Plus includes all the features of GoNoodle, with unlimited access to the following GoNoodle Plus activities.

• Mega Math Marathon
• Bodyspell
• Word Jam
• Freeze It
• Montana James and the Palace of Peril
• Field Trip
• Think On Your Feet
• Additional categories and exercises in Flow
• Additional categories of content in Ultimate Champ Training
• Additional Think About It videos
• Access to My Questions for customizing select GoNoodle Plus activities.

Where do I find the GoNoodle Plus activities?

When you have access to GoNoodle Plus, you'll find a GoNoodle Plus channel button on the Channel view. All the GoNoodle Plus activities are contained in that channel.

How much does GoNoodle Plus cost?

Any user can upgrade to a GoNoodle Plus subscription for $99 per year or $10 per month. Also, your first 15 days are free -- you can cancel GoNoodle Plus at any time during that 15 day trial and never be billed. 

How do I purchase GoNoodle Plus?

To start your 15 day free trial, click the Try GoNoodle Plus button on the Teacher Dashboard page in your GoNoodle account. 

I was given GoNoodle Plus through a sponsorship. What does that mean?

Congratulations! If you received GoNoodle Plus when you registered, it's because an organization in your area sponsored GoNoodle Plus for teachers! There's nothing for you to do -- enjoy your access and share the great news with other teachers!

I paid for GoNoodle Plus. When does it expire?

To see when your GoNoodle Plus subscription expires, visit the Teacher Dashboard and click the gear icon in the top right of the page. You'll see when you will be auto-billed again. If you wish to cancel, you can cancel auto-bill from this screen. When cancelled, your GoNoodle Plus access will continue until you reach the end of your subscription period, at which point your account will return to a free account. 

Can my school or district purchase GoNoodle Plus at a discount?

Yes! Email us at schoolsales@gonoodle.com or call us at 1 (877) 262-9269

If I don't like GoNoodle Plus, can I cancel for a refund?

If you cancel within your first 15 days, we'll never bill you. After your 15 day free trial period is up, GoNoodle Plus subscriptions are pre-paid for the year or month in advance, depending on your payment option. 

Do I have to use GoNoodle Plus to continue to use GoNoodle?

Not at all. GoNoodle is free and always will be. GoNoodle Plus is a premium version of GoNoodle that gives paid subscribers access to additional content designed to integrate physical activity and core-subject practice.

If you haven't experienced GoNoodle yet....I KNOW you will love it!

If you are already a GoNoodler....than check out the GoNoodle PLUS features and step up your GoNoodle game today!  

Oh... And GoNoodle now has a "Share" resource page jam-packed with free "Champ" clipart (like the Champs you see in this post!), parent letters, school letters and more!  Check it out HERE!

Now go enjoy your new class... and when they get wiggly and off-task.... introduce them to one of my GoNoodle "Champ" friends....like Freckles Sinclair or McPufferson! 

Have a great year!     Holly



We {HEART} GoNoodle

All of us Blog Hoppin' ladies are HUGE GoNoodle fans.  Do you GoNoodle with your kiddos?  It's Erica Bohrer and Anna Brantely,  here to share our love for GoNoodle and link up with Elizabeth Hall.

GoNoodle is a compilation of brain breaks that you can choose from, add your own to, and earn points for completing.  It is fun and easy to use.

Can you tell I am a fan? I got to meet the GoNoodle ladies in Vegas and they were a blast. - Erica

Here are photos of my kiddos getting down with GoNoodle. -Erica

My kids BEG me to GoNoodle!! It seriously saved us from going crazy when we didn't have recess due to the cold weather!! Here are a few pictures of them enjoying their brain break time. -Anna

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GoNoodle recently added the feature where you can insert your favorite YouTube videos.  I love this because it cuts out the commercials!  Here is my (Erica's) YouTube channel, if you are looking for some links to add to your GoNoodle account. 

On to the link up....

My favorite brain break: I love the Happy song!  Just a great mood lifter.   

My favorite happy place:  I love going out on my boat in the summer.  I just feel like I am free from technology and responsibility out on the water.  

My guilty pleasure: I love designer bags.   I don't know what really makes them better besides the designer label, but oh they are just so beautiful.   I do have major buyers guilt for spending so much money.  I try to limit myself to one fancy bag a year. 

Keep Calm and...  take it one day at a time.  Very cliche I know, but it is what keeps my stress down.  

My favorite brain break: My students and I love, love, love Roller Coaster!!    

My favorite happy place: I love being at home with my family!!  

My guilty pleasure: Finding great deals on Zulily way too much! My husband swears there is a Zulily bag in our mailbox every day. I just can't help myself!! 

Keep Calm and... Let it Go....really trying not sweat the small stuff this year! 

Thanks for checking out our GoNoodle love-fest!  

Don't forget to link up with Elizabeth!