End of the Year Countdown: To-Do List

Hey guys!!! It's Katie from Little Warriors! Can you believe it's MAY?!?! Yes, May!!! How in the world did that happen?? Seriously!! So many of my friends are on the countdown. Let me just tell you...I HATE the countdown!!! It gives me severe anxiety!! Please don't yell "We only have 3 Fridays left!!" in my ear. Or "Only 17 more days to go!!!!" YIKES!!

Don't get me wrong...I'm totally looking forward to Summer, just like every other teacher on the planet!!! But, May is the craziest, busiest time of the year for me!! Soooo many things to do! So many projects to get done! So many things to remember!!! Ahhhhhhh!!!

Here are a few of the things I've been working on...

1.  Graduation

We make our own hats and tassels. I did a post on it a MILLION years ago! But, if you want to see how to make tassels, it does the job! Ha!!!! You can read it HERE
Our tassels are done...our caps, not so much!! We still have 3 weeks and nowhere to store them, so those will have to wait :)
But here's how our tassels turned out! I bought little graduation table confetti from Dollar Tree this year and we hot glued it to the 2016 to the tassels!!! SUCH a cute touch!! LOVE!!!!

We are of course, practicing our songs!! 

Here are a couple of favorites:

2. Thank you gifts for Parent Volunteers

I buy these plates at Dollar Tree and the little stands from Dollar Tree too!!! My friend Erin from Eberharts Explorers has a GREAT tutorial on how to make these!!! You can find it HERE!! $2 for these adorable gifts!!!!! Can't beat it!

3. Mother's Day: Mommy Spa

I LOVE this day!!! But, it does take quite a bit of work! It's soooo worth it!! The moments they share and memories they make are priceless!!!

We've also been working on these crafts/cards for our Mommies!!

4. End of the year Slideshow!!

Don't worry!!! I have worked hard on this one for the past few years! I think I have figured out how to make it really simple and super cute for you!!! Click on the button below! You will get a video tutorial, find out where to get adorable pre-made title slides, music suggestions AND a freebie!

 5. Bulletin Boards!

I have this bulletin board in my hallway right now!!

Peace Out, Kindergarten!

And, these little motorcycles are down my hallway along with their Summer To-"doo" lists. Ha! Love their little Doo Rags!! We are Geared up for Summer! :)

6. Keepsake Boxes

Kindergarten is an extra special year and we just have so many special projects and Keepsakes to hold on to that we make these boxes. We've been making them for several years now and we get the white boxes donated to us each year!!

7. Kindergarten Favorites Photos

I started making these a few years ago and Man, when I posted them, people just loved them! I did a little tutorial post about them HERE! But, they are ALL over pinterest now! So, you might be able to find other tutorials as well :)

8. Portfolios/Memory Books

I just LOVE these portfolio/memory books!!! They were one of the first things that I posted in my TPT store. I wanted something that could track their growth and progress throughout this very important year!! So, now, I'm busy sorting pictures and gluing every child's pictures in for each month. It's sooo worth it though! They are so adorable and such an awesome keepsake!! You can read more about them HERE! It's an OLD post. Sorry! :)

9. Summer homework Packs

I also just finished updating this Summer Homework Calendars pack that I created back in 2012!! If you bought it previously, make sure you download it again for the updated version and extra goodies! You can read more about it HERE!!

Time to start copying and putting these bad boys together!!!

10. Bubble Day!!

Gotta make sure we have all of our supplies ready to go for this fun day!!!! Another one of my favorites!!!! You can read more about it HERE!!!

11. TESTING and REPORT CARDS!!!!!

All I can say is THANK GOODNESS for ESGI!!!!! Makes my live just a MILLION times easier!!!! Can I get an AMEN?!?

Not using ESGI?!? OMG!!! Get part of your life back! For real! It saves you soooo much time!!

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So, that's what my life looks like right now!!! Ha! Sooooo many projects to get done! So much work AND so much fun! I'm trying to get ahead for the first time in 12 years so I don't have an anxiety attack at the end of this year! LOL! So, you see why I don't like count downs? T minus 17 days until I have to have all of this done! Ha!!!! But, then.....ahhhhhhhh, Summer!!!! :)

Our Favorite Mother's Day Ideas!

Today Blog Hoppin, and our talented authors, are happy to bring to you a fabulous list of great ideas you can use in your classroom to celebrate Mother's Day! These ideas range from super simple to pretty extravagant. If you're looking for Mother's Day ideas this is definitely the place to look! 

(Remember that all of these ideas can be easily modified to include all special women such as grandmothers, aunts, step/foster moms, etc - we don't want any students to feel bad if their family doesn't include a mom.)

{Traci from Dragonflies In First}

For Mother's Day each year my kiddos make tile note holders for their moms or any other special lady they have in their lives. 

READ MORE HERE!

{Mel from From the Pond}

I created a new Mother's Day card for this year. It is VERY simple for little people to handle. Just a few cuts, some writing and some gluing and it's done. 

READ MORE HERE!

 {Natalie from What the Teacher Wants}

If you're looking for a fun and cute Mother's Day gift idea, this heart-shaped book is perfect! It's a great and easy way to let your students celebrate their moms. It makes the perfect Mother's Day Gift.

READ MORE HERE!

{Katie from Little Warriors}

I wanted to give my Mommies and students something that REALLY meant something. Something that they would carry with them forever. My Mother's Day Spa Pack is a bundle of ideas, printables, decorations, recipes and ideas to make your Mommy Spa a HUGE success!!!

READ MORE HERE!

{Reagan from Tunstall's Teaching Tidbits}

There are three gift ideas all with step by step instructions for you and your students.

Framed portrait of mom done by student, homemade lemon oil body scrub (easy, cheap, crowd pleaser!), student made tissue paper vases.

READ MORE HERE!

{Cindy from Kinder Kay}

This cute project is based on Pablo Picasso's "Hand With Flowers." The children trace their hands onto skin colored construction paper and glue onto white paper. Then they make stems from green construction paper. They sponge paint their flowers above the stems.

READ MORE HERE!

{Denise from Sunny Days}

Adorable and easy Mother's Day card craftivity. 
Students will personalize the heart, star, gift, and coupon for their mother and fit them inside the pocket on the front of the card.

READ MORE HERE!

{Deanna from Mrs. Jump's Class}

This easy peasy Mother's Day book is the perfect gift! Just print out and have your little cuties draw and write about their mom.

READ MORE HERE!

{Michelle from Fabulous in First}

This document includes everything you need to have a successful Mother's Day Tea. Included in this unit are: Invitations and RSVP's, Banner, Sign and Table Tents, Placemat idea and printable, Mother's Day Book and more!

READ MORE HERE!

{Erica from Erica's Ed-ventures}

I also have my students make this Mother's Day Handprint Card.  It is a combination of two handprint poems and is available for free in my TPT Store.

READ MORE HERE!

{Kacey from Doodle Bugs Teaching}

I usually always do a fill in the blank questionnaire. Here is a free download for the one I will be using this year.

READ MORE HERE!

{Kelley from Teacher Idea Factory}

This ditty also comes with a personalized writing element.  I wanted my kids to be able to draft a special message that came straight from their hearts.   

READ MORE HERE!

{Rachel from The Tattooed Teacher}

Hosting a special day for your students' mommies? Here are a few things to make it easier.

Invitations, nameplates, banner, and more!

READ MORE HERE!

Please share your own Mother's Day ideas below in the comments! We always love to see how other teachers celebrate the mothers and other special women in our lives!

Thanks for reading!

-Natalie from What the Teacher Wants

Mother's Day Ideas! a link up!

I've been a mommy for awhile now, almost 15 years! I know, I know, you don't believe me cause I look so young, right?! Well, it's true! And being a teacher mommy, I know that sometimes our little ones need a hand creating something for their moms, or stepmoms, or grandmothers, or aunts, or any other leading lady in their lives.
So I wanted to share a few ideas that I have used in the past!

My favorite craft, by far...is celery painting! I found it on this little blog and it took some trial and error with so many kids, but I do it each year, so it can't be that bad!
The tutorial is super specific, so I didn't recreate it!
and here's what you get!

another yearly favorite is bath salts! Now, oil of essence is a little tougher to find, but luckily we have a health food store nearby. But you can also order it on Amazon! This idea would go great with Katie's new Mommy Spa product!

I literally have them sit in the floor in a circle. Each kid gets a snack size zippy bag, and we pass the Epsom salts around. They put in 2 or 3 scoops. Then we pass the oil around. They put in 2 DROPS! Zip-shake-done! As you can see, we have added food coloring before...let's just say I am pretty sure it comes out in the tub! So now we do au naturale! 

The kids decorate the front anyway they think their mom would like, then record the directions for use on the back! It's simply a large index card stapled over the zippy part! You could also make a sugar scrub! yum!

And last, but not least! We host a Garden Tea Party!

You can read more about it here (and why we have it), but here's the scoop all in one nifty product! I just rehauled this thing! This file includes a Happy Mother's Day banner, cards for invitations (also editable), food and drink table tent signs, place cards for mom, and more! and it doesn't have to be a tea party either! I also included just a plain ol' we love love our momma party! as well as a Special Ladies sign in case your kiddos need that option! I am smitten with these colors right now!

Do you have a Mother's Day idea or product? Link up!

Feel free to link up freebies, paid products, or blog posts-but please be sure they are specific to Mother's Day! 

If you link up a blog post, please use the linky image at the top!

An InLinkz Link-up

Mother's Day Fun!

My students had the best day yesterday performing for their moms!  We found a Mother's Day song that is sung to the tune of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy".  The lyrics came from Regina Bell, a music teacher in Oklahoma.  I was laughing so hard they had me in tears!  Here is a short clip...

 

They students also made gifts thanks to Home Depot!.  They donated 4x4 tiles so the students could decorate one for their moms.  They are great about donating to schools, so remember that when you are needing these kinds of items.  Here's how their tiles turned out.

For all who are Mothers, Grandmothers, or mothers to be, Happy Mother's Day!