News and Updates!

These last 2 weeks have been cuh-razy!  As soon as I got back from Las Vegas, my in-laws from Norway arrived, and then we left on our journey to Niagara falls.  This trip has been quite an adventure…

It was a rough round of mini-golf…

kamilla

She’s been a trooper though!

Other updates…

I met sweet Alessia from Mrs. Albanese’s Kindergarten when we were in Vegas, and she has put together a great give away from some bloggers that were in Vegas.

Stop on over to her blog and check it out!

and, I finally have a Facebook page!!  Come find me, okay!? Click on the Facebook icon below!

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I also have been working in the car and finished the first installment of a new series of activities to use in your dramatic play center!  Who says kids can’t play in Kindergarten?  Keep your dramatic play center and add these fun activities, and your principal will not be able to tell you that you need to get rid of it because of all the activities for common core you have placed in the center! Yay!! 

First up – Fun in the Kitchen!

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I will release a new set each month for you to add (change) to your dramatic play area.  Each kit will have a different theme. Sounds fun, huh? I am super excited to add these activities to my dramatic play area!

What do you think?!

50 comments:

  1. Oh no on the hurt arm :( Your new dramatic play packet is GREAT...can't wait to see more!


    Growing Up Teaching

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  2. Your poor little cutie. I love that she is still smiling . . . she must take after her mommy! Your Kitchen Play Kit is fab!! Makes me want to go back to Kinder for a day to try it out!

    Kelley Dolling
    Teacher Idea Factory

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  3. It was great seeing you in Vegas! So much fun and learning!

    I LOVE my dramatic play center and your packets will be an awesome "academic" addition. Keep em coming :)

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  4. Poor girl!! She looks like she is handling it great though! Your dramatic play kit looks adorable. What a great idea!
    Lisa
    Learning Is Something to Treasure

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  5. Yes, yes, yes! I still have a dramatic play center and will only give it up kicking and screaming-kinders NEED this area. Thank you for giving me some activities to "justify" this center to the administration. Looking forward to all of them!

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  6. LOVE the dramatic play center...it's on my wishlist!

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  7. Oh I have been thinking it was going to be a challenge to keep that kitchen set. I think you just made it easier- yeah!

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  8. I totally understand why you are doing this and the activity looks cute, but I have to speak out....I think as EC educators we need to give researched based rational for play instead of trying to make it something it isn't. We all know play is a valuable part of our curriculum and we should not back down. There are so many academic qualities in dramatic play. We need to teach the powers that be what play does for our children instead of trying to make something it isn't! We need to start a grassroots movement to protect play in the classroom! After all, we are the professionals and it is truly malpractice to take play out of Kindergarten! Just saying....

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    1. Oh, I'm not saying that we should take away play! I would be so sad if my admin said that needed to happen! My student's have a play time every day. The "kitchen" will still be there -- with all of it's components, this will just "kick it up" a little bit! The games will give them more options to play while in the kitchen. We all know that learning to share and take turns is also a big part of play time! I think we also know that kindergarten is definitely not what it used to be when we were kids. I want play to stay in the classroom, and if adding books, language arts and math activities to a center is what it takes to convince them {admin}, I'm all for it! If the children don't choose to play those games, that's okay, but the option is there :)

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    2. Oh...I didn't think you were saying to take play away...I do "get " why you are doing this...I guess my frustration with trying to get some administrators to see the power of play was coming through! So sorry! I wrote more to explain below!

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  9. Kathleen... I LOVE your FUN IN THE KITCHEN unit! :) You are the best! Honestly, one of my absolute FAVs! Just started a blog recently myself...and listed you in one of my first postings as a "must see" for all kinder teachers! Can't wait to see what you come up with next!!

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  10. I do agree somewhat with Anonymous...BUT my children over the years have changed how they "play" in housekeeping... the phone and verbal abuse and yelling have sometimes taken over so I am excited that I can have the "stucture" that your dramatic play kit can provide...thanks for thinking of those of us out here that still want the FUN..
    B.

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  11. I am so excited for this dramatic play kit. I totally agree with what Barbara said above about the structure it will provide for dramatic play. Super idea!

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  12. love it!it looks great! leigh ann towater

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  13. here's what i don't get-if people are going to make comments on people's blogs why don't they just put their names instead of anonymous. i mean we are adults and as teachers we should be able to appreciate the talents that we all bring to the table.i don't blog-i just stalk so anything that fellow teachers put together i am appreciative of and my philosophy is if you can't say anything nice just don't say anything at all. :)leigh ann towater

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    1. My name is Liz...I am sorry if I came across as not being nice that was not my intention! So sorry! I LOVE Kathleen and her Blog! I just want to start a grassroots movement to help PLAY! That's all I was really trying to get across!

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  14. Nice article, thanks for the information.

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  15. Kathleen, what a GREAT idea!!

    Trying to convince the powers that be that play is important is virtually impossible...just look at the Common Core. There isn't anything about social and emotional development. There are standards that are going to be very difficult to master for our little babies. We as educators need to be SMART on getting play to be a standard within our classrooms. Your idea is SMART!

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  16. Kathleen...First of all, I want you to know I absolutely LOVE everything you do! I check your blog daily and I am always sharing your ideas with my team and other teacher friends.You are one of my bookmarks! I did not mean my comment to be disrespectful in any way so please accept my apology. I totally adore your blog and your activities! My comments were not towards you personally..just towards the whole push in kindergarten to work, work work! I just want (as all kindergarten teachers do) to have play respected for what it is and what it teaches. I have been rereading and researching a lot about play lately and have been trying to figure out how to make sure we have at least 45 minutes to an hour a day to let our kids be kindergartners! It is such a battle and at times I just want don't know why they don't realize these kids have only been talking for a short time and they are just expecting too much! I have been trying to find a way to fix this situation for all of us. I keep thinking we all need to join together and try to get more play back in kindergarten.

    At my school, we have been addressing this problem more and more over the past three years. We keep putting research out there and get good responses, but the issue still lingers.Each year we have to fight to keep Developmental Centers in our daily schedule! I love kindergarten! I love Writing Workshop, Guided Reading, and Developmental Centers...and this year we are implementing the Daily 5(reading and math!). It is all so exciting! I know Common Core brings so many more expectations for our children. I think it gives us even more of a reason to come together as professionals. I want you to know I totally appreciate all you do for us! Thank you for spending you precious down time coming up with ideas to share with us...and for always giving us more to ponder!
    By the way for those who wondered why I didn't give my name there was no real reason...my name is Liz!

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  17. Oh Kathleen! Where was this fabulous product last year? ;). Left my kitchen at my last school since I'm teaching firsties now. :)

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  18. So, SO loving your new product!

    :( So sad about your wounded bird! Miss you my friend!

    Mrs. Wills Kindergarten

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  19. What a lovely idea! I know my kinders will love this! It's funny to watch them play and they pretend to text each other rather than talk on the phone. Definitely a drift over the years!

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  20. What a great idea!!

    Caitlin
    Caitlin0225@aol.com
    Kindergarten Smiles

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  22. I am a new follower of your blog and I just love your activities ~ especially for the dramatic center. I can't wait to see all of your posts. Thank you!
    ~Allie~

    allie2912@hotmail.com

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  23. What a cute idea! I am your newest follower.

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  24. I love it I have it on my wishlist to purchase. I been wanting to add a dramtic play center in my room. But really didn't know how. Thanks:)
    Molly Wendel
    OHio

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  25. Oh.....I LOVE this! What a great addition to add to the beginning of the year. :)

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  26. I have dramatic play center in my classroom and this is perfect!

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  27. I love the Fun in the Kitchen! We have a brand new kindergarten teacher this year, and I think I will purchase these each month to give to her as a welcome to teaching gift! Activities like this really make me wish I taught in the younger grades! :D Keep the great ideas coming!

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  28. I love Fun in the kitchen. I'm always looking for new ways to keep my kitchen center engaging.

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  29. I wish I had a dramatic play center. The teacher before me threw away....yes, let me repeat that it went to the trash, all the wooden blocks and the kitchen. My principal doesn't want to buy me a new one. I tried for a puppet stage/store front. We will see how that goes when I get back. Here's hoping, and here's to finding another way to have "play".

    Terri Izatt
    KinderKapers

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  30. This is a fantastic idea and resource for the classroom. I am looking forward to your monthly updates to help me keep this center "fresh" throughout the year.

    Lori
    lorijarrells18@yahoo.com

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  31. OMG!!!!I I love it! I have been wanting to create something like this for myself but had no idea where to start! Thank goodness for creative teachers like yourself! Great job! Can't wait to purchase! =)

    Jessica
    Under the Alphabet Tree

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  32. Love the dramatic play center unit, just wish I had one to put it to use with...maybe someday I'll get one!

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  33. HI!

    Think the dramatic play units will be a big success! I follow Growing Kinders and Mrs. Wills Kindergarten blogs.

    Carol T.

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  34. I absolutely love your blog! I will definitely be purchasing your "Fun in the Kitchen." Thanks for all your hard work.

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  35. I love the whole idea of "dramatic play" and I love that you have created this kit. I just bought a mini kitchen from ToysRus and some food for about $100 but what the heck, they need this! I am also looking at buying a tool workbench from Amazon, I hope you create something to go with that one month.

    Thanks for all you do!

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  36. I am so excited about these! I can't wait to see what you come up with each month!

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  37. These look AWESOME!! Thanks for all of your hard work! :)

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  38. I can't wait until payday to grab your dramatic play pack. I love my kitchen and I have read that many schools are taking them away. We teach the whole child not and social skills are so important, and when you can add in math and reading it makes things even better!

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  39. I love my dramatic play center! I think it is critical to children's social development and will die on that mountain if I have to! Thank you for your great materials to support it! The more skill building I can include the stronger my rationale to keep it :) And the kids LOVE it too!

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  40. I follow your blog and love your ideas.
    Megan
    mhorman@north-cedar.k12.ia.us

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  41. I have a dramatic play center and I think these activities are wonderful! I can't wait to try them out this fall! Thank you!

    Melissa
    Klassy in Kindergarten

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  42. I love these dramatic play ideas!
    Please come visit my blog -

    http://sproutschool.wordpress.com

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  43. LOVE LOVE LOVE the dramatic play idea ~ PLEASE add more and let me know when you do, I'll buy all of them :)

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  44. My colleagues were needing IN 896 several days ago and learned about a web service with a lot of fillable forms . If you are wanting IN 896 too , here's http://goo.gl/8lvqWJ

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