Simple Kindergarten "Office" for Fine Motor Fun

KINDERGARTEN OFFICE!

Long time readers here know that I am a HUGE proponent of supporting Fine Motor development in any happy, simple and engaging way possible. Seeing this idea last spring while making a visit to Carie's Kindergarten classroom in central IL made my heart race with considering all of the possibilities! 

Let's take a close up look at the 'front' covers of the folder.

She has taken two inexpensive file folders and filled them with pre-printed motivation and examples, prompts and possibilities for her kinders. The whole duo-folder gets laminated into one extra long strip and BAZINGA! You've got a kindergarten office which doubles as a fine motor fort! The young students can each literally surround themselves with 'walls' to define their space, offer support, privacy and hiding  refuge. This is truly a bonanza for the child who benefits from focus and a tad less environmental input. 

BRILLIANT I say. Simply BRILLIANT!! Win-WiN-WIN!!!

Now let's examine the 'inside' of the office folder's walls. Here's the 'left' side of the interior layout. I knew you'd want to see it up close, for an idea of what Carie has included. 

And here are the two sides of the interior 'right' side of the writing office, with Kinder word wall sight words and the months of the year. The days of the week are included as well as color words that are actually in color! 

Here's a 'merging' the of the two photos above, so that you can see what the student sees across the complete interior of the writing office. These could be tailor made for each student and their particular specifics and interests. The possibilities are endless!  

Carie writes for our collaborative blog, "PreK+K Sharing" on the 17th of the month and shares her experience from the front lines in insightful articles there. She also keeps her own blog at "Kindergarten Hugs." Here are the two of us last spring during my author-illustrator school visit. We are standing in front of the quilt Carie's class created for my welcome to their midst, designed in response to my first picture book, "You're Wonderful." 

HOW COOL IS THIS Re-MAKE? 

NEWSFLASH + UPDATE!!!! Due to numerous requests for this concept to made available to others, Carie has created the above idea into an easily down-loaded file, for you to print off and create your own student offices. Just go to her TpT store and look for this product. 

Disclaimer: Carie and I are another mutual admiration society. We met a couple of years back at a reading conference in Springfield, IL where I was presenting. Carie took my book, "Red, White and Blue" home and immediately began a project that became EPIC in its completion. Her kinder-class from that year are seated in front of their construction paper quilt created with marble painting the pieces! As you can see, I don't use the word 'epic' lightly. 

For over a year I had my "Fine Motor Friday Series: Fine Motor Leads to Fine Arts." There are over 50 earlier articles that are all housed together under that label. Here's my 'golden' anniversary where I review the 50 earlier articles. Fine Motor Field Day. It's a treasure trove of ideas, if I do say so myself. You'll need a rainy day to dig through everything housed together. 

By far, the image that has been pinned the most from that series is from the group of photos I took in my WonderBoy's kindergarten wing (that would be our grandson) during my annual visit in their midst. 

You've just GOT to LUV this idea! 

This is the PERFECT idea for back-to-school, 
getting to know all of our new friends. 
Photos of each student laminated onto their name. 

A journal with the pictures of peers with a spot to write out their name! 
***The ideas in this article are why I LUV LUV LUV making school visits! 

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION!

I continue to amass followers on Pinterest and am reaching 130,000 in my crew. 

My largest number of followers on any of my boards is my collaborative board that I host: 

Writing and Fine Motor. 

As an author/illustrator of picture books, as a former elementary Art teacher, 

these skills are critical in my estimation for lifetime success. 

I was commissioned by Zaner-Bloser to create an album of songs on this topic.

There are 12 songs suitable for mature PreK kiddos and Kindergarteners alike. 

I have given you the link to my store at Teachers Pay Teachers, 

where the CD is listed as a hard-good, which I would ship to you. 

Here's a YouTube video of my favorite songs on the album. 

I think its safe to say that the teachers are having a good time! 

Watch the whole thing to see what I mean.

As with all of my work, I'm pretty much a word-of-mouth phenomena. 

Your 'pin' of this article can truly send ripples out to brand new readers 

that have never heard of me. 

I'm so grateful for each and every pin! 

Here's to an amazing year ahead!