• Home
  • About
  • Conference
    • California Kindergarten Conference
    • 33rd Young Children’s Art Exhibit
  • Workshops
    • Pleasant Hill Professional Development Workshop
    • Teachers Helping Teachers
  • Join
  • Members Only
  • Amazon
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram

California Kindergarten Association.

Rockin' Kindergarten for over 30 years!

10 Easy, Hands-On Dollar Store English Language Arts Activities

Budget taken a beating?  Don’t have time for endless prep work?  Looking for low-cost hands-on ideas that will get your kids engaged and learning for less?  Look no further!  Here are ten easy hands-on English language arts activities – all using items you can find at your local dollar store!

 

1) Pipe cleaner letters.  Have your children bend pipe cleaners to make the target letters.  The best part?  They can be used again and again!

 

2) Upper case/lower case letter matching using plastic Easter eggs.  Have some Easter eggs left over?  Write the upper case letters on one half and the lower case letters on the other.  Children can work in a group to put the eggs back together.  Matching letters too easy?  Write sight words or rhyming words instead!

 

3) ABC scavenger hunt.  Hide a set of ABC flash cards around your classroom and turn your kids loose.  No ABC flashcards at your dollar store?  Use themed post-its (or regular ones with themed stickers).  When they’re all collected, stick them in order on a piece of chart paper to form a giant ABC chart.

 

4) Play dough letters/sight words.  Have your students mold the play dough to make the target letters/words.  You can guide them by first writing out the letters/words on construction paper and then laminating it (or sliding it into a plastic page protector).

5) Match the clothespin to the ABC bulletin board strip.   Turn an ABC bulletin board strip into hands-on learning fun!  Simply make matching clothes pins by writing a letter on the end of each one.  You could have the kids match upper case to upper case or lower case to lower case (say, at the beginning of the year), or make it more challenging by giving them lower case to match to an upper case strip or upper case to match to a lower case strip.

 

6) Match the magnet to the ABC wall strip. Alphabet wall strips are great for decorating your walls, but even better for making lots of quick, easy and inexpensive language arts activities.  You may want to laminate first for greater longevity.  Simply spread out the strip and hand a group of children a tub full of magnetic letters.  Makes a great floor activity!  (For more great ways to use magnetic letters, check out our Top Ten Ways to Use Magnetic Letters – Hands-On Kindergarten Reading and Writing Activities).

 

7) Sight word name plate match-ups.  Write the same sight word on each side of the name plate.  Cut in half in different patterns to create self-correcting sight word puzzles.  You could also make ones with the names of the children in your class.

8) Foamy stories.  Spice up story writing!  Give each child a foamy and let their imagination and crayons fill in the rest of the picture.  New theme?  Different foamy!

9) Sticker stories. Another great way to encourage your students’ love of writing!  Choose stickers that complement a theme, or provide a selection for students to choose one that interests them.  Either way, be prepared for a whole new level of excitement at the writing center!

10) Match the clothespin to the sight word written on bulletin board strips.  Not just for finishing off your bulletin boards anymore!  Choose strips that complement your theme.  Write a sight word on each item and a matching one on each clothes pin.  Makes a great floor activity.

Filed Under: Kindergarten Reading and Writing, Teaching Tips Leave a Comment

« Kaplan’s 2012 Transitional Kindergarten Catalogs
Learning to Move and Moving to Learn, Robin D. Reese »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest on Instagram

Tina Gabel will share 5 simple steps to create a c Tina Gabel will share 5 simple steps to create a classroom sanctuary at our first Summer Session on Wednesday, July 6.  Take a moment to learn more about Tina!  We LOVE her website: https://www.teachthetkway.com/
Register for this Panel Discussion with TK leaders Register for this Panel Discussion with TK leaders and teachers on Friday, June 17.  Two CKA Board Members are panelists! teachingstrategies.com
Our Summer Series BLASTS OFF on July 6th! Our fir Our Summer Series BLASTS OFF on July 6th!  Our first session is led by Tina Gabel, from @teachthetkway  REGISTER TODAY for this and our five other amazing sessions! https://californiakindergartenassociation.org/
Whether you are already enjoying your Summer Break Whether you are already enjoying your Summer Break, or you are still pushing through the last few days, CKA is sending you GOOD VIBES!  Have a great Monday!
FREE TRAINING ALERT!!! Check out the Whole Brain T FREE TRAINING ALERT!!! Check out the Whole Brain Teaching website for NINE FREE sessions for TK- 12 teachers.  Don't miss this opportunity! https://wholebrainteaching.com/
Join the CKA Art Divas for out first IN PERSON Pro Join the CKA Art Divas for out first IN PERSON Professional Development Workshop in two years!  We are excited to offer this hands-on workshop filled with creative and standards-based art activities and music to enhance the ECE curriculum. Click our link in bio for more information!

Latest on Facebook

California Kindergarten Association

3 days ago

California Kindergarten Association
Today!!!!The CDE is hosting bi-weekly Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) office hours so that attendees can ask questions and receive technical assistance about UPK implementation.Please register for the next virtual session tomorrow from 4 to 5 p.m. To register and for more resources, visit the CDE Universal PreKindergarten Office Hours web page: www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/upkofficehours.asp ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

California Kindergarten Association

4 days ago

California Kindergarten Association
#imaginethepossibilities ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

California Kindergarten Association

7 days ago

California Kindergarten Association

California to create teaching credential covering pre-K through 3rd grade that requires literacy training

edsource.org

State commission hopes new credential will help attract thousands of teachers for transitional kindergarten; literacy advocates press for strong literacy standards.
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

California Kindergarten Association

1 week ago

California Kindergarten Association
Tina Gabel will share 5 simple steps to create a classroom sanctuary at our first Summer Session on Wednesday, July 6. Take a moment to learn more about Tina, Teach The TK Way ! We LOVE her website: www.teachthetkway.com/👇🏻👇🏼👇🏽Register for her session here👇🏻👇🏼👇🏽 californiakindergartenassociation.org/professional-development-workshops/ ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

California Kindergarten Association

1 week ago

California Kindergarten Association
Register for this Panel Discussion on Friday, June 17 at 3:00PM. Two of our amazing CKA Board Members will be presenters!teachingstrategies.com/webinar/panel-discussion-transitional-kindergarten-with-california-leaders... ... See MoreSee Less

Panel Discussion: Transitional Kindergarten With California Leaders and Teachers - Teaching Strategies

teachingstrategies.com

In this webinar, join a panel of California leaders and teachers to discuss the upcoming implementation of universal transitional kindergarten. We invite you to this open conversation about the rollou...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Contact

Phone 916.780.5331
Fax 916.780.5330

Privacy Statement

Copyright © 2022 · Website Design By Jumping Jax Designs