Gingerbread Exchange 2025

 It's that time again!  If you would like your class to participate in this year's Gingerbread Exchange, here's the link to the Sign Up Genius.  

Please sign up by November 30, 2025.  Please mail out student-made gingerbread men to the other 12 classes on the list you sign up on. by December 4th.

Important reminders:  You must put a mailing address in the comment box so the other classes know where to mail to.

Please use paper, paint, markers, etc.  Please do not use any food or candy.

Most of all - have fun!

Gingerbread Exchange 2024

 Hi Everyone,

I've had some requests to do the Gingerbread Exchange again this year.  So here is the Sign Up Genius link.

 Please read all the directions on the sign up carefully.  Please sign up only once if you want to mail and receive 12 paper gingerbread men.  Please sign up (once) on two different lists if you want to mail and receive 24 paper gingerbread men.

Have fun!

Eilis

Valentine Exchange 2024

 Better late than never.... The annual tradition continues...

Here's the link to the sign-up genius if your class would like to mail paper valentines cards to other classes and receive some back.

Valentines Exchange: Valentine Exchange 24 (signupgenius.com)

Gingerbread Exchange 2023

Here's the link if you would like to have your class make paper gingerbread men to mail to other classes and receive some in the mail.  November 30, 2023 is the deadline to sign up.  All the other details are covered in the Sign Up Genius.

2023 Valentines Exchange

 Hi Friends,

Here's the link to sign up if you would like to send kid-made Valentines to 12 other classes and receive Valentines back from those classes:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A084BACAC292-valentine7

Please don't mail food or candy.  Please do send a quick note about your school/city/state.  The kids love to see a picture of your class if that is allowed by your school.

While this Exchange does not get as big a response as the annual Gingerbread Man Exchange, I'm a sucker for Valentine's Day.  So... I'm going to offer it again this year.  If it does not get more traction, I will streamline down to just the Gingerbread Man Exchange going forward.

Hugs,

Eilis

Gingerbread Exchange 2022

 Here's the link to this year's Gingerbread Exchange

LINK

Please sign up by the last day of November.  Paper gingerbread men should be mailed to the other classes between Dec. 1 through 4.  The rest of the directions can be found on the sign up genius.

Valentine Exchange 2022

Who is up for a Classroom Valentine Exchange?  It has been a couple of years since we have done this, so let's share some friendship!  Since some of you have around 12 students and some of you have around 20 students, I set up the Sign-up genius for two different class sizes.  I hope that makes it easier.

Here's the link:  Valentines 2020: Valentine Exchange 22 (signupgenius.com)

Gingerbread Exchange 2021

 Here's the Sign Up Genius link for this year's Gingerbread Exchange!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A084BACAC292-gingerbread4

Have fun!

2020 Gingerbread Exchange Goes Virtual

 Hi Friends,

The Gingerbread Exchange will be a little different this year.  Instead of physically mailing paper gingerbread men to other classrooms, each class will email a photo of their creation to twelve other classes.  Including a letter about your class and location in the email is also encouraged.  Please don't email any photographs of students in your class. 

Each teacher can print out the gingerbread man photographs that you receive to show them to your class and/or display them on a map.

I would love to be included in these emails so that I can share photos of the paper gingerbread men here on GrowinginPreK.blogspot.com.

Here is the Sign Up Genius Link.  Please DO NOT provide your physical address this year, just your email address.

Blessings,

Eilis

GrowinginPreK

2020 Valentine Exchange

Here's the link for the 2020 Valentine Exchange.  Please follow the directions at the top of the sign up.  Have fun!

2019 Gingerbread Exchange

It's time for the annual Gingerbread Man Exchange!  Each December, wonderful Pre-K and Kindergarten classes have been mailing paper creations to each other and learning a little geography in the process. If you would like to participate this year, the deadline to sign up is November 27, 2018.  It is fine to send out a teacher written letter done on the printer.

The gingerbread men must be mailed between December 1 and December 4, 2019. Gingerbread men may be decorated with glitter, yarn, fabric, stickers, markers, crayon, paint, etc. (no candy or food items.) Please include a short note from your class and if possible a photo of the students. You will mail one gingerbread man to each class on the list you sign up on.  You should receive one gingerbread man from each of the classes on your list.

If your class would like to send out and receive 12 paper gingerbread men, sign up once.  If you want to exchange 24 paper gingerbread men, you may sign up on two lists.
You may notice that there is an extra sign up slot on your list, that is because your class will not be sending a gingerbread man to your own address.

When signing up, PLEASE LOOK to see who has already signed up on a particular list.  Everyone wants to send and receive mail from as wide a variety of places as possible.  Try to sign up on a list that does not yet have a school from your state signed up. (For some states like Georgia and Texas, this in unavoidable because we get a big response.  Let's try to limit each list to two schools from these states.)  Please don't sign up more than one class from the same school on the same list. I will be checking the sign up to see if it is filling up and we need to add additional lists.  YOU CAN edit your own sign up if you realize that you provided the wrong zip code, etc.

Sign up HERE.

Valentine Exchange 2019

Here's the link to sign up for the 2019 Valentine Exchange.  Please read all the directions at the top of the sign up.  Have fun!!

Gingerbread Exchange 2018

It's time for the annual Gingerbread Man Exchange!  Each December, wonderful Pre-K and Kindergarten classes have been mailing paper creations to each other and learning a little geography in the process. If you would like to participate this year, the deadline to sign up is November 27, 2018. In the photo above, the students wrote letters.  It is fine to send out a teacher written letter done on the printer.

The gingerbread men must be mailed between December 1 and December 4, 2018. Gingerbread men may be decorated with glitter, yarn, fabric, stickers, markers, crayon, paint, etc. (no candy or food items.) Please include a short note from your class and if possible a photo of the students. You will mail one gingerbread man to each class on the list you sign up on.  You should receive one gingerbread man from each of the classes on your list.

If your class would like to send out and receive 12 paper gingerbread men, sign up once.  If you want to exchange 24 paper gingerbread men, you may sign up on two lists.
You may notice that there is an extra sign up slot on your list, that is because your class will not be sending a gingerbread man to your own address.

When signing up, PLEASE LOOK to see who has already signed up on a particular list.  Everyone wants to send and receive mail from as wide a variety of places as possible.  Try to sign up on a list that does not yet have a school from your state signed up. (For some states like Georgia and Texas, this in unavoidable because we get a big response.  Let's try to limit each list to two schools from these states.)  Please don't sign up more than one class from the same school on the same list. I will be checking the sign up to see if it is filling up and we need to add additional lists.  YOU CAN edit your own sign up if you realize that you provided the wrong zip code, etc.

If you would like to Skype in addition to the mailing project, please put that information and your email address under your address.  That way, other teachers on your list who wish to Skype with you can contact you




Here's the link to sign up.  Have fun!!


If you would like to have your gingerbread bulletin board featured in the future, please email me a picture.

Eilis
growinginprek@gmail.com

Valentine Exchange 2018

If your preschool/kindergarten class would like to mail and receive paper valentines to and from other classrooms, please follow this link to sign up for the 2018 Valentine Exchange.  Have fun!

2017 Gingerbread Exchange

It's time for the annual Gingerbread Man Exchange!  Each December, wonderful Pre-K and Kindergarten classes have been mailing paper creations to each other and learning a little geography in the process. If you would like to participate this year, the deadline to sign up is November 27, 2017.

The gingerbread men must be mailed between December 1 and December 4, 2017. Gingerbread men may be decorated with glitter, yarn, fabric, stickers, markers, crayon, paint, etc. (no candy or food items.) Please include a short note from your class and if possible a photo of the students. You will mail one gingerbread man to each class on the list you sign up on.  You should receive one gingerbread man from each of the classes on your list.

If your class would like to send out and receive 12 paper gingerbread men, sign up once.  If you want to exchange 24 paper gingerbread men, you may sign up on two lists.
You may notice that there is an extra sign up slot on your list, that is because your class will not be sending a gingerbread man to your own address.

When signing up, PLEASE LOOK to see who has already signed up on a particular list.  Everyone wants to send and receive mail from as wide a variety of places as possible.  Try to sign up on a list that does not yet have a school from your state signed up. (For some states like Georgia and Texas, this in unavoidable because we get a big response.  Let's try to limit each list to two schools from these states.)  Please don't sign up more than one class from the same school on the same list. I will be checking the sign up to see if it is filling up and we need to add additional lists.  YOU CAN edit your own sign up if you realize that you provided the wrong zip code, etc.

If you would like to Skype in addition to the mailing project, please put that information and your email address under your address.  That way, other teachers on your list who wish to Skype with you can contact you




Here's the link to sign up.  Have fun!!


If you would like to have your gingerbread bulletin board featured in the future, please email me a picture.

Eilis
growinginprek@gmail.com

Valentine Exchange 2017

It's time to get out the pink and red construction paper...

If you would like to join this year's Pre-K and Kindergarten Valentine Exchange, please sign up HERE.  Be sure to follow the directions at the top of the sign up.    

Hugs,

Eilis

GrowinginPreK@gmail.com

2016 Gingerbread Exchange

** UPDATE**

Since there are a few more spaces open, I will leave the sign up open through Tuesday, November 29th.

It's time for the annual Gingerbread Man Exchange!  Each December, wonderful Pre-K and Kindergarten classes have been mailing paper creations to each other and learning a little geography in the process. If you would like to participate this year, the deadline to sign up is November 27, 2016.

The gingerbread men must be mailed between December 1 and December 3, 2016. Gingerbread men may be decorated with glitter, yarn, fabric, stickers, markers, crayon, paint, etc. (no candy or food items.) Please include a short note from your class and if possible a photo of the students. You will mail one gingerbread man to each class on the list you sign up on.  You should receive one gingerbread man from each of the classes on your list.

If your class would like to send out and receive 12 paper gingerbread men, sign up HERE.
If your class would like to send out and receive 20 paper gingerbread men, sign up HERE.
You may notice that there is an extra sign up slot on your list, that is because your class will not be sending a gingerbread man to your own address.

When signing up, PLEASE LOOK to see who has already signed up on a particular list.  Everyone wants to send and receive mail from as wide a variety of places as possible.  Try to sign up on a list that does not yet have a school from your state signed up. (For some states like Georgia and Texas, this in unavoidable because we get a big response.  Let's try to limit each list to two schools from these states.)  Please don't sign up more than one class from the same school on the same list. I will be checking the sign up to see if it is filling up and we need to add additional lists.  YOU CAN edit your own sign up if you realize that you provided the wrong zip code, etc.

If you would like to Skype in addition to the mailing project, please put that information and your email address under your address.  That way, other teachers on your list who wish to Skype with you can contact you

Sensory Activities for the Classroom

Aimee Pillar, a pediatric occupational therapist, recently contacted me about a study she is conducting.  She is researching the sensory aspects of the environment and how they impact participation for preschool students with autism.  She is seeking preschool teachers to complete a short questionaire.  Here's the link if you are willing and able to help her out: Questionaire.

Aimee has shared some sensory activities for use in preschool classrooms.  They are available at:

http://pillerchilddevelopment.com/proprioception.php
http://pillerchilddevelopment.com/vestibular.php
http://pillerchilddevelopment.com/tactile.php

I have included the information from the first two links here.  Please click on the third link for more ideas.

Drawing Animals

I discovered years ago that kids love to be shown how to draw simple animals in a "follow the directions" kind of way.  Sometimes, I do this whole group.  Other times, I put a simple tutorial in the art or writing center for kids to do when they chose to.

 Kathy Wilson with WeDrawAnimals.com has created some tutorials for me to share here.  My students have loved to draw rabbits and cheetahs, so that is what I'm highlighting today.  Be sure to visit the WeDrawAnimals.com website for many more FREE tutorials.

Enjoy!

Eilis

Valentine's Exchange 2016

It's time for the annual Pre-K and Kindergarten Valentine Exchange!

Here's the Sign Up Genious link for this year's Valentine Exchange.  It is set up exactly the same as last year's.  If your class wants to send out and receive a total of twelve valentines, sign up one time on one list. If your class wants to send and receive about 24 valentines, sign up on two different lists. When signing up, please provide the mailing address that you want the valentines sent to (either your own address or the school's).  Either way, be sure that the address is complete. Each list is limited to one class from the same school and two classes from the same state.  I have set up four lists for now, but will add more if they fill before the deadline (January 31, 2016).

The valentines should be student created.  Be creative with paper, ribbon, glue, stickers, markers, paint, etc. Please do not include food or candy.  Please include a brief letter about your class/school/town.  Students love to see a photo of your class if it is possible to include one.

Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday this year. Valentines should be mailed out between February 1st and 5th.  This should allow all the mail to be received by February 12th.

Blessings,
Eilis