21 Ideas for Baby Boy's First Easter Basket

Welcome! Make sure to check out my NEWEST Easter Basket post:

105 Ideas for an EPIC Toddler Easter Basket!

Growing up, we had an Easter tradition that I looked forward to every year. The Easter Bunny would hide our baskets, and my brothers and I would scour the house looking for them. We knew which basket was ours because we had special baskets made for us when we were babies, and we used the same basket every year! I remember hoping that I found my brothers' baskets before they did, just so I would be able to watch if they were getting close to theirs while I looked for mine… like two games in one. Of course, the rule was that if we found another basket first, we had to put on our best pretend faces and act like we hadn't seen anything.

Well we officially have our first baby and this is one tradition I want to carry on! This year, Daddy will obviously be helping Beckett look for his Easter basket. I think I'm just as thrilled to impress & surprise Brian as I am Beckett! :) I've been brainstorming ideas for Beckett's first basket for over a month now. Below I've shared all of the items Beckett will find in his basket(*), along with other items I considered.

I hope you have as much fun assembling your basket as I did mine!

1. An AWESOME basket!*
Obviously, you're going to need a basket for your Easter basket. I made this one by using a cardboard box and creating my own cover for it! There are a billion mistakes because A) until recently I didn't sew. And B) This is only my SECOND project on an embroider machine and before the first I had never even SEEN one in action! So… I decided to just OWN this pitiful, sweet attempt at making something sentimental for my baby boy! ;)

2. Stuffed Toy: Something Easter themed, or something unique!
I liked {This Tutorial} of a ridiculously cute stuffed octopus! You could even use old baby clothes.

3. Books!*
I go crazy over books. My favorite places to buy them are Marshalls, Ross, and TJMaxx. I definitely got too many this go around. (14 total!) As always, I made sure to buy a couple specific for the holiday. These two I found at Walmart (or just click and order through Amazon!).

4. Sunglasses*
We plan on hitting the pool this summer. I thought these were seasonable appropriate, practical, and CUTE!

5. Sunscreen*
For the pool. :)

6. Binkies/Pacifiers
Easy & Practical.

7. A receiving blanket*
This one is homemade. I just chose a pattern I loved out of the baby flannel section. This is an easy project. Just cut a square and stitch the edges. This one is 42X42.  I like making them myself because then they are extra big! We use these a lot in our house.

8. Bubbles*
All babies love bubbles! And they're a perfect spring time activity.

9. Fresh Food Feeder*
A friend recommended filling these with frozen veggies to help with teething. BRILLIANT! (Check them out here on Amazon!)

10. A Pin Wheel
Simple, fun, & seasonal.

11. A DVD*
We went with Veggie Tales Easter! (Check it out here on Amazon).

12. Toy truck
Because every boy needs one.

13. Teething Ring, Teething tablets, Orajel, etc.
Practical!

14. Taggy Toy
Taggy toys are all the rage! Buy one or make one. There are a TON of {Ideas on Pinterest}. Or just order one on Amazon. There are a ton of cute options here.

15. Plastic Easter Eggs*
The small ones are definitely fun to play with, so I put a few empty ones in Beckett's basket. I considered putting cash in one for his ESA, but decided against it.

Of course, the traditional sized eggs are not big enough to hold anything that's not an infant choking hazard (other than food). However, these beasts definitely are! I've seen these handy dandy eggs at Walmart and Walgreens. I happened to use this one to mail an Easter treat to my nephew.

16. Sippy Cups, Kids Plates, or Utensils
Right now there are Easter themed items everywhere! My sister in law found these at Walgreens.

17. Bath Toys or Rubber Ducky
Cute, practical, springy!

18. Bunny Headband
Buy one or make your own! I made {this one} for my Easter card, so it was a little more boy friendly :) Side note: This particular project was a total Pinterest FAIL for me! We literally had to duct tape the ears to his head to get them to stay up for pictures!!

19. Clothes!
Onesies, Rompers, T-Shirts, etc. All more fun if they are personalized!

20. A Hat
You're going to need them for summer anyway!

21. Baby's First Bible*
What a perfect occasion to give such a sweet and sentimental gift! We chose this one. It's a board book and happens to have Joseph on the front (Beckett's first name is Joseph).

And that's 21!

Since this post, I've doubled in the number of kiddos I have and they're at the toddler & preschool age now! I just did an even more elaborate post with a TON of great ideas for littles in that age range. A LOT of the ideas are great for any age range, so make sure to check it out!

DIY Personalized Yoga Mat

So my newest endeavor in the adventure of recovering pre-baby body is yoga. I didn't want to invest a lot in my new yoga mat, but wanted it to be unique, so I did a little pinteresting for ideas and happened upon {this sassy friend}. I thought if she could paint her yoga mat, so could I! Of course, I went with something much simpler. So without further ado:

Here's how I got this look.

Materials:
Paint {The Sassy Life used acrylic. I used leftover wall paint from my playroom makeover. [Reveal coming soon]}
Brushes
Black Sharpie
Baby Wipe
Ruler
Yoga Mat {This is the $8 one from Walmart}
Pen, marker, chalk, or pencil

Step 1:
I used a pen and sketched out my initials by hand. I used a piece of paper (in place of a ruler) and the gridlines on the mat to make sure my letters were equal in height, width, and thickness. In this picture you'll notice that the circle in my D is WAAAY too small. I thought my pen would rub off with a baby wipe but IT DID NOT. I recommend using a washable marker. I think it would come off easier.

If you're not confident in your letter sketching skills, you can print letters REALLY BIG on the computer, cut them out, and use them as a stencil.



Step 2:
Fill in your letters with your base color. Unfortunately, I went ahead and painted my D even though it was a hot mess. 

Once I realized it, I knew I had to fix it. Luckily, I had pink paint from my playroom that was the EXACT COLOR of my mat! So at this point I went back and made my D better and colored over any stray pen marks. This is when you would whip out that baby wipe to brush off the washable marker.

It took me a couple of coats to get the paint to cover the texture of the mat. I used a blow dryer in between coats… mostly because I'm impatient.

Step 3:

I used a thinner brush, and white paint to create a "shadow" or trim along the right edges of the letters. At this point, I also used that baby wipe, wrapped around my nail, to clean up any spots that weren't quite straight or were too thick.

Step 4:

I used a black sharpie to trim the left edge of the letters. 

And voila! CUTEST. MAT. IN THE CLASS! ;)

The Sassy Life tutorial suggests covering the paint in mogde podge. I have some on hand, but decided I was pleased with the paint as is and would try it out without the modge podge. It is flexible and isn't cracking (yet), but I will make sure to update if I start to have problems! :) 

Have fun!

15 Activities to Use with Task Cards

Task cards are awesome! They switch things up for the students but often provide the same or often better practice as a boring old worksheet! They also allow for an abundance of creative activities with your students. You can find task cards all over the place. I have a few sets in my store & am working on more! You can check them out here! You could also make task cards with pre-made worksheets. Simply cut them apart and glue the individual pieces on index cards. Voila! ;)

In the meantime, here are 15 creative ideas for using task cards in the classroom.

1. Board Games

Pull out a board game. Some simple ones that would work well include Chutes & Ladders, Sorry, Trouble, etc. Then students simply have to pull and answer a Task Card before they get to take their turn! Brilliant! :) 

I LOVE this idea! I found it at {Task Card Corner}. Make sure you check out her other game ideas!

2. Buzzers

Put the students on teams and have them make buzzers out of whatever materials are available. They can beat two markers together, make noise-maker our of rolled up paper, stomp their feed, etc. Then flash one Task Card (on the Elmo) at a time. Now your students have an opportunity to make a little obnoxious noise instead of just raising their hands! Keep score to make the review extra competitive and enticing. 

This game is borrowed from my post on {Creative Ways to Use Worksheets}.

3. Centers 

Place the Task Cards at a reading literacy or math center and have students complete the answer sheet independently.

4. Early Finisher Station

Put the task cards in a basket at an "Early Finisher Station." When students have time, they can work to complete each of the task cards in a set. Over the course of a week (or whatever time frame works for you), their goal will be to complete all of the task cards in a station. You could even consider having a special incentive like iPad or computer time once they've completed them all.

5. Exit Tickets

Display a task card on the Smart Board or Elmo and have students answer the question and explain their answer. They can write this on an index card, sticky note, or a more "official" exit ticket and hand in as they leave the classroom.  

Sample Exit Ticket

6. Jar Game 
Put all of the Task Cards in a bucket or jar. Students close their eyes and take turns pulling one out at a time. If they can answer the question, they get to keep the card. If not, they put it back. They student with the most cards at the end, wins.  You can change this game up by adding a "zap" card (where they have to put all of the cards back if they draw one). This is a variety of my {Bug Juice Game}.

7. Jeopardy

Place the Task Cards in a pocket chart, assign them each a value (use post it notes or dry erase markers on laminated cards), and let the game begin!

8. Journal Entries

Teach the students to journal about their task cards. For their entry they would answer the question, then elaborate on their "experience." They could write about how they got their answer, their thought process, problems they had, things they learned or were reminded of, tools & resources they used, people they asked for help, questions they have, how much they enjoy the particular topic, how they can use this information in real life, etc. 

9. Morning Work

Put a task card on each student's desk for them to work on when they enter the classroom. When they finish the task card they've got, they can trade with a neighbor. Have them keep the same recording sheet for the entire week. 

10. Partner Discussion

Put students in pairs with Task Cards. Have each student answer the questions independently. Then the students should have a conversation about why they chose their answers.

11. Pass the Card

Have students sit at their seats, or in a large circle. Give each student a Task Card. Play music. Allow the students 1-2 minutes to answer their question. Then students pass the card to their neighbor.

12. Dice Game

Grab a die and put students on teams. Assign each number on the die a special challenging way of answering the question. Keep score as you go! You can download my {Freebie Game Posters Here}. 

This game is borrowed from my post on {Creative Ways to Use Worksheets}.

13. Rotation Activity {Often called "Scoot"}

Place one Task Cards at each student’s desk, or at other tables throughout the room. Set one student at each task card. Play music and have give students 1-2 minutes to read their card and answer the question. Then students rotate to the next card. 

14. Student Teachers

Assign each student a task card. Give them time to complete the answer, and compose an explaination of their process. Then have students take turns teaching the rest of the class using their task card lesson they prepared. Encourage the students to ask the "teacher" questions, requiring them to dig deeper into their understanding! 

15. Task Card Hunt

Hide the Task Cards around your classroom, the gym, or the playground. Instruct students to hunt for the cards, answer the questions, and then return to you. You may want to print 2-3 sets of the same card for this game. You may want to make rules such as, “no more than one student per card.”

Using Famous Quotes in the Common Core Classroom

Martin Luther King Jr Day is just around the corner, so I'm busy working hard to prepare a BUNCH of creative and meaningful {MLK Day Materials} for you to use in your Common Core classroom! As I've been working and reading about MLK, I've been inspired by the endless wonderful quotes that he bestowed upon his listeners.

Quotes are a great tool. They give us insight into the minds and character of historical figures, bring inspiration to our daily lives, and also provide teachers with meaningful, cross-curricular activities for our classrooms!

Today I wanted to share with you some ideas for using quotes in your classroom! You can use quotes you've collected yourself, or use my compilation of {MLK Quote Posters}! Either way, I hope you enjoy using some of these ideas in your classroom!

Point of View
Practice identifying the point of view of the speaker as well as their possible audiences. {CCRA.R.6} {CCRA.SL.3}

Writing Inspiration:
Students can use the quotes as a basis for writing their own speeches, essays, or journal entries. Hang the quotes around the room or in a writing center for students to choose, or try putting the quotes in a jar to pull randomly. {CCRA.W.1} {CCRA.W.2} {CCRA.SL.6}

Design Inspiration:
Let your students get creative by using the quotes to inspire a design. They can design anything to portray the meaning behind the quote. Some ideas include: a poster, sticker, bumper sticker, tattoo, or license plate. Then of course, students will need to explain their design! {CCRA.SL.5}

Rewrite:
Have the students rewrite or expand on the quote in a creative way. The can write a song/rap, poem, tweet, short story, interview, etc. {CCRA.SL.6}

Wordle: 
Students can input entire quotes or important words from it to create a Wordle. Use just the quote or have students add their own thoughts, feelings, opinions, reactions, etc. You can also do this in reverse! Show students a quote Wordle and have them decode what the quote originally said! {CCRA.W.6}

Memorize Them
Encourage students to know important aspects of history, and utilize this information and inspiration in their everyday lives! {CCRA.SL.6}

Quote Them!
Obviously, you can practice using quotation marks. Another idea is to make a game out of incorporating famous quotes into every day classroom conversation! {CCRA.SL.6} {CCRA.L.2}

Class Discussion
Have a meaningful conversation about the quotes. Some aspects you might discuss are: meaning, emotions evoked, impacts on history, effects on our culture, word choice, life application, and context. You may even want to break out the java (or hot cocoa) for these conversations! {CCRA.R.4} {CCRA.R.6} {CCRA.SL.1} {CCRA.SL.3}

Rhetorical Devices
Practice identifying metaphors, similes, hyperbole, etc. {CCRA.R.4} {CCRA.L.3}

Character Analysis
Think about what these quotes tell you about the speaker. Consider comparing and contrasting this character with others you've studied, with current famous figures, or yourselves! {CCRA.L.3}

Word Work
Identify unknown words using context clues. Practice using some new words in your own writing assignments. {CCRA.R.4} {CCRA.L.3} {CCRA.L.4} {CCRA.L.5}

Author's Purpose
Identify why the speaker said this quote in the first place. What was his purpose & who was his audience? {CCRA.SL.3}

Veteran's Day

Happy Almost Veteran's Day!

Since 9-11, and with the ever changing & evolving political mess overseas, I think that our military have been given more attention than I remember them having before. Still, however, I think that we still struggle to give them the respect, admiration, and gratitude they truly deserve. I love this country, and what it stands for, in spite of the drama and politics we wrestle with daily. I look at it like a family - we're crazy and messy and have those members that just can't get it together, but it's the only one we've got. I love em. :)

Anyway! My dad was Air Force yet, sadly, I still don't remember ever really having a sense of utmost respect and admiration for our military. I hope it something we can continue to strive for and teach our children. On this Veterans Day, I hope we all remember how and why we live in a free country, and help to instill a grand respect in our students & children.

Below are a few activities that I've created, as well as some ideas for other creative activities you can do in your classrooms or at home.

{KWL}
Spend a little time learning about our military and the importance of Veterans Day. Some ways you can do this are by watching videos, reading books, or inviting a guest speaker to come in. Use a {KWL Chart} to structure the day & track your learning! KWL Charts are super easy to make, so create your own, or download one of my packs:

My Veteran's Day KWL Pack includes two of my {KWL+Evidence Graphic Organizers!}, with a fun Veterans Day theme for your visual learners. Each of the two charts is available in full color or in black and white. 

My recently updated KWL pack includes three variations of my KWL+E graphic organizer, made to suit any grade or ability level, K-12. Each variation is provided in blackline format and with a color border option for more appealing dispays!

{Research}
There are a TON of great ways to research Veterans Day. There are passages & websites all over the place that have great reading on Veterans Day. I particularly like Wikipedia. The government also has an {Official History of Veterans Day} page. Consider allowing the students to watch videos (independently or whole group), read books & articles, or prepare an interview for guest veterans. Most students could find a friend or family to interview at home as well. Compile the information with {Graphic Organizers} and turn them into a writing project! I also have a great pack with reading comprehension pages that I designed specifically for this special day!:

{Writing}
Of course there are always great ways to challenge students to write on special days like this. Consider thank you cards to a military person you know, informative pieces on what they know or learned about the military, or opinion pieces on why our military is so important. To add a dash of creativity to the assignments, use some of my {Freebie Veterans Day Writing Paper}.

Or, download my entire {Veterans Day Writing Center Bundle}.

Creative Ways to use Worksheets!

Worksheets can be amazing. They're already prepared for you, they do the important jobs of practice & assessment, and they require little to no prep work! What more can a teacher ask for? Well, we all know what more we could ask for: something that the kids also ENJOY. So, here I've compiled a few ways that you can use the same old worksheets, in more creative and unique ways your students will think are AMAZING!

{Buzzers}
Additional Materials: Varies
Basic Instructions: Have students make buzzers out of whatever materials are available. They can beat two markers together, make a noise-maker out of rolled up paper, stomp their feet, etc. Then, review your worksheet just like you would normally... except it's not normal! As you ask a question, students "buzz in" instead of raising their hands!
Even More Ways to Mix It Up: 
- Call the questions out of order so students don't know which question is coming next.
- Keep score; Give additional points for being able to thoroughly explain their reasoning
- Put students in teams



{Convince Me}
Additional Materials: None
Basic Instructions: Students complete a worksheet independently. This works best with multiple choice. As you review, designate a spot in the room for A, B, C, or D. After reading each question, students will stand in the section of the room that represents their answer. After every student is in place, each group discusses the reasons they chose this answer. Then they groups try to convince the other groups that THEIR answer is correct. After each group has had a chance to speak, give students a  chance to change places. After students have changed places, ask one or two students why they chose to change. Sometimes they realize they were correct to begin with!
Even More Ways to Mix It Up:  
- Give points or candy for correct answers
- Use toy microphones for the speakers


{Dice Game}
Additional Materials: A die, {Dice Game Poster}, Other materials vary depending on the challenges you choose.
Basic Instructions: Instead of handing out the worksheet, just have one to display on a SmartBoard or Elmo. You'll need something to cover up the rest of the worksheet so you only reveal one question at a time. Then split students into teams. Assign each number on the die a special challenge. You can use one of the posters in my {Dice Game Poster Pack Freebie} (below) or make up your own. Each team takes a turn rolling the dice and following the special challenge in order to complete the question! This game makes more sense once you check out the poster. In my pack, I have two versions: one that requires no supplies and one that requires several supplies.
Even More Ways to Mix It Up:  
- Allow students to study the worksheet, individually or in groups, for a certain amount of time before getting started.
- Assign the worksheet for homework the night before, then collect it before playing the game.
- Assign the same worksheet for a quiz or homework AFTER playing the game.
- Give additional points for being able to thoroughly explain their reasoning.

{Highlighter Heaven}
Additional Materials: Highlighters
Basic Instructions: Instead of answering the questions outright, students must go through the reading and highlight where they find the answer. Then they must label in the margins which number question this passage answers.
Even More Ways to Mix It Up: 
- Partner students and give them two separate worksheets. Have them work independently to highlight them. Then have the students trade. Time the students to see how quickly they can answer the questions with the reading already highlighted for them!


{Movin' & Music}
Additional Materials: Music & a Timer
Basic Instructions: Simply allow students to sit anywhere in the room. They can sit under desks, in special chairs, on the floors, stand against walls, etc. Then just play music and tell the kids they'll have to switch every minute. Play music & set a time. After a minute is up, the kids find a new place in the room to sit. This works best with worksheets that don't require a TON of concentration on one question for a long period of time. I would not recommend it for reading comprehension. The purpose is to just keep their attention, let them move, and get some oxygen flowing to those brains!
Even More Ways to Mix It Up:  
- My second graders LOVED this. We used it with fluency practice readers. Every time they switched, they started reading their passage over again, hoping to read more in a minute each time!
- You may need to set a time limit on how long they have to choose a new spot. 10-15 seconds should be PLENTY.

{Pass the Q}
Additional Materials: None
Basic Instructions: {This game is similar the the Rotation Activity below, except the students don't move}. Cut the worksheet up and hand out one question to each student. Have student number a separate paper. Remind students to pay attention, because they won't all start on #1. Set a timer, and go! Students work to answer their question. When the time is up, students pass their question on to the next person. If they're not ready, they pass anyway. Continue until each student has had each question.
Even More Ways to Mix It Up:  
- Play music


{Rainbow Worksheet}
Additional Materials: A plethora of colored pencils, crayons, or markers
Basic Instructions: 
Students get to use colored pencils to do their worksheet! Here's how I do it: Students choose any shade of blue to complete their worksheet. They work individually to complete it. Then they switch to a shade of green and partner up. With their partners, they discuss each answer. If they choose to make any corrections/changes, it must be done in their shade of green. Then students choose a shade of pink/purple. Together, we go over the worksheet. We discuss each question. I ask students for their opinions on the question, and why they feel that way. I make sure to target students with green on their paper: "Why did you change your answer? Tell us your thought process." As we go, we don't give ANY final answers, but students are allowed to make more changes. Then at the end, we choose a shade of red/orange to correct the paper together. With all of these colors, it adds a bit of fun and variety. Plus it allows me as the teacher to see the though processes and evolution of thinking. I can get students talking about their thought process and answers, and focus on those that have made several changes.
Even Ways to Mix It Up:  
- Obviously, use whatever color pallet you prefer!
- Have student write reasonings for why they changed their answer.
- Stop after the partner discussion & just turn the pages in.


{Rotation Activity}
Additional Materials: Paper & Pencils, Timer
Basic Instructions:
Cut the worksheet up and place the questions around the room, playground, etc. Each student starts at a question. Have them number their paper before they get started. Remind students they all won't start at #1, so pay attention! Set a timer, and go! When the timer goes off, the students move to the next question in the rotation. If they're not ready, they have to move anyway! Continue until all students have been to all questions.
Even More Ways to Mix It Up:  
- Play music
- Make students do silly moves as they move between questions (walk like a duck, spin twice, hop like a bunny, etc).



{Train Game}
Additional Materials: Tape. You'll also need to do some cutting prep work.
Basic Instructions: 
This can work in one of two ways:
- With a reading passage: Cut the questions corresponding with a reading passage. Then cut out the section of the passage where you'd find the answer. Tape one question on each student's back, and then give each student an answer/section of the passage. The students' goal is to find the question they have the answer to, and stand behind that person. They will eventually make a train.
HINT: You'll need to do some thinking in advance & ordering to make sure students don't get the answer to their own question and that the train doesn't turn into a ball! :)
- Any other type of worksheet: Use the same method, but you'll need to write/type the answers or cut them from a copy of the answer key.
Even More Ways to Mix It Up:  
- Don't allow talking. Play music instead.

Thanksgiving Emergent Readers Literacy Bundle

I'm so excited that Thanksgiving is near. I'm still working on fun activities for those kiddos! This pack is for PK-1 and includes three emergent readers, plus additional activities and flash cards to practice vocabulary, reading, and writing!

FOLLOWERS' FREEBIE BONUS! As a special treat for my blog followers, I'm emailing out one piece of this pack for FREE! Just {Follow By Email} and then comment below or email me privately and I'll send you any piece you'd like!

{Thanksgiving Emergent Reader & Literacy Bundle}

The full pack includes {and my Followers' Freebie choices}:

• Emergent Reader “I see a [Thanksgiving Vocabulary Word].” Provided in color and in black & white. Includes a cover, 6 pages of reading, and one “write your own” page.
• Emergent Reader: “I can count [Number words 1-6] [Thanksgiving Vocabulary Word].” Provided in color and in black & white. Includes a cover, 6 pages of reading, and one “write your own” page. Pages are not numbered, so order them sequentially for predictable reading or mix them up for an added challenge!
• Emergent Reader “The [Fall/Thanksgiving Vocabulary Word] is [Color word]. Provided in color only. Includes a cover, 8 pages of reading, and one “write your own” page. Pages are not numbered, so order them sequentially (rainbow color order) for predictable reading or mix them up for an added challenge!
• Thanksgiving Read Write the Room
• My Thanksgiving Vocabulary Cards
• Thanksgiving sort: food/not food, alive/not alive,
• Thanksgiving themed Sight word cards: I, see, a, the, is, & can. Provided in color and in black & white. Both sets also include a blank page of cards for adding your own words!
• 5 Thanksgiving Read, write, cut, & paste pages, based on “I see a” Emergent Reader.