Episode 20: The Easiest Way to Build Scissor Skills

Want to improve your students’ fine motor skills- without adding more to your prep list?

In this episode, Alex shares a super simple solution for consistent cutting practice that’s teacher-friendly and student-approved: The Cutting Jar.

✨ You’ll hear:

1. Why scissor skills matter more than just cutting shapes
2. The problem with only offering occasional cutting activities
3. How the Cutting Jar builds independence and consistency
4. Simple routines to make fine motor practice part of the day

Whether you’re starting the year or supporting ongoing skills, this is a tip you’ll come back to again and again.

🔗 Mentioned in this episode

📖 Read the full blog post: Simple Scissor Skills Practice for the Classroom

✂️ Grab the Cutting Jar Mini Training:

1. ✅ Printable cutting strips (leveled for different skill sets)
2. ✅ Fine motor starter kit for easy setup
3. ✅ BONUS: ABC Cutting Practice Book

🧰 Inside the Print and Play Club:

1. ✅ Cutting Jar Training
2. ✅ Cutting Jar Printable Pack
3. ✅ Additional fine motor centers
4. ✅ So Much More!

📍Join the Club: https://printandplayclub.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=podcast

The Happy Teaching Podcast with The Kindergarten Connection is the go-to podcast for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers who want simple, effective, and joyful teaching strategies—fast!

Hosted by Alex John, this bite-sized podcast delivers classroom management tips, engaging lesson ideas, and real-life solutions you can implement immediately. Whether you're looking to create smoother routines, build stronger student connections, or bring more fun into your teaching day, each episode (in ten minutes or less!) is designed to make your job easier and your classroom happier.

Subscribe now and start teaching with confidence and joy!

...

Connect with The Kindergarten Connection on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekindergartenconnection

Visit us online: https://www.thekindgergartenconnection.com

Join us at https://www.printandplayclub.com

Episode 19: How to Make Clean-Up Fast, Fun, and Stress-Free

If clean-up time feels chaotic or takes forever, you’re not alone. But what if this part of your day could be smoother, faster and even fun?

In this episode, Alex shares easy, actionable tips to transform your clean-up routine into a calm, consistent system your students can follow (and even enjoy!). You’ll walk away with ideas that you can try tomorrow.

✨ You’ll hear:

1. Why clean-up struggles are totally normal and fixable
2. The role of visual cues, clear expectations, and transition time
3. How using clean-up songs and countdowns can shift the vibe entirely
4. A mindset shift that takes the pressure off you to do it all

From quick transitions to building classroom responsibility, this episode is packed with tips to help your day end on a high note.

🔗 Mentioned in this episode

📖 Read the related blog posts:

1. How to Make Classroom Clean-Up Fast and Fun
2. Must-Try Classroom Clean-Up Tip
3. Clean-Up Songs for Pre-K and Kindergarten

🧰 Inside the Print and Play Club:

1. Routine Cheat Sheets
2. Classroom management tools for smooth transitions
3. Plus so much more!

📍Join the Club: https://printandplayclub.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=podcast

📲 Come say hi on Instagram: @thekindergartenconnection

💛 Love a good tip that saves your voice and your sanity? Share this episode with a teacher friend who needs smoother clean-ups too!

The Happy Teaching Podcast with The Kindergarten Connection is the go-to podcast for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers who want simple, effective, and joyful teaching strategies—fast!

Hosted by Alex John, this bite-sized podcast delivers classroom management tips, engaging lesson ideas, and real-life solutions you can implement immediately. Whether you're looking to create smoother routines, build stronger student connections, or bring more fun into your teaching day, each episode (in ten minutes or less!) is designed to make your job easier and your classroom happier.

Subscribe now and start teaching with confidence and joy!

...

Connect with The Kindergarten Connection on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekindergartenconnection

Visit us online: https://www.thekindgergartenconnection.com

Join us at https://www.printandplayclub.com

Episode 18: Managing Big Emotions - A Must-Try Social-Emotional Tip

Helping young children handle big feelings is one of the most important and often most challenging parts of early childhood teaching.

In this episode, Alex shares one powerful, simple strategy that helps students build emotional awareness and empowers them to self-regulate.

Whether you're working with Pre-K, TK, or Kindergarten, this tip is easy to implement and creates meaningful moments of connection and calm in your classroom.

✨ You’ll learn:

1. Why teaching emotional language is essential (and often overlooked)
2. How to model and practice emotion identification during your daily routine
3. A simple tool to help students express how they feel and what they need
4. Encouragement to focus on growth, not perfection, with SEL

This isn’t about eliminating big feelings. It’s about giving students the tools to understand and manage them. ❤️

🔗 Mentioned in this episode

📖 Read the full blog post: Must-Try Tip for Teaching Social-Emotional Skills

🧰 Inside the Print and Play Club:

1. ✅ Emotion visuals and social-emotional tools
2. ✅ Calm corner printables and routine charts
3. ✅ SEL mini-lessons designed for real early childhood classrooms

📍Join the Club: https://printandplayclub.com/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=podcast

The Happy Teaching Podcast with The Kindergarten Connection is the go-to podcast for Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers who want simple, effective, and joyful teaching strategies—fast!

Hosted by Alex John, this bite-sized podcast delivers classroom management tips, engaging lesson ideas, and real-life solutions you can implement immediately. Whether you're looking to create smoother routines, build stronger student connections, or bring more fun into your teaching day, each episode (in ten minutes or less!) is designed to make your job easier and your classroom happier.

Subscribe now and start teaching with confidence and joy!

...

Connect with The Kindergarten Connection on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekindergartenconnection

Visit us online: https://www.thekindgergartenconnection.com

Join us at https://www.printandplayclub.com