INSTANT Themes

preschool themes

Hi there teacher besties! Today is a really fun post! My sister opened her own preschool program last year! It was a great success, but like all teachers she was still scrambling around to piece together the material she needed each week for her class. She would send me a message and I would “send what I had.” However, we quickly started brainstorming for an ultimate and true all-in-one type of resource for everything she was piecing together!

We needed circle activities, thematic read alouds, discovery ideas, dramatic play, science, fine motor, ELA centers, math centers, fine motor journals, and all the bits here and there in between! We worked hard to make a list of all these and make ONE resource with all of these items crammed into it! That is when I created my new INSTANT Themes packets!

INSTANT THEMES: THE BUNDLE

Before I get into all of the bits and pieces that is included in this bundle, I want to first SHOW you with a video! In this video you will see the entire preschool room transformed to my first theme, farm fun! You will see me show you the dramatic play areas, art center, discovery center, fine motor centers, ELA centers, math centers, and the circle time as well! View this overview video the classroom HERE or the video below!

Along with the overview video, this quote from another preK teacher, Nicki, really helps to explain what these packets truly offer!

“So much goodness for one small price! How do I even begin to describe it all? SUPER FUN and ENGAGING resource for an INCREDIBLE VALUE with lots of OPTIONS FOR EVERYTHING and there is SO MUCH INCLUDED! Tara has offered so many PLAY-BASED ideas for circle time, fingerplays, math and literacy centers, dramatic play, sensory, science, crafts, and fine motor! Then there are pocket charts, easy readers, thematic word cards, and more PIP BOOKS to introduce concepts and how to play! There are options for: using printables and manipulatives, dramatic play centers, how to make crafts and props, and even whether to use clipart or REALISTIC PICTURES! Tara’s photos and videos will be so helpful in figuring out how to setup all the INTERACTIVE activities and centers! She even includes BUDGET TIPS to help you save money as you setup or make your own centers/props and ideas for where to purchase materials pictured! If all that is not enough, it is a GROWING BUNDLE with lots more to come!” -Nicki, Preschool Teacher

preschool themes

The INSTANT Theme packets are teacher-created, kid-tested, and most importantly kid-approved! The INSTANT Theme packets takes away that monotonous way of teaching which students sit and listen to the teacher TEACH.  Instead, the INSTANT Theme packets encourage guidance from the teacher while the students EXPLORE and LEARN through hands-on and engaging activities that utilize all modes of learning.

These are just a few highlights you’ll see using the INSTANT Themes:

preschool themes

I find it extremely hard to write in words what all this bundle includes but I will do my best! First, let’s start with a visual overview of the themes! Now when we started to collaborate activities we realized some of or favorite themes or favorite dramatic plays just couldn’t be expanded across all of the areas covered within each themed packet!

preschool themes

INSTANT Themes Included

That is when I decided to combine several themes within one theme! After all each teacher is different on when you implement themes, but in general we all teach pumpkins, leaves, and apples around the same time! We also teach about snow, penguins, and Arctic animals around the same of year as well! When you view the visual overview below, I just want to clarify that each packet won’t be just ONE theme… each packet covers a variety of themes! They are just all stuffed together!

My intention with these packets is each will be enough material for a good month of school! You most likely aren’t interested in swapping your dramatic play center every week so you will want something that can be used over a longer duration.

preschool themes

If you choose to grab the bundle you get ten of these packets! Again, there is not set time limit for each packet, but you can think of at least a month of material for each packet! The packets can also be swapped in any order. If you teach farm in the spring, you can swap it to later in the year!

INSTANT Themes BUNDLE Contents

Below is a description of what is in the BUNDLE! When you break down even just 1-2 of the areas, you will see that the bundle is truly an amazing set of wonderfulness and a great value!

What is included in The INSTANT Themes Packet BUNDLE?

  • Finger plays (2 per packet, 20 total)
  • Pip the Pup Books (4 per packet, 40 total )
  • Thematic word cards (clip art and realistic)
  • Fluency sentence stems pocket chart activities (1 set per packet)
  • Discovery posters, picture cards, sorts, etc.
  • Dramatic/Pretend play (3 themes per packet, 30 total)
  • Dramatic/Pretend play sings, labels, props, pennants, etc.
  • Arts and crafts activities (4 per packet, 40 total)
  • Fine motor activities (4 styles per packet, 40 total)
  • Math tray activities (4 per packet offered in 2 themes, 40 total x 2 themes is 80 math tray activities total)
  • Literacy tray activities (4 per packet offered in 2 themes, 40 total x 2 themes is 80 math tray activities total)
  • Journal/Interactive notebook activities (6 per packet, 60 total)
  • Centers and stations signs (multiple styles- ‘center’ and ‘station’ wording)
preschool themes

INSTANT Farm Fun Theme

Let’s take a closer look at the first theme included, Farm Fun!

What is included in The INSTANT Themes FARM FUN Packet?

  • Finger plays- Farm Finger Family and 5 Red Strawberries, aligned interactive notebooks sheets to patch the finger play
  • Farm introduction Pip the Pip Book and differentiated response sheets
  • Farm animal words cards (clip art AND realistic pictures)
  • “I see the__” sentence stem fluency pocket chart activities (clip AND realistic pictures), differentiated response sheets included, fluency easy reader (color and b/w)
  • Horse and cow labeling activities (full size, label cards, answering posters, differentiated response sheets)
  • Strawberry farmer Pip the Pip Book
  • Strawberry farmer posters (clip art AND realistic), differentiated sequencing response sheets, strawberry farmer checkoff sheet, strawberry seeds packet
  • Carrot garden posters (clip art AND realistic), differentiated sequencing response sheets, carrot garden checkoff sheet, carrot seeds packet
  • Things at the farm sort (clip art AND realistic), differentiated response sheets
  • Animals at the farm sort (clip art AND realistic), differentiated response sheets
  • Interactive farm scene and animals (clip art AND realistic)
  • Food at the farm picture cards (clip art AND realistic), checkoff sheet, response sheets, seed packets, water/rake/pick labels
  • Jobs on the Farm Pip the Pup Book
  • Jobs on the farm role cards (clip art AND realistic), response sheet
preschool themes
  • Farmer’s Market dramatic play Pip the Pup Book
  • Farmer’s Market easy reader (color and b/w)
  • Farmer’s Market dramatic play signage (clip art AND realistic)
  • Farmer’s Market label cards (clip art AND realistic)
  • Farmer’s Market checkoff sheets
  • Farmer’s Market prop labels
  • Farmer’s Market role cards
  • Farmer’s Market pennant banner
  • Farmer’s Market “stuffed” 3D food templates
  • Farmhouse kitchen signage (clip art AND realistic)
  • Farmhouse kitchen role cards
  • Farmhouse kitchen pennant banner
  • Farmhouse kitchen checkoff list
  • Strawberry bakery signage (clip art AND realistic)
  • Strawberry bakery role cards
  • Strawberry bakery recipe cards
  • Strawberry bakery labels
  • Strawberry bakery menu
  • Strawberry bakery posters (clip art AND realistic)
  • Strawberry bakery pennant banner
  • Strawberry bakery checkoff list
preschool themes

Included dramatic play “in action”

preschool themes
  • Pig directed drawing craft + templates
  • Tractor build craft + templates
  • Farm collage craft + templates
  • Pig paper plate craft + templates
preschool themes

Arts and craft collage “in action”

preschool themes
  • Fine motor “open ended” mats
  • Fine motor tracking mats (clip art AND realistic)
  • Fine motor 1:1 mats (clip art AND realistic)
  • Fine motor pom/dab mats
  • Sensory writing vegetables cards + recording sheets
  • Sensory writing farm cards + recording sheets
  • Vegetable letter build mats
  • Farm letter build mats
  • Vegetable Letter roll and record
  • Farm Letter roll and record
  • Vegetable letter spin and cover mats
  • Farm rhyming spin and cover mat
  • Sensory math vegetables cards + recording sheets
  • Sensory math farm cards + recording sheets
  • Vegetable number build mats
  • Farm number build mats
  • Vegetable number roll and record
  • Farm number roll and record
  • Vegetable spin and cover mat
  • Farm spin and cover mat
  • Fine motor journal labels
  • Journal activities (6 included sheets)
  • Centers and stations signs (multiple styles)

Literacy centers “in action”

preschool themes

Sensory centers “in action”

preschool themes

INSTANT Themes Lesson Guides

For each section of the packet I also include a VISUAL lesson guide! The guide includes a visual overview for you.

preschool themes

I also then detail how each activity will look in a whole-group format and guided practice.

preschool themes

I also show an additional visual overview for each of the activities.

preschool themes

INSTANT Farm Fun IN ACTION!

If you have a few extra minutes I encourage you to watch this video as well! In this detailed video, I take you through the entire preschool classroom! You’ll be able to see the entire farm fun packet set up! I go over each area in detail so you can see what’s included.

Keep in mind that everything you saw here is just ONE of the thematic packets! The bundle includes nine additional packets!

Realistic Photographs

preschool themes

The best hidden gem in the INSTANT Themes bundle is the option to choose between REALISTIC pictures or standard clip art! The packet gives you the choice throughout! The realistic pictures are amazing for exposing students to a range of vocabulary. They also offer learning opportunities that we just can’t get through clip art! (Not every cow is black and white. Not every pig is hot pink.)

This bundle is currently at a special BUY-IN price! The bundle is the price of two themes…. that means you basically buy 2 themes and get 8 themes FREE!!!! To save HUGE with the bundle click **HERE** to access the bundle on TPT!

preschool themes

Below you will find a SAMPLE pairing for my Pre-K Literacy and the new INSTANT Themes packet! You can download this pairing HERE or EDIT it to your liking HERE!

If you teach to my KinderLiteracy you will find this pairing helpful! Download the pairing HERE or and editable version HERE!

If you have any questions about this bundle feel free to reach out via email to li******************@gm***.com

preschool themes

6 Comments

  1. I cant wait to start looking thru this! Some questions! where did you get the trays for the activities and where is the white lattice like backing on the walls for the pictures you are clipping on! So great!
    thanks!

  2. Hi Tara,
    This new product looks absolutely fabulous! I have a question for your sister.
    Where did she get the little black & tan farmers market that she is using with her dramatic play center?
    Where did she purchase the art table with the slanted work space and storage in the middle? (where the little boy is gluing his paper onto the farm art picture.)

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