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School Favorites: Learning Tools, Games & Activities We Actually Use
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items Our favorite learning resources that we come back to again and again. From hands on manipulatives to learning games and everyday skill builders, these are the tools that help make learning feel less like work and more like play.
Sections
4
The “tools”
Manipulatives
Games
Activities
The “tools”
Resources used to introduce, practice, and reinforce new skills
We practice lacing and tying with my daughter’s regular shoes too, but since we’re a no outside shoes in the house family, this gets used a LOT. It’s an easy and fun way to practice tying shoes and it also doubles as a cute decoration.
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wood Lacing Sneaker Toy
An everyday learning favorite
We’ve had this calendar since 2022 and still use it all the time! It’s a fun, hands on way for kids to learn about days, months, weather, seasons, and routines while building independence.
Bonus: it makes learning feel...
Melissa & Doug My First Daily Magnetic Calendar
A fun way to practice letter formation and build writing skills without endless worksheets. We use it for tracing, letter practice, and making handwriting practice feel more like play.
Wooden Alphabet Double Sided Tracing Board
Perfect for sneaky math practice
These have been a fun and easy way to practice mental math without the frustration of endless worksheets. We use them through games to help my daughter become quicker and more confident with her math skills.
Lakeshore Self-Teaching Math Machines - Set of 4
Sneaky math practice for kids who’d rather play than do more school work.
We use this for the usual practice of learning to tell time, but our favorite way to use it is turning it into a race! I’ll set the clock and my daughter and I race to see wh...
Learning Resources Kids Time Activity Set
We use this to practice counting, whole numbers, and decimals in a more hands on way. It’s a great visual tool for helping my daughter understand how numbers work and build confidence with place value.
Student Place Value Flip Chart, Millions
A little tool that made a big difference
This has helped take away so much frustration when my daughter was struggling to clearly hear and understand letter and word sounds. It has been a huge help with spelling because she can hear the individual ...
Hand2Mind Sound phone
Manipulatives
Learning materials that explore concepts through touching, building, sorting, and doing.
Learn money through play!
We use this for regular money practice, but also for playing store or bank teller. It makes learning about money feel much more hands-on and like real life!
Melissa & Doug Play Money Set with Drawer
More than just pretend play!
We use this for regular pretend play, but it’s also great for homeschool. We use it to learn about the different things you’d find in a wallet and what they’re used for.
It’s also just beyond adorable to see a kid with ...
Melissa & Doug Pretend-to-Spend Toy Wallet (45 pcs)
We use this to play store and practice counting, money, and making purchases. It makes money skills feel like real-life play instead of a lesson!
Learning Resources Pretend Play Calculator Register
We use these to build words and practice spelling, and they’re so fun to pair with Play-Doh and kinetic sand for a more interactive learning experience. It’s a simple easy frustration free way to help struggling spellers.
*We also have the uppercas...
Transparent Lowercase Letters
We use these for hands on math activities and games like shake and pour. They’re a simple way to make counting, adding, and number practice more fun and interactive.
Two Color Counters, 100 pcs
While we don’t really need 30 pairs of dice… we do use these regularly for math games, counting activities, and hands on learning.
60 Piece Dice Set
We use these for counting, sorting, and math and ELA activities, but they’re also great for sensory play and creative activities. A simple, versatile learning tool that can grow with different skills.
*also good for bingo
Transparent Plastic Counters -Set of 50
We use these for counting, addition, subtraction, place value, and even basic multiplication. They help make numbers more visual and easier to understand through hands on practice.
Base Ten Blocks Plastic 143 pcs Math Manipulatives
We use these for counting, math practice, patterns, and exploring different concepts, but they’re also great for building and creating.
Snap Cubes
Games
Fun, engaging games that turn practice into play while building important skills.
We use this for quick simple addition and subtraction practice to help build mental math skills. It’s a great way to get extra practice in without it feeling like a chore.
Learning Resources Pop For Addition & Subtraction
We use these to make review questions, trivia, and practice activities more fun and engaging. They’re a simple way to add excitement and make learning more interactive.
Learning Resources Answer Buzzers, Set of 4
Activities
Projects and activities that make learning memorable while encouraging curiosity and exploration.
A fun way to bring space learning into everyday play. My daughter loves these bath bombs, and they’re a cute way to talk about planets and the solar system while making bath time more fun.
Mr. Bubble Galaxy Bath Bombs, Bubble Gum Scent, Set of 8
My daughter loved being able to create her own solar system model while learning about the planets. It’s a fun hands on activity that combines science, creativity, and fine motor skills all in one.
Solar System Planetarium DIY Glow Dark Model