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Kindergarten Cafe, LLC

Welcome to Kindergarten Cafe - your home for teaching ideas, activities, and strategies to support you in teaching the whole child! I’m Zeba McGibbon, founder of Kindergarten Cafe, and current early childhood educator. I support early childhood teachers with classroom-tested strategies and materials that help take stress off our plates and support our students better from arrival to dismissal. My proudest moments as a teacher have been seeing my students using the strategies I’ve taught them to calm down, work with others, or stay on task with their work—and you can have this feeling too!

Favorite Blog Posts

8 Easy Impulse Control Activities for Kids

Kids don’t automatically learn impulse control and self-regulation – you have to teach them strategies to use! I have 8 impulse control...

Sub Tub for a Smooth and Easy Absence

Most teachers will tell you that it is easier to come to work sick than make sub plans… enter the Sub Tub!...

Ideas for classroom jobs and why they are important

Classroom jobs are a critical part of the classroom community. They teach students responsibility, independence and teamwork. Not all classroom jobs are...

5 Steps to Making an Interactive Seesaw Activity

Are you using Seesaw this year or considering it for any hybrid or remote learning? It is a wonderful website and app...

Quick and Easy Movement Breaks for Distance Learning

No matter if you are teaching in a classroom or on a computer, your students will need movement beaks and your normal...

Easy Morning Meeting Greetings and Activities for Digital and Socially Distant Classrooms!

Looking for easy interactive morning meeting greetings and activities that can work on a computer and/or in a socially distanced classroom? I’ve...

2019-20 Favorite #1: Establishing Math Routines and Expectations

As we finish up a school year, and prepare for the next one, I wanted to re-share my top 5 favorite blog...

2019-20 Favorite #2: Teaching the Alphabet

As we finish up a school year, and prepare for the next one, I wanted to re-share my top 5 favorite blog...

2019-20 Favorite #3: Authentic and Meaningful High-Frequency Word Practice

As we finish up a school year, and prepare for the next one, I wanted to re-share my top 5 favorite blog...

2019-20 Favorite #4: Kindergarten Phonics 101

As we finish up a school year, and prepare for the next one, I wanted to re-share my top 5 favorite blog...

Helping kindergarten teachers from ARRIVAL to DISMISSAL

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Recent Blog Posts

Getting Ready for Parent-Teacher Conferences – Episode 2

Apple Spotify Google Amazon Music With October in full swing, today's episode dives into the topic of parent-teacher conferences and how to make the most of them.  I want to share my personal...

Tips for Difficult Parent-Teacher Conversations

Apple Spotify Google Amazon Music Today we dive into the topic that can make any teacher feel a bit uneasy – those difficult conversations we have with parents.  This episode explores both the...

What Makes Kindergarten Magical (Ep. 1)

Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Amazon Music In this first episode of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast, join me, Zeba McGibbon, as I dive into the magic of kindergarten. 

Easy Center Ideas for Kindergarten Growth

Centers are a big part of kindergarten learning, and is probably most unique to kindergarten, although certainly older grades may use centers as well. Center ideas in kindergarten focus on what we know is developmentally appropriate for how young children learn – they learn by doing. They learn by playing and exploring. There are so many different...

Planning Social Emotional Learning Activities for Early Childhood

Social-emotional learning (SEL) plays a crucial role in the development of young children, teaching them the skills to navigate their emotions, build healthy relationships, and make thoughtful choices. As educators, it's essential to incorporate intentional social-emotional learning activities into our classrooms to foster a positive and supportive learning environment and help all our students develop important social...

The Best Morning Routine for any Kindergarten Classroom

Starting the day off right in a kindergarten classroom is crucial for setting a positive tone and creating a productive learning environment. In this blog post, we will explore various tips and strategies to help you create a successful morning routine that will make every day a great day for your students. From arrival procedures to engaging...

3 Kindergarten Writing Activities to do Before Launching Writer’s Workshop

Kindergarten writing activities and writer’s workshop can be the most challenging time of day for students. Writing involves so many steps for students, it is hard to get it all into place. Students need to think of an idea of what to write, think of how they want to say it, remember it as they are sounding...

Kindergarten Classroom Management: Setting the Foundation for Success

Effective classroom management is vital for creating a positive and productive learning environment in kindergarten. This blog post will explore the principles and strategies for successful kindergarten classroom management. In kindergarten, behavior management requires a balanced approach that combines preventative and reactive strategies. By understanding the importance of behavior as communication and implementing effective management techniques, we...

5 Classroom Routines to Plan Out Before School Starts

The beginning of school can be chaotic. But with proper planning, you can establish five key classroom routines that will help ensure a smooth start to the year. By knowing ahead of time how you want to handle these classroom routines, you can save yourself stress and reduce chaos in your classroom! Teaching Routines

7 Tips for Organizing The Classroom: Supplies

As teachers prepare their classrooms for the upcoming school year, organizing the classroom and supplies becomes a top priority. A well-organized classroom promotes independence, cleanliness, and efficient learning. In this blog post, we will explore seven tips for organizing the classroom supplies, focusing on creating independent access, the importance of labels, strategic placement of supplies, and tips...