10 Engaging March Literacy Centers Your Students Will Love!

I love March in the classroom! Spring is starting to appear and there's plenty of leprechaun magic floating around the primary classroom. Today I'm sharing 10 of my favorite March Literacy Centers that will engage your students in learning all month long. 

Using Leprechaun Magic to Make March Literacy Centers More Fun 

Do you enjoy seasonal and thematic teaching? I know I certainly do! As a literacy intervention teacher, I was always looking for ways to spruce up my lesson plan and engage those kiddos in learning. Using fun themes in your activities is one of the best ways to snag their attention. And. . . what's more fun than leprechauns?!

That's why I love these March literacy centers. They've all got a fun St. Patrick's Day theme and were beloved by all in my room. Not to mention - these activities are versatile! Whether you use them for center stations, partner games, small group lessons, or intervention materials - I know you and your students will love these! 

1. March Fluency Spinners 

This first activity is one of my all-time favorites because it's super simple to prep and use in a variety of ways. The idea is to have students spin the spinner and identify the picture they land on. Then, they will find that picture on their gameboard and then quickly identify the letters (or letter sounds) in the sequence. 

This is such a great activity for small groups, literacy centers, and even homework! I also found them to be especially helpful in assessing students quickly and easily as part of our intervention/RTI process throughout the month of March. Best of all, just print and laminate these once and use them over and over in your classroom. 

2. Spin and Say Nonsense Word Game

Looking for a March literacy center that will leave your kiddos smiling? I know you'll love this Spin and Say Nonsense Word Game. To play, students will use a spinner to spin a picture. Once they land on one, they will find the matching picture on their gameboard and read the nonsense words aloud. 

This is another great activity for your small groups and as a center activity. Students love to read the nonsense CVC words and enjoy the St. Patrick's Day Theme on each board! 

3. Real and Nonsense Word Sort 

Speaking of nonsense words, how about a fun sorting game to keep this theme going? In this Real and Nonsense Word Sort, students will choose a card, read the word and determine if it is real or nonsense. Then, they place it under the corresponding category. There are 60 different word cards included, so you'll be able to play this with your whole group at once!

I liked to play by calling on students one at a time to come up to the pocket chart and make their selections. The cards feature a St. Patrick's Day theme and everyone loves to see if they will pull a real or nonsense word. After modeling as a whole group, this makes for a fantastic center activity as well! 

4. March Literacy Center Sensory Bin 

Do you ever use sensory bins in your literacy centers? If not, you're missing out on a great opportunity for high engagement in your classroom! Students love to use activities with tactile materials - so adding a sensory bin to your routine might be just what you need to boost engagement. This March Sensory Basket focuses on letters and sounds in a fun way! 

To use, you'll fill a small bin or tub with some kind of fun filler. I like to use colored easter grass because it's festive and low-mess. Then, you'll add the letter cards or sound cards and some fun seasonal items. I like to add gold coins or rainbow mini erasers to add to the tactile experience.  Next, have students choose or spin for the letter or sound they will be looking for. After they locate the card, they name what they see and then use a recording sheet to mark their answer by tracing the corresponding letter. 

Want to add some additional fine motor practice to the mix? Try having students use tweezers to choose cards from the sensory bins. This is so much fun and targets multiple skills at once including fine motor, letter/sound identification, and tracing. Your students will love this March Literacy Center! 

5. March Hole Punch Literacy Center

Do your kids need to work on developing hand strength? Mine always did too! That's one of the reasons I absolutely love hole-punch activities. Aside from that, the students always loved getting to use hole punchers during literacy centers! This resource is designed to help students practice letter or sound identification while weaving in some hand strengthening. Best of all, there are many different ways to play and skills to target including:

• Capital to Capital
• Lowercase to Lowercase
• Cross Case
• Beginning Sound
• Letters in sequence
• Letters out of sequence

To play, students will receive a game mat and a stack of cards. They will flip cards one at a time and identify the letter or sound on the card. Then, they find the match on their board and hole punch it! I always liked to use these reduced-effort hole punches with primary kiddos. This activity is a fantastic independent literacy center that students will really enjoy!

6. Spin a CVC Word 

Looking for another fun March literacy center where your students can play solo? This Spin a CVC Word Activity will be a classroom favorite! Kiddos will spin a spinner for 1 letter at a time to build a CVC word. As they spin, they add 1 letter tile to the mat to build the CVC word. You can also laminate the pages and have students use dry-erase markers or magnetic letters for this step as well!

Once all 3 letters have been spun and written, students will read the word and determine if it is real or nonsense. There are also 3 optional recording sheets to choose from that you can have students use to write down their words as they go. On this page, they write the word and then check a box to show if it's real or not. After students have finished, you can have them turn in the pages or swap with a partner to check each other's work. 

7. March Word Ladders 

Word ladders are one of my favorite ways to practice blending without using traditional worksheets. We all know those get boring, so why not try a more engaging activity instead? These March Word Ladders are just the thing! To prepare, all you need to do is print the pages and slip them into a plastic sleeve for durability. Then, provide students with a set of magnetic letters. 

To use, students will begin at the bottom of the ladder. They will look at the shamrock and determine the picture. Then, they use magnetic letters to spell out that word. Students can also use a dry-erase marker to write the word. They will continue this process by progressing up the ladder and changing only one letter to form a new word. The pages have options for both tracing words and writing words so that you can differentiate by skill level easily! 

8. St. Patrick's Day CVC Words

Next up on my list of fun March Literacy Centers is an activity that is super quick to prep and super versatile! This St. Patrick's Day CVC Word Building Activity is perfect for practicing short vowel CVC words. To use, students will identify the picture near the top of each work mat. Then, on the 3 shamrocks below, they will use magnetic letters to build the word. This is a great center to prep once and use over and over! 

You can also provide students with one of the included recording sheets and 10 mats at a time to use independently. They will build each word and then write it down on their mat. This is great for student accountability and to help keep them on task! This activity comes with both color and black-and-white options, as well as mats with the letters already on the shamrocks. So you can choose what works best for you and your students. 

9. Counting Syllables Scoot 

Counting syllables is an important literacy skill for kindergarten and first grade students. Try using this March Counting Syllables Scoot Game to make it more fun in your room! To prep, you will just need to print and laminate the included cards. You'll also want to print one recording sheet for each student in your room. Last you'll want to gather up enough clipboards for your students. 

When you're ready to play, spread out the picture cards around the perimeter of your classroom. Students will clip their paper to their clipboard and start in front of one card. To complete their task card, they look at the picture and clap and count out how many syllables the word has. Then, they record their answer on the sheet. 

This game also comes with heading cards that read 1-4 syllables if you would prefer to play it as a sorting game. This is great if you want to use it in your March Literacy Centers or as a whole group activity.

10. Would You Rather Morning Meeting Slides

Now this last idea isn't directly tied to literacy - but hear me out! While not directly geared towards practicing literacy skills in the activity, I always found that it helped prepare my students' minds and bodies to learn. Let me explain... Do your students ever need to shake out the wiggles? This is pretty common for primary students! If we don't allow for some movement breaks, it can make for a pretty rough day of learning! 

So, instead of fighting it... try incorporating some movement into your daily routine! These Would You Rather March Morning Meeting Slides using a fun St. Patrick's Day theme that everyone will love and they'll help ensure that your kids are ready to learn! Each slide has a fun choice to ponder and 2 sets of actions based on what students choose. As they make their choice, they carry out the action shown. Kids will love choosing between things like "being invisible" or "being friends with a leprechaun" and then lunging or running in place based on their choice. Use one of these per day to boost engagement and help students get ready to focus and learn!

Make Phonics Fun with These March Literacy Centers

So friend, which of these was your favorite?! It's always hard for me to choose! I love that these center activities target so many important skills, while also easily limiting the amount of time I need to spend on preparing the materials. Many of them are simply print and go! Another great thing about these activities is that they make engagement simple. My students love the leprechaun theme in these activities and I know yours will too! I hope you found something fun to add to your rotation. You can find all of these activities and many more in my TPT shop! 

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10 Fantastic February Resources for The Primary Classroom

February is a fun-filled month in the primary classroom. There are so many fun topics to explore in a short amount of time! If you're looking for inspiration to bring a bit of February fun to your lesson plans, you're in the right place! Today I'm sharing 10 fantastic February resources to make targeting math and literacy skills fun and easy. 

Embrace Valentine's Day in February 

February has always been a favorite month of mine because it feels like a bright spot in the dead of winter. A lot is going on between President's Day, Valentine's Day, and many of the other fun themes to explore this month. For this reason, I am all about embracing a particular topic, or topics in your lessons. We all know that the best way to make learning stick is to make it fun, right? And what's more fun than holiday-themed activities?! 

In my room, we always lean heavily into the theme of Valentine's Day. Hearts, candy, and friendship add a special touch to our day and make everyone smile. This will make touching on important primary skills and concepts a total breeze! Here are a few of my favorite February resources for phonics, math, and more:  

February Resources for Phonics Skills

First up... phonics! Here are some of my favorite activities to practice literacy skills during the month of February. 

1. February Morning Work 

Do you have a morning work routine in your classroom? If not, February is a great time to start! This one little thing can positively impact your room. Teaching students to start the day with a predictable morning work routine is great for many reasons. It teaches independence, reviews important skills and concepts, and will allow you a few moments each morning to get settled and ready to teach. 

These February Morning Work Pages use a fun Valentine's Day theme that students will love! Not to mention, they cover many important skills such as:

• Syllables 
• CVC words
• Silent E words and more!

Students will love these engaging worksheets and you'll love how easily they can be independent as they work. There are a total of 33 pages included with activities such as rolling and coloring, filling in word boxes, counting syllables, word ladders, and more! Add these to your mornings for a fun and easy way to review important phonics concepts! 

2. Nonsense Word Sorting 

Do you ever use nonsense words in your phonics activities? This February resource focuses on sorting real and nonsense words into the correct category and will surely be a hit in your classroom! There are 60 words included with a Valentine Theme in this set along with headers for real words and nonsense words. To play, students will choose a card and read the word on it. Then, they determine if it's real, or nonsense and add it under the correct heading. I like to play this game with a pocket chart, but it can also easily be played on the floor or at a table as well. 

The cards cover words with all short vowels and all have a CVC pattern. This is such a fun way to work on blending letter sounds together and also using some critical thinking to determine which words are real. I've also included an optional recording sheet that students can use to write down their answers. The best part about this game, though, is how many different ways you can use it. Try it as a whole group game, a center activity, or a partner game in your room!

3. Valentine's Day CVC Words 

Next up on this February resource round-up, is Valentine's Day CVC Words! This is one of my favorite phonics activities to use in the classroom. The idea is that students will choose a colorful word-building mat, identify the picture on it, and use magnetic letters to build the word. There are 48 colorful work mats included and each one is numbered so that students can keep track of which ones they've used. 

These mats also come with some additional options so you can make them work best for your classroom. Use the black and white versions if you'd like to save on printer ink. And for your students who need a little extra support, I've included a version with the words spelled out on the work mats. This is so great for differentiation as you'll be able to give each group a set of work mats aligned to their skill level. 

You can even add an additional layer of accountability to this activity by providing students with the optional recording sheets. They'll write down their words as they go for even more practice! 

4. Valentine's Day Sight Word Games 

I think we can all agree that finding creative and fun ways to practice sight words is an absolute must for the primary classroom! The more fluent our kiddos become with sight words, the more successful they'll be. But... endless flashcard drills get boring quick! So instead, consider using a fun game like this one, Pucker Up, Buttercup! 

In this game, you'll use 112 flashcards with common Fry Words. You can include as many or as few as you like. All the cards get placed facedown in a pile and students take turns drawing a card. As they choose, they will read the card aloud. If read correctly, they get to keep it. Mixed in with the word cards are "Pucker Up, Buttercup" cards. If a student draws one of these, they make a "kissy face" sound and return all of their cards to the pile. My students thought this game was absolutely hysterical and it always makes practicing sight words more fun! 

5. FREE Word Bank Picture Dictionary 

Last on my list of February resources for phonics practice, I've got a freebie that I know you'll love! Grab this February Word Bank Picture Dictionary to make writing time more fun and independent for your students! 

This freebie includes a page with common February vocabulary words. There is a picture and the written word for each one. The idea is that students will keep these in a writing folder, at their desk, or use it in the writing center. Then, as they are writing and want to add specific vocabulary words to their page, they'll have a handy page to help them do so! 

Not only will this facilitate more independence in your classroom, but it will also help reduce the number of times you can asked to spell things during writing time. 

If you like this freebie, then you are going to love the Personal Dictionary. This resource includes 10 monthly word banks, 4 seasonal word banks, 11 thematic word banks and beginning sound word banks for every letter of the alphabet.  It is the perfect way to get your students interacting with new words during writing and building their vocabulary at the same time.

February Resources for Math Skills 

Keep the fun rolling with these February resources that focus on math skills for primary learners. 

6. Valentine's Day Number Charts

Number sense can be a challenge for primary students, which is why it's crucial to find fun ways to practice. I love using these Valentine's Day Number Charts to target numbers 1-120. These charts feature various sequences of numbers 1-120. Students will look at the numbers included and fill in the number with the colorful heart. I like to laminate these cards and have students use dry-erase markers to complete them. This makes them a great center-time activity. 

I have also included differentiation options to tailor this to your students. Options with more support include most of the numbers in the sequence. Students will only need to fill in a few missing numbers, making this a great option for students who might be struggling with this concept. On the other hand, options with less support include fewer numbers, making them a bit tricker. 

7. Valentine's Day Pattern Clip Cards

Help your students work on patterns in a fun way with these Valentine's Day Pattern Clip Cards. This activity is super simple to prep and can be used again and again, making it a great center-time activity! Simply print, cut, and laminate the cards for durability. Place them in a bin along with a set of clothes pins and you're ready to go! 

To play, students will read the pattern and then use a clothespin to select the answer for the item that comes next in the sequence. There are many different pattern options included such as AB, AAB, ABC, ABB, AABB, and more. You can even make this activity self-checking by using a highlighter or marker to draw a smiley face on the backside of the card where the correct answer is. Students love being able to check their work as they play!

February Resources for the Teacher 

Last, on this list of February resources, I've included some of my favorite things to use to celebrate Valentine's Day with my students. 

8. Valentine's Day Crazy Straw Gift Tags

If you're looking for a super simple Valentine's Day student gift that everyone will love - look no further! And even better, this one doesn't even use candy! These Valentine's Day Crazy Straw Gift Tags are super simple to prepare and everyone will love this fun gift. 

Included, you get 4 different colorful gift tag options to choose from. Simply, print, cut apart, and place together with a crazy straw to complete the gift. There are spaces to personalize the tags with each student's name and your signature to make each child feel special. Then, pass these out on Valentine's Day and watch the smiles spread across the room! 

9. Eyeball Ring Valentine's Day Card 

Looking for another fun option to give your kids for Valentine's Day? Check out these silly Google Eyes Valentine's Day Cards! These cute cards read "I've got my eyes on you" and are sure to make students smile. Simply print them out, cut them apart, and tape down a silly eyeball ring that students will love!

This is another great non-candy option that is inexpensive, easy to prep, and will make your students smile! 

10. Valentine's Day Cards 

This final February resource can be used in many ways! These Valentine's Day cards are great for your writing center, to give out to students, or to keep on hand for students who forget to bring Valentine's Day cards for their friends. Included, you get 20 different colorful Valentine cards that print 2 to a page. Many different adorable sayings are included on each one including:

• Bee Mine
• You are Monsterrific
• You Make My Heart Race 
• I Love You To The Moon and Back and many more!

Place these in your writing center for students to fill out for friends and family, give them out to your students, or print some extras for kiddos in your class to use during your card exchange. No matter what you choose - these are sure to be a hit! 

Have Fun with These February Resources

I hope you have fun with these February resources and find something new to try in your classroom! Over the years, I have found that embracing a Valentine's Day theme all month long really adds to the fun and engagement! Don't forget, you can find all of these February activities and many more in my TPT shop! Happy planning!

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School Staff Celebrations to Make Faculty Feel Like Family

If you've been around here a while, you probably already know how much I love using staff morale activities and events to build camaraderie among school faculty. This is just one of the ways to do this though, friends! Another fantastic way to bring your school together is with celebrations all year long! 

School Staff Celebrations Everyone Will Love 

When you work in a school, your fellow teammates and colleagues can start to feel like your second family. After all, we spend quite a bit of our daily lives at school and often work together each and every day. And. . . if you are already putting in the work to make your staff feel less like 'strangers who work in the same building' and more like 'a community with one common goal,' then this post is for you. 

Staff celebrations are another fantastic way to help faculty feel more like family. Birthdays, bridal showers, and other life events should be celebrated! Come along to see how we made this possible at my school. 

Types of Staff Celebrations and Activities to Organize 

If you want your staff to feel more like a family, consider the types of parties, celebrations, and even life events that a family would share together. As you begin to brainstorm, make sure to keep in mind both happy and not-so-happy life events too. Families are there for each other through thick and thin. Your staff support system should be the same way. Here are some of the life events we celebrated and organized at my school:

• baby showers
• bridal showers
• birthdays 
• holidays 
• retirement
• staff illness
• immediate family illness
• death in the family, etc. 

While some of these things are lots of fun to celebrate - they won't all be that way, and that's okay. The thing about creating a family atmosphere in your school is that you'll need to support each other through the trying times as well. When a staff member is very ill and out for an extended period of time - they will surely be appreciative of their "school family" thinking of them!

Seasonal and Holiday Fun for Staff 

Holidays are another thing you'll likely want to celebrate with your staff to help the faculty feel more like family. It doesn't have to be extravagant to be celebratory! Simply changing out the decor in the staff lounge with cute items from the dollar store and adding a seasonal flair to bulletin boards makes a huge impact. Everyone will love walking into the break room and enjoying the festive mood that is created! These little details really do make school feel more like home. Look for ways to make your staff feel cozy and connected, especially when it comes to the staff lounge!

When it comes to choosing holiday activities for staff - focus on ones that get staff talking and connecting. Potlucks, games, and collaborative events are always good picks. You can find plenty of great ideas here. 

How Much to Spend on Staff Celebrations and Events? 

The answer to this question is going to be different from school to school because every budget is different. At my school, we collected $25 per year from staff members which went into the Sunshine Committee budget to help pay for these events and celebrations. 

I do recommend setting a specific amount for each type of event to keep it fair and easy to plan for. For example, you might decide to spend $75 for baby/bridal showers. This could include a cake, decorations, and a gift for the guest of honor. Other staff members can choose to contribute as they see fit. By designating a certain amount, no matter what it is, you will eliminate decision fatigue each time the event pops up. 

Oh and don't forget about celebrations that don't need to cost much either! Birthdays are a great example of this. Schools have a lot of team members and it wouldn't be possible to give everyone an expensive gift. Instead, plan on celebrating with a Birthday Board in the staff breakroom, and maybe a special Staff Snack Bar once a month to celebrate all of the birthdays at once. You can also pass around birthday cards to be signed for specific people. The key here is that it doesn't have to be over the top. The little things mean so much! 

Planning Staff Celebrations: You Need a Sunshine Committee!

You might be wondering HOW you're going to make school staff celebrations possible. At my school, I was the head of the School Sunshine Committee. Our job was to fundraise for, organize, and plan all of the staff morale events and activities. While much of this was special potlucks, staff meeting games, and other fun activities - staff celebrations were also on our list of things to keep track of. 

One of the goals of the Sunshine Committee is to understand the pain points of different staff members in the school and find ways to boost morale. Another important goal was to help staff feel more connected and more like a family. This is such an important job, and it really takes a fair bit of dedication and attention. Having a Sunshine Committee can help share the task of planning for life events, preparing celebrations, and just making sure that staff feel valued and appreciated. 

If you're looking to help the faculty at your school feel more connected, I highly recommend putting together a Sunshine Committee to help make it happen. You can read more about how to do that in this post!

Funding School Celebrations 

Whether you have a line item in your school budget for staff morale, or have your staff contribute to the Sunshine Committee budget, there's a good chance you might want to find some easy ways to raise additional funds. Here are some ideas to start:

• Talk with your PTO to see if they will sponsor one or more events during the year.
• Talk with your school administration about the designation of some of the school's discretionary funds.
• Arrange fundraisers among the staff to pitch in a few extra dollars here and there for special events. 
• Set up an Amazon wishlist to share with parents that has things like party decor, treats, prizes, and gift cards that can be used throughout the year at celebrations. 
• Talk to local stores, restaurants, and other vendors to donate items that can be helpful. Meals are especially good for this option if you're trying to help a staff member who is sick or in need!

I go into further detail about how to budget for staff morale activities in this blog post. Make sure to take a look if you'd like more information on these ideas. 

Make it Personal and Have Fun! 

The last thought I want to leave you with is to simply make it personal for your staff members. Taking the time to write out a heartfelt message in a card, picking decorations in the guest of honor's favorite colors, or planning a meal train for a fellow colleague in need means so much. Remember not to fret too much about going over the top. Instead, choose to be intentional about celebrating with your staff. Make it personal and have fun looking for creative ways to connect with staff. I know that making time for school staff celebrations and life events will have such a positive impact on your school! 

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February Staff Morale Activities Your School Will Love!

February is such a short month. If you're not careful, you'll blink and it will be gone! This is one of the reasons I like to be super intentional with planning ahead for February Staff Morale activities. If you're looking for some fun and easy ways to show your staff you care, you're in the right place! Let's walk through 5 of my favorite resources for boosting staff morale in February! 

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post includes Affiliate Links to some of my favorite products. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why Staff Morale Matters in a School

I know that when we're busy and faced with a super short month like February, it can be tempting to skip things that might seem like "extras". While I totally understand this thought process, I have to assure you that staff morale and staff appreciation are not extras. These are essential in maintaining a healthy school climate and a happy team of staff members. 

We all know that teaching is harder than ever in this day and age. And. . . beyond our dear teachers, other school staff members are faced with many challenges too! But they keep showing up, day after day to help our students thrive. This dedication to the future is incredible and should be celebrated regularly. 

This is why I believe it's so important to make time for staff morale boosting activities. Planning events and activities helps staff know that they are valued and appreciated. It will also help foster connection and community among colleagues as well. So, with Valentine's Day right around the corner - let's use February to show staff a little love! 

1. Staff Make and Take Love Letter File 

To kick off this list of February staff morale activities, let's start with one of my favorites! The Staff Make and Take Love Letter File is the perfect activity to use at your February staff meeting. All you need to do is gather up some file folders, print off the beautiful covers in the resource, and have staff glue one to the front of their folder. 

Then, as they get special pictures, thank-you cards, and notes from students, they can store them away in their Love Letter File. I loved having this when I was in the classroom. As a primary teacher, you tend you get all kinds of special notes over the years. It's great to have a place to store them and then look back and relive the memories. This is a low-cost staff morale activity that will mean so much to your team members!

2. February Scratch-Off Tickets  

Speaking of staff meetings, if you're looking for prizes to give out to staff during your meeting, I've got just the thing! February Scratch-Off Tickets are a fun and festive way to show staff appreciation. Scratch-offs are just like the lottery tickets that you can buy at the gas station. They even have a little metallic circle to scratch off and reveal a prize! The prizes that are on these tickets though will be a hit with your staff. Here are some of the things that work well as prizes for staff. 

• prime parking spots
• recess coverage 
• prepped copies
• jeans day 
• special treat or drink
• office supplies (pens, notebooks, etc.)

This resource includes a variety of fun pre-printed tickets that have a cute Valentine's Day theme. All you have to do is print, cut, and add a scratch-off sticker! Pass these out during your staff meeting, or use them as a Valentine's Day card and watch as everyone's faces light up.  There are pre-printed and blank versions included so you can choose the prizes that work best for your staff and budget! 

3. Chinese New Year Activity - We Are So Fortunate!

This next idea is a perfect game to play at your February staff meeting. This fortune cookie-themed activity is perfect for celebrating Chinese New Year. Included, there are signs that read things like:

• I am so fortunate to work with you!
• Fortunate for us that you are here!
• Your students are so lucky to have you!

To prepare, you will print one for each staff member and write their name on the page. Then, they will get the sign pinned to their back and everyone will walk around taking turns to write words of encouragement to each person. When the activity is done, they'll have a whole list of nice comments to read through! You could also do this by passing around slips to fill out during the week for each person. Afterward, you can even offer a frame to each staff member so they can display their keepsake. 

This is such a great activity to lift each other up and build some camaraderie! Also included is a cute bulletin board set that is perfect to decorate your staff lounge with before the activity. 

4. February Staff Rock, Paper, Scissors Challenge 

I've got another fun game to add to this list of February staff morale activities! Try hosting a Rock, Paper, Scissors Challenge to encourage a little friendly competition among your staff. This activity is great because it's played throughout the day and everyone in your school can participate. 

To play, every staff member gets a beaded necklace adorned with the tags included in this resource. You can usually find some fun Valentine's Day-themed ones at the dollar store or craft store or you can buy in bulk on Amazon. Then, as staff members pass each other in the halls, they can challenge each other to a match of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The winner gets to keep the loser's necklace. This will continue throughout the day. The winners with the most necklaces will get a prize at the end of the day!

At my school, we collected all the necklaces after distributing prizes and played this game a few more times for some extra fun. One day the prizes would include fun office supplies of their choosing. On another day we'd provide lunch to the winners. On the final day, we used acts of service like copies prepared or duty coverage. This is a fun way to keep your staff smiling all month long! 

5. Dessert Day 

Is there anything that sounds more fun than Dessert Day? I think not! If you're looking for a way to host a day of treats for your staff, this is it! Inside my Dessert Day resource, you'll find everything you need to host a dessert potluck that everyone will love. Here's what's inside:

• Instructions & Ideas to Implement 
• Staff Sign-Up Sheet
• Reminder Posters
• Decor - 12 Different Posters with Dessert Quotes
• Table Tents to identify what each item is and who brought it

To plan a dessert day at your school, hang up the announcement signs and sign-up sheets. Make sure to give staff plenty of time to prepare and don't forget about the reminder signs! Then, on the day of, hang the dessert decor posters and use the table tents to get set up. You'll also need napkins, plates, and silverware. Colored tablecloths are a nice touch too! 

Staff will get the chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy some delicious desserts with each other on the day off. This is a great opportunity to chat, visit, and just enjoy the company of others. It's a wonderful stress-relieving event too. After all, stressed spelled backward is desserts!

Make Planning February Staff Morale Activities a Breeze

Aren't these February Staff Morale activities fun?! I loved using these with team members at our school throughout the month. It adds more fun to the typical routine and makes everyone feel appreciated. Plus, it brings a little bit of sparkle to the tail end of winter too! 

If you're looking for a way to simplify your planning for staff appreciation, you'll love the February Staff Morale Bundle! Inside you get all 5 of these great resources. You won't have to worry about anything with this bundle. Just print and use to keep staff motivation high all month long! 

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January Staff Morale Boosters That Will Bring Sunshine to Winter Days

The winter months, especially January can feel oh so very looooong. The holidays have come and gone and we're often stuck inside more than usual due to inclement weather. If you're dreading this time of year, your staff members probably are too! That's why these January Staff Morale Boosters will save the day! 

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: This post includes Affiliate Links to some of my favorite products. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bring Some Sunshine to Winter Days 

Winter is hard on all of us! Some areas have it worse than others, of course, but in general, it can be a dreary time. The days in the classroom are long for teachers and support staff. Other school staff may have a larger workload due to increased cleaning needs, and usage of multi-purpose rooms for recess. And our dear office workers and nurses are seeing an uptick in colds, flu, and winter germs. Sounds to me like the perfect opportunity to sprinkle a little sunshine within your school walls! 

January is the perfect time to reinvigorate your staff with exciting staff morale boosters and activities. Everyone will love these fun ideas to build community, boost motivation, and connect with other staff members. I know they will help spread sunshine, no matter how dreary the weather is outside!

1. Winter Mirror Shoutouts 

What better way to make staff smile than a fun, winter message peeking back at them when they look in the mirror? That's the idea behind these Winter Mirror Shoutouts. Simply print on colored paper, cut, and attach to the bathroom mirror for a fun surprise to staff. The winter messages include fun sayings like:

• Freeze the Day! 
• You Do it Like Snow Other!
• All is not FROST.
• Don't Flurry, Be Happy! 

These encouraging, seasonal messages are sure to make your staff smile as they look in the mirror. Not to mention, they're super easy to use and swap out throughout the month to continue to boost morale. You can also use them in other areas too. Anywhere that needs a bit of winter pizzaz for staff is fair game! 

2. Staff Morale Snowflake Hunt 

If you're looking for something to engage your staff, I know you'll love the Staff Snowflake Hunt! This activity is a guessing game to find snowflake erasers or table scatter that have been passed out to school staff members. The idea is to guess who has a snowflake and acquire one for yourself before the game is over. Staff will try to determine who has one, and then guess to see if they are correct. If they are, they get to "steal" that snowflake! 

The game is played throughout the day and staff are free to guess and steal all day. When the time is up, snowflakes are counted and prizes are distributed. This one is FUN and you'll likely hear staff laughing as they "steal" snowflakes from each other. Prizes can be anything you want, which is great for a tight budget. Food, treats, office supplies, and acts of service are all fun prizes that everyone loves to win. 

My favorite thing about this January staff morale booster though is that it adds some sunshine to a regular winter day. Plan this one on a day that you're expecting a storm to bring some sunshine to your halls! 

3. Soup Luncheon 

I don't know about you, but I love a good old-fashioned potluck. There's just something so wonderful about making a dish to share with your community. I love trying favorites from others and sharing a favorite of mine too! This Soup Luncheon Resource makes it super simple to facilitate a potluck that everyone will love. Inside there's a timeline and helpful guide, sign-up sheet, signs, and reminders. These resources will make it super simple to host at your school! 

In the past, at my school, I have sent out the information and sign-up sheets in advance. Then, staff would sign up to bring a slow cooker full of soup to share. On the day of, we'd set up all the soups with accompaniments and other 'fixins'. Staff members get to try and taste a variety of soups and skip the brown bag lunch that day! The best part, though, is sitting together, chatting, and warming up with some delicious soup. It's a fun event to host in the winter that encourages camaraderie and connection among staff! 

4. Winter Scratch-Offs 

During the winter months, the last thing we want to do is host a boring staff meeting. Winter is already a bit dull, but your staff meetings don't have to be! Try adding some fun to the mix with Winter Scratch-Off Tickets. These fun little prizes are sure to perk up your team. If you've never heard of scratch-offs, think about those little lottery tickets you can buy at the gas station. You know, the ones that have a metallic spot to scratch off with a coin and reveal a prize. Same concept here, except the prizes are fun things your staff will love such as:

• prime parking spots
• recess coverage 
• prepped copies
• jeans day
• special treat
• office supplies and more! 

I loved passing out scratch-offs to everyone at the meeting to show appreciation and spread some smiles. They're great because they are low-cost and feature gifts that faculty will want to receive! Not to mention, the fun winter theme is great for January too! You can prepare these with paint or stickers, and use them at your next staff meeting to add some fun. Oh, and if you need additional prize ideas, be sure to read this post next! 

5. Winter Rock, Paper, Scissors 

I have one more gem on this list of January staff morale boosters for you! Everyone loves a good game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, right?! I know that everyone in my building did. We used Winter Rock, Paper, Scissors to add some warmth to a cold January day. Best of all, this game is fun and easy to implement! 

To play, every staff member will get a necklace at the beginning of the day. You can usually find some with a wintery theme at the dollar store, craft store, or on Amazon. Then, as staff pass each other in the halls, they can challenge each other to a match. The winner gets to keep the loser's necklace. This continues all day and the person with the most necklaces at the end of the day wins! 

This would be a fun game to play more than once during the month. One day the prizes could be lunch provided. Another day it could be copies prepped. Another day could be a fancy coffee drink. No matter what you choose - the staff will LOVE this game! It's a great way to add a little sparkle to an otherwise normal winter day!

Make Planning January Staff Morale Activities Simple 

Want to simplify your planning for these January staff morale boosters? Be sure to check out the January Bundle. Inside you will get all 5 of the great staff morale activities mentioned here. You'll have everything you need to spread sunshine throughout the winter and boost motivation in your school. 

With scratch-offs, mirror shoutouts, 2 different games, and a potluck, the winter blues will be banished! Best of all, you won't have to spend any of your precious time scouring the internet for engaging staff activities or stressing about what to plan. The bundle includes it all, so all you need to do is pick a date to implement! Have fun bringing some sunshine to your school this winter!

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