Engage Students from the Start with Morning Bins
Inside: How to use morning bins in the classroom to encourage independence, and create a smooth start to your students’ day with fun activities.
Starting the school day on the right foot can set the tone for a productive and positive experience for students. One of the best ways to ensure a smooth and engaging start is through morning bins! These activity-filled bins are designed to encourage independence, creativity, and critical thinking as soon as students arrive in the classroom.
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Engage Students from the Start with Morning Bins
If you’re new to the world of morning bins, let me break it down for you. Morning bins are simple containers or baskets filled with activities that students can work on as soon as they enter the classroom. Rather than diving straight into heavy lessons, morning bins provide a gentle start to the day with interactive, hands-on tasks.
These activities encourage independent learning, help students settle in, and give you a moment to handle those morning tasks like attendance and morning announcements.
Morning bins are a great way to introduce new seasons, and holidays too by changing up the activities in your bins to match the season and/or holiday you are coming into.
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The best part? They’re flexible! You can tailor your morning bins to reinforce skills you’re teaching or themes you’re exploring. With October upon us, this Halloween-themed morning bin set is the perfect way to tie in spooky fun with learning.
Why Morning Bins Are a Game Changer for Your Classroom
So why use morning bins at all, you ask? Besides being a fun way to kick off the day, morning bins offer a host of benefits for both students and teachers. Here are just a few reasons to love them:
- Routine and Structure
Establishing a consistent morning routine helps students know what to expect. They walk into the classroom, grab their morning bin, and get straight to work. This structured start sets a positive tone for the day and eliminates the morning rush. - Independence and Responsibility
Morning bins encourage independent learning, giving students the responsibility of working through their activity on their own. This builds confidence and fosters a sense of accomplishment before the day has even begun. - Skill Reinforcement
Each activity in the Halloween Morning Bin Set is designed to reinforce critical skills in math and literacy. Students practice number sense, counting, letter recognition, and more — all in a way that feels like play. - Hands-On Engagement
Morning bins are interactive! Instead of diving into paper-and-pencil tasks right away, students can work with puzzles, cards, and matching games. These activities engage multiple senses, making learning more meaningful. - Festive Fun
Let’s be honest – who doesn’t love a little Halloween fun? By incorporating these themed activities, you’re keeping students motivated and excited for what’s to come. When learning feels like a game, students are more eager to participate!
Ideal Items to Use in Morning Bins
Plastic Storage Bins with Lids – These stackable bins keep morning activities organized and easy to grab. Look for smaller ones that are easy for students to manage individually.
Dry Erase Sleeves/Pockets – Perfect for reusable activity sheets, like handwriting practice or math problems, making them both eco-friendly and easy to clean.
Mini Manipulatives – Items like linking cubes, pattern blocks, and counting bears are versatile and great for hands-on math and logic activities.
Magnetic Letters – Ideal for literacy activities, students can use them for spelling, letter recognition, and phonics practice.
Pom-Poms and Tweezers Set – Fine motor practice tools like tweezers and colorful pom-poms are fun for sorting, counting, and pattern activities.
Dice and Dice Activities – Standard and specialty dice, such as dice with numbers, colors, or letters, are useful for math games and quick brain-break activities.
Laminator and Laminating Sheets – Laminating frequently used sheets or activity cards helps them last longer, especially if they’re handled daily.
Christmas Themed Morning Work
Unlock endless possibilities for skill-building and fun with our Christmas Themed Morning Work for Preschoolers—your all-in-one resource for a vibrant and educational start to a winter day!
Whiteboard Markers – Perfect for use with dry erase sleeves or whiteboard surfaces. Look for colorful markers to keep activities engaging.
Mini Clipboards – Handy for writing and drawing activities, mini clipboards can be used anywhere in the classroom to support flexible seating.
Flashcards – Letter, number, sight word, and math flashcards are quick tools for reinforcing skills in reading and math.
Playdough and Playdough Tools – A classroom favorite, playdough can be used for letter formation, counting, and fine motor exercises.
Building Bricks (e.g., LEGO) – Building bricks encourage creativity and can be used in various STEM-based activities.
Sorting and Counting Trays – Small trays with multiple compartments are useful for math activities like sorting, counting, or categorizing objects.
Morning bins are a fantastic way to set a positive, productive tone each day in the classroom. By providing students with engaging, hands-on activities right from the start, you’re not only fostering independence but also building excitement for learning.
