Kindergarten Bootcamp will be your favorite way to teach the expectations, routines, and procedures of daily activities in kindergarten – or ANY grade level!
Bootcamp can be done in person at school, or virtually for distance learning. After the first few days of school, my class kicks off Boot Camp during the first full week of kindergarten. This is our first mini classroom transformation that includes a week of camo-filled fun as we go through basic training.
Bootcamp Basics
Kids wear “Cadet in Training” badges and earn dog tags for each day as they become certified in important skills:
- pencil grip
- 3 star coloring with crayons
- 3 star coloring with markers
- cutting with scissors
- using glue bottles
- using glue sticks
- using play doh
- using highlighters
- using paint
- using dry erase markers
Each activity includes a take-home activity page that explains to parents the skill practiced at school that day, as well as if their child needs more support or is “certified” in the skill. We also do some fun sound off chants when I blow my whistle each day and kids stand up, push in their chair, and march in place. We have a lot of fun learning what it takes to be a top notch cadet and making a lot of memories!
We start with making an anchor chart and discussing how to use each supply item in our classroom. We do this sort together in Google Slides on the Smartboard, and then I print it to keep in our art center / near the supply bins for kids to remember and refer to all year long.
These anchor charts are especially helpful when I get a new student because I can quickly have another child take over the leadership role of showing the new student how we use each supply item in our classroom. Talk about a true time saver!
We also like to do a little chant to really get kids excited about Bootcamp. Here’s our little sound off chant that becomes a class favorite every year – trust me, your kids will be chanting this from September to April!
These pages and activities are all included in my Kindergarten Bootcamp Pack you can find below (just click on the picture):
Class Transformation
This is such a fun and easy transformation to do with your class! Just add some camouflage wrapping paper and dog tags! I have loved seeing how so many teachers have done Bootcamp in their own classrooms. Check out their creative ideas!
You can add as much or as little decorations as you want – the kids love it either way! If you’re looking for to save ink, grab some easy decor below! I got everything on Amazon – including all of my camouflage outfits! Grab it all linked below – just click on the picture!
If you try Bootcamp in your classroom this year, I would love to see! Tag me on Instagram @kindershenanigans with the hashtag #kindergartenbootcamp and I’ll reshare!
Happy teaching!
PS – Pin this post to try with your class for back to school:
