Welcome to Kindergarten Cafe!

I’m Zeba, and I’m here to help you find the *kindergarten magic* in your classroom. I create resources and share strategies to make your teaching easier, more engaging, and focused on those magical moments of growth with your students. Whether you teach kindergarten, preschool, or first grade, you’ll find ideas and activities to bring that *kindergarten magic* to life. Feel free to reach out—let’s make teaching kindergarten magical again!

recent

Supporting Students who Struggle With Mistakes

Building Self-Confidence In Kindergarteners ~ Ep. 131

What Every Dramatic Play Center Really Needs ~ Ep. 130

What Principals Really Want You to Know About Hiring, Interviews, and Getting the Job ~ Ep. 129

Getting Students to Add More Details in Their Writing ~ Ep. 128

Back to School

Here’s How I Introduce Writing ~ Ep. 98

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music Don't expect them to start writing. When you put those expectations on them and they're not ready for it, that's when behaviors happen. They get disconnected, disengaged, and again, that's when the behaviors happen.~ Zeba from Episode 98 of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast Episode Summary A common...

Meet the Teacher: Setting the Tone for a Positive School Year ~ Ep. 97

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music If you can send out information beforehand that will take care of a lot of their questions and anxieties that they're going to have before the first day of kindergarten.~ Zeba from Episode 97 of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast Episode Summary Today we’re talking about how to...

What to Teach the First Month: Getting Kindergarten Off to a Great Start ~ Ep. 96

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music If you don't spend the time to build these routines and introduce materials and expectations, it will be much more chaotic in your classroom and you will be spending most of your time later on in the year, like putting out fires and talking about...

Preparing for Kindergarten: The 3 Things I Did Before the First Day ~ Ep. 95

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music Your goal is get kids into the classroom, get kids feeling comfortable and safe, and getting kids home safely.~ Zeba from Episode 95 of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast Episode Summary The first day of kindergarten is full of excitement and nerves! Whether it’s your first year...

Effective Classroom Setup: Balancing Play, Learning, and Routine ~ Ep. 94

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music You'll want areas of the classroom to be available for work and you'll want areas available for play, but they can overlap.~ Zeba from Episode 94 of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast Episode Summary In this final episode of our Classroom Setup Mini-Series, I’m walking you through how...

Building a Classroom That Invites Curiosity and Exploration ~ Ep. 93

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music Keep the classroom inviting, not distracting.~ Zeba from Episode 93 of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast Episode Summary In this week’s episode of our Classroom Setup Mini-Series, we’re focusing on how to set up your classroom in a way that naturally invites curiosity, creativity, and exploration. Something every...

Classroom Organization Tips For Overwhelmed Teachers ~ Ep. 92

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music Before tackling the clutter, you want to have a clear plan in mind for how you will organize your materials and spaces in your classroom.~ Zeba from Episode 92 of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast Episode Summary Welcome to the Classroom Setup Mini-Series! We’re kicking things off with...

What To Do If You Can’t Get Into Your Classroom Yet ~ Ep. 91

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music There are still a ton of things that you can do at home to prepare so that you are not so overwhelmed when you are able to get into the classroom.~ Zeba from Episode 91 of The Kindergarten Cafe Podcast Episode Summary If you’re itching to start...

Simplifying Sub Plans for Stress-Free Sick Days ~ Ep. 52

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music Episode Summary Dread being out due to the thought of making sub plans? In this episode, I give you effective sub plans that allow for a seamless transition for students and guest teachers. I share my approach to creating emergency sub plans with accessible templates and...

The Magic of Back to School Scavenger Hunts ~ Ep. 47

Back to School

Apple Spotify Amazon Music Episode Summary In this episode I share four engaging back-to-school scavenger hunts aimed at getting students up, moving, and familiar with their classroom and school surroundings. The hunts include a classroom scavenger hunt for basic items, a supply scavenger hunt with math tools, a Pete the...