4 Easy Pocket Chart Center Ideas That Kids Will Love
Pocket Chart stations have been around for AGES in kindergarten. And even with the introduction of all that technology in the classroom, pocket charts still stay! Why? Because these pocket chart center ideas are a great way for kids to interact with skills they’ve been learning. And let’s be honest… kids LOVE a pocket chart because it makes them feel like a teacher!
Today we are chatting about fresh ideas for your kindergarten Pocket Chart station, and I’ll be giving you a freebie too! #winwin
Setting Up Pocket Chart center ideas
The Pocket Chart center is mostly a “set” station in my classroom. Meaning…. it’s not mobile. Kids don’t take it to their desk or a special spot to do. It hangs on my wall and kids come to the station instead of the station coming to them. However, last year, when I did a long-term sub job in kindergarten, the kids moved the pocket chart to the open carpet area because their pocket chart was on wheels. So, it’s up to you on how you want to do it!
Since I’m currently on a mommy break with my twins, what it looks like in my preschool Sunday School room will have to do for a picture of it! All the supplies are kept in the pocket chart for this one because it frees up my floor space. But you can certainly keep them in a tub nearby if you prefer!
Word Building Puzzles
One of my favorite pocket chart center ideas is word and letter building puzzles! At the beginning of the year, this starts off with letter puzzles.
Later in the year, we move to building words with the beginning, ending, and then middle sounds! They LOVE these word puzzles!
They start with letter puzzles at the beginning of the year. And by the end of the year, they are adding “e” to words to build CVCe words in kindergarten! So much growth!!
Word Sorts
In these pocket chart activities, students sort words by the first, last, or middle letter! There is no “reading” in this one as much as it is just paying attention to the letters and print. In our phonics station, we practice decoding words with the same skills!
Later in the year, we sort CVC and blend words as real or wacky words to practice our decoding and comprehension skills and get a little nonsense word fluency practice in, too!
Story Sequencing
This pocket chart activity focuses on building sequencing and comprehension skills which helps with retelling stories with a beginning, middle, and end. This station starts out photo heavy at the beginning of the year. Sentences are included at the bottom of the photos to help those who may be reading, but they can absolutely be sequenced without reading the sentences!
Starting in March through the rest of the school year, the sentences and the photos are separate. Kinders sequence the pictures and then find the sentences to match the pictures.
Sentence Matching & Ordering
In these traditional pocket chart center ideas, kinders match the sentence by ordering the individual word cards.
And starting in March through the rest of the school year, they build the sentences without just matching words to a sentence. Meaning, there is no model sentence for them to match the words to. Instead, they need to decode the words and order them into a complete sentence.
You can find a sample of this pocket chart activity in this FREEBIE! And you can find all of these pocket chart center ideas in this year long bundle of Kindergarten Pocket Chart Stations!
