I’ve blogged about centers a lot recently, and it’s possible I may have even bragged about I how I use activities that are engaging and interesting to my kids.
Ahem.
Excuse me.
Not everything goes as planned, as you know, even though I do everything in my power to think ahead and plan for the unexpected.
My stamping center has always been a bit of a nightmare.
I have four sets that look sort of like this set from Really Good Stuff. Let’s be clear, though, I do not have this set. I think I bought my set from a local teacher supply store. This is nothing against Really Good Stuff (and I LOVE RGS anyway) and all about me not taking pictures of my stamps because they are at school and I am not.
Click {HERE} to see them at Really Good Stuff.
My ABC stamp sets are actually lowercase letters. As for the clear plastic case in which they came in . . . . well, they don’t look like this anymore because the lids came off. So now the letters shake around. They don’t stay put. In fact, they tumble out. But only if you’re six years old.
I have a love/hate relationship with stamping.
You tell the kids to pick up ONLY THE STAMP THEY NEED and DON’T, FOR THE LOVE OF MY OCD, SPILL THEM OUT ALL OVER THE FLOOR, and you say PUT THE STAMP YOU USED BACK INTO ITS PROPER PLACE.
Some kids follow your directions. And some don’t.
When centers is over, you might (not every time, but it has happened, I am here to tell you IT HAS HAPPENED) have twenty-six alphabet stamps (times four!!!!!!) spilled out of their plastic storage containers and just lying in the bottom of your center tub in one big gigantic heap of a mess that makes you want to cry/and or pull your hair out/and or eat a piece (or the whole thing, who am I kidding) of a Butterfinger candy bar.
And that’s just the stamps, folks.
I haven’t even gotten to the ink pads yet.
You buy the ink pads.
And you can’t even believe how much ink pads are. Since when did ink get so expensive? Who knew? I mean, I come home with it all over my fingers and arms and wrists from markers every single day, and I had no clue how wasteful I was being.
So, like I said, ink pads.
You go over the directions with the students. And you say DO NOT INK YOURSELF. DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF A TATTOO. DO NOT INK YOUR FRIEND. THE INK GOES ON THE STAMP. THE STAMP GOES ON THE PAPER.
And then you practice with pretend stamps and ink and paper.
Over and over until that one kid is rolling his eyes and you know you’ve done your job just right.
So even though you’ve gone over ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS OF ALL OF THE STAMPING ISSUES THAT MIGHT COME UP, this can still happen.
In September.
Of 2015.
Of this week:
It was an accident, Mrs. Oldham.
I don’t know how it happened, Mrs. Oldham.
Will it come off, Mrs. Oldham?
I’m sorry.
But how does this EVEN HAPPEN?!
I put this picture on Instagram this week and sure enough, @srich19 (a friend on IG whose name I don’t really know in real life, but I think I do, but I don’t want to say it wrong, just in case) said that she uses SELF INKING ALPHABET STAMPS.
I didn’t even know there was such a thing.
I ordered mine on Amazon and they arrived yesterday.
The stamping page is from Miss Kindergarten.
Check it out {HERE}.
I love this pack!
They are all uppercase which I have decided I will live with. I can and I will. I am living with it.
I absolutely LOVE the fact that the box is cardboard (sturdy) and each stamp has it’s own little place to go. And they’re snug. They don’t tumble out.
I do NOT love the fact that each little stamp came SHRINK-WRAPPED. EACH LITTLE ONE.
EACH LETTER OF THE ALPHABET IS SHRINK-WRAPPED. Because teachers have time, don’t ya know.
I bought four sets so I am going to have a few upper grade kids help me unwrap them. Because I’m not going to, obviously. It was enough to unwrap the ones I needed just to get you a picture.
You’re welcome.
The only other issue I see with this is that the kids might stamp the letters sideways or upside down. So I think I will have scratch paper in the center so that they can “test” out their stamp before putting it on the paper.
Other than that, these things are AMAZING. And people on my Instagram said that they last for YEARS.
So I will let you know.
And yes, I realize that kids can still give themselves tattoos.
I know.
Because I’m sporting one that says Teeny on my upper arm right now.
😉
You are hilarious! I have had so many kids show up with hands looking like that (and they NEVER have a clue how it happened!)! I'm heading off to Amazon NOW!
You could put a smiley sticker on the handle (or draw one with a sharpie). Tell the kids it needs to face the right way for the letter to stamp the right way.
Such a great post! You really described the angst of the situation, and it's funny — now that it's over– side! Thanks for sharing. Will be ordering my sets soon 🙂
I'm heading to Amazon too. Maybe I'll save my lower-case see through stamps for kids who demonstrate ability to use without getting tatted up 😉 Another thought… maybe if enough of us request it, US Toy would produce lower case sets (without shrinkwrap) for teachers.
I loved this post and can totally relate. Our kindergarten team decided to have a word work station each day during literacy centers. I have always used stamps with my student during the 2nd half of the year, but not at the beginning. I modeled how to use stamps, we went over the expectations and discussed that the ink only belonged on the stamps, not our hands/fingers. At the end of the literacy centers I could not believe how many had hand prints and finger prints all over their papers. For now we are not ready for stamps. We will try again later :). I will be getting those stamps for next year!
I am SO excited to hear about these stamps! Ordering 3 sets for my class now!
Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I am not the only one with this problem. I actually put my stamps away because I couldn't take it ANYMORE! I am so glad to hear of these stamps. I will have to order some. You are so funny! Thank you. You make a difference in a lot of teacher's lives. We need your humor.
Oh my goodness, I'm so glad I am not the only one with this problem. I actually put my stamps away because I couldn't take it ANYMORE! I am so glad to hear of these stamps. I will have to order some. You are so funny! Thank you. You make a difference in a lot of teacher's lives. We need your humor.
Oh, no! They are sold out and don't know if/when they will be restocked!! 🙁
So sad they are sold out! If it makes you feel any better I had a little kindergartener give herself a bit of blush with the bingo dobbers last week!! ?
FLIPPIN' GENIUS!!
Oh! I went right to Amazon from your page, and they are SOLD OUT! 🙁 I had a little girl last year who was wearing a white hoody the first time she *tried* to do the stamps center . Her cuffs and sleeves up to the elbows were covered in pink and purple ink. For the rest of the school year. I felt so bad every time she wore that hoody (at least once a week).
LOL as always!
Hey y'all! Amazon was sold out but I found these alphabet stamps on oriental trading company's website. I'm not sure if they come in a handy dandy little box but at least you get the self inking stamps! 🙂
http://www.orientaltrading.com/alphabet-stampers-a2-12_2021.fltr?Ntt=alphabet%20stampers
They also will give you free standard shipping on your order if you sign up for their email list! 🙂
Yep! Amazon cancelled my order today.
Looks like they'll be back in Stock on September 30th. I added it to my wishlist. Thanks for sharing!
Looks like they'll be back in Stock on September 30th. I added it to my wishlist. Thanks for sharing!
oh for the love of self inking stamps! and how in the world does one child get ink all over their little hands like that?!?! Been there. Done that. Am always amazed when it happens again!
You said exactly how I feel about stamping! What a mess! I've seen those stampers, but I don't like that they are capitals. Teachers need to write to that company to tell them we need lower case letter stamps!