Hear Ye, Hear Ye! The Royal Kindergarteners Request Your Presence at the Castle

During the first two weeks of February, our kindergarten classrooms were transformed into a royal kingdom as students dove into a literacy unit all about kings, queens, and royal families. Through hands-on exploration and purposeful play, students strengthened early reading, writing, speaking, and mathematical  skills while engaging their imaginations.

Mrs. Garrey asked her class what princes and princesses do:

“Eat royal food - whatever they want!” Boden

“Sit in a chair all day.” Colton

“Wear a lot of dresses.” Charlie

“Wear pretty dresses and sit in special chairs called thrones.” Lily

“They go to the royal ball.” Reese and Evelyn

Throughout the unit, students learned through play-based centers designed to support language development and creativity. Sensory bins filled with dried peas, jewels, metallic eggs, and crowns encouraged storytelling, descriptive language, mathematical skills and cooperative play. In the dramatic play center, children dressed as royalty and acted out their own castle adventures, practicing social skills and communication.

Mrs. Kaus asked her class what do kings and queens do?

“They don’t do any work.” Addie

“They go to different countries.”  Everett

“They rule the kingdom.” Oakley

“They live in the castle.” Henry

Technology was also incorporated into the experience. Teachers used classroom apps to create royal portraits of students as princes and princesses, sparking excitement for writing as students described themselves and their characters. In the building center, students designed and constructed castles using blocks and magnetic tiles, learning about balance, structure, and teamwork along the way.

Special classes extended the learning even further. In art, Ms. Zill guided students in drawing detailed castles and turning those drawings into 3D sculptures, while in music students learned traditional rhymes and songs including The Queen of Hearts, Old King Cole, and Sing a Song of Sixpence. These activities supported rhythm, listening skills, and vocabulary development.

The unit concluded with a Royal Dress-Up Day. Students arrived dressed as kings, queens, princes, and princesses and proudly shared their learning with classmates. A tea party was held with tea biscuits and lemonade.  The celebration highlighted how play-based learning can build foundational academic skills while creating joyful classroom experiences.

Mrs. Mueller asked her class what they learned about kings and queens:

“When the king dies the kid has to step up and be king.” Georgia

“I learned that they wear fancy stuff.” Xochitl

“Everything they got is royal, like “the king’s royal throne.” Emmett

“They ask soldiers to protect the castle”  Ewan

Our “royal” kindergarteners proved that when imagination and learning come together, the classroom truly becomes a magical place.

Written by our Kindergarten Team: Mrs. Amanda Garrey, Mrs. Terry Kaus & Mrs. Beth Mueller