Best Props for Online Teaching
Our list of the best props for online teaching.
When you first become a teacher, you may be overwhelmed trying to set up your classroom and find props and rewards for your students. But luckily, we have a list of the most frequently used props for online teaching.
There are a few props that I would highly recommend to get you started and that can be used frequently in your lessons. Anything you decide to add to this list would just be an added bonus depending on how creative you want to be.
If you have kids of your own at home, I would check out their bedrooms first! I have found so many props in my kids’ rooms (stuffed animals, toys to use as rewards, vehicles to show during the transportation units, etc.)
The great thing is that even when I buy props, my kids end up playing with those, too. So I’m definitely getting my money’s worth between using the props in teaching and my kids playing with them.
Being an online teacher is so rewarding. Waking up to those smiling faces every morning is a wonderful way to start your day.
Many of these props will help you teach English online or younger students such as Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade. But you may find ideas for older students by reviewing these items, as well.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through my links. This is at no extra cost to you. View our full disclosure here.
Here are the essential props for online teaching:
Puppet:
A puppet is a great way to connect with the younger students because it helps them laugh and feel more comfortable with you. Learning from a complete stranger online can be hard for some students the first few times, and having a puppet helps to ease that transition for them.
I use the one below which I found on Amazon. The kids love it! Find a puppet.
Microphone:
This is another great one to have for the younger kids. You can use it to sing songs with them, as well as to point it towards them when you want them to speak.
I use this Mickey Mouse microphone pictured below in my classroom. Find a microphone here.
Flashcards:
Perfect for learning the English alphabet. A great visual to help students learn their letters and sounds. Find flashcards here.
Small Whiteboard:
My whiteboard is one of the props that I use for EVERY class no matter what the level of my student is. You can use it for so many things: drawing rewards, showing verb conjugations, showing math equations, writing out letters and sentences, etc.
Pick up a whiteboard on Amazon here.
Food toy set:
This is another prop that I use frequently. It comes in handy when learning about foods to help students see a visual to each English word.
Laminator:
One of the best investments I made was buying a laminator. I find 2d props and rewardsonline, print them out, then laminate them with my laminator.
I also use it for laminating papers for homeschooling for my kids. The one I purchased is under $25 on Amazon and works great.
This is definitely one of the things I couldn’t have done without. Pick up a laminator on Amazon here.
You can also get the laminating sheetson Amazon, as well.
Mickey or Minnie Mouse ears:
The kids absolutely love to open their camera to a teacher who not only has a fun teaching environment, but adds a little spark to their class by wearing fun headbands like Mickey or Minnie ears. There are so many great Minnie and Mickey ears to choose from here.
Star wand:
If you are an online English teacher, then this is perfect to pull out when your students get a star. Find a star wand here.
Mr. Potato Head:
Mr. Potato Head is a popular reward for my students. They absolutely love it when I mismatch his body parts and laugh their heads off.
He also comes in handy when teaching the English names for body parts. Find Mr. Potato Head here.
Ice cream:
Another popular reward is the ice cream scoops. Each time they get a new scoop.
You can also review the colors with this reward. Find an ice cream scoop reward set here.
There are a variety of other props you can find at the local dollar store, Target, or Walmart. But these are the ones that I frequently use on a routine basis and recommend purchasing.
Map:
I love having a map in my classroom and to alternate the rest of my decor according to the season we are in. There are many maps you can find on Amazon.
This is the one I use (pictured below) and I absolutely love it. It also comes in handy if you travel a lot (which a lot of teachers do!)
You scratch off each country after you have visited them, as a beautiful reflection of the places you have been.
I scratched off the entire map before I put it up in my classroom, and I absolutely love it.
Educational Posters:
You can also put up educational posters in your classroom. I have the following posters that include the alphabet, shapes, days of the week, and more for only $13.
They have come in handy for my online classroom setup and my homeschool room. Pick this pack up of educational posters on Amazon.
I hope that our list of the essential props for online teaching helps you prepare your classroom!
Find out what essential equipment is needed for online teaching.
Related online teaching posts that also may be helpful:
Outschool Review: Teaching Online for Outschool
Qkids Teacher Review: Is QKids Legit?
Become an Online English Teacher
Setting Up your Online Classroom
Rewards for your Online Classroom
2 Comments