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How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources

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Today I’m sharing tips on helping your kids go beyond the basics of homeschool cooking and resources. Also, you’ll love the tips I share on my post How to Incorporate Subjects into a Fun Homeschool Cooking Unit Study.

Do you want to take your teens lessons beyond the basics but keep it simple?

How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources

Teach your kids to move beyond teaching them to whip eggs, bake a cake, and cook grilled cheese.

It’s time to move on to the next thing – preparing them for independence outside the home. 

Whether it’s next year or 3 years away you can start teaching them what they need and how to be the master of their own kitchen.

Besides, you want them to exercise that independence at home first.

More Homeschool Cooking

Learn How to Set Up a Kitchen

For this lesson, have your teen do a lot of their own research using books and the internet.

Your child or teen can learn how to: set up a kitchen for:

  • cooking
  • baking
  • and other miscellaneous supplies they’ll need.

First, look at some of these resources and a great cooking curriculum.

14 Learning How To Cook Books and Games

Add some of these books and games to your homeschool cooking unit study to learn life skills and have fun with the entire family.

Next, you want your child to learn how to set up a kitchen.

Homeschool Cooking Setting Up a Starter Kitchen

I think a very important aspect of their last years of homeschooling is learning how to set up their own kitchen so let’s dig into that a little.

This is an opportunity for them to explore their tastes, while they change.

Not only research styles, but they can compare prices and figure out how much a starter kitchen will set them back.

Kitchen Prepware

How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Cutting Board
  • Measuring cups/spoons
  • Basic knife set
  • Vegetable peeler
  • Grater
  • Can opener

Cookware

  • Pots and Pans including:
  • 10 and an 8-quart stockpot
  • 5-quart pot or a Dutch oven
  • 2 and a 1-quart saucepan
  • 8-10 inch skillet
  • 12-14” skillet
  • Casserole Dish

Have them research different materials like copper, nonstick, and glass versus stone, to decide which is best for their needs.

Bakeware

  • Cookie sheets
  • Baking pans with sides
  • Muffin tin
  • Pie plate

Utensils for a New Kitchen

  • Spatulas
  • Whisks
  • Tongs
  • Colander
  • Wooden spoons
  • Potato masher

Small Appliances

  • Coffee Maker
  • Stand Mixer
  • Air Fryer
  • Blender

Eating Utensils

  • Utensils
  • Plates
  • Bowls
  • Cups

Miscellaneous Items for a Starter Kitchen

How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources
  • Oven mitts/pot holders
  • Dish drying rack
  • Dish towels
  • Cleaning supplies

Small and Large Appliance Care

You will also want to teach about basic kitchen appliance use, how to care for them, clean them, and simple maintenance.

This includes items like the microwave, oven, fridge, coffee pot, mixers, and toasters/toaster ovens.

Many kids leave home without knowing how to descale a coffee pot or safely and properly clean an oven. Learning that care and maintenance extend the life of your small and large appliances is

Here are some additional skills you might want to teach this year:

Budgeting, Meal Planning, and Shopping

Finally, If you have not yet introduced these three important skills this is a great time to, it is as important as learning how to stock and maintain a kitchen.

How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a fun circulatory system hands-on activity. Also, I have this Human Body Crafts page for more hands-on ideas. And this Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study.

There are plenty of worksheets out there but if you have a kid who learns better by getting fully involved in projects, they’ll love this.

You just need a few simple items from the Dollar Tree to create a large presentation for home, co-op, or a science demonstration.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

I created it to look just like a labeling worksheet, but it puts your child in the driver’s seat from start to finish.

This helps them better understand how the circulatory system works.

Depending on your child’s age and ability you can have them add more details such as including more details about the heart, blood vessels, and capillaries. 

Be sure to check out the resources I share to give your lesson a little more.

What Is The Circulatory System?

The circulatory system consists of blood vessels that carry blood away from and back toward the heart and carry oxygen, nutrients, and hormones while removing waste products such as carbon dioxide.

The arteries carry blood away from the heart and the veins carry blood back to the heart. 

  • Heart- Your heart is a pump and with each heartbeat, it sends blood throughout our bodies.
  • Aorta- This is the main artery of the body responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to the circulatory system.
  • Pulmonary Artery-Carries oxygen-poor blood from the right side of your heart to your lungs.
  • Pulmonary Veins-Transport oxygenated blood from the lung alveoli into the left atria.
  • Carotid Artery- Carry your brain’s blood supply from the heart.
  • Jugular Vein-Carries blood from different areas of the head back to the heart.
  • Renal Artery- Takes blood from the heart to the kidneys.
  • Renal Vein- Moves blood from the kidneys to the inferior vena cava.
  • Femoral Artery- The main blood vessel supplying blood to the lower half of your body.
  • Femoral Vein- Transports blood from your lower limbs back to the heart.
  • Superior Vena Cava- The valveless vein that moves blood from the upper half of the body and returns it to the right atrium.
  • Inferior Vena Cava-Carries the deoxygenated blood from the lower and middle body into the right atrium of the heart.
  • Tibial Artery-Delivers oxygenated blood to the lower leg.
  • Tibial Vein- Moves blood from the lower leg and foot back to the heart.
  • Brachial Artery- Supplies blood to your upper arm, elbow, forearm, and hand.
  • Brachial Vein- Transports blood from the upper arm, elbow, and hand back to the heart.
Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Next, look at these human body resources.

Human Body Resources

16 Human Body Books & Hands-on Resources

Add a few of these fun resources whether you do a couple of lesson plans about the human body or a unit study.

Also, look at these other activities for crafts or hands-on activities.

More Human Body Crafts

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Finally, look at how to do this fun circulatory system hands-on activity.      

Circulatory System Hands-on Activity      

You will need:

  • Science Board
  • Red craft foam
  • Blue craft foam
  • 4 sheets of cream paper
  • Red pipe cleaners/yarn
  • Blue cleaners/yarn
  • glue
  • Printable labels
Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

First, cut the head, torso, arms, and legs from the cream paper that fills up the center of the board.

Basically, you are creating a fuller stick figure shape.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Glue the pieces down to the board to form your figure.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Cut the basic heart shape from red craft foam.

You can find a simple outline in a book or online, but it essentially looks like a basket.

Add 3 short valves to the top and 2 coming out of each side.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Cut two blue pieces with two small valves off each to represent the pulmonary artery and the superior vena cava. Attach to the red portion of the heart and glue it into place.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

I find a hot glue gun is the easiest and quickest way to secure the pipe cleaners in this next part to demonstrate the veins and arteries.

Hot glue veins and arteries coming out of the heart (red for arteries, blue for veins) on just one end and hold into place until the glue hardens.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Once the glue is dry, bend and manipulate the pipe cleaners to go in the direction they should be and then glue the rest of the way.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Running one artery and vein through each extremity, unless you are doing this with an older child, and then you can add more details.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Then write the labels using my list above.

Just like you would find on a worksheet create lines for labeling using a black Sharpie for each of the labels.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

Glue the labels into the correct place.

Simple and Easy Circulatory System Hands-on Activity for Kids

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Turn an ordinary pizza night into a delicious learning experience with an edible human cell model pizza. Also, I have this Human Body Crafts page for more hands-on ideas. And this Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study.

How fun is it to learn about the parts of a human cell through building, cooking, and eating it rather than completing a dry worksheet?

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

In this project we will take basic pizza toppings and form each of the parts of a cell with similarly shaped items.

It is a great opportunity to talk about each as you prepare them for the pizza, and then again when it comes out of the oven.

8 Fun Facts About Cells

  1. Cells are sometimes referred to as the “building blocks of life” and are the smallest unit of living things.
  2. The human body is composed of trillions of cells, and each has their own specialized function.
  3. Cells contain genetic material-DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).
  4. Cells were discovered in 1665 by Robert Hooke, he named them for their resemblance to monastery cells.
  5. Cells have variable life spans, it can range from a few days to an organism’s entire lifetime.
  6. You can’t see most cells without a microscope, a few exceptions are the ostrich egg which is considered a single cell and the single-celled organism is the algae Caulerpa which grows up to 10 feet.
  7. There are two basic cell types- prokaryotic and eukaryotic. Eukaryotic cells are those of plants, animals, fungi, and protozoa. Prokaryotic cells are bacteria and archaea.
  8. The word cell comes from the Latin word “cellula” for “small room”.

Next, look at some of these resources for learning about the human body.

16 Human Body Books & Hands-on Resources

Add a few of these fun resources whether you do a couple of lesson plans about the human body or a unit study.

Also, look at these other activities to learn about the human body.

More Human Body Crafts

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

Additionally, learn about the parts of the human cell.

The Parts of a Human Cell

Here is a quick breakdown of what each part of the cell is and what it does to use for reference throughout the activity.

Cell- This is the basic building block of all living things.

Cytoplasm- The gelatinous liquid that fills the inside of a cell.

Nucleus– A membrane-enclosed organelle within a cell that contains the chromosomes.

Endoplasmic Reticulum– Is the transportation system of the eukaryotic cell.

Golgi Bodies-Are organelles that help to process and package proteins and lipid molecules.

Lysosomes– The membrane-bound cell organelle that contains digestive enzymes.

Ribosomes-Intracellular structure made of both RNA and protein.

Microtubules- Polymers of tubulin that form part of the cytoskeleton and provide structure and shape to eukaryotic cells.

Mitochondria- Mitochondria are membrane-bound cell organelles that generate most of the chemical energy needed to power the cell. Also known as the ‘powerhouse of the cell.’

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

Finally, look at this edible human cell model made out of pizza.

Edible Human Cell Model Pizza

After a day of studying the human cell, what better way to end it than with an edible human cell model pizza to reinforce what you have learned.

There is plenty of room to adjust toppings to your preference.

You will need:

  • Pizza dough
  • Toppings

Here is what we used for each of the cell parts.

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

You can swap out toppings that are similar in shape if you like to create your own pizza cell work of art.

Create a key to identify which topping you choose for each organelle (subunit within a cell).

  • Cell – Pizza Crust
  • Cytoplasm – Pizza sauce
  • Nucleus – Salami
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum– Thinly sliced onion
  • Golgi Bodies– Basil leaves
  • Lysosomes – Mini pepperoni
  • Ribosomes – shredded mozzarella
  • Microtubules -Pepper strips
  • Mitochondria – Mushroom slices

You will also need:

  • Baking sheet/pizza pan
  • Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees or whatever your dough recipe calls for.

You can use homemade or ready-to-bake pizza dough.

Rub a bit of olive oil into your baking pan.

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

Roll out a small piece of dough into a rough circle, like a little personal pan pizza.

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

Smooth on a little sauce for the cytoplasm, leave a little space on the outside edges to represent the cell membrane.

Sprinkle on a small amount of shredded mozzarella for the ribosomes.

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

Continue adding the various parts of the cell (pizza toppings)  building it up until you have all of them.

Place pizza in the oven and bake to the desired doneness.

After baking we sprinkled it with a little more shredded mozzarella because they disappeared in the cooking.

Cool and enjoy your delicious cell!

How to Turn a Pizza Into a Fun Edible Human Cell Model

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled X-Ray Craft

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

How to make a bones of the hand labeled x-ray craft is easy and fun. Also, I have this Human Body Crafts page for more hands-on ideas. And this Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study.

I have seen simpler full handprint versions of this for little ones, but I feel like this X-ray craft for the bones of the hand-labeled is appropriate for right up to middle school.

To challenge upper elementary or middle school students you could also have them label the 8 carpal bones individually as well. 

This is a great way to familiarize your student with the bones in the hand without using a worksheet or textbook.

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

You know I really enjoy offering hands-on activities over paperwork.

Before you begin here is a little information on bones to share while they work on their hand project.

  • Carpal Bones- The 8 irregular bones that make up the wrist.
  • Metacarpals- The 5 bones that make up the middle of your hand.
  • Phalanges-14 bones that are in each of the fingers on your hand.

While not part of the hand I think it’s good to show how and where they are in relation to and how they connect to the ulna and radius bones of the arm.

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft
  • Ulna-The thinner longer bone of the forearm.
  • Radius-The other bone that makes up your forearm.

They both help to stabilize the wrist as well as move, flex, and rotate.

5 Facts About The Bones of The Hand

  1. There are 27 bones in each hand, for a total of 54 bones of the hand.
  2. Each hand also has 29 major joints, 48 nerves, 30 arteries, and 123 ligaments that work with the bones for strength, flexibility, and function.
  3. A hand is defined as the end part of a person’s arm beyond the wrist, including the palm, fingers, and thumb.
  4. We are set apart from other animals by our opposable thumbs—this means that our thumbs and fingers can work together.
  5. About 10 to 15% of the world’s population is left-handed. 1 in 100 is ambidextrous, which means they can use both hands equally.

Next, look at some of these resources for learning about the human body.

16 Human Body Books & Hands-on Resources

Add a few of these fun resources whether you do a couple of lesson plans about the human body or a unit study.

Also, look at these other activities to learn about the human body.

More Human Body Crafts

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

Finally, look how to make this bones of the hand craft.

Bones of The Hand Labeled – Xray Craft

Yes, you could just paint the bones of the fingers and palm on the paper but I feel like painting or having your child paint it first on their hand helps them see better where each bone lies.

And then when they fill it in and label it, everything they are learning is being reinforced.

You will need:

  • Black construction paper
  • Bright-colored chalk marker
  • White craft paint
  • Small paintbrush
  • Sharpie marker
How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

First, start by painting three phalanges on each finger.

And paint on the thumb as well as the metacarpals that go from the lower portion of the finger into the hand.

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

Paint a small cluster at the base of the hand that will be for the bones of the wrist which are the carpal bones.

It’s a little hard to imprint the wrist at the same time as the hand so we will just put them at the base of the palm.

Press firmly on the black paper and press the hand down from the top to be sure that it impresses nicely.

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

Take a small paintbrush and fill in the bones to make them more solid and easier to identify. 

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

Allow the paint to dry completely and then use a bright chalk marker to label each part of the bones.

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

For the carpals take a black sharpie and draw each of them within the white blob that you painted.

At this time, you can also draw the upper portion of the ulna and the radius to demonstrate how the bones of the hand connect to the bones of the arm.

How To Make A Fun Bones Of The Hand Labeled Xray Craft

7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Help your child complete this human skull anatomy activity using a styrofoam skull from Dollar Tree. Also, I have this Human Body Crafts page for more hands-on ideas. And this Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study.

Whenever fall rolls around I always grab some of the skeleton parts and pieces to repurpose as models in our anatomy lessons.

And this styrofoam skull caught my eye and I immediately knew what I was doing with it.

I had the idea to turn it into a labeled skull like I have seen available for purchase, but they are expensive,

So, unless your child wants to be a brain surgeon such an extensive one is not necessary.

7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

This activity has several parts that will help your child learn the different bones of the skull.

First, they examine a diagram to learn and mark the various areas.

Secondly, they create the keys to make this activity a game, and finally they play and identify the parts again.

If they oversee making everything from start to finish, by the time they get to the game they are already quite familiar with the different names and sections.

You can read aloud about the facts of the different parts of the skull as your child works on coloring in the human skull anatomy activity.

7 Facts About The Human Skull

  1. The top of the skull (cranium) is made up of 8 bones that cover the brain to surround and protect. The lower part makes up the bones of the face and is made of 14 bones.
  2. Teeth are not considered bones that make up part of the skull.
  3. Besides your eyes, nose, and mouth openings the human skull has many small holes in it known as foramina. They allow nerve and blood vessels to pass through.
  4. Skulls look different and can be identified as male or female, even heritage by the size and shape of them.
  5. The jawbone (mandible) is the only bone in the human skull that moves, it is also the largest and strongest bone in the skull.
  6. In Latin ‘frons’ stands for forehead which is what gives the frontal bone its name.
  7. The skull is not fully fused at birth, this allows for brain growth. Babies are born with soft spots on the top and back of their head called the fontanelles.
7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

Next, look at some of these resources for learning about the human body.

16 Human Body Books & Hands-on Resources

Add a few of these fun resources whether you do a couple of lesson plans about the human body or a unit study.

Also, look at these other activities to learn about the human body.

More Human Body Crafts

7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

Human Skull Anatomy Activity

One of the best things about this activity is that it is self-correcting.

Once your child makes a guess, he can check the color-coded key to see if he is right.

You will need:

  • Foam skull
  • 8 different marker colors
  • Skull diagram
7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

To create a game with your skull you will also need:

  • 2 dice
  • Parts of the skull key-typed or handwritten
  • Craft stick or pencil for a pointer

First, you are going to want a good diagram either in a book or online for your child to follow.

Here is a simple diagram to follow on Neuroscience for Kids.

Next, decide on a color for each part of the skull that they are marking.

Here are the parts:

  • occipital,
  • frontal,
  • parietal,
  • temporal,
  • nasal,
  • maxilla,
  • mandible,
  • and zygomatic bones.

The next step is to have them type or handwrite a key for the colors that each will be and another one with each one numbered.

7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

Use the colors you have decided on to outline each section of the skull.

7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

Color each of the sections in the coordinating color. You could also have them paint or cover each section in thin layers of playdough.

7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity

Now you can turn learning the parts of the skull into a game simply by adding a pair of dice and the numbered key.

To play:

Use the numbered key your child made and roll both dice (anything above an 8 is a reroll).

The colored key should remain covered until ready to check their answer.

Whatever number rolled corresponds with one on the key, your child must identify.

Have your child use a skewer, pencil, or craft stick as a pointer to point to the answer.

Play can be as long or as short a time as you like.

7 Human Skull Facts and Cool Human Skull Anatomy Activity