Tina Robertson

12 Fun And Creative Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

November 28, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you need a little help with teenager gift ideas, I have the girls covered for you with this list of eclectic but popular ideas. Also, look at my pages How to Successfully Homeschool Middle School and How to Homeschool High School.

Whether you are struggling with an idea for your own teenage daughter, niece, granddaughter, or any other 12–18-year-old girl you will find something for girls of all personalities here.

12 Fun And Creative Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

Check over my list and hopefully it helps you cross some items off your list to get your shopping done quickly.

I have researched, polled the teenage girls I know, and compared them to bring you some choices that I think you (and they of course) will really like.

Most options come in a variety of colors and are appropriate for girly girls to more neutral girlies.

Too, you’ll find many of them budget friendly.

Next, look at some more gift guides.

Gift Guides for Families

12 Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

Teenager Gift Ideas For Girls

Add one or two of these to your gift list for teen girls.

Instant Print Camera -(Pink) Print Memories Instantly

What better way for them to document friendships, co-op, field trips, and family events than with an adorable and instant printing camera?

Stanley Quencher Vacuum Insulated Tumbler with Lid and Straw

I have been assured that this is one of the big gift ideas for teens right now, they come in a wide variety of colors and are great for getting their water in around the house, on field trips, or at co-op classes.

Wearable Blanket Hoodie

Most of the teens I know love to be bundled up with a hoodie even when it's far too warm, this big snuggly option is great for around the house on the chilliest of days.

Bluetooth Speaker with Lights, Wireless Charging Speaker

This is wireless, bluetooth and works with Androids or iPhone so even if you are not sure which type they have you are covered.

Polymer Clay Earring Making Kit

If you want to gift your teen with something that helps build skills and flex their creative muscles a nice quality jewelry kit gives them the framework but plenty of freedom to be unique and show off their own personal style.

Cute Pastel Highlighters Set: 12 Assorted Colors No Bleed Pens

For school, notes, letters, and more these aesthetic highlighters are pretty paired with a cute notepad and post it notes.

Image for Life Skills for Teenage Girls: How to Be Healthy, Avoid Drama, Manage Money, Be Confident, Fix Your Car, Unclog Your Sink, and Other Important Skills Teen Girls Should Know!

Life Skills for Teenage Girls: How to Be Healthy, Avoid Drama, Manage Money, Be Confident, Fix Your Car, Unclog Your Sink, and Other Important Skills Teen Girls Should Know!

I think this is a great practical gift that might be paired with something more whimsical to give your teenage girl some simple life skills goals to aspire to.

iPhone Charger Cord 6FT 4Packs 4Colors Lightning Cable iPhone Charger

If you have a teen, you know that there are never enough phone cords or blocks in the house. This is always a wonderful and welcomed gift. Look for unique colors and designs as well as different sizes

The Summer I Turned Pretty

This one you will have to do a little investigating on, especially if it is not your child to be sure it's appropriate and a topic they enjoy. Twilight, Hunger Games, and Divergent series are still popular YA options. The Summer I Turned Pretty is one of the books on my teen shopping list this year.

Led Strip Lights Led Strip Lights Waterproof

Strip lights can be run around computers, tv/s, bulletin boards, and around the room to add a little fun.

Neon Signs,Pink Led Neon Light for Wall Decor,Neon

These shaped ones to show off a little of the teen's personality are also really fun.

Monopoly: Barbie Edition Board Game

Barbie has been really big this year from the big screen to makeup palettes, clothes, and in everyone's favorite all night game, monopoly too. This one is perfect for the girly girl who loves all things pink and glamor girl barbie.

Kanoodle Extreme Puzzle Game, Brain Teaser

This is a great brain teaser puzzle pocket game for a single player that has been trending lately.

LEGO Icons Flower Bouquet Botanical Collection and Table Art for Adults

Even if they are not typically into LEGO these beautiful flower sets are not only a great permanent bouquet but also a good and crafty tech distraction. They make a wonderful room decoration when completed.

How to Make an Easy Antarctica Diorama With Your Kids

November 27, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I wanted a unique Antarctica diorama that was in something besides a shoebox, and this is what I came up with, a snow globe. Be sure you grab more ideas for winter fun on my page Winter Season Unit Study with free lapbook.

It was so much fun to create a little snowy wonderland of Antarctic creatures and learn about them, their habitats, diets, and more.

You will not find arctic foxes, polar bears, or snowy owls in Antarctica because there are no true terrestrial (land-living) animals that make their home there.

How to Make an Easy Antarctica Diorama With Your Kids

Antarctica is the only continent on Earth without them.

While it has no native land mammals, reptiles, or amphibians it is teeming with penguins, whales, seals, and seabirds.

A great hands-on activity to complete while you learn about what animals do and do not live in Antarctica is to create this cute snow globe diorama that I have for you below.

I thought it was the perfect way to highlight this frozen polar desert.

Books for Kids About the Antarctic

First, look at some of these books either based in the Antarctic or about animals that live there.

I lean toward living books first then like to add informational books next.

11 Antarctica Books & Resources for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Add some of these books for different ages and resources to your study about Antarctica.

Antarctica: The Heart of the World

Named a "Best Book of the Year" by Science Books & Films

"Librarians acquiring this book, a must-have for any scientific collection, can be assured that it will contribute to some reader's decision to visit or work in Antarctica."—VOYA

"This is an eye-catching book packed with gems for browsing, and the presentation makes it suitable for reports."—School Library Journal

A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse:

Join a young explorer and his best friend, Mouse, on a sea journey to Antarctica, where they make new friends with penguins and a whale – and have all kinds of fun. Young readers won’t stop grinning as they’re swept away by the strange and magical world created by Frank Viva, the bestselling author of Along a Long Road. As kids TOON into Reading, they will want to circle back to the beginning – again and again.

The Real Book About the Antarctic

The exploration of the Antarctic has been undertaken for five centuries in the name of many nations. Challenged by the mystery of its formidable, icy regions, they have used dogs, sleds, and above all the weapon of human endurance to cut down the barrier which isolates it from the developed world. In this history of the centuries of exploration, of the men who risked and often gave life to penetrate its secrets, the achievements of many great figures are reviewed

Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

In August 1914, polar explorer Ernest Shackleton boarded the Endurance and set sail for Antarctica, where he planned to cross the last uncharted continent on foot. In January 1915, after battling its way through a thousand miles of pack ice and only a day's sail short of its destination, the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. Thus began the legendary ordeal of Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men. When their ship was finally crushed between two ice floes, they attempted a near-impossible journey over 850 miles of the South Atlantic's heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization.

Antarctica Toob - Toy Figurines Penguins, Whales, Seals, & More

Explore Antarctic Wildlife: This Toob includes 10 diverse figures from the freezing landscapes of Antarctica: emperor, chinstrap, and rockhopper penguins, blue, humpback, and sperm whales, an orca, a crabeater seal, an Antarctic fur seal, and a wandering albatross.

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance

The extraordinary true story behind Ernest Shackleton's harrowing expedition to Antarctica on the Endurance—the ill-fated ship that became trapped in ice and sank to the ocean floor. Defying the odds, the crew made it back alive, bringing with them the astounding collection of photographs included in this critically acclaimed, timeless book.

Antarctic Journal: Four Months at the Bottom of the World

It is the windiest, coldest, most forbidding region on earth, and I am heading straight for it.

Sketchbook in hand, an artist leaves home to spend four months in Antarctica. She hikes up glaciers, camps on deserted islands, and sees mirages of castles in the air. She sails past icebergs and humpback whales. And she fills her sketchbook with drawings of penguin chicks huddled in their nests and seals basking in the sun. Jennifer Dewey's sketches, photographs, journal entries, and letters home let you see the last great wilderness on earth through the eyes of an artist at work.

Ice Trap! : Shackleton's Incredible Expedition

In August 1914, during the height of the heroic age of Antarctic exploration, Sir Ernest Shackleton set off from England with a team of explorers to walk across the Antarctic and study the icy depths of this new and forbidding continent. Sailing through some of the most perilous seas, the Endurance becomes trapped in the deadly pack ice of the Weddell sea. When the Endurance is eventually crushed between the vast bulk of two floating icebergs, the men are forced to abandon ship and make the dangerous journey across the crushing sea in lifeboats,

Where Is Antarctica?

Antarctica, the earth's southernmost continent, was virtually untouched by humans until the nineteenth century. Many famous explorers journeyed (and often died) there in the hope of discovering a land that always seemed out of reach. This book introduces readers to this desert--yes, desert!--continent that holds about 90 percent of the world's ice; showcases some of the 200 species that call Antarctica home, including the emperor penguin; and discusses environmental dangers to the continent, underscoring how what happens to Antarctica affects the entire world.

Ocean Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of the World under the Sea

The Anatomy series by Julia Rothman is always a go-to resource, ocean Anatomy contains plenty of information on the animals that live in Antarctica, icebergs Polar Ice, and glaciers.

Penguin's Way

With a new children’s book imprint, the Bodleian Library brings beloved classics back into print, beginning with a beautiful storybook about the life of a fascinating Antarctic species. Originally published in 1962, Penguin’s Way by Johanna Johnston tells the surprising story of these creatures, complete with colorful artwork by award-winning illustrator Leonard Weisgard. In Penguin’s Way, a playful colony of emperor penguins lives on the edge of a faraway secret sea. During the summers, the penguins are content to fish and swim in the icy waters. But, when the seasons change, they must travel more than one hundred miles to the snowy lands surrounding the South Pole. All across the snow plain, the penguins sing songs to welcome newly hatched chicks into the world, but how will the fluffy newborns survive the freezing winter?

Next, look at some of the animals that do make their home there.

Creatures of Antarctica

You can either create a diorama centered around one of these amazing creatures or highlight them all, we are going to learn a little bit about each of these 3 most common -penguins, seals, and whales.

PENGUINS

There are 17 different species of penguins in the world, and 8 of them live in Antarctica.

A penguin’s diet is mainly fish, squid, crustaceans, and krill.

While they do prefer to drink fresh water they do have a gland near their eyes that allows them to filter the salt out of salt water for drinking.

Emperor Penguin
Adélie penguin
Gentoo penguin
Chinstrap penguin
Macaroni penguin
Rockhopper penguin
Magellanic penguin
King penguin

SEALS

Only 6 out of the 35 seal species in the world live in Antarctica but they make up the majority of seal numbers. Seals are divided up into 3 different families- True seals, eared seals, and walruses.

Except for the fur seal, all of these Antarctica seals are ‘True seals’ without ears but they can still hear very well, even underwater.

They are built for their frozen home with a thick layer of blubber and fur for insulation as well as being excellent swimmers and divers.

Southern Elephant
Crabeater
Leopard
Weddel
Antarctic Fur

WHALES

These amazing aquatic giants are distinct in their appearance and behaviors.

The Humpbacks are known for their haunting songs that can be heard for up to 20 miles while the Orcas are found everywhere but are most abundant here in Antarctica.

The 8 whales that you are likely to spot in Antarctica are:

Killer
Sperm
Humpback
Fin
Blue
Minke
Right
Sei

Find out how these creatures survive the freezing conditions of Antarctica in this How Animals Survive Harsh Winters Fun Blubber Activity.

How to Make an Easy Antarctica Diorama

I found a clear plastic bowl, cake plate, and fake snow at Dollar Tree.

Whether you want to keep and display your snow globe diorama long term or toss it out after it is done, this is a very economical project.

You will need:

Clear plastic bowl
Clear plastic plate/platter
Fake snow
Cardboard
Air dry clay
School glue
Blue craft paint
Plastic arctic animals

First, use air-dry clay to create a dam to separate your water from the land area.

To do this I just rolled it out like a long snake and then smoothed it into place, it doesn’t have to be thick, just enough to keep the water in.

Paint a thick layer of school glue onto the side that you designated for land.

Sprinkle generously with the fake snow and tap down gently with your fingers or a paintbrush to press it into the glue then tap off the excess.

Mix blue paint with school glue and pour a thick layer into the water section you created, be sure to cover it all completely.

If you like, take some more air-dry clay and create an iceberg, a little cave, or any other land formations you would like, give it a little glue and cover it in more flakes of fake snow.

Allow this to dry for 24-48 hours until the glue, paint, and air-dry clay have cured.

Antarctica Diorama

Add in your animals as you like. If you are going to be transporting it you can add a little bit of hot glue to the bottom of the animals.

To remove and use them another time you can heat up the glue with a hair dryer and wipe it away with a paper towel.

Place the plastic bowl on top and secure it in place with a couple of dots of hot glue if desired or let it sit loosely on top.

How to Make Hot Cocoa Cloud Dough | 8 Hot Cocoa Crafts for Preschoolers

November 26, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

With a chill in the air, it is the perfect time to make hot cocoa crafts for preschoolers to warm them up in a different way. Also, you’ll love the ideas on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

From paper cups to playdough there are many fun ways to create hot cocoa crafts for preschoolers to enjoy during the winter season.

Also, if you love to celebrate all the little holidays like I do, December 13th is National Cocoa Day.

How to Make Hot Cocoa Cloud Dough | 8 Hot Cocoa Crafts for Preschoolers

And these ideas as well as my hot cocoa cloud dough are a great way to celebrate it.

If you learn how to make my taste safe version of hot cocoa cloud dough, you will be very cool with the preschool set indeed.

Cloud dough is a unique textured sensory material, and messy, so plan accordingly.

This cloud dough version is taste safe but you will want to bake your flour beforehand to make it safe as raw flour can contain bacteria such as Salmonella.

Winter Books to Read Aloud to Your Preschooler

Next, these books I’ve rounded up can be used to read aloud to your preschooler or for your older kids to read independently.

13 Snow, Snowman, Animals, and Winter Books

Add one or more of these books to your learning day if you're learning about snow, snowflakes, winter or just for fun.

Winter Cottage

Immerse Yourself in This Story of Love and Companionship Amidst Deprivation

It is the fall of 1930, and America has plunged into the Great Depression. On a remote dirt road deep in the snowy woods of northern Wisconsin, misfortune forces the impoverished Sparkes family to take desperate measures.

A wayfaring quartet consisting of thirteen-year-old Araminta (nicknamed Minty), her recently unemployed father-a poetry-quoting widower called Pops-and her younger sister, Eglantine (known as Eggs-a dreamer like Pops), and their dog, Buster, are on their way to Minneapolis to live with the curmudgeonly Aunt Amy. When their car breaks down and they are unable to fix it, the homeless four stumble upon a vacant summer cottage by a lake. In desperate straits, they decide to settle in.

1. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder

How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow.

2. Sneezy the Snowman

B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel “just right”.

3. Snowmen at Night

Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've wondered . . . what do snowmen do at night? This delightful wintertime tale reveals all!

4. The Biggest Snowman Ever

When the mayor of Mouseville announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the biggest snowman ever.

5. Over and Under the Snow

Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.

A Hat for Minerva Louise

"Stoeke's second book about that intrepid screwball, Minerva Louise, is a rare find."—The Horn Book, starred review. The other chickens hate snowy mornings. But not Minerva Louise! To her a snowy day—like everything else—is an adventure. But this chilly, chipper hen needs something to keep her warm. What she finds—and how she finds it—will keep young readers cackling.

6. How to Catch a Snowman

Our heroes' entry for the snowman contest has magically come to life―and ran away! Can YOU help catch it? Get ready for snow much fun as you travel through a winter wonderland with running, skating, and bouncing through trap after trap to catch the snowman and claim the winning prize. Will the snowman teach our heroes a lesson they'll never forget?

The Big Snow

When the geese begin to fly south, the leaves flutter down from the trees and the cold winds begin to blow from the north, the animals of the woods and meadows, big and small, prepare for the long, cold winter ahead when the countryside is hidden under a deep blanket of snow. They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.It might have been hard for the birds and animals of the hillside to survive when the Big Snow came if their good friends, who lived in the little stone house, had not remembered to put food out for them.Here, in many beautiful pictures, the Haders show how winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.

7. Curious About Snow (Smithsonian)

The Smithsonian does things right and this Curious About Snow book is a
great introduction for curious kiddos with real images and simple explanations.

8. Animals in Winter

This is a clear and appealing book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. Introduce kids to basic science ideas as part of discussions about the seasons and animals.

9. Arctic Figurines, Including A Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, And Polar Bear

SET OF 10 FUN AND FRIGID FIGURES – It’s hard to stay warm at the North Pole, but you can discover its wonders in your home with these frigid friends. This TOOB includes a Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, and Polar Bear.

10. Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

Also, add some of this background information about hot cocoa.

You may want to include your older children.

The History of Hot Cocoa

Hot cocoa likely developed around 500 BC, where the Mayans drank chocolate made from ground-up cocoa seeds that were mixed up with water, cornmeal, and chili peppers.

It was made by pouring it back and forth between two cups to get it thick and foamy. At that time, it was pretty bitter and not what we enjoy today.

The explorer Cortez in the 1500s brought cocoa beans and the tools to make it back to Europe where it became a drink popular with the upper class.

In the 1800s, Coenraad Johannes Van Houten of the Netherlands created the first cocoa powder press.

Using it he was able to separate the greasy cocoa butter from the cacao seeds and create a much more drinkable concoction and also at this time he learned how to create a solid chocolate bar.

Up until the 19th century, hot chocolate was used to treat stomach and liver diseases.

Also, as part of soldier rations and now we can enjoy it any time with lots of marshmallows.

Eventually eating chocolate became much more popular than drinking it.

8 Hot Cocoa Crafts for Preschoolers

These 3 Fun Cocoa Winter Hands on Science Activities have a science application of course but don’t overlook the fun of deliciously scented slime for play.
Try Hot Chocolate Playdough Recipe + 3 Ways to Play, it will smell amazing and be a great sensory experience that is great for building small muscles and fine motor skills.
Such a great basic craft supply, turn wooden craft sticks into this adorable Popsicle Stick Hot Cocoa Mug Craft with your preschooler.
Inside My Hot Cocoa Mug Craft Idea For Kids is a very unique take on creating a hot cocoa mug art project.
3D art is so much fun, just look at this Paper Cup Hot Chocolate Craft for Kids, you can find lots of adorable winter printed cups at Dollar Tree too or let them decorate their own paper cup with stickers or markers.
Use cocoa in a fresh new way and turn it into a sweet-smelling paint, check out Chocolate Painting with I’m a Hungry Dinosaur.
This is a simple layered gift idea that little hands can make as a gift to friends and family. –DIY Gift Idea: Hot Cocoa Mix In A Jar, it looks pretty, you put a bow on it, I’m calling it a craft!
This is a great simple felt craft. Hot Cocoa Art, perfect for using up scraps of felt you may have on hand.

Finally, look at how to make this fun hot cocoa cloud dough.

How to Make Hot Cocoa Cloud Dough

I did not give you exact measurements.

It will depend on the size of your container, and it is easy to make any size batch.

You will need:

All-purpose flour
Baking cocoa or hot cocoa mix
Vegetable or coconut oil
Marshmallows

You will also need:

Cups
Straws
Measuring cups/spoons
Peppermints/candy canes

Prepare flour by baking it for 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven and allow to cool.

Combine flour and cocoa mix or baking cocoa until you get the color and amount of base that you want. A whisk works well to incorporate your dry ingredients.

Add in oil just a little at a time.

Add it just until the dough becomes a consistency that when squeezed in your hand holds its shape, kind of like a good snow.

You can also add in vanilla and peppermint.

Or any other scented oils or extracts if you like to make the smell stronger.

Now begin layering in hot cocoa items like straws, marshmallows, sprinkles, candy canes, peppermints, etc.

To encourage fine motor activities like pouring, scooping, pinching, digging, scraping, etc. include measuring cups, spoons, and coffee cups.

Little ones won’t need much prompting to figure out what to do with the bin.

They will be happy to fill cups, pour them out, and offer you some too.

Animals That Are Born Alive And Hatched From Egg DIY Hatching Egg Activity

November 25, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re doing a hands-on activity about animals that are born alive and hatched from egg. Also, you’ll love the activities on my post Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet.

A lot of this is learned through our natural conversations and through the myriad of questions your child might ask.

However, it never hurts to have some fun intentional activities to help answer them.

It is an amazing world we live in.

And while most children know very early on that birds lay eggs; they are not familiar with other animals that do.

For instance, the platypus, alligators, snakes, and common house lizards lay eggs.

Animals That Are Born Alive And Hatched From Egg DIY Hatching Egg Activity

Too, I have an easy-to-prep and complete activity that can be done in two parts and is a ton of fun.

Besides, if you have plastic animals on hand and a few basic pantry items, this is a no-extra-cost activity that will help your child learn about two types of animals.

The two types are oviparous animals which lay eggs and viviparous animals which have live births.

7 Facts about Viviparous and Oviparous Animals

Animals that give birth to offspring are called viviparous.
Animals that lay eggs are called oviparous.
There are only two types of mammals that lay eggs, the duck-billed platypus, and the echidna.
After laying the eggs, some animals sit on their eggs to keep them warm while others bury the eggs in the sand.
The temperature of the egg is critical during development in reptiles as it determines the sex of the offspring.
Viviparous animals can reproduce any time of the year as they feed the embryo with the fat reserves in the body.
Birds are the only egg layers that have a hard-shelled egg, others are soft and leathery like turtles and lizards.

Next, add some books and fun resources to your learning day.

Resources to Learn About Egg Laying Animals & Animals that Have Live Births

Investigate how eggs are hatched and why some animals have live births with these fun books.

An Egg Is Quiet: (Picture Book, Kids Book about Eggs)

This stunningly beautiful and wonderfully informative book from award-winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston makes for a fascinating introduction to the vast and amazing world of eggs.
Featuring poetic text and an elegant design, this acclaimed book teaches children countless interesting facts about eggs. Full of wit and charm, An Egg Is Quiet will at once spark the imagination and cultivate a love of science.

Chickens Aren't the Only Ones (World of Nature Series)

Ruth Heller's prose and pictures are the perfect means for discovering the variety of oviparous animals and their unique ways of laying eggs.

Who Laid the Egg? (Exploring Nature)

What kind of animals lay eggs?

A chicken?

An ostrich?

Maybe even . . . a dinosaur?!

Find out which animals lay eggs in this entertaining picture book for toddlers, preschoolers, and early readers!

Who Laid the Egg is a simple, easy-to-read book that introduces children to some of the
wonderful egg-laying animals in our world. Kids will love guessing which animal laid each egg as you read this book together!

Featuring: a chicken, an ostrich, a frog, a turtle and others!

Figurines of Mudpuppy, Dragonfly, Water Snake, Bat, Goose, Herring Gull, Blue Heron, Lynx, Sturgeon, Yellow Perch

Here are a few great plastic animal collections that have at least a couple of live-bearing and egg-laying creatures in it.

Educational Resource: Perfect for teaching children about the diverse species that inhabit the Great Lakes ecosystem. Encourages curiosity and respect for nature and wildlife.

Mini North American & Australian Animal Figurines

North American & Australian Animals has a few egg-laying animals, but I really love that it includes the platypus.

Also, add some of these hands-on activities.

Activities For Animals That Are Born Alive And Hatched From Egg

Before you begin your activity, you want to gather up a bunch of little plastic toys, Safari Toobs are my favorite and I linked a couple above but you can even raid the toy box to find some.

You want to collect a variety of both egg-laying and non-egg-laying animals.

Here are a few examples of each to get you started.

Egg Laying

Birds
Platypus
Fish
Turtles
Lizards

Live Birth

Bears
Cats
Dolphins
Fox
People

Finally, look at this fun hands-on activity about animals that are born alive and hatched from egg.

DIY Hatching Egg Activity

You will need:

Construction paper
Makers
Baking soda
Water
Vinegar
A shallow container
Small container
Pipette

First, place a cup or two of baking soda in a large bowl depending on how many creatures you want to put in your eggs.

Add water a little at a time while mixing with your hands until it is damp enough to hold together when you squeeze it.

It should look like this.

You can color some of the mixture if you like.

Hatching Egg Activity For Kids

Grab one of your animals hatched from an egg and add the damp baking soda mixture around it.

Keep adding and shaping until it is completely covered with the mixture and resembles an egg shape.

Next, let the eggs dry out for several hours or overnight until they harden up.

Place eggs in a shallow container with a small bowl of vinegar and a pipette.

Encourage your child to use the pipette to drizzle the eggs with vinegar, they will know what to do next!

They will enjoy watching the fizzing and bubbling acting.

When they are done, they will see and reinforce the teaching about animals that come from eggs.

Now, take two pieces of construction paper and write across the top on one Hatched from an Egg with an egg next to it.

Across the other write Born Alive with the no egg symbol.

Additionally, be sure to read these aloud to your child.

The symbols help the non-reader to know which paper to use but it is a very important connection that your child knows that the spoken word and the written word are linked by writing them it will begin to help them identify letters and make that connection.

Next, give them several of both live-bearing and egg-laying animals and instruct them how to sort between the two pages.

Help your child as they need help but give them independence as well.

Finally, talk about the animals and the differences between them.

How To Make Puffy Paint Planets And Free Notebooking Pages

November 23, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re creating puffy paint planets as we learn a little bit more about the 8 wonders that make up our solar system. You’ll love the free planet notebooking pages too. Grab more ideas on my page Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages.

There is so much about the vast solar system that we still do not know.

Take your aspiring astronomer on a journey to discover each planet with crafts, facts, and activities that will keep their hands busy, and minds engaged.

How To Make Puffy Paint Planets And Free Notebooking Pages

These puffy paint planets are a fun way to learn about the planets, their size, and their relation to one another as well as their general makeup.

They can be painted to look as our planets appear and you can customize them to any size you like.

Free Planets Notebooking Pages

Also, I have a fantastic set of free notebooking pages that you can also use as a template to create them.

These are handy for your child to list facts about each planet as you cover it in your lessons.

And I have included some fun facts for you to grab as well.

However, in honor of Red Planet Day on November 28th I have some interesting facts for you all about the planet Mars.

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos.

There is a very handy mnemonic device that you can use to memorize the order of the planets-Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Next, look at some of these books that you’ll want to add to your reading list.

I lean toward living books first, then reference books for reading.

11 Astronomy Resources & Books

Add one or two books to your unit study or use one as a spine for studying about space.

The Planets

From the burning surface of Venus to the freezing darkness of Neptune, Gail Gibbons takes children on a tour of our planetary neighbors—which are very different from each other in size, shape, orbit, and even weather.

The Planets

With her bestsellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. Now Sobel brings her full talents to bear on what is perhaps her most ambitious topic to date-the planets of our solar system. Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the lens of popular culture, from astrology, mythology, and science fiction to art, music, poetry, biography, and history. Written in her characteristically graceful prose, The Planets is a stunningly original celebration of our solar system and offers a distinctive view of our place in the universe.

Who Was Neil Armstrong?

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon and, to an audience of over 450 million people, proclaimed his step a "giant leap for mankind."

Find the Constellations

Containing star charts, a guide to the constellations, and details about seasons and the movement of the objects we see in the sky, this classic book makes H. A. Rey’s passion for astronomy evident on every page.

New updates concentrate on the planetary and solar system information in the latter part of the book. Facts and figures for each planet have been revised, and new scientific information has been added, such as Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet.

Where Is Our Solar System?

Our solar system consists of eight planets, as well as numerous moons, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids. For thousands of years, humans believed that Earth was at the center of the Universe, but all of that changed in the 17th century. Astronomers like Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, and Isaac Newton proposed the unthinkable theory that Earth and the other planets actually revolved around the Sun.

Signs and Seasons Understanding the Elements of Classical Astronomy

Gorgeous. Worth every penny! Signs & Seasons is an introduction to “Classical Astronomy,” the traditional, historical approach to the sky, as had been practiced from ancient times. The biblical basis for astronomy

The Mysteries of the Universe: Discover the best-kept secrets

Space is so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn. The Mysteries of the Universe is a stunning space encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information, little learners will be captivated as they journey through the vastness of the Universe.

Basher Science: Astronomy: Out of this World!

Like a Facebook for the universe, Astronomy gives every important celestial body and concept its own page, where readers can learn its behaviors, likes, and dislikes up close and personal. From the flashy stars to the shadowy and strange objects that hang out like loners at the edges of the universe, no player goes unnoticed.

Stargazer's Guide to the Night Sky, The

The Stargazers Guide to the Night Sky offers everything you need to explore the remarkable beauty of the stars, moon, and planets. Dr. Jason Lisle, a research scientist with a masters and Ph.D. in astrophysics provides a very thorough, practical and easy to read resource to fuel the curiosity of amateur astronomers ages 10 to 100.

Solar System Puzzle Wooden Space Toys for Kids

【Planet Toys for Kids】Our wooden solar system puzzle is the PERFECT CHOICE for you and your kids as it is made from natural wood, vivid planet patten with well designed. This preschool learning activities is suitable for 3+ years kids and represents the perfect activity to learn through play!

Solar System Planetarium - DIY Glow In The Dark Astronomy Planet Model

The Solar System Planetarium set teaches children about the wonders of the solar system. Just assemble, paint and learn.

This set includes planets, stencils, squeeze glow paint pen, rods, string, a fact filled wall chart and 10 sets of Kidz Quiz questions.

Also, here are some facts that your child can use to add to the notebooking pages.

Facts About the Planets for Kids

Mercury

Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system, and it is only slightly larger than Earth’s Moon.
It is the closest planet to the sun but is not the hottest, strangely enough that record goes to Venus, but it does have the largest temperature fluctuations in the solar system.
Mercury’s craters are named after famous artists and writers, there is even one named Geisel after Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel).

Venus

Venus is the second brightest natural object in our night sky after the Moon.
Venus spins clockwise on its axis, unlike all the other planets in our solar system that spin counterclockwise.
Astronomers believe that at some point Venus collided with a celestial body and tilted Venus so far off its original position that it is now upside down.

Earth

The surface of the Earth is mainly water, about 71% and almost 97% of that is in the oceans.
It is estimated that you could fit 1 million Earths inside of the sun.
Our atmosphere is made up of gases- nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and carbon dioxide. What we commonly refer to as air.

Mars

Mars is called the “Red Planet” because when seen in the night sky it seems to glow faintly reddish/orange. The reddish-orange color is due to all the iron minerals and dust on its surface.
While humans have not been to Mars there have been 9 successful landings -Viking 1 and Viking 2, Pathfinder, Spirit and Opportunity, Phoenix, Curiosity, InSight, and Perseverance.
Mars is one of the easiest planets that you can spot in the night sky, it looks like a bright red point.

Jupiter

Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, it is more than twice as big as all the other planets put together.
The “stripes” on Jupiter are cold, windy clouds made up of ammonia and water.
Jupiter was named by ancient astronomers for the Roman ruler of the gods and heavens.

Saturn

Saturn is not the only planet to have rings, but is the most well known for it due to the size and complexity of its rings, made up of a glittering array of bits of asteroids and comets.
Saturn is the only planet in our solar system that is less dense than water, so that means that if it fit in your pool it would float.
It has more moons than any other planet in the Solar System with 82 confirmed moons.

Uranus

Uranus spins on its side and rolls around the sun like a big blue ball.
One year on Uranus is 21 Earth years long, that’s a long wait for a day!
It was the first planet to be found through a telescope in 1781 by an astronomer named William Herschel, but he originally believed it to be either a comet or a star.

Neptune

Neptune has six rings and 13 confirmed moons.
Neptune is more than 30 times as far from the Sun as Earth
This planet is an ice giant. Meaning that it is a giant planet made up of dense “icy” materials-water, methane, and ammonia, with a small rocky core.

Finally, look at how to make puffy paint planets.

How To Make Puffy Paint Planets

You will need:

School glue
Craft paints
Dish soap
Paintbrushes
Gallon ziplock bag
Notebooking pages

First, the dish soap gives these puffy paint planets’ window clings a little flexibility and helps them adhere to the window.

Print the notebooking pages at whatever size you would like to make your window clings.

I printed mine 4 sheets per page and felt like that was a great size.

Slip the page inside a gallon-sized ziplock bag, you may need to trim some of the paper away to make it fit.

Combine 1 tablespoon of glue, a drop or two of dish soap, and enough paint to get it the color you want it for each color that you want to make. Stir to combine everything well.

Now you don’t have to outline the planets but it really makes them pop if you do.

To do this I add black paint and a couple drops of dish soap to a bottle of white school glue that is about half full and shake it really well until everything is mixed.

DIY Puffy Paint Planets For Kids

Then use the tip of the bottle to “draw” an outline around each of your planets. Allow it to dry partially before you move to the next step.

Use a paintbrush to fill in the inside of each of your planets with a thick layer of paint.

You do not want it thin, and it should touch all the edges so that it is sturdy and does not tear. Fill in each planet.

Allow it to dry overnight.

Carefully peel off each of your window clings and they are ready to hang up.

If they need a little refreshing, you can swish them around in a bit of soap water for just a second and they will stick right to the window.

How to Get the Free Printable Planets Notebooking Pages

Now, how to grab the free printable. This is a subscriber freebie.

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get access to my subscribers library and this freebie.

However, not all my freebies are in the library (wink).

I like to keep up to date with what is valuable to you so I can give you more, some freebies you must sign up again on the form below even if you are already a follower.

And it’s the only way I have of freely delivering them to you. Just follow the steps below.

► 1) Sign up on my list.
► 2) Go to your inbox and confirm your email from the automatic reply I sent you. If you’re already a confirmed subscriber, you will not have to do this. You’ll receive the freebie instantly.
►3) Last step. look for my reply AFTER you’ve confirmed your email.

Tina Robertson

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Free Planets Notebooking Pages

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Facts About the Planets for Kids

Mercury

Venus

Earth

Mars

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

How To Make Puffy Paint Planets

DIY Puffy Paint Planets For Kids

How to Get the Free Printable Planets Notebooking Pages

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