Tina Robertson

8 Stellaluna Kindergarten Activities | How To Make A Coffee Filter Bat Craft

October 5, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Stellaluna kindergarten activities are fun and make for great literature-based science lessons as well. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum.

I am bringing you a simple and inexpensive coffee filter bat craft.

Too, I have 8 more activity ideas and some cool resources for Stellaluna inspired fun.

If you don’t already have the book I highly suggest you grab a copy.

It is a sweet read all year long and will become a favorite classic of both you and your child.

8 Stellaluna Kindergarten Activities | How To Make A Coffee Filter Bat Craft

Bats are amazing flying mammals that come in all shapes and sizes.

They live all over the world, except for Antarctica.

They are nocturnal.

That means they sleep during the day and fly around at night and use their special echolocation ability to navigate and find food in the dark.

Bats eat mainly insects and fruit.

They are a very important part of our ecosystem because they help control the insect population and pollinate plants.

Bats don’t have to be scary if you know why they are good to have around.

We will dive into nature study, STEM, reading, life skills, and more as we learn about this sweet little bat and her journey.

Bat Books for Kids

Also, add some bat books to your reading list.

I prefer living books then add reference books.

9 Books and Resources for Kids Who Love Bats

Add some of these fun books and resources about bats for a hands-on day of learning.

Stellaluna 25th Anniversary Edition

Knocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their peculiar bird habits. Two pages of notes at the end of the story provide factual information about bats. “Delightful and informative but never didactic; a splendid debut.”--Kirkus Reviews

National Geographic Readers: Bats

They live in spooky caves, in forests, even in the dark reaches of ordinary attics and bridges. They flock by the hundreds, and they sleep while hanging upside down! In this beautifully photographed Level 2 Reader, kids learn about one of the most interesting creatures around—and discover the bat’s unique place in the wild and in the world. The high-interest topic, expertly written text, and bonus learning activity lay the groundwork for a successful and rewarding reading experience.

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.

Bats (New & Updated Edition)

Though people often think of bats as scary, bats are really shy, gentle animals. There are nearly 1000 different species of bats, and they live on every continent except Antarctica. Some are tiny, but the giant flying fox bat has a five-foot wingspan! Popular science author Gail Gibbons also discusses the efforts to protect the world's only truly flying mammals. A final page offers additional facts.

Bats of the World

The natural history and evolution of bats- Important identifying features- Habitats, migration patterns, and common mating practices- The status of various endangered bat species

Bats: An Illustrated Guide to All Species

Bats: An Illustrated Guide to All Species explores bats and their fundamental role in our ecosystems through lavish full-color photographs and lively narrative. From the Giant Golden Crowned Flying Fox, a megabat with a wingspan of more than five feet, to the aptly named Bumblebee Bat, the world's smallest mammal, the number and diversity of bat species have proven to be both rich and underestimated. Nocturnal, fast-flying, and secretive, bats are difficult to observe and catalog. This richly illustrated handbook presents bats' evolution, biology, behavior, and ecology. It offers in-depth profiles of four hundred megabats and microbats and detailed summaries of all the species identified to date. Complete with an introduction exploring bats' natural history and their unique adaptations to life on the wing, Bats includes close-up images of these animals' delicate and intricate forms and faces, each shaped by evolution to meet the demands of an extraordinarily specialized life.

Bat Plush, Stuffed Animal

Even if the nocturnal life is not for you; this plush toy bat will be ready to play.

Stuffed animals are the perfect gift for any age or occasion.

The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World's Most Misunderstood Mammals

Stories and science surrounding the beloved bat, from an ecologist who has dedicated his life to the curious creature.

Few people realize how sophisticated and intelligent bats are. Merlin Tuttle knows, and he has stopped at nothing to find and protect them on every continent they inhabit. Sharing highlights from a lifetime of adventure and discovery, Tuttle takes us to the frontiers of bat research to show that frog-eating bats can identify frogs by their calls, that some bats have social sophistication similar to that of higher primates, and that bats have remarkable memories. Bats also provide enormous benefits by eating crop pests, pollinating plants, and carrying seeds needed for reforestation. They save farmers billions of dollars annually and are essential to a healthy planet. Tuttle’s account
forever changes the way we see these poorly understood yet fascinating creatures.

Dissect-It Simulated Synthetic Lab Dissection - Bat

REALISTIC AND SAFE EXPERIENCE – Made out of gelatin-like material that is absolutely safe for children, our Dissect-It Bat gives the realistic experience of a dissection without the use of a real bat!

Stellaluna is a story about a baby fruit bat who gets separated from her mother and ends up in a nest of baby birds.

The baby birds are afraid of Stellaluna at first because she looks different from them.

But Stellaluna is a kind and curious bat, and she soon makes friends with the baby birds.

Stellaluna learns how to eat like a bird and fly like a bird.

But she also misses her mother and her bat family.

One night, Stellaluna hears her mother’s call and flies to her.

Stellaluna is so happy to be reunited with her family, but she also knows that she will always be friends with the baby birds.

Stellaluna Kindergarten Questions

Here are some questions you can ask your child after reading Stellaluna:

What is the moral of the story of Stellaluna?
Why were the baby birds afraid of Stellaluna at first?
How did Stellaluna make friends with the baby birds?
What did Stellaluna miss about her mother and her bat family?
How did Stellaluna feel when she was reunited with her family?

8 Stellaluna Kindergarten Activities

Make Flying Bat Straw Rockets for fun but also to teach some simple STEAM concepts like measuring the distance your bat flies and do different models make a difference?
I have not just 1 but 4 Fun and Engaging Bat Activities for Kindergarten including studying bat anatomy and a really cute bat sensory bin.
Not only does learning How to Build a Bat House For Kids teach your child empathy and kindness for small creatures but it wonderfully works in a natural life skill with a built in shop class.
Create this easy peasy Flying Paper Tube Bat Craft by upcycling something that would end up in the trash.
Incorporate the simplest of math activities by printing and using these Bat Shape Mats to use with play dough.
I just love this Mosaic Bat Craft For Kids that can be used as an art project or take the next step and label the parts of the bat in this mosaic creation.
Take it to the next level and create a diorama with 5 Easy Bat Stem Activities and Create a STEM Bat Habitat.
Watch Science Tek Bats on PBS to learn more about the important role bats play in their ecosystem.

Besides just being a fun craft, you can use your coffee filter bat to talk about the parts of a bat, and also teach or reinforce positional words as you move it-over, below, on, beside, etc… on the stick.

In Stellaluna the little bat is not sure about the way he is supposed to hang…or sit.

This is a wonderful time to talk about bats and how they fly, hang, and more.

MORE KINDERGARTEN HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Finally, look at how to make this bat craft.

How To Make A Coffee Filter Bat Craft

You will need:

Coffee filters
Brown liquid watercolor
Wooden clothespin
Brown pipe cleaner
Google eyes
Glue

First, add a little water to liquid watercolor in a bowl to thin it out.

Soak clothespins in watercolor for a few minutes, flipping it to a new side every so often.

Have your child paint or dip coffee filters into the watercolor until soaked, squeeze out excess and allow to dry completely.

Fold dry filters in half and then in half again, cut a couple of half circles up the sides to create the wing shape.

Open the wings so the filter is just folded over once, gather a bit and insert in the open clothespin.

Cut ½” pieces of pipe cleaner to use as little clutching feet.

Use pieces of leftover scraps from the filter to cut small ears, hot glue to one side at the top.

Flip over and hot glue eyes and the small pieces of pipe cleaner for feet onto the other side.

Your cute little bat is ready to take flight or hang out on a little limb you grabbed from the yard.

How to Create a Kindergarten Math Game With Popsicle Sticks

October 4, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

A kindergarten math game is the best way to teach your child basic math concepts. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum.

Your child has fun and that helps him retain what he’s learning.

I took an old school favorite and moved it from a deck of cards to one of our favorite craft supplies, wooden popsicle sticks.

It is just fun and unique, making a ho-hum game a little bit more exciting.

Gameschooling is a fantastic idea, especially for younger children.

How to Create a Kindergarten Math Game With Popsicle Sticks

And it is a great way to introduce the simplest math concepts.

At the kindergarten level typically kid start learning number recognition,

Additionally, they learn counting, addition and subtraction, shapes, patterns, comparing, time, months of the year, and the days of the week.

While it may seem very basic, this game really teaches a lot of great skills to young children.

Not only is it good for math but this simple game has many other benefits that help develop strong minds.

Why Go Fish Makes a Great Kindergarten Math Game

Provides a sense of accomplishment to little learners.

When kids successfully collect pairs, they feel a sense of accomplishment and pride.

This game is just plain fun!

Go Fish is an engaging game that kids of all ages enjoy playing and even adults can have fun with this one.

Teaches basic math skills. Go Fish helps kids practice basic math skills like number recognition.

Develops memory skills. Kids have to remember which cards they have and which cards they need to ask for.

Encourages social interaction. It teaches kids to learn how to take turns, follow rules, and interact with others.

Promotes language development. Kids can practice their communication skills by asking for cards and describing the cards they have.

Holding onto the cards or in this case, sticks helps to develop fine motor skills.

Math Resources for Kindergarten

Also, look at these fun hands-on resources and games for learning about math.

7 Kindergarten Math Games & Resources

Add some of these fun kindergarten math games and resources for hands-on math.

Melon Rind Clumsy Thief Junior Math Game

GAME-CHANGING FUN : A hilarious game of give and take where kids develop confidence and solid math skills. Every player has fun as cards are constantly changing hands!
EASY TO LEARN: Players look at their dealt hand for any two cards that add to 10 to make food stacks. Get stacks from other players if you have a card in your hand that makes 10 when added to the top card of an opponent's stack. Thief cards take food stacks. Trap cards stop the Thief cards. All players are actively adding and snatching. The player with the most cards wins!

ThinkFun Zingo 1-2-3 Number Bingo Game | Perfect for Kids

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: ThinkFun's Zingo 1-2-3 provides a fun and engaging way for kids to develop critical skills like counting, simple addition, number sense, and word recognition

Math Dice Junior Game - Engaging Math Skills Builder |

MENTAL AGILITY ENHANCER: This game is designed to enhance mental math skills and cognitive abilities among kids aged 6 and up - a fun way to learn.
QUALITY AND TRUST: With over 50 million games sold worldwide, ThinkFun is a global leader when it comes to brain-busting puzzles and engaging games.
CRITICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: The gameplay offers a stealth learning experience where kids can develop early math skills while having fun.

Mathswatters Addition & Subtraction Game - 99 Pieces for Age 5+ Kids,

Swat, Learn, and Win!: Kids grab a swatter, add or subtract, and swat their way to new kindergarten math skills every time they play these fast-paced math games for kids!
Multiple Ways to Play: Designed for 1-4 players, these smart games for kids comes with many ways to play and learn—compete head-to-head, or boost with solo play!

Math Scramble Game,Educational Games for Kids,

BUILD new elementary math skills with this strategy tile game!
RACE to build and solve addition and subtraction equations--first one to use all their tiles wins!
MULTIPLE ways to learn math skills, both solo or with up to 3 friends!

MOBI Kids Fun Math Games for Kids 4-8

✅ Objective: Help build confidence and social skills in children but engages the entire family young and old by teaching and reinforcing basic math skills in a cool entertaining game setting. Parents and teachers will love this for beginner’s.
✅ How To Play: Each player selects one set of number tiles. Each toy set contains the exact same numbers. Players then connect their number tiles to form equations using operation tiles. The first player to connect all their number tiles wins!

Big Time Student Clock, Teaching & Demonstration Clock

Hidden gear mechanism automatically advances the hour hand when the minute hand is manually manipulated

Don’t forget that you can also use dice or playing cards for many math practice games as well.

MORE KINDERGARTEN HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Craft Stick Go Fish Kindergarten Math Game

Play is just like the classic go fish game with cards but using numbered craft sticks instead.

If you need a refresher, I included basic instructions at the bottom to fit the sticks better.

Besides the basic go fish game, kids can use these numbered craft sticks as an interactive number line, or to add and subtract simple numbers.

Put a pair of each number face down on the table and mix them up to use for a classic memory game.

(Heads up. All of my games and hands-on ideas are tried and tested on littles. Guaranteed to have fun AND learn.)

You will need:

40-80 Jumbo craft sticks
Paint markers

First, write each number on the top of 4 craft sticks, be sure to write it clearly.

Add dots to match the number to help kids that don’t quite recognize all their numbers yet.

If you want to let your child have a little more involvement you can let them paint or draw on the backside of the sticks to add their own touch.

Let the paint dry completely then add all the sticks, numbers down, into a container that cannot be seen through.

How to Play:

Each person grabs 6 random sticks from the container and lays down any matches that they pick up.

Take turns asking one another for numbers you need, if you have it, hand it over, and the new match is laid down in front of the player.

Otherwise tell them to “go fish”, they then draw one more stick.

Continue until someone runs out of sticks and then have your child count how many pairs they have, the one with the most pairs is the winner.

Replace all sticks, mix them up, and go again!

10 Kindergarten Sensory Bin Ideas | How To Make A Summer Sensory Bin

October 3, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

When thinking of an idea for kindergarten sensory bin ideas I came up with a theme perfect to cap off summer while introducing kindergarten concepts. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum.

What do you think of when you think of summer?

For a preschooler headed to kindergarten they have probably spent their summer in the sand.

10 Kindergarten Sensory Bin Ideas | How To Make A Summer Sensory Bin

Or at the pool, splashing in sun shower puddles, kites, sidewalk chalk, and enjoying drippy popsicles.

So, popsicles it is.

This is a fun and inexpensive way to practice letter recognition and matching, not to mention the other wonderful benefits of sensory bins.

Sensory bins are also fabulous for toddlers through middle elementary kids to introduce and reinforce new themes.

Also, they encourage creative play, and sensory input.

They can also be used as a fun way to teach simple concepts like alphabet matching.

Kindergarten is a time of exploration and big learning leaps making it a great time to introduce or continue using bins for learning.

Add another level of learning to the sensory bin learning by adding in some ABC tiles, books, or flashcards.

Also, this is one of my favorite books for learning about the letters.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is one of my favorites for learning letters, bright and fun with singsong rhymes. Kids love it.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Chicka Chicka Book, A)

There is always enough room on your child’s bookshelf for this rollicking alphabet chant that has been a children’s favorite for over thirty years!A told B, and B told C, “I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree” In this lively alphabet rhyme, all the letters of the alphabet race each other up the coconut tree. Will there be enough room? Oh, no—Chicka Chicka Boom! Boom!

Besides my summer sensory bin, I have 10 more amazing kindergarten themed sensory bins to make your whole year of learning fun and memorable.

10 Kindergarten Sensory Bin Ideas

Whatever the theme you need to cover I can guarantee there is a creative sensory bin to go along with it.

For another summer theme, learn How to Make a Watermelon Sensory Bin for Play and Learn to reinforce letter sounds and thematic concepts.
Here, learn How to Dye Rice & Make Mini Sensory Bins
Kids start with learning how to identify and spell out their own name first, making this Magnetic Letter Name Search Sensory Bin a great place to start.
If you need something to do with all of those shells you brought home from the beach this summer, create a Seashell Alphabet Sensory Bin with them.
These 4 Fun and Engaging Bat Activities include a neat bat sensory bin
Make a Construction Site Sensory Bin to go along with not only a construction themed unit but for community helpers as well.
Use the Farm Harvest Sensory Bin to teach your child about the seasons of planting and harvest.
Make teaching numbers a snap with a Number Recognition Sensory Bin that you can easily develop into simple addition and subtraction problems for your cold to figure out.
Is your kindergartener reading sight words already? Check out this Kindergarten Sight Words Sensory Bin.
This Apple Pie Sensory Bin can go in so many theme directions- A is for Apple, farm, fall, or a cooking unit.

MORE KINDERGARTEN HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Kindergarten Sensory Bin Resources

Sensory Bin
Letters
Numbers
Sensory Bin Tools
Kinetic Sand for Filler

How To Make A Summer Sensory Bin

You will need:

Large shallow bin
Shred paper filler
Craft foam
Wooden craft sticks
Paint marker
Pompoms, pipe cleaners, etc…
Alpha tiles/letters
Scissors
Hot glue gun/sticks

First, start by adding a base layer to your sensory bin.

A shredded paper from the dollar store is a great choice because it’s inexpensive, comes in a variety of colors, and is reusable for many applications.

I also threw in some colorful pom poms to give it a little more splash of color.

Twist some pipe cleaners around your finger to make a fun little spring shape that adds more color, texture, and dimension to your bin.

And add some letter beads to continue with the ABC theme in our bin.

Cut out popsicle shapes, twice, you will need a front and back for every popsicle.

Run a line of hot glue along the top and sides of one half and then press the other piece onto the top and let it cool.

Now on the popsicle use a paint marker, sharpies run, to write either a lowercase or capital letter

Finally, write the opposite letter (lowercase or uppercase) on a stick.

Place “popsicles” in the sensory bin either together or separate with some buried to encourage your child to search through for matches.

You can also add in cups, scoops, tongs, spoons, etc. for your child to investigate the filler and learn about measuring and more.

I highly recommend capping off this activity with a real popsicle to enjoy.

8 Best Summer Unit Studies For Kindergarten | Free Ant Study

October 2, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Check out these 8 best summer unit studies for kindergarten. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum. And other ideas on my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies.

Too, I have a free ant study with tons of great resources and a step-by-step tutorial to create your own ant model.

With a quick trip to Dollar Tree, you can get everything you need to make this detailed and display worthy ant model.

All the while you teach your child all about ant anatomy.

8 Best Summer Unit Studies For Kindergarten | Free Ant Study

These tiny little powerhouses are fascinating.

Ants are one of the world’s strongest creatures in relation to its size.

One ant can carry up to 50 times its body weight.

They are classified as insects as they are invertebrates with jointed legs and hard outer coverings called exoskeletons.

They have three main body parts: a head, thorax, and abdomen.

And most adult insects have six legs and one or two pairs of wings, as well as antennae.

You will enjoy this ant study as much as your child.

And if you work in a few books, videos, and fun hands-on activities you have everything you need for a knowledge hungry kindergartener to learn all about ants.

Summer is full of beach trips, flowers, backyard birds, ice cream, gardening, and more.

This is a great time to dive deep into those topics with fun unique studies on each one.

Here are enough ideas to get you through the summer with a couple weeks free or to continue a longer study.

Books About Ants for Kids

First, look at these books about ants.

I prefer living books when I can find them, then like to add reference books so all ages can be included in your study.

9 Ant Books & Resources For Kids

Add some of these fun books about ants to your home library.

Ant Cities (Lets Read and Find Out Books)

Did you ever wonder where an ant goes when it disappears into an anthill? Underneath the hill, there are miles of tunnels and hundreds of rooms!

In this Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children (NSTA/CBC), Arthur Dorros uses simple, easy-to-understand words and colorful illustrations to guide early readers on the life of a harvester ant—and even shows readers how to build their own ant farms.

This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It's a Level 2 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades. The 100+ titles in this leading nonfiction series are:

The Life and Times of the Ant

Not mighty in size, but mighty in resourcefulness and industry, the ant has crawled the earth since prehistoric times. It has dwelt in rainforest tree trunks and acorns of oak trees, beneath logs, and under sidewalks. It has protected forests by capturing insects, cleared weeds away from acacia trees, and by growing gardens has released important nutrients into the soil. Seed lifters, dirt diggers, social beings, ants have the most advanced brain of all insects! So watch where you step, especially on a warm day: a small but mighty ant may be underfoot.

Wonders of the Anthill

Exactly as the title implies. A description of the daily routine of an ant's life cycle.

Amazing Ants. A Kid's Book of Cool Facts and Pictures of Ants

Please note that this book is not for toddlers. It is better for children ages 8 and up.This engaging and informative book introduces kids to the world of ants.This fun book is packed with cool facts, illustrations, and pictures of ants.It's perfect for inspiring kids to learn more about these amazing creatures. Whether it's a science fair project, a report, or for pure enjoyment, this book is a great source of information for the ant enthusiast.

Life Cycle of an Ant Set - Realistic Ant Development Stages

Educational Journey: The Life Cycle of an Ant Set takes children on an enlightening journey from the tiny white eggs to the industrious adult ants. The set includes figurines depicting four stages: egg, larvae, pupae, and adult ant.
Realistic Representation: The set accurately mirrors the development stages and colors of ants, making it a powerful educational tool that blends learning and play.

Ants for Kids: A Junior Scientist's Guide to Queens, Drones, and the Hidden World of Ants

Ants are scurrying, social creatures with unique abilities to carry huge loads, work as a team, and fiercely protect their colony. This book gives you a microscopic look into the hidden world of ants, answering all your big questions about our small, hardworking neighbors. Learn fun facts about flat headed Turtle Ants, wide-eyed Gigantiops, and many more. Explore colorful photos and cool profiles on how big each ant is, what they eat, where they're found, and more!

The City Under the Back Steps

Down beneath the ground they are herded, to the city under the back steps and the complex world of the ant colony. Here where the haughty Queen rules with an iron hand, each of her subjects has a vital role to perform, and Jill and Craig are put to work. But no sooner had they become involved in the daily routine of the colony when an army of red ants sweeps down, threatening the destruction of the city and its
inhabitants, including Jill and Craig!

Evelyn Sibley Lampman's exciting fantasy, sure to ignite an interest in nature, accurately explores the fascinating hierarchy of the ant world.

The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant)

Avon the snail has never had an adventure. And adventure, he has heard, is the key to a happy life. So with his new friend Edward the ant, Avon sets out on a journey to find the excitement his life has been missing.This modern fable is filled with funny--and profound--insights about the meaning of things . . . great and small.

Those Amazing Ants

A clear, simple text and full-color, richly detailed artwork journey inside an ant colony to provide a close-up look at the lives, behavior, and life cycle of this fascinating insect.

Too, if you’re planning your unit studies for the year, look at these 8 unit studies for kindergarten.

8 Best Summer Unit Studies For Kindergarten

Grab this idea for an ocean or shark unit to build language art skills-Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity.
Summer is the best time for a Kids Dandelion Flower Unit Study and Easy Tea Recipe & Notebooking Pages with the bright yellow flowers and puffs of seeds just about everywhere you look.
Pond Life for Kindergarten Activity Build a Fun Beaver Dam
Get outside and enjoy a Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests as you observe feathered friends in your own yard.
Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
Delicious, this Ice Cream Unit Study is a tasty way to learn about a summer time favorite with a wide variety of hands on ideas.
Learn How to Plan And Start an Easy Gardening Unit Study for Kids, this is easily adaptable for all ages and makes a good family unit.
This Free Butterfly Unit Study For Kids and Fun Sponge Stamping is full of great ideas.

MORE KINDERGARTEN HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Pack up your picnic and let’s get into this amazing ant study with tasty treats, some great books, and videos.

Free Ant Unit Study

Look at these ideas for a fun unit study about ants.

Hands-on Ideas About Ants

Make Ants on a Log for a tasty themed snack your kid will love!

Ant Math Learning Ideas

Use plastic ants for manipulatives to count, add, and subtract.
Check out these Busy Ants Clip Counting Cards for an activity that builds math and fine motor skills at the same time.

Science Learning Ideas

Today, you’ll be making a simple ant model. It is a wonderful hands-on way to teach your child about ants anatomy. You can use it to talk about the head, thorax, and abdomen, its 6 legs, and of course antennas and what they are used for.
Watch Learn All About Ants: Ant Facts For Kids to find out more about these tiny pests that crash picnics and pack a sting.
Use a glass jar and make an ant farm.
Learn all about the ants life cycle with this cute little set that lets them see firsthand (without the bites).

Also, write these ant parts down for your child to have them match to what is the function of the body part.

Eyes
Hairs
Antennae
Legs
Mandibles

Eyes sense motion.
Hairs to sense its environment.
Antennae helps to taste, smell and feel.
Legs clean the antennae.
Mandibles to grasp, cut and dig.

Language Arts Learning Ideas

Practice writing the word Ant with this fun worksheet.
Have your child explain what is a life cycle and learn the life cycle. For example, egg, larva, pupa and adult.
Too, explain there are many kind of ants. There are leafcutter ants which are like farmers, army ants which are hunters and dairying ants with are herders.

In addition, you can use these words to help your child appreciate what are ants and how they help our environment.

insects – air-breathing invertebrates with three body segments, two antennae, three pairs of legs, and normally two sets of wings
larvae – wingless, immature form of many insects before developing into pupae
invertebrate – lacking a backbone or spinal column
nectar – sweet liquid that flowering plants produce to attract insects and birds

Also read The Life and Times of the Ant and a silly book they’ll love The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant).

Additionally, if you want to include your older children with unit study or expand it for a very inquisitive learner, look at these other topics.

Illustrate an ant colony
Describe how they reproduce
Delve into learning how they produce ant colonies
How do they find and manage their food supply

How to Make a Simple Ant Model With Kids

You will need:

3 small styrofoam balls
Black paint
2 black beads
3 Pipe cleaners
Hot glue gun/sticks

First, cut two pipe cleaners into 3 pieces each for the legs. Cut two more for antennae.

Paint three small styrofoam balls black all over and allow them to dry.

I did not have any black pipe cleaners on hand so rather than run out and buy them I just covered them in a coat of black paint all over them.

Allow them to dry alongside the styrofoam.

Once everything is completely dry you can begin assembling your ant.

Start by pressing the six legs into the thorax (center segment) of the ant.

Next press two black beads into either side of the next ball for a head to make the eyes and add two black pipe cleaner pieces to create antennae.

Finally use a hot glue gun to connect the three segments together, use care not to touch the hot end of the glue gun into the foam or it will melt it.

Bend the legs into shape.

Best Kindergarten Health Curriculum Easy Ideas For Activities

October 1, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Choosing a kindergarten health curriculum doesn’t have to be hard. Also, grab my other tips, ideas, and crafts for kindergarten on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum.

The curriculum can be as simple as being intentional in talking about good nutrition, hygiene, and physical activity.

However, curriculum at this age is more about activities which promote healthy well-being.

And we want to teach that from an early age.

Best Kindergarten Health Curriculum Easy Ideas For Activities

Things you do naturally, every day!

As parents these topics are important from an early age but as our children grow the expectations do as well.

We expect a bit more out of our kids and using at least a loosely structured curriculum can help with that.

I am giving you a list of ideas for physical activities for single children or groups.

These are great for co-ops.

I also have rounded up some fantastic kindergarten health curriculum that you can grab and get going with right away.

At this age it’s important to teach children about it from a young age.

Good hygiene habits can help protect children from illness and keep them healthy and happy.

Teaching children about good nutrition is also essential for their overall health and well-being.

A well-balanced diet provides the nutrients children need to grow and develop properly.

And it also helps to reduce their risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

You can encourage good nutrition by including them in the meal planning and cooking to make them more likely to try foods.

Children need plenty of physical activity to stay healthy and develop properly.

Here are some fun and engaging physical activities that are perfect for elementary kids along with their benefits.

Kindergarten Games to Promote Health

Tag. This classic game is easy to learn and can be played anywhere.

It promotes cardiovascular health, coordination, agility, and social interaction.

Variations such as freeze tag and team tag add excitement and challenge.

Four Square. Fast-paced game that is perfect for even a small group of kids.

It improves reflexes, agility, and hand-eye coordination.

Red Rover-Remember this team game from your childhood?

It is sure to get kids running and laughing, it promotes teamwork, cooperation, and physical exertion. Calling all friends in the neighborhood!

Dance- What an expressive way to get kids moving every day. Dance can improve coordination, rhythm, and balance. Impromptu dance parties in the kitchen are a great idea!

Of course, climbing all over playgrounds, playing basketball, riding bikes, and simple hula hoop contests make great physical activity as well.

Grab this Health Kit Freebie using one of my favorite series Llama Llama Home With Mama to learn more about good habits.

More Kindergarten Activities

MORE KINDERGARTEN HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

Next, add these 10 more ideas to your day.

10 More Easy Activities & Kindergarten Health Curriculum

Add one or two of these ideas to your homeschool day.

Healthy Habits for Healthy Kids Grade K

Horizons Health Kindergarten Set

If you want a true open and go box health curriculum Horizons has been a standard for years and offers a Kindergarten option.

Jump Rope Kids

One small piece of equipment that creates a simple way to get kids moving and improve their coordination. It also helps strengthen the heart, lungs, and muscles. Jumping rope can be done individually or in groups, and there are many different tricks and patterns to learn.

Tina Robertson

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