• Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

  • HOME
  • How to
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • Middle School
    • High School
  • Planner
  • Lapbooks
    • Trioramas
    • History Games
  • Shop
  • GET STARTED NOW!
    • Learning Styles
  • 7 Step Planner
    • DIY Best Student Planner
    • Free & Easy DIY Home Management Binder
  • Unit Studies
    • Creation to Ancients
    • Middle Ages to Reform
    • Exploring to Revolution
    • World Wars to Today
    • Science
    • Free Art Curriculum Grades 1 – 8
  • Curriculum
    • More Unit Studies
    • Geography
    • Writing PreK to 12th
    • Geronimo Stilton
  • BootCamp
    • Resources
      • Dynamic Subscriber Freebies
      • Exclusive Subscribers Library
      • Ultimate Unit Study Planner

Tina Robertson

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

January 31, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Here are 8 fun facts about harpy eagles, some resources, and a fun paper bag puppet to represent this giant rainforest dwelling raptor. Also, you love my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rainforest Activities for Kids, and Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon.

These majestic and angry looking birds can be found living and sitting proudly at the top of the food chain.

They are in the rainforests of southern México-Chiapas, Oaxaca and the Yucatán states. and south through Central America, into South America.

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

If you have seen images of them, you know that their claws can be larger than a man’s hand.

And they seem to wear a perpetual scowl, quite imposing and they can prey on animals as large as sloths, monkeys, anteaters, and porcupines.

Our craft will give your child a wonderful chance to focus on the characteristics of the unusual bird like the colors, double crest, and powerful claws.

Books About Eagles for Kids

14 Fun Resources for Studying about Eagles

Add some of these fun activities, books and resources to learn about eagles.

1. Eagle and Birds of Prey: Discover the World of Birds of Prey―How They Grow, Fly, Live, and Hunt

Eyewitness: Eagles and Birds of Prey is a guide to birds of prey of all shapes and sizes. From majestic falcons to soaring vultures, you'll get a bird's eye view of their amazing world. Learn about their styles of flight and their hunting techniques. Explore the preying and feeding habits, from specialist feeders to scavengers. 

2. Science Comics: Birds of Prey: Terrifying Talons

Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic―dinosaurs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, robots, and more. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these graphic novels are for you!

3. Big Book of Birds (The Big Book Series)

Following up the hugely successful The Big Book of Bugs, The Big Book of Beasts, and The Big Book of the Blue, The Big Book of Birds is a fact-filled tour of the world’s most wonderful winged creatures. Yuval Zommer’s distinctive illustrations show off some of the most colorful, flamboyant, impressive, and wacky birds of the sky. Picture-book charm pairs with informative nonfiction to make a beautiful, large-format title for parents to share with young children and for older children to read by themselves.

4. EAGLE 300 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

HIGH-QUALITY JIGSAW PUZZLE: The stunning, lifelike image is mounted on premium chipboard. Random cut pieces are thick and sturdy – they come fully separated with cleanly cut edges (dust-free!) that fit together snugly and hold up to repetitive use.

Makes amazing wall décor. Glue it, then mount the masterpiece!

5 PCS Birds of Prey Figurines

This set brings you some of the most amazing birds of prey from around the world!

5 Piece Set includes Bald Eagle, Falcon, Hawk, Owl, and Vulture.

6. Supertoob: USA,Figure Playsets

 Use birds of prey figurines including a Bald Eagle to make a diorama or sensory bin, they are also great used for art inspiration. My eagle came from the USA Safari Toob.

7. Thunder Birds: Nature’s Flying Predators

Acclaimed naturalist and illustrator Jim Arnosky helps birds and imaginations take glorious flight in this breathtaking nonfiction picture book with six giant gatefolds.
Arnosky will draw out kids' inner explorer as he explains why there are no feathers on a vulture's head, which bird is the deep-diving champ, what makes an owls's wings perfectly silent in flight, and much more.
Readers can use this gorgeously illustrated book to bring the wilderness right into their rooms-or as a guide on their next expedition.

8. 100 Facts Birds of Prey- Hawks, Eagles, Ornithology, Educational Projects, Fun Activities, Quizzes and More!

Flip through 100 fascinating facts covering everything from hunting prey to patrolling airports, then test your knowledge with fun quizzes. Each page is packed with activities, projects and mind-blowing facts for a truly engaging experience. With stunning photographs and beautiful illustrations, this fun-filled book is sure to challenge young readers and prepare them for academic success. 

Simulated Bald Eagle Figurines Plastic Eagle

Your child will love these to use in sensory bins or dioramas or just as a model to paint or play with.

Is a Bald Eagle Really Bald?

A bald eagle doesn't sound like an attractive bird. But it's pictured on the Great Seal of the United States and on the dollar bill. Why was this bird chosen as a national symbol?

Bailey the Bald Eagle and the Great Flight

Bailey is a bald eagle who comes from a long lineage of high flyers, with her grandfather even holding the world record for being the highest flyer. So, it comes as a bit of a surprise to her family when she is scared of heights. This fear keeps her down every day, literally, but it also helps her meet some amazing friends she never would have otherwise. This story is about how we are all afraid of something, but it's how we overcome those fears that matters most.

My Little Book of Bald Eagles

This is a delightful story about a new family of bald eagles. From newborn's first lessons in life to the first solo flight, this beautifully illustrated book is ideal for introducing young children to the wonders of nature.

Harpy Eagle (Apex Predators of the Amazon Rain Forest)

It's early morning in the Amazon rain forest. A large monkey is climbing through the branches of a tall tree. Suddenly, there's a flash of white and black feathers. An enormous harpy eagle swoops between the leafy branches and snatches the monkey from the tree. Then the giant predator carries its prey high into the treetops and begins to eat. Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of its primary-grade audience, this colorful, fact-filled book gives readers a chance not only to learn all about harpy eagles and their Amazon rain forest home, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical thinking. Built-in activities, such as figuring out how the bird's body is adapted for hunting, and investigating how much weight the eagle can carry in its talons, give readers a chance to gain insights beyond the facts and figures.

Wild Life Realistic Harpy Eagle Figurine -

This Harpy Eagle Figurine would make an amazing addition to your dioramas, sensory bins, trays

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles

  1. Harpy Eagles are named after a creature from Greek mythology that was a monster in the form of a bird with a human face.
  2. These big birds are the rainforest’s largest and most powerful raptor and one of the largest raptors in the world.
  3. Harpies build huge nests that are the size of a double bed and are made up of over 300 branches, hovering more than 100 feet off the ground.
  4. They can grow taller than 3’ and have a massive wingspan of 7 ½ feet, weighing in at 10-20 pounds.
  5. Their talons are about 4”-5”, roughly the size of a grizzly bear’s paw.
  6. The plumage coloration is 3 primary colors -black, gray, and white in various combinations of shades and gradients. Males and females have the same colors but younger harpy eagles are lighter.
  7. The presence of these birds indicates a healthy environment, it means that all species in the ecosystem are in total balance.
  8. The Harpy Eagle’s will lower and lift their facial disk feathers can be lowered or lifted at will much like an owl does. Doing this helps direct sound waves to their ears to sharpen their hearing ability.
8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

Resources for Your Harpy Eagle Study

  • Watch Amazing Animals Harpy Eagle Nat Geo Kids to see one of these flying beauties in action, learn a few facts, and get a quick geography lesson.
  • Grab this Harpy Eagle Coloring Sheet to color as you learn about the unique colorations for this large eagle before you create your paper bag puppet.
  • The gorgeous Little Book of Animals of the Rainforest: A Guide to Life in Earth’s Most Diverse Ecosystem contains a variety of rainforest species including the Harpy Eagle.
  • If you’re study is on eagles you have to see this Letter E Is For Eagle Easy Preschool Eagle Study.

How to Make a Harpy Eagle Puppet

You will need:

  • Paper bag
  • Black craft phone
  • Yellow craft phone
  • Gray construction paper
  • Black gray and white craft paint.
  • Two large googly eyes.
  • Black marker
8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

Flip your paper bag over so that the folded bottom is facing upward, paint this section gray.

Paint the entire rest of the bag white and allow it to dry.

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

While you’re waiting for this paint to dry, trace your child’s three middle fingers and just a bit of the palm, and then trace another one with four fingers and the majority of the palm.

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

Cut these handprints out and paint with variations of gray, black and white. Give it a little layering for dimension to make it look like feathers.

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

Set these aside to dry as well and cut a pair of yellow talons and a large beak from the black craft foam.

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

When the paint on the bag is dry, finish off by painting a black collar around the upper chest between the head and body, then down the side to create wings.

While you have the black paint handy, paint the google eyes black.

You could also just leave them as is or color these in.

But we wanted them to stand out off the puppet a little bit more.

And I think the final effect is more dramatic.

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

Once all the glue is dry, attach the three-fingerprint tracing to the back of the head of the puppet.

Then attach the four fingers to the back on the bottom, hanging down for a tail.

Glue on the beak, talons, and the painted eyes. 

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

Use a black marker to add a little detail.

For example, stripe the eagle’s legs, some eyebrows to make him a little angry or looking.

Then add some feathers if you feel like they need a little more detail.

8 Fun Facts About Harpy Eagles | How to Make a Paper Bag Puppet

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, life science, science

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

January 30, 2024 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

For this craft, we are going to learn how to make paper look old with a simple technique you can do at home for pennies. Also, look at my post Quick and Easy Ancient Chinese Paper making for Kids.

Aged paper can be used in a myriad of ways.

Also, include in your lesson what causes aging on paper and how scientists preserve historical documents.

Of course, I have a fun list of 20 different ways that you can use your paper once you age it.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

This craft is perfect just as a fun project on its own.

Also, use it when learning about pirates, historical documents like the Declaration of Independence or even as a science lesson on aging and deterioration.

You can make it with fresh sheets of cardstock or cut pages out of a book, sheet music, stationary, envelopes or other paper and use the same technique below.

How Important Documents Are Preserved

Let’s talk a little about what causes paper to break down and age over time naturally.

The rate that paper ages and breaks down depends on how it is stored. Other factors are the moisture it is exposed to, acids from the environment, temperatures, and the quality of the paper.

The oldest document we have in the United States is The Constitution.

It has been preserved and kept in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC..

In addition, the Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights are all in a special 50-ton steel and concrete vault.

Each morning the cases rise through the floor from the vault in which they are kept. They are put on special display and lowered each night.

The case is filled with helium, temperature and humidity controlled.

Additionally, it is protected from ultraviolet rays that could damage the documents.

To preserve historical documents historians encase them where the oxygen (which speeds up breakdown) has been removed, control the moisture, keep it out of harsh light, temperature, and they avoid handling it with bare hands if at all.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

Important documents like the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights are monitored.

They are monitored closely with sensors so the environment stays perfect.

20 Ways to Use Your Aged Paper

  1. Use it to make a pirate map.
  2. Print a paper about historical times or people on it.
  3. Roll it up and tie it with a ribbon to create a parchment scroll.
How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids
  1. Use it as a matte for old photos.
  2. Print sheet music on it.
  3. Paint a picture on it with acrylic paint.
  4. Apply the aging technique to book pages and create a bunting banner.
  5. Write an original poem on it.
  6. Practice your calligraphy.
  7. Practice handwriting or cursive by penning a letter to someone in the family.
How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids
  1. Use it as a drawer liner.
  2. Learn How to Make an Envelope with it.
  3. Cut it into strips and make a unique bookmark.
  4. Make an Ink pot & Quill Pen with Berry Ink to use along with it.
  5. Use it to make homemade gift tags.
  6. Create your own journals or notebooks for a history unit study.
  7. Make a get well, thank you, or just because card to mail out.
  8. Create a family newspaper using your aged sheets.
  9. Use them to create a “scrapbook” or timeline of historical events.
  10. Make 3D stars for a cool vintage decor piece.

Also, check out my Quick and Easy Ancient Chinese Paper making for Kids for another fun paper activity.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft

You will need:

  • Card stock
  • Instant coffee
  • old paint or makeup brush
  • Baking sheet
  • Pants hanger
How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

First you want to make a mixture of water and instant coffee.

You can always darken it, but it’s a little trickier to lighten it without dirtying up another bowl, so start light.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

Grab a paintbrush that has seen better days, the more rough and uneven the bristles are the better and you may not want to use it again.

Brush a little of the coffee mixture on your paper. Continue brushing all over the paper.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

Flip and brush the other side.

Add more instant coffee to the water to darken it and give a little extra attention to the edges and random spots around the page to create age marks.

 Don’t worry about making it even, the more uneven it is the more authentic an old it will look.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

To give it some aged spots, sprinkle a bit of the dry instant coffee around the paper and let it sit for a few minutes.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

Next, you can either hang your paper to dry on pants hangers with clips and hang it outside in the sun or move to a dry cookie sheet and place in a warm spot until thoroughly dry.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

Once your pages are dry lay them under a few heavy books to help flatten them out for a day or two.

Finally, to age your pages further you can also tear the edges or corners or even burn some of the edges to further age your paper and give it a unique look.

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

2 CommentsFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, paper

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

January 29, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re making simple American history silhouette puzzles to go along with any prominent US history figure that you need a great activity for. Also, look at my post 35 Simple But Powerful US History Homeschool Curriculum Resources K to 12 for more ideas.

Silhouettes were done in profile (side view) and became popular in the mid-18th century, but the term did not become commonly used until the early 19th century.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

It was initially achieved by outlining shadows and then filling them in and later painting or hand cutting.

We are going to learn not only how to make a silhouette but how to turn it into a puzzle for a hands-on activity.

This will help engage your child’s mind to learn and remember more about the person they are learning about.

This time I focused on Abraham Lincoln (even without the hat), George Washington and first Lady Dolley Madison.

These are a few famous Americans who have well-known faces, even in silhouette form so they make for great subjects.

We focused even more on the wonderful contributions of Dolley Madison, wife of President James Madison.

We learned some fascinating facts and I have also included a handful of great American History resources for you to use to make a full and fun unit study full of hands-on ideas on your favorite American History topic.

Books About Founding Mothers & Early American History

9 Books about the Founding Mothers

Learn about the founding mothers brings history to life.

Dolley Madison and the War of 1812: America's First Lady (Courageous Women in American History)

Amidst the nonstop turmoil of the War of 1812, the decisive First Lady takes action and inspires an anxious nation.Dolley Madison faces a bitterly divided Washington City when her husband, James Madison, becomes our fourth president. The prospect of war against Great Britain threatens to tear our fragile republic apart. The "Presidentess" hosts open parties in the new President's House to unite political foes and cultivate an American identity.When President Madison declares war with disastrous results, Dolley carries on, ignoring the threats against her. However, as British soldiers march toward Washington City, she becomes their target. Now America's Second War of Independence hinges on her. What must she do to save the United States while also saving herself?The true story of a woman with humble Quaker roots who rallies America during the War of 1812!

Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies

Roberts traces the stories of heroic, patriotic women such as Abigail Adams, Martha Washington, Phillis Wheatley, Mercy Otis Warren, Sarah Livingston Jay, and others. Details are gleaned from their letters, private journals, lists, and ledgers. The bravery of these women’s courageous acts contributed to the founding of America and spurred the founding fathers to make this a country that “remembered the ladies.”

This compelling book, based on the author's acclaimed work for adults, Founding Mothers, includes a rich time line, biographies, an author’s note, and additional web resources in the back matter.

Parents and educators looking for a more in-depth book beyond the Rosie Revere and Rad Women series will welcome Founding Mothers.

1776

In this masterful book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence—when the whole American cause was riding on their success, without which all hope for independence would have been dashed and the noble ideals of the Declaration would have amounted to little more than words on paper. Based on extensive research in both American and British archives, 1776 is a powerful drama written with extraordinary narrative vitality. It is the story of Americans in the ranks, men of every shape, size, and color, farmers, schoolteachers, shoemakers, no-accounts, and mere boys turned soldiers. And it is the story of the King’s men, the British commander, William Howe, and his highly disciplined redcoats who looked on their rebel foes with contempt and fought with a valor too little known.

Those Who Love: A Biographical Novel of Abigail and John Adams

Novel unfolds the warm and deeply moving love story of two America's most exciting people : Abigail Smith and John.

Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution

This exciting middle grade novel is the true story of Will Knox, a nineteen-year-old young man who transported 183 cannons from New York’s Fort Ticonderoga to Boston—in the dead of winter—to help George Washington win an important battle.

Paul Revere's midnight ride...Washington crossing the Delaware...the winter crisis at Valley Forge... Some events in America's War for Independence are known to all. This book brings to history fans the story of another true episode, just as dramatic but not nearly as well known.

As you read these pages, you will agree that Colonel Knox's great adventure was a stirring, suspenseful, and important event in American history.

Dolly Madison; (Landmark books, 47)

Landmark Young Readers of America explores the story of Dolly Madison.

Martha Washington: An American Life

With this revelatory and painstakingly researched book, Martha Washington, the invisible woman of American history, at last gets the biography she deserves. In place of the domestic frump of popular imagination, Patricia Brady resurrects the wealthy, attractive, and vivacious young widow who captivated the youthful George Washington. Here are the able landowner, the indomitable patriot (who faithfully joined her husband each winter at Valley Forge), and the shrewd diplomat and emotional mainstay. And even as it brings Martha Washington into sharper and more accurate focus, this sterling life sheds light on her marriage, her society, and the precedents she established for future First Ladies.

Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution

Abigail Adams is often referred to as the wife of one president and the mother of another. Rarely is she described as a woman in her own right. Although her primary focus and concerns were in her role as wife and mother, she lives in history because of her extraordinary letters to her family and to her friends.She was a witness to the gathering storm of the Revolutionary War. She saw the Battle of Bunker Hill from a hilltop near her home, and soldiers marching past her door frequently stopped for a drink of water. Because she was so close to the scene, she was able to give firsthand reports of the American Revolution to her husband and other leaders creating a new government, as she wrote about the times and the people who played vital roles in the birth of our nation.Mingling the intimate with the momentous, she documented what it was like to live at a time when education was not available to young women, and when pregnancy and childbirth meant the fear of death. Colonial women were called upon to make life-and-death decisions for their children, to educate their daughters, and to run their farms when their husbands were away for months, or sometimes for years, at a time. Yet they had, at best, second-class legal and political status.Abigail Adams's independent spirit, her sense of humor, and her remarkable intellect, as shown in her letters, open a wide window on a crucial period in our nation's history, and bring Abigail Adams and her time to life.

Betsy Ross: Designer of Our Flag (Childhood of Famous Americans)

In this narrative biography, you’ll learn all about the childhood of Betsy Ross—from her birth on January 1, 1752, as the eighth of seventeen children, to her Quaker upbringing, to her growing love for sewing and apprenticeship to an upholsterer. Discover how and why Betsy began making flags—and some surprising info about her legendary contribution to America.

8 Facts about First Lady Dolley Madison

  1. Dolley Madison was the wife and the first lady of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States from 1809-1817.
  1. She was expelled from her Quaker community for marrying outside her faith when she wed James Madison (her second husband).
  1. Dolley Madison was known for using her social skills, charm and personal popularity to win over her husband’s political opponents and strongly influenced bipartisan efforts.
  1. Her biggest claim to fame is for saving Washington’s portrait when the British burned the White House in the War of 1812. While she did not carry it out herself, she ordered servants to grab it and carry it to safety.
  1. Lesser known is the fact that she was the first American and the first of all first ladies to answer a telegraph message.
  1. While her husband served as Secretary of State for Thomas Jefferson, Dolley acted as White House hostess for the widowed president Jefferson and set a precedent for excellence among future first ladies.
  1. Dolley was the first lady to decorate the White House, previously filled with used and worn pieces.
  1. This popular first lady was quoted as saying “It is one of my sources of happiness never to desire knowledge of other people’s business.” Smart lady!
How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

Next, look at more hands-on American history activities for kids.

More American History Activities for Kids

  • How to Build a Fun White House Sugar Cube George Washington Craft
  • 10 American Revolutionary War Activities | Amazing Tea Bag Rocket Science
  • Fun American Civil War Crafts for Kids and Make Raspberry Jam
  • Free American History Lapbook The Old West Through the Life of Wyatt Earp
  • American Frontier Legends and Hero Paul Bunyan Blue Ox Craft
  • American History Game Fun U.S. President Go Fish Unit Study
  • Free Amazing American Civil War Lapbook and Hands-on Unit Study
  • 18 American History Board Games Which Brings History to Life
  • Amazing and Free American Revolution Lapbook for Multiple Ages

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles

You will need:

  • White cardstock
  • Black cardstock
  • Pencil
  • Glue stick
  • Scissors
  • Printed profile image of historical figure
How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

First, search google for a good side view picture of whoever you want to make a silhouette for. Print it to the size desired.

Cut out the side view picture preserving as much of the profile detail as you can, hair, nose, etc. This will help your figure be more identifiable.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

Trace the image with a pencil onto your black cardstock.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

Cut out the image carefully.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

Cover the entire “backside” with glue and press onto the center of your white cardstock, smooth and press it out well, be sure all the edges adhere to the paper.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

If desired, draw a photo frame around the border of your image with paint or markers.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

Once dry, cut your entire page into puzzle shapes, keep the shapes simple and less for younger children and more complicated and more for older children.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

You can also recreate the silhouette effect with your family’s own profile image as well.

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: american history, americancivilwar, crafts, early American history, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

January 28, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This hot cocoa craft preschool activity is great for chilly winter days to create cozy winter themed crafts. Also, look at tips, crafts, and curriculum ideas on my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

Today’s craft is a great way to practice name recognition with preschoolers and a sweet little art project.

It is a wonderful activity to do together on a chilly day while sipping on a real mug of marshmallow filled cocoa.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

Engaging a preschooler’s senses through multi-sensory activities with color, texture, and today, with scent engages more learning styles.

It enhances memory retention, increases a child’s engagement, and promotes better recall and retrieval.

Prewriting skills are important early learning fundamentals.

Pre-writing skills include drawing, copying, tracing, and the ability to form basic shapes and lines.

But before they even get to those skills children should learn to recognize letters (visual perception) and one of the first things they can learn as a toddler or preschooler is recognizing their own name.

And because name recognition is such an important skill for preschoolers, I have also gathered up 10 more fun multi-sensory ways to practice their name no matter what theme you are looking for.

Preschool How-To Homeschool Resources

First, I’ve rounded up some homeschool preschool resources to help you kick your teaching journey off on relaxed footing.

12 Homeschooling Preschoolers Resources, Activities, and Curriculum

There is no doubt play-based learning is hands down the best way for preschoolers to learn.

You'll love some of these resources which can help you both teach and schedule if you want to do a bit more formal teaching.

Mommy, Teach Me: Preparing Your Preschool Child for a Lifetime of Learning

n Mommy, Teach Me author Barbara Curtis, a mother of twelve, shares secrets on how to turn everyday experiences into learning opportunities for preschool children. 

Before Five in a Row: Second Edition

Designed to be used with children ages 2 through 4, Before Five in a Row is a rich treasury of creative ideas that help you gently, consistently prepare your children for the lifelong adventure of learning.

Photo Credit: www.goodandbeautiful.com

Preschool Language Arts Course Set

Preschool Course Book, Preschool Folder Activities, Preschool Practice Sheets, Access to Learning Songs and Videos 

Pathways for Preschool

Encourage a love for learning as you engage your child in active, hands-on learning with this BJU Press Homeschool Pathways for Preschool Activity Packet! 

Horizons Preschool Curriculum Set

With the fun, engaging Horizons Preschool Curriculum Set, preschoolers are introduced to social studies, language arts, math, phonics, and science. 

Photo Credit: www.mothergoosetime.com

Toddler – Experience Early Learning

A bit more pricey but they provide themed kits each month.

Photo Credit: ivy-kids.com

Ivy Kids | Subscription Box STEM Kids Children Ivy Kids Kits

We have loved every subscription box we did in the preschool years.

The Montessori Toddler: A Parent's Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Human Being

It’s time to change the way we see toddlers. Using the principles developed by the educator Dr. Maria Montessori, Simone Davies shows how to turn life with a “terrible two” into a mutually rich and rewarding time of curiosity, learning, respect, and discovery.

Photo Credit: blossomandroot.com

Early Years Curriculum

Blossom & Root Early Years was designed to provide parents with a preschool (Vol. 1) or Pre-K (Vol. 2) curriculum that focuses on the development of the whole child. Each of the 36 weeks of lesson plans

The Giant Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans for Children 3 to 6

This newest addition to the best-selling GIANT Encyclopedia series expands the scope of the series by offering complete lesson plans. Written and created by teachers, The GIANT Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans has more than 250 complete lesson plans, covering topics from colors and numbers to seasons and nursery rhymes.

Slow And Steady Get Me Ready

Since children don't come with directions, a retired kindergarten teacher with over 25 years of experience wrote this how-to manual which bridges the gap between home & school. It is a money-saving preschool resource which informs parents & caregivers as to what they could & should be doing to teach basic readiness skills that are necessary for a child to achieve success in school.

Photo Credit: shop.busytoddler.com

Playing Preschool Year 1: Homeschool Preschool Program

Looking for a homeschool preschool curriculum for your child? Meet Playing Preschool Year 1: a new way to preschool at home. This is a 190 day program of hands-on, play-based learning. Themed units anchor the learning as children explore math, reading, science, art activities, and much more!

Next, look at these multi-sensory ideas.

10 Multi-sensory Preschool Name Recognition Activities

  1. This French Fry Name Recognition Activity is such a cute way to practice with a very recognizable treat.
  2. All aboard the Name Train for a fun take on creating a name with a transportation theme.
  3. Crayon Name Puzzles
  4. Multi sensory activities like this Playdough Name Activity help to promote language development and build nerve connections in the brain.
  5. Long before they write it themselves children need to be exposed to seeing their name in many ways like with these DIY Foam Name Stamps.
  6. These DIY Name Puzzles include not only their name but also incorporate a cute picture of the preschooler themself.
  7. Clothesline Names also works on fine motor skills as it teaches a child to recognize and order their name as well.
  8. How pretty is this sunflower Name and Fingerprint Craft and so fun to put together?
  9. Try the How to Make a Name Bracelet Activity for a fashionable way to practice name recognition that incorporates fine motor practice.
  10. What active preschooler wouldn’t love to Learn Their Name With Hot Wheels?
Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

Other Ways to Use The Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool Craft

While I did create this as a hot cocoa craft preschool name practice activity there are a few more fun ways that you can set up this activity for your child and get more out of it.

Write out all letters on foam marshmallows, set a line in the mug like A _ C D_F and have your child fill in the missing letters.

Create numbers on the marshmallows and play math games in the mug like adding small numbers, placing them in order to create a small number line, and having your child decide between two numbers which is a bigger number.

After all letters and their name have been mastered, they can use the craft foam marshmallows to practice simple CVC words like the, cat, and cup.

Finally, look how to make a hot cocoa name craft.

How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

You can use either baking cocoa or a spoon of your favorite hot cocoa mix to create this heavenly scented paint.

You will need:

  • 2 paper plates
  • Brown craft paint
  • Color craft paint of choice
  • White craft foam
  • Black marker
  • Baking cocoa/cocoa mix
  • Foam brushes
  • Scissors
  • glue
Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

First, have your child paint the ruffled edge of the plate all around whatever color they like.

This represents the rim of the cup.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

On the second plate paint the ruffled edge the same color along about 5”. On both sides. Set aside to dry.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

Add a little hot cocoa mix to your brown craft paint and mix it up well.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

Let your child use this delicious mixture to paint the entire center of the plate. Allow the paint to dry completely.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

Cut out the strip of colored plate and bend into a handle and glue to the underside of the plate.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

While you’re waiting for your paint to dry, cut as many “marshmallows“ out of craft foam as there are letters in your child’s name.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

Write each letter clearly on a marshmallow with a permanent marker.

To start with, add the letters in order beneath the “mug” and let your child transfer them to the cocoa.

As they become more familiar with their name you can mix up the letters and have them put them in the correct order identifying each one and the sound it makes as they go.

Have them practice making their name until they are able to do it well and then the marshmallows can be glued into place.

To store, slip your cup and marshmallows in a gallon ziploc bag to reuse it over and over.

Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool | How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, handwriting, homeschool preschool, preschool, preschool skills

How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

January 27, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re making a fun time travel craft inspired by the Time Machine book. Also, look at this post 11 Best Science Fiction Books For Middle Schoolers for more ideas.

Time travel has long been the topic of science fiction stories. 

Authors like HG Wells imagine a world where we can cross time and space, going into the past as well as the future.

The Time Machine is a science fiction work written by HG Wells and was published in 1895.

How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

Inspired by H.G. Wells’s book The Time Machine we created a craft that let us imagine a taste of time travel.

While time travel may still not be possible for us in this day and age, what we can do is create a time capsule that will give our future selves, or someone else, a glimpse into who we were in present times.

They can be a wonderful way to preserve and showcase your personal or family memories for future self or future generations.

There are so many options for what can go into your time capsule.

It can be made up completely of things that you love as well as things that represent the period like music, books, TV, shows, pop trends, etc.

I have a list of ideas for you below to help you decide what to put inside.

Science Fiction Books for Middle School Kids

Next, I have more science fiction books for middle school kids.

11 Science Fiction Books for Middle School

Your kids will love reading one or two of these science fiction books or them to add to your unit study.

The Wild Robot (Volume 1)

This newer addition to sci-fi is an absolute delight and is part of a series of 3 books following robot Roz as she navigates her accidental life on a wild remote island. We adored this first selection as a read-aloud. 

The War of the Worlds

So begins The War of the Worlds, the science fiction classic that first proposed the possibility of intelligent life on other planets and has enthralled readers for generations. This compelling tale describes the Martian invasion of earth. When huge, tireless creatures land in England, complete chaos erupts. Using their fiery heat rays and crushing strength, the aliens just may succeed in silencing all opposition. Is life on earth doomed? Will mankind survive? A timeless view of a universe turned upside down, The War of the Worlds is an ingenious and imaginative look into the possibilities of the future and the secrets yet to be revealed.

Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Force Collector

This is probably one of the best book versions of Star Wars ( in the opinion of a teen fan) but it is not based on familiar characters in the Star Wars universe rather it is a new storyline and new characters in familiar locations. This is a stand-alone story with no sequels as of now

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Illustrated Edition

It’s an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent . . . until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly after to make way for a new hyperspace express route, and Arthur’s best friend has just announced that he’s an alien.After that, things get much, much worse.With just a towel, a small yellow fish, and a book, Arthur has to navigate through a very hostile universe in the company of a gang of unreliable aliens. Luckily the fish is quite good at languages. And the book is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . . . which helpfully has the words DON’T PANIC inscribed in large, friendly letters on its cover.Douglas Adams’s mega-selling pop-culture classic sends logic into orbit, plays havoc with both time and physics, offers up pithy commentary on such things as ballpoint pens, potted plants, and digital watches . . . and, most important, reveals the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything.

The Time Machine

Embark on an extraordinary time-travel adventure with H.G. Wells. Explore fascinating future worlds and dystopian societies. Witness the implications of human evolution and societal decay. Engage with thought-provoking questions about the nature of humanity. Experience the brilliance of H.G. Wells’ visionary storytelling.

The City of Ember Deluxe Edition: The First Book of Ember

The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. After two hundred years the great lamps that lights the city are beginning to flicker, and two friends fight together to save the city in this first of 4 in the series. It is listed as recommended for grades 3-7 but it really is an enjoyable story for even older grades.

Last Day on Mars (Chronicle of the Dark Star, 1)

This part 1 of a 3-part series has stunning visual imagery and impossible situations like life on the red planet, when even that is threatened the few humans left must travel to yet another home on a distant star unlocking mysteries about time and space,

Ender's Game (The Ender Saga, 1)

This is the first of Orson Scott Card's Cards Ender's Saga, to date there are 5 novels and one novella in the Ender series based on the government breeding child geniuses and training them as soldiers against alien attack.

The Hunger Games

Even if They have already seen the movies I highly recommend assigning your middle schooler this series. It gives a lot of material for discussions of moral choices, allegiance to your government at all costs, friendships, how a future like this could come to be, and more

Divergent (Divergent Series, 1)

Similar to Hunger Games this is the first in a 4 part series of a dystopian world where everyone is split up into 5 factions—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent) splitting families and friends and pitting them against one another.

Ready Player One

If you have a teen who loves gaming and the 80s along with science fiction they are really going to enjoy this one that is set in 204 but filled with pop culture references from that totally awesome decade

25 Things to Put in Your Time Capsule

  1. A letter- addressed to your future self or whoever finds it.
  2. Photographs- selfies and favorite photos of you, your house, family, and pets.
  3. Newspaper- A front page of the current date is a good choice.
  4. Grocery ads- To show how much grocery items cost at the time.
  5. Favorite toys, current favorite things from the time like LEGO, mini surprise toys, video games, etc…Fast food kids meal toys, unopened.
  6. Coins dated from the current year.
  7. Ticket stubs from current movies, concerts, and events.
  8. Dried flowers from a bouquet or your yard.
  9. Seashells and sand from a beach trip with a label of when/where.
  10. Cleaned packages from your favorite snacks.
  11. A lock of your hair.
  12. Short notes of advice from every family member.
  13. A copy of your favorite book with a note inside.
  14. Your favorite t-shirt.
  15. Key to the house.
  16. A family recipe
  17. Magazines
  18. Your favorite poem.
  19. Copy of your report card.
  20. Takeout menus from local restaurants.
  21. Hand or footprints
  22. A video recording of yourself/family.
  23. Technology cards, chargers, power banks, flash drives, etc…  to show what tech was like in your time.
  24. Local souvenirs from your area.
  25. A bucket list of things you want to accomplish in the years that you have set your time capsule for if you are putting it away for your future self.
How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

5 More Cool Time Travel Crafts and Activities

  1. Here is an idea for a Time Traveller’s Journal done in steampunk style which just screams time traveler to me. 
  2. If you want to go crazy you can get an old refrigerator box and turn it into a time machine with your kids.
  3. Another popular time travel book is Madeleine L’Engle’s  A Wrinkle in Time, and these Cootie Catchers are a really fun activity to go along with it.
  4. Watch the History of Time Travel on Prime Video, a fictional documentary about the world’s first-time travel machine and the impact it has on real-world events.
  5. Of course, we can’t forget one of the most popular time travelers, Doctor Who, craft these scarf bookmarks to keep your spot in your favorite time travel books.

Putting Together a Time Capsule

The first thing you want to do is determine how long you want to keep your time capsule before opening. How long-term are you willing to go? 5 years? 10? 20? 50?

Where will you put it? Are you going to bury it in the backyard or just hide it in a box or the back of the closet?

Now what are you going to put in your time capsule?  There are so many options.

A time capsule can be made up completely of things that you love as well as things that represent the period like music, books, TV, shows, pop trends, etc. I have a list of ideas for you below to help you decide what to put inside.

If you would rather use something sturdier to bury your time capsule and not worry about the elements here are a couple of ready-to-go options.

How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

You will need:

  • An Airtight container
  • Letter and number stickers
  • Themed stickers
  • Tissue paper
  • Masking or packing tape
  • Your chosen items
How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

Clean and dry your chosen vessel.  I used this large pickle jar that we had on hand, I wouldn’t trust it to be suitable for varying in the backyard but it’s great for putting in a hope chest or in the back of the closet.

How to Put Together a Time Capsule Craft

Add the current year to your time capsule with letter stickers, you can also add the goal year of when it should be opened if you like.

How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

You can use other fun stickers to decorate the outside of your time capsule either with a futuristic theme or just a fun mix to fit your personality.

How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

Pre-fit all your items in the container to make sure they will fit with a little space.

We are using tissue paper to hide it all because if we paint the jar inside or out it will scratch off. You can cover it in contact paper on the outside if you prefer.

Once you know everything fits, wrap it all carefully in tissue paper and slide it back into the jar.

How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

Replacing the lid and securing it with duct tape or packing tape works well to secure the lid to help deter little eyes from peaking too soon.

Now all that is left to do is hide your time machine on the back of a shelf or deep in a chest in the attic.

How to Make a Time Travel Craft Inspired by The Time Machine Book

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, science, science fiction, time travel

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 82
  • Page 83
  • Page 84
  • Page 85
  • Page 86
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 390
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Privacy Policy | About Me | Reviews | Contact | Advertise

Categories

Archives

Tina Robertson is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · 5 TNT LLC · Log in · Privacy Policy