• 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
    • Elementary
      • Geronimo Stilton Books
    • Middle School
    • High School
      • Science 
  • Planner
  • Lapbooks
    • Trioramas
    • History Games
    • LEGO
  • Shop
  • GET STARTED NOW!
    • Learning Styles
  • 7 Step Planner
    • Free Student Planner
    • Free Home Binder
  • Unit Studies
    • Creation to Ancients
      • Mesopotamia
    • Middle Ages to Reform
    • Exploring to Revolution
    • World Wars to Today
    • Science
  • Curriculum
    • More Unit Studies
    • Geography
    • Writing PreK to 12th
    • Free Art Curriculum
  • BootCamp
    • Resources
      • Ultimate Unit Study Planner

Welcome

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

November 7, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a unit of study outline if you’re study the country of India. Also, look at my page if you want more Best Homeschool Unit Studies.

The Indus Valley, Maurya Empire and Gupta Empire are topics you want to study when doing an ancient unit study about India. It is a fascinating country with rich history and traditions. There is much to learn.

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

So deciding where to begin can feel overwhelming. I’ve created many different unit studies to fit my child’s interests and learning style.

To create your own following a guide of main points is a huge time saver for you plus you’re not following a unit study created by another person.

However, one of my very favorite reasons I love a unit study outline is that helps you connect geography, history, science, literature, art, and culture into one meaningful learning experience.

Next, look at some books to include in your unit study about India.

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT INDIA

12 Books About or Set in India for Kids

Grab some of these books about India for your unit study or learning day.

Image for T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet (Discover the World)

T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet (Discover the World)

From the quiet grandeur of the Himalaya Mountains to the urban city of Calcutta, T is for Taj Mahal: An India Alphabet showcases India's exotic treasures. Visit the haunting Taj Mahal, a tribute from an emperor to his dead wife. Traverse the bustling streets of Mumbai, the second most populated city in the world. Sample a traditional meal fragrant with garam masala spices, or attend a cricket match where some games have lasted up to five days! Varsha Bajaj was born in Mumbai, India. Her book, How Many Kisses Do You Want Tonight?, was named to the 2005 Texas Library Association 2X2 Reading List. Varsha lives in Houston, Texas. Robert Crawford's paintings have appeared on the cover of major magazines such as The Atlantic and U.S. News and World Report, as well as books. He also illustrated Sleeping Bear Press's The Legend of the Old Man of the Mountain. Robert lives in Woodbury, Connecticut.

Read More
Image for The Lost Kingdom

The Lost Kingdom

Thirteen-year-old Rodmika is well acquainted with the crystal-clear rivers and tangled vines of the Green Jungle. So when his family moves to the other side of the jungle, leaving behind his chance for an education, Rodmika is perfectly suited to find a way to return. As Rodmika searches for a way back to the place of his schooling, he uncovers much more than a path.Set against the backdrop of a lush, untamed Indian rainforest, The Lost Kingdom weaves adventure and mystery into a thrilling tale that will resonate with readers who have a love for exploration and excitement.

Read More
Image for Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India

Seasons of Splendour: Tales, Myths and Legends of India

A vibrant collection of Indian myths and legends illustrated in beautiful watercolors and told by one of India's sparkling personalities, Madhur Jaffrey.Seasons of Splendour is a richly illustrated treasury of stories about Indian gods and goddesses, kings and queens, princes and demons. Here are engaging and beautifully told tales of Krishna, Ram, and Sita, along with stories based on the Hindu epics the Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as others of ancient origin with no known source. When Madhur Jaffrey was a young girl growing up in her grandfather’s house in Delhi, storytelling was an integral part of life. After dinner, she would huddle with her cousins and siblings around a seated aunt, grandmother, or mother and listen.

Read More
Image for Burying the Moon

Burying the Moon

In Latika’s village in rural India, there are no toilets. No toilets mean that the women have to wait until night to do their business in a field. There are scorpions and snakes in the field, and germs that make people sick. For the girls in the village, no toilets mean leaving school when they reach puberty.

No one in the village wants to talk about this shameful problem. But Latika has had enough. When a government representative visits their village, she sees her chance to make one of her dreams come true: the construction of public toilets, which would be safer for everybody in her village. 

Read More
Image for Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (Illustrated)

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (Illustrated)

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is the tale of a courageous young mongoose who saves a boy and his family from the evil snakes lurking in the garden.

Read More
Image for Aru Shah Series Books 1 - 5 Collection by Roshani Chokshi

Aru Shah Series Books 1 - 5 Collection by Roshani Chokshi

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah has a tendency to stretch the truth in order to fit in at school. Whilst her classmates are jetting off to exotic locales, she'll be at home, in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture where her mother works. Is it any wonder that Aru makes up stories about being royalty.

Read More
Image for Malgudi Days

Malgudi Days

Introducing this collection of stories, R. K. Narayan describes how in India "the writer has only to look out of the window to pick up a character and thereby a story." Composed of powerful, magical portraits of all kinds of people, and comprising stories written over almost forty years, Malgudi Days presents Narayan's imaginary city in full color, revealing the essence of India and of human experience.

Read More
Image for Tiger Boy

Tiger Boy

"One of the new tiger cubs has escaped from the reserve!"When a tiger cub escapes from a nature reserve near Neel's island village, the rangers and villagers hurry to find her before the cub's anxious mother follows suit and endangers them all. Mr. Gupta, a rich newcomer to the island, is also searching--he wants to sell the cub's body parts on the black market. Neel and his sister, Rupa, resolve to find the cub first and bring her back to the reserve where she belongs.The hunt for the cub interrupts Neel's preparations for an exam to win a prestigious scholarship at a boarding school far from home. Neel doesn't mind--he dreads the exam and would rather stay on his beloved island in the Sunderbans of West Bengal with his family and friends.

Read More
Image for Boys without Names

Boys without Names

For eleven-year-old Gopal and his family, life in their rural Indian village is over: We stay, we starve, his baba has warned. They flee to the big city of Mumbai in hopes of finding work and a brighter future. Gopal is eager to help support his struggling family, so when a stranger approaches him with the promise of a factory job, he jumps at the offer.

?But there is no factory, just a stuffy sweatshop where he and five other boys are forced to work for no money and little food. The boys are forbidden to talk or even to call one another by their real names. Locked away in a rundown building, Gopal despairs of ever seeing his family again.

Read More
Image for Homeless Bird: A National Book Award Winner

Homeless Bird: A National Book Award Winner

Like many girls her age in India, thirteen-year-old Koly faces her arranged marriage with hope and courage. But Koly's story takes a terrible turn when in the wake of the ceremony, she discovers she's been horribly misled—her life has been sold for a dowry. Can she forge her own future, even in the face of time-worn tradition? 

Perfect for schools and classrooms, this universally acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning novel by master of historical fiction Gloria Whelan is a gripping tale of hope that will transport readers of all ages.

Read More
Image for India on a Plate!: Indian Food from A to Z

India on a Plate!: Indian Food from A to Z

Kids love learning about food, they need to learn their ABC's, and this mouth-watering alphabet book covers both in the most delicious way! From spicy achaar to sweet zafrani pulao, flip through food from every corner of India, for all kinds of occasions.

Read More
Image for Where Is the Taj Mahal?

Where Is the Taj Mahal?

The Taj Mahal may look like a palace, but it's actually a tomb and a lasting testament to one of the world's great love stories. In 1612, Mogul emperor Shah Jahan married Mumtaz Mahal. It had been love at first sight and for nineteen years they were so inseparable that Mumtaz even accompanied Shah Jahan to battlefields. When she died suddenly giving birth to their fourteenth child, the emperor set about building a magnificent memorial to his wife. Everything about the Taj was perfectly planned, from the white marble walls that shimmer in the sunlight and sparkle by moonlight, to the countless decorative flowers made from precious gems that still astound visitors today.

Read More

And the best part is that you don’t need to follow rigid schedule or use a stack of textbooks.

Next, look at 3 more good reasons you want to use a unit study outline.

3 BENEFITS OF USING A UNIT STUDY OUTLINE

One of the reasons I mentioned briefly above.

1. SUBJECTS ARE EQUALLY INTRODUCED

Don’t get me wrong, I love unit studies that are one subject slanted. However, one of the biggest advantages to a unit study is to be able to connect all subjects together.

We want to show our child that all knowledge is connected and can weave a story. It doesn’t hurt once in a while to delve deep into subjects. I encourage it. However, an outline helps me maintain my balance with subjects.

And this next reason I wasn’t so sold on in my earlier years of homeschooling but I have become a huge advocate of hands-on learning.

2. ALLOWS TIME FOR HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES

When you know the major topics you’re covering, you have time to focus on hands-on activities for the unit study. Besides, hands-on activities are the very heart of a unit study.

By using a unit study outline about India, you can focus on activities to fit your child’s age.

3. YOU CHOOSE LIVING BOOKS INSTEAD OF A BORING TEXTBOOK

Then another reason is that we choose living books over boring textbooks. Living books make the topic come alive like a story. They capture a child’s interest and hook them on reading. Instead of talking down to a child, they nurture their love for beautiful words.

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

Also, when you use this India unit study outline, add these hands-on activities to your study as they fit your needs.

INDIA HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • Indian Crafts Easy: How to Draw a Chalk Pastel Tiger
  •  Free Lapbook India for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  •  Peacock craft
  • Handprint Henna Craft
  • Make a Taj Mahal

HOW TO GET THE INDIA UNIT STUDY OUTLINE

You can get it now!

Important: READ THIS FIRST.
Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.

• All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
• Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
• The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
• Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (of course substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

India Unit Of Study Outline For A Unique Approach

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. Also, you can email me at my personal email tinahomeschools at gmail dot com.

  • Learning Made Easy: Ancient India Unit Study Outline

    Learning Made Easy: Ancient India Unit Study Outline

    $2.75
    Add to cart

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Teach Unit Studies Tagged With: geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography, India, unit studies, unit study

Why Use A Fall Season Simple Busy Book With Young Learners

November 6, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

A fall season simply busy book makes for a great and practical guide when you’re the parent of a preschool or kindergarten aged child.

Also, look at my pages Fall Season Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More} and Fall Apple Lapbook and Apple Unit Study for more ideas.

Too, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more learning ideas and teaching tips.

Why Use A Fall Season Simple Busy Book With Young Learners

Although busy books have gained popularity over the years, I still don’t like the name of them.

However, I am focusing on why I do like them and how they can benefit you especially when you have multiple ages of children to teach.

First, the activities included in my fall season busby book are about meaningful learning. And they are not just keeping a young child busy while we move on to something supposedly more deserving of our attention.

Next, look at some books that can be used to discuss the fall season with your little learners.

FALL BOOKS FOR YOUNG KIDS

15 Fall Books For Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

With a chill in the air and leaves falling, grab one or two of these fun books for your home library.

Image for Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic

Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic

A compilation of Native American speeches affirming the desire to live in spiritual and ecological harmony includes the words of Geronimo, Sitting Bull, and Cochise, covering such topics as fishing rights, peace treaties, and the devastation of their land.

Read More
Image for Autumn Harvest

Autumn Harvest

"Mr. Tresselt writes quiet, factual prose about katydids, reapers and threshing, falling leaves, apple-gathering, and the first frost."--New York Herald Tribune.

Read More
Image for Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves

A concise text and crisp, close-up, color photographs of thirteen different leaves from North American trees teach very young children how to look at and compare the leaves of autumn, and are accompanied by an explanation of why they turn color.

Read More
Image for The Apple Pie That Papa Baked

The Apple Pie That Papa Baked

These are the apples, juicy and red,that went in the pie,warm and sweet,that Papa baked...for guess who!

Read More
Image for Sophie's Squash

Sophie's Squash

Kids will love this playful story of a unique fall friendship between a girl . . . and her squash! On a trip to the farmers' market with her parents, Sophie chooses a squash, but instead of letting her mom cook it, she names it Bernice. From then on, Sophie brings Bernice everywhere, despite her parents' gentle warnings that Bernice will begin to rot. As winter nears, Sophie does start to notice changes.... What's a girl to do when the squash she loves is in trouble?

Read More
Image for Autumn Story: Introduce children to the seasons in the gorgeously illustrated classics of Brambly Hedge!

Autumn Story: Introduce children to the seasons in the gorgeously illustrated classics of Brambly Hedge!

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge!

Bad weather is on the way and the autumn stores are still not gathered in!

Quickly, all the mice of Brambly Hedge set to work to finish the harvesting before the rain begins. Primrose, Lord Woodmouse's daughter, meant to help, but somehow she daydreamed her way over the cornfield and into the Chestnut Woods, and before she knew it, she was lost. The sun went down, the wind rose and it began to rain. Primrose was all alone in the dark and she was frightened.

Poor Primrose, would she find her way home again?

Read More
Image for Mr. Hermit Miser and the Neighborly Pumpkin: the green edition |

Mr. Hermit Miser and the Neighborly Pumpkin: the green edition |

Mr. Hermit Miser doesn’t like his neighbors, and they don’t like him. But when a pumpkin vine sprouts in Mr. Hermit Miser’s yard and makes its way into the neighbors’ yards, but he wants all those pumpkins for pies … well, what is he to do?

With adventures in pumpkin-snatching, failed attempts at baking pies, and pumpkin goo everywhere, this tale about being neighborly in a not-so-perfect way will be an endearing autumn story for all the readers in your circle.

This reprint of a 1949 classic adds some recipes, a poem, and a bit of pie-history as well.

Read More
Image for Dance Like a Leaf

Dance Like a Leaf

As her grandmother's health declines, a young girl begins to lovingly take the lead in their cozy shared autumn traditions. Poetic prose paired with evocative illustrations by Mexican illustrator Claudia Navarro make for a beautiful celebration of life and a gentle introduction to the death of a loved one.

Read More
Image for The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night

The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night

"[Spier's] finely detailed, action-packed New England autumn vistas are almost startlingly beautiful."—The New York Times  Over fifty years after he won a Caldecott Honor for The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, legendary illustrator Peter Spier went back to this time-honored favorite in 2014 to paint the half of the book that was originally printed in black and white. In this glowing, restored vision of Spier’s beloved classic, follow the wily fox as he roams a sleepy New England town in search of a meal, with tones and textures so vivid you can almost hear the crackle of crisp fall leaves and the ripples of the river in the moonlight.

Read More
Image for Down Buttermilk Lane

Down Buttermilk Lane

An Amish family, traveling by buggy, spends a day doing errands in the village, visiting, and returning home in time for supper

Read More
Image for Fall Leaves

Fall Leaves

Autumn is in the air: days grow shorter and nights are long. Birds leave, flowers, too. Apples and temperatures fall—then snow!Part poem, part silent stage, this luminous picture book puts autumn on display and captures the spirit of change that stays with us long after fall leaves. Unlock the secrets of this busy and beautiful time of year as the natural world makes way for winter.

Read More
Image for Hooray for Fall!

Hooray for Fall!

Mama has a surprise for her three little squirrels: three bright red sweaters to keep them warm throughout the fall. Imagine the siblings’ surprise when they find that everything in the autumn woods—the leaves, the berries, even the setting sun—is red too, just like their sweaters.This celebration of a perfect fall day will have young and old alike looking for signs of autumn in their own neighborhoods. Kazuo Iwamura’s books celebrating the seasons (Hooray for Spring!, Hooray for Summer!, Hooray for Fall!, and Hooray for Snow!) are perennial favorites—introducing children to the beauty and joy of each season. Iwamura masterfully captures the small wonders of nature in his illustrations and his stories with their gentle humor warm the heart.

Read More
Image for Hopefully the Scarecrow

Hopefully the Scarecrow

The perfect Fall book for kids! A poignant picture book about a scarecrow who befriends the young girl who reads to him day after day until one day he's left wondering where she is.A scarecrow stood in the garden. Tall, proud, and smiling. Every day a girl brought her favorite books to the garden and she read to him. He heard tales of courage and of hope. And when she said, "The End," the scarecrow always felt a little bit taller and braver. Year after year, she came and she read to him.Until one spring, two different hands picked him up from the garden shed and placed him in the garden. He waited, but she didn't come to read to him.With poignant words from award-winning author Michelle Houts and lush illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor winner Sara Palacios, Hopefully the Scarecrow is a tender distillation of the enduring power of friendship and a heartwarming look at the ways stories connect us.

Read More
Image for Maple & Willow Apart

Maple & Willow Apart

Funny, relatable sibling dynamics make this story a wonderful way to address navigating big changes. Lori Nichols’s expressive artwork beautifully portrays Maple and Willow’s strong bond, and children will love the creative, kid-powered solution. Maple and Willow have always been inseparable. So what happens when Maple starts big-girl school and Willow stays behind? Well, of course, both girls have marvelous adventures of their own, but the truth is, they miss each other. And when they see that the missing is mutual, they find a unique way to feel connected even when they have to be apart.

Read More
Image for Now It's Fall (Lois Lenski Books)

Now It's Fall (Lois Lenski Books)

School bells and apples and big ripe pumpkins-all the pleasures of fall come alive in this newly reissued classic by award winner Lois Lenski. First published in 1948, Now It's Fall is a timeless celebration of autumn that will enchant a whole new generation of young readers with its gently recolored illustrations.

Read More

Then look at some fall season activities to along with the busy book to keep your learning day fun.

FALL SEASON ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN

  • Fall Y’all:Pumpkin Pie in a Bag (Easy Homeschool Co-op Idea)
  • Fun Corn Life Cycle Preschool Sensory Bin and Printable Lifecycle Foldout
  • Fun Candy Corn Stem Activity Which Liquid Dissolves Candy Corn Faster
  • Make Cute Felt Leaf Sachets For Fall Leaf Crafts for Preschoolers
  • 10 Kindergarten Fall Crafts and Craft Fun Bean Mosaics
  • 10 Fun Crafts to Do with Pinecones and a Turkey Pinecone Craft for Kids
  • How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers
  • How To Craft An Adorable Leaf Paper Plate Mask
  • How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy
  • Spoon And Stick Scarecrow Craft For Kids & Free Template
Why Use A Fall Season Simple Busy Book With Young Learners

Now, look at some reasons why you want to use a fall busy book in your homeschool.

WHY USE A BUSY BOOK WITH YOUNG LEARNERS

There are many reasons why I love using a busy book but the first is because it encourages independence.

1. PROMOTE INDEPENDENT LEARNING

We’re not trying to treat them like pint sized adults meaning they need our interaction 1:1. But by giving them their own materials and free play time they develop the love of learning without our constant supervision.

Open play learning time is essential.

Then another reason I love them is for their guidance for the parent.

2. SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR THE HOME EDUCATOR

It’s not always easy understanding what a young child is capable of but a guide can serve as a guide in how to both teach preschool skills and about the topic the busy book is about.

For example, this is a fall season book, but I have a winter, spring, summer and 50 states book which give you a practical starting point for your child.

3. LITERACY IS BUILT AND ENCOURAGED THROUGH NATURAL LEARNING

Also, another reason I love them is that you can encourage new words in a natural way. For example, they will hear words and understand them when learning about the fall season or winter.

Sleet, hail, frozen tundra and names of states become part of everyday learning instead of learning them in isolation or worst through tons of worksheets.

Finally, look at these other busy books.

MORE BUSY BOOKS FOR YOUNG LEARNERS

  • How To Teach The 50 States To Preschoolers | 50 States Busy Book
  • Easy Spring Activities For Preschoolers Science And Fun Busy Book
  • Inexpensive Preschool Winter Activities & Simple Winter Busy Book
  • Dynamic Simple Summer Busy Book For Kids Who Love Learning

Next, look at this simple fall busy book.

ABOUT THE FALL SEASON BUSY BOOK

It covers the following skills.

  • scarecrow emotions
  • match the alphabet
  • colors of the fall
  • match the shadow
  • mushroom shadow
  • number tracing
  • pumpkin life cycle
  • count and match
  • I can trace numbers
  • find and count
  • I can trace
  • match the puzzle
  • fall puzzle
  • match the faces
  • sort by form
  • I can sort
  • count and match
  • mushroom counting
  • shapes matching
  • complete the pattern
  • left or right
  • match the pattern
  • Let’s count
  • count the honey jars
  • find the color
  • I can sort pumpkins by size
  • math the fall animals
  • it’s harvest time
  • fall clothes
  • rainy day in forest
  • fall harvest

HOW TO GET THE FALL BUSY BOOK

You can get it now!

Important: READ THIS FIRST.
Before you email me asking where your download link is or tell me that it is not working, read this to ensure that you get your pretties timely and that you don’t pay for something and not get it.

• All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store. A digital physical year calendar does not mean a physical product or calendar.
• Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.
• The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.
• Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (of course substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

Why Use A Fall Season Simple Busy Book With Young Learners

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. Also, you can email me at my personal email tinahomeschools at gmail dot com.

  • Dynamic Simple Fall Busy Book For Kids Who Love Learning

    Dynamic Simple Fall Busy Book For Kids Who Love Learning

    $2.50
    Add to cart

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Teach Homeschool Preschool Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, homeschool, preschool, preschool skills, science

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

November 4, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some interesting facts about Chile for kids. And since we’re learning about Chile we’re cooking and tasting one of its delicious native dishes. And look at my page South America Unit Study Resources for more ideas about South America.

Chile is a fascinating country in South America, famous for its beautiful landscapes, delicious food, rich traditions, and amazing wildlife. It is a wonderful country to explore through geography, history, culture, and, of course, cooking.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

One of the most famous foods is the empanada de pino. It is a baked pastry traditionally filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, a slice of hard-boiled egg, an olive, and sometimes raisins.

Empanadas are especially popular during Chile’s celebrations in September.

We will learn some cool facts about the country, its food and culture, as well as look at some other great craft and activity ideas before we end with an easy beef empanada recipe.

First, look at some books about Chile that you can use as a read aloud or as a spine for a Chile unit study.

BOOKS ABOUT CHILE FOR KIDS


We prefer living books when we can find them and then we love to add reference books to our study of the day.

6 Books About The Country of Chile for Kids

Add a book or two to your reading day or add to your home library.

Image for Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People

Once there was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered the magic between the pages of books. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda.

Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved―things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.

Read More
Image for Mariana and the Merchild: A Folk Tale from Chile

Mariana and the Merchild: A Folk Tale from Chile

A childless old woman is given a merbaby to raise until the child can safely return to the sea.

Read More
Image for Chile: The Complete History for Kids: A Journey Across Mountains, Deserts, Heroes, and Hope

Chile: The Complete History for Kids: A Journey Across Mountains, Deserts, Heroes, and Hope

Chile: The Complete History for Kids invites young readers on a vivid journey through one of the most breathtaking and surprising countries on Earth. From ancient Mapuche families who learned to live between forests and rivers, to brave leaders who shaped a new nation, to modern Chile filled with creativity and resilience, this book brings history to life in a way kids can truly enjoy.Every chapter turns big events into clear, meaningful stories. Children will meet heroes who fought for freedom, explorers who crossed towering mountains, families who rebuilt after powerful earthquakes, and communities who stood together to make their voices heard. With a friendly storytelling style, fun facts, and quizzes to test what they’ve learned, this book transforms history into an adventure that sparks curiosity on every page.

Read More
Image for All Paws To Chile: Blotch

All Paws To Chile: Blotch

Ever since Isabel told me all about Chile my belly has been rumbling…I wish I could go to Chile. But how can I get there? It is impossible for dogs to fly.

Embark on a journey over air and land in Monica Lizama’s exciting new children’s story, All Paws to Chile, a tale positively bursting with globe-trotting adventures!

Read More
Image for Nick and Aya Travel to Chile

Nick and Aya Travel to Chile

In Nick and Aya Travel to Chile, young readers join siblings Nick and Aya and their parents, Kate and George, on an exciting adventure stretching from the bustling streets of Santiago to the deserts of the far north, the volcanoes and forests of southern Chile, the wild landscapes of Patagonia, and even the mysterious islands of the Pacific Ocean.

Along the way, children will:

  • Explore famous landmarks and hidden corners of Chile
  • Learn about wildlife such as sea lions, huemuls, guanacos, king salmon, condors, penguins, and native insects
  • Discover deserts, volcanoes, geysers, forests, rivers, glaciers, mountains, fjords, islands, and oceans
  • Experience Chilean culture through local foods, colorful murals, traditional music, fishing communities, and regional traditions
Read More
Image for Ladybug Launch: Inspired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space

Ladybug Launch: Inspired by a True Story of Chinitas in Space

Based on a true story, this out-of-this-world picture book follows the exciting scientific journey of a chica and a chinita with sky-high aspirations—perfect for fans of Mae Among the Stars and What Miss Mitchell Saw.Natalia is a chica, an ambitious girl with dreams of becoming a scientist. Luna is a chinita, an adventurous ladybug that dreams of visiting the stars. But neither dream is easy to reach. Ladybugs are meant to munch on garden pests. And no one from Natalia’s family has ever been to college. Still, both Natalia and Luna want más.Then Natalia’s all-girl class designs an experiment. If astronauts want to live in outer space, they’ll need to grow food. Could chinitas go along to keep the pests away? The girls are eager to find out, and Luna is hungry to help. If their theory is correct, it’s a project worthy of NASA itself—and the stuff all dreams are made of.This inspiring picture book is based on the real story of Chilean high school girls who convinced NASA to send ladybugs to space!

Read More

Then, look at these other activities about Chile and South America.

HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES ABOUT CHILE AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

  • Free Lapbook Chile For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project
  • Easy And Fun Rainstick South America Craft For Kids
  • 9 Free South America Country Reports for Kids Notebooking Pages
  • Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Appreciating the Culture of South America Through Dance
  • How to Make a Felt Mountain Craft | 7 Andes Mountain Facts For Kids
  • Negrinho From Brazil–South America Unit Study
  • How to Make Easter Island Statues History Craft for Kids
  • South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • Humboldt Who? Hands On to Understand Ocean Currents & Their Effect On The Galapagos Islands
  • How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft
  • How to Make Paper Mache Mountains to Celebrate Chimborazo Day

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CHILE FOR KIDS

Next, look at some facts about Chile. Use them to fill in the free country notebooking pages I have or just to learn about Chile.

QUICK GEOGRAPHY FACTS ABOUT CHILE

  • Chile is located along the west coast of South America, on the Pacific Ocean. It is a long, narrow country, stretching approximately 2,650 miles from north to south.
  • Chile is home to Easter Island, famous for its enormous stone statues called moai.
  • The Atacama Desert is so dry that NASA has used parts of it to help study conditions similar to those on Mars.
  • The Andes Mountains run along much of Chile’s eastern border.

FOOD, CULTURE, & INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF CHILE

  •  Spanish is the main language spoken in Chile
  • Food is an important part of Chilean culture. Because Chile has such a long coastline, seafood is very popular- fish, mussels, clams, and other seafood are common in traditional meals. Chile also grows grapes, apples, peaches, avocados, and many vegetables.
  • Other popular Chilean foods include pastel de choclo, a baked dish made with ground beef, chicken, onions, and a sweet corn topping; humitas, which are made from seasoned ground corn wrapped in corn husks; and completo, a Chilean-style hot dog often topped with avocado, tomato, and mayonnaise.
  •  Chile has a rich mix of Indigenous and European influences. The Mapuche are one of the country’s largest Indigenous peoples and have helped shape Chilean traditions, language, music, and food.
  • Traditional music and dancing are important parts of celebrations. The cueca is Chile’s national dance, usually performed by a man and woman waving handkerchiefs as they dance around one another.
  • Chile celebrates its Independence Day on September 18, with festivities often continuing into September 19. These celebrations are called Fiestas Patrias. Families gather for barbecues, music, dancing, games, and traditional foods such as empanadas. 

Now that we have learned about Chile, let’s bring a little of its food culture into our kitchen. We will make empanadas de pino, the traditional Chilean meat-filled pastry. These are delicious served warm and are a wonderful way to celebrate Chilean cuisine.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

We were not brave enough to try the authentic boiled eggs and raisins in ours and kept it simple.

It would also be traditionally made with homemade dough for the crust but we used store-bought pie crust- this shows how flexible you can be while still showing your children a taste of other cultures.

MAKE EASY BEEF EMPANADAS

You will need:

  • For the filling:
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons diced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • Oil for frying
  • Ready-made pie crust

optional:

2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
½ cup black olives
¼ cup raisins (optional)

Cut a premade pie shell into 4 equal pieces; you can fill 2 and still have filling leftover.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until soft; sauté diced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Add the ground beef, broth, tomato paste, diced pimentos, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Cook until the beef is browned and fully cooked.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Allow the filling to cool.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Place some cooled meat filling in the center of each crust piece.

If you want to go authentic, add a piece of hard-boiled egg, an olive, and a few raisins.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Fold the dough over the filling and press the edges together with a fork all the way around to seal.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Heat oil to 350 and fry on each side for 2-3 minutes.

Interesting Facts About Chile For Kids & Make Easy Empanadas

Remove and drain well on paper towels.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: Chile the country, hands on history, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschool, south america

Free Printable: For the Love of Homeschooling Nature Study Year-Round

November 3, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free printable for the love of homeschooling nature study all year. And of course, my nature unit studies and free lapbooks can be paired with this printable for year long nature school exploration.

Too, it’s true we love homeschooling because not only can we have a nature school approach but we also choose to homeschool year round (by choice).

And nature studies are something you will never regret doing more of.

Free Printable: For the Love of Homeschooling Nature Study Year-Round

When I first started homeschooling, I wasn’t sure if nature studies were enough of an academic approach. Now, more than 20 years later, I’ve learned that is not any subject that can be explored through nature.

One of the best things about doing nature school year-round is that you don’t need a large backyard, a nearby forest, or an expensive nature curriculum to get started.

Don’t get me wrong, having access to the natural world is preferred but even visiting a park for the day is something most all of us have access to.

Plus, I kept my supplies together in a small backpack and a box in the car so when we had an opportunity for nature study we could seize the moment.

LIVING BOOKS FOR A NATURE STUDIES YEAR ROUND

First, look at these nature books that can be used as a spine or main text. There is no need to purchase an expensive curriculum.

6 Nature Study Books and Resources

Add one of these resources or books to your study about nature. They all give you a starting point or use one or two of them as a nature spine.

Image for Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

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.

Read More
Image for Handbook of Nature Study

Handbook of Nature Study

The Handbook of Nature Study is a classic Charlotte Mason text. A big book full of information on pretty much every area of nature study from tools to birds, weather, and rocks.

Read More
Image for The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

This beautifully packaged facsimile of Edith Holden’s original diary is filled with a naturalist’s masterful paintings and delightful observations chronicling the English countryside throughout 1906. As one of the few true records of the time in print, the handwritten thoughts and paintings contained in The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady transport readers to a more refined, romantic, and simpler time.

Read More
Image for Botanicum

Botanicum

Filled with both recognisable, and tropical flora, Botanicum is the ultimate companion guide to the variety of plants, and how they have evolved and grow.

Read More
Image for Curiositree: Natural World: A Visual Compendium of Wonders from Nature - Jacket unfolds into a huge wall poster!

Curiositree: Natural World: A Visual Compendium of Wonders from Nature - Jacket unfolds into a huge wall poster!

Discover the interconnectedness of the natural world and learn why living things look and behave the way they do in a series of visually compelling information charts, maps, and cutaways, all illustrated in a nostalgic, vintage style. Packed with incredible facts about the natural world and the animals that populate it, the whole family will enjoy the full-page spreads grouped into the categories of habitats, species, and adaptations.

Read More
Image for Nature Study & Outdoor Science Journal: The Thinking Tree Presents: A Creative Book of Observation, Drawing, Coloring, Writing & Discovery

Nature Study & Outdoor Science Journal: The Thinking Tree Presents: A Creative Book of Observation, Drawing, Coloring, Writing & Discovery

The Thinking Tree presents: A Creative Book of Observation, Drawing, Coloring, Writing & Discovery Through Nature, ideal for all ages (even adults!)

Creativity and discovery at its best, this journal is a bestseller among The Thinking Tree publications! Your nature-loving student will treasure this journal designed to ignite their wonder of the outdoors. With more than 180 lessons and beautiful illustrations, the Nature Study Journal invites the student to read, write, draw, color, explore and appreciate the outdoors while covering a variety of subjects such as science, poetry, observation instructions, and more.

Read More

If you live in a place that has 4 true seasons, it’s easier to follow my nature study topic ideas below.

But if you live in a state like I have in Texas where it’s warm and then hot, it’s still doable to do nature studies.

We just make our own snow.

NATURE STUDY TOPIC IDEAS BY SEASON FOR YEAR ROUND NATURE STUDIES

In addition, look at this suggested schedule of topics we did one year to coordinate with the seasons.

My year of nature school freebie had ideas ready for you. I am giving you another choice here.

JANUARY NATURE TOPIC

Winter wildlife.

Then look at these hands-on activities.

  • Winter Craft Ideas for Kids Animals in Winter Fun Snow Slime
  • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
  • Inuit of the Arctic: How Animals Survive Harsh Winters Fun Blubber Activity
  • Free Arctic Ground Squirrel Lapbook & Unit Study Resources

FEBRUARY NATURE TOPIC

Sky and space.

Also, here are some of my activities.

  • Discovering the Stars: The Astronomy of Mesopotamia and How to Make a Clay Star Pattern Tablet
  • About Astronomy and Space Science Fun Quick Unit Study
  • Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages
  • Galileo Discovery of Jupiter Moons and Fun Hands-On Moon Crater Experiment
  • Meteors, Meteorites, Comets and Meteoroids Today And Make a Fun Windsock

MARCH NATURE TOPIC

Life cycles.

Add in my hands-on activities.

  • Learning Through Art: The Life Cycle Of A Sea Star Stages & Survival
  • Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

APRIL NATURE TOPIC

Migration.

Too, add activities.

  • 4 Weeks Free Zoology Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas
  • Hibernation and migration books

MAY NATURE TOPIC

Amphibians and reptiles.

Then a few activities.

  • Toads – Amphibians
  • Free Printable Colorful Frog Diorama: Cool Frog Life Cycle Facts
  • Why Is a Toad An Amphibian And Pondlife Facts & Make a Fun Toad House
  • Fascinating Reptiles That Start with the Letter D | Turtle Craft
  • Free Reptiles Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning
  • Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

JUNE NATURE TOPIC

Garden theme.

In addition, here are a few ideas.

  • How To Make A Dynamic Herb Garden Potion Sensory Bin
  • 8 Peter Rabbit Garden Ideas | How To Make A Preschool Garden Box
  • The Tale of Peter Rabbit Printables for a Fun Spring Unit Study.
  • Fun Mr Mcgregor’s Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity
  • Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary)
  • Gardening Projects For Homeschool Easy Composting With the Amazing Dr. George Carver (Free Printable About Compost)

JULY NATURE TOPIC

Pollinators.

And some activities are

  • 8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft,
  • Free Butterfly Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning,
  • Free Butterfly Unit Study For Kids and Fun Sponge Stamping and
  • Fascinating and Fun Honey Bees Unit Study and Lapbook for Kids.

AUGUST NATURE TOPIC

Biomes, ecosystems and habitats.

Also, look at How to Make an Easy Rainforest Triorama With Kids, How To Make Plastic Bottle Little Greenhouses | 5 Plastic Bottle Craft Ideas, How to Make a Biome Triorama That Explores Alaska’s Amazing Features, Where Did Swiss Family Robinson Land And Their Unique Homes | Cave Activity,

SEPTEMBER NATURE TOPIC

Rocks, gems and fossils.

Too, look at these activities.

  • Rock and Mineral Project Ideas for Kids Who Love Hands-on
  • How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids
  • Free Homeschool Geology Unit Study
  • Edible Rock Cycle Fudge | Hands-on Rock Activities & Free Notebooking Pages
  • Rock Activities For Kindergarten And Fun Edible Rock Cycle

OCTOBER NATURE TOPIC

Storms and weather.

Then, my activities are:

  • Weather Activities For Early Years and Free Printable Flashcards
  •  Free Weather Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning 
  • 7 Easy Cloud Crafts For Preschoolers | Types of Clouds Activity
  • Welcome December Weather By Making an Easy Mitten Wreath With Kids
  • Fun Felt Weather Chart & Free The Magic School Bus Kicks Up A Storm Worksheet
  • Weather In A Bottle | How To Make An Amazing Tornado In A Jar
  • 9 Hands on Weather Activities for Kids and Awesome Weather Sensory Tray
  • 5 Simple Wind Energy Activities For Kids & Fun DIY Anemometer
  • T Is For Simple Fun Thunderstorm Activities For Kindergarten

NOVEMBER NATURE TOPIC

Birds of prey.

And look at my posts Peregrine Falcon Unit Study and Lapbook and Fun Facts About Peregrine Falcons & How To Paint Them In Watercolor.

DECEMBER NATURE TOPIC

Animal tracks and signs.

Also, here are some activities.

  • 10 Easy Nature Tips for Reading Nature’s Signs Freebie
  • 10 Gross Scat Facts and How to Make Edible Scat
  • Daniel Boone Explorer Black Bear Unit Study and Fun Edible Bear Poop.

Again, this is just one easy schedule you can follow. I’ve added hands-on ideas with each one to help get you started.

Free Printable: For the Love of Homeschooling Nature Study Year-Round

Then look at more nature study activities and printables.

MORE NATURE STUDY PRINTABLES AND ACTIVITIES

  • Simple Nature Study for Preschoolers: Explore Nature with Playdough Prints
  • Fun Nature Study Ideas and a Free Nature Tracker
  • 26 Fun Nature Unit Studies for Multiple Ages
  • Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study
  • How to Make an Easy Nature Paint Brush With Kids
  • 20 Nature-Inspired Kids’ Novels to Nurture Interest In the Outdoors
  • Kinder Gardening to Celebrate Nature and Science
  • 7 Super Easy Nature Lapbooks Guaranteed to Beat Boredom
  • Above & Below: Pond Unit Study, Hands-on Ideas, & Lapbook
  • Seashore Beach Watching Unit Study and Seashore Lapbook
  • Foraging and Feasting Nature Unit Study and Lapbook
  • Hands-On Nature Study: Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity
  • Free Wildflowers Unit Study & Lapbook
  • Hands-On Mixed Media Flower Art Fun Nature Study
  • Fun Homeschool Unit Study Egg to Sea Turtle Lesson Plans & Lapbook
  • Hands-On Literature Nature Study: Simple Tree Craft

My free year of nature school printable is also organized by month.

For example, each month has the following parts to help you plan your year of nature studies, hands-on activities and topics.

  • Driving Question
  • Suggested Exploration Activities
  • Learning Goals
  • Materials & Resources
  • Real Word Connection
  • Reflection & Insights
  • Next Steps & Continued Exploration

Now, how to grab the freebie.  It’s a subscriber freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE YEAR ROUND NATURE SCHOOL PRINTABLE

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE.

2) Grab the freebie instantly.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic} Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, nature, nature study

11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

November 2, 2026 | 17 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have 11 awesome ways to learn geography because slapping down a map to label states and countries has never been an engaging way to teach my kids homeschool geography. Too, look at my page Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Drill and kill of boring facts to remember only worked for a short time too. These creative geography ideas can turn an ordinary lesson into an exciting adventure.

11 AWESOME Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

So today, I am sharing 11 awesome ways to learn geography that don’t include labeling a map because geography is so much more than writing out the names of states and countries.

Can you say snore? zzzzzzzz. (okay, okay)

And don’t get me wrong. Learning to read a map is an important skill. However, geography is so much more than knowing where countries and continents are located.

First, look at this list of living geography books.

GEOGRAPHY LIVING BOOKS FOR KIDS

Unlike a traditional geography textbook, a living book allows kids to experience a location through the eyes of someone who lives there, travels there, or explores its natural features.

The beauty of geography living books is that kids often learn geographical facts naturally while enjoying a good story.

13 Geography Living Books

Add some of these living geography books to your home library. All ages will love them.

Image for Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Paddle-to-the-Sea: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Sandpiper Books)

Follow the journey of a little turtle through all the great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean, not only covering; landforms but also dipping into science, and uses figurative language to help children think and understand the story better.

Read More
Image for Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

A carved Ivory Gull tells of oceans all over the world and three generations of sailing families in America. 

Read More
Image for How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

In more of a story book fashion we are led around the world to gather ingredients from all over to make an apple pie and it even includes a simple recipe for an apple pie.

Read More
Image for Tree in the Trail

Tree in the Trail

The history of the Great Plains and the Santa Fe Trail is told in text and pictures by focusing on a cottonwood tree and the events that happen around it.

Read More
Image for Complete Book Of Marvels

Complete Book Of Marvels

Explore the wonders of the world with America's foremost adventurer, Richard Halliburton. In the Complete Book of Marvels Halliburton takes you with him on thrilling journeys to countless wonders of the world, including natural features like Gibraltar, the Grand Canyon, and Mount Fuji, and famous or forgotten temples and ancient cities, and monuments bigger than life. He follows in the footsteps of Demetrius and traverses the Great Wall.

Replete with historical facts, maps, and a treasure trove of unique restored photographs of both well-known and hidden wonders, Halliburton journeys with the reader by his side to reveal the beauty and mystery of the world's greatest sights as if for the very first time. As a youth Richard Halliburton dreamt of seeing the many mysterious lands and exotic locales beyond the horizon, and by the time he was a teenager he set out to do just that. During his life, his voyages took him to an enormous variety of truly marvelous places, from familiar American landmarks to the far reaches of the globe.

Read More
Image for Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

This fascinating look at 16 children’s neighborhoods around the world broadens readers’ understanding of global cultures. This unique illustrated map book explores the neighborhoods of 16 real children from around the world. Author Margriet Ruurs, who met many of these children in her travels, tells the story of each child’s neighborhood by highlighting the places that are important to them, such as where they live, go to school and play, as well as interesting facts about their lives, including the food they eat, their religious practices and the sights and smells they encounter every day. From big cities, such as Amsterdam and Beijing, to small communities, such as Salt Spring Island in Canada and the village of Komanyana in Zambia, each place is special to the children who live there.

Read More
Image for Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

The history of the Mississippi River Valley is told in text and pictures through the adventures of Minn, a snapping turtle, as she travels downstream.

Read More
Image for National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

Packed with maps and fascinating facts about the flora and fauna unique to each of the 21 parks portrayed, this lushly illustrated coast-to-coast journey documents in large format the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places—and shows why they should be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Explore Florida's river-laced Everglades, travel down the white water rapids of the Grand Canyon, trek across the deserts of Death Valley, and scale the soaring summits of the Rocky Mountains with this book that brings you up close to nature's greatest adventures. Divided by region (East, Central, Rocky Mountains, West, Tropics, and Alaska), a pictographic map at the start of each section shows the locations of the parks to be covered. Each park is introduced by a stunning, poster-worthy illustration of one of its scenes and a summary of its makeup, followed by individual illustrations of the animals and plants that make their homes there.

Read More
Image for Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberries -- big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven't even begun their planting. Don't count your biddies 'fore they're hatched, gal young un! her father tells her.

Read More
Image for Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

Wow Canada!: Exploring This Land from Coast to Coast to Coast (Wow Canada! Collection)

The multi-award-winning Wow Canada! has steadily wowed readers with its original, witty, and fabulously informative cross-country excursion. This thoroughly updated edition is filled with amazing facts, historical wonders, and descriptions, photos, and illustrations of Canada's most famous sights and hidden gems — it's the perfect accessory for that family car trip across Canada. Eleven-year-old Guy and his family travel from province to province —and even up to Canada’s territories! Guy is the ideal narrator, curious but cool and always armed with a wry comment. Incredible sidebar material offers moments of respite from the family’s high-speed travels, making Wow Canada! both the perfect car trip guidebook and a fantastic armchair travel book.

Read More
Image for How the States Got Their Shapes

How the States Got Their Shapes

Why does Oklahoma have that panhandle? Did someone make a mistake?

We are so familiar with the map of the United States that our state
borders seem as much a part of nature as mountains and rivers. Even the oddities—the entire state of Maryland(!)—have become so ingrained that our map might as well be a giant jigsaw puzzle designed by Divine Providence. How the States Got Their Shapes is the first book to tackle why our state lines are where they are. Here are the stories behind the stories, right down to the tiny northward jog at the eastern end of Tennessee and the teeny-tiny (and little known) parts of Delaware that are not attached to Delaware but to New Jersey.

Read More
Image for A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World is a general course in geography for juveniles. Hillyer was headmaster at the famed Calvert School and wrote a series of books as part of the curriculum for his students. This title was the result of many years of teaching the subject to young children and of several more years in authoring it. The books is now considered in a classic in home schooling.

Read More
Image for Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary: An Introduction To Earth's Geographical Features For Kids

Welcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration acWelcome to Geography: An Illustrated A-Z Glossary by B.C. Lester Books! This book takes you across the world's main landforms and biomes, each with a colorful illustration accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids accompanied with a child-friendly definition.

What is a mesa? Or an estuary? What is the difference between a swamp and a marsh?

Covering over 100 geography terms, this book has all the answers! This book is a great, concise introduction to the natural features of Earth for children and is a nice way to spark or develop an interest in geography for kids.

Read More

Including ways to teach geography to a variety of ages, I hope some of these help you to get out of your geography rut.

Geography is about understanding the world and the people who live in it.

These 11 hands-on geography activities can help you turn geography into a subject your kids look forward to studying.

11 AWESOME WAYS TO LEARN GEOGRAPHY

1. LEARN LANDMARKS.

Learning about the Grand Canyon or the Amazon Rain Forest brings life to geography.

Even when teaching about ancient civilizations, it’s easier to remember them when they are associated with landmarks.

Look here at my information and free minibook about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

Also, I have How To Make A Mini Mount Rushmore & Landmarks Of USA and How to Build a Fun White House Sugar Cube George Washington Craft.

Build another landmark at 7 National Landmarks USA | How To Make A Fun Statue Of Liberty Torch Craft.

2. COMBINE GEOGRAPHY WITH SCIENCE.

History and geography are not the only subjects that go hand in hand.

Science can also easily be added to geography.

Whether you have a child that eats up geography and could leave science alone or you have a child that runs from geography to study science, combining the two subjects is a win-win.

For example, we made a fun lava lamp when studying about how convection currents rise and fall. Also, learn about Central America with my Free Lapbook Maya and Fun Hands-on Meso-America Unit Study Ideas.

And learn about 4 Week Free China Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas.

3. CREATE EDIBLE GEOGRAPHY PROJECTS.

Eat up and learn about geography. My kids always remind me of our edible projects.

Talking about eating, geography is especially fun if you can learn about the different foods of a country.

11 Awesome Ways to Learn Geography (Other Than Labeling a Map)

Isolating this idea more, focus on one food like the breads of the world or the spices of a country.

Have you seen the How Did That Get Here series for learning about geography. This series has everything from the biography of corn to, tea, and wheat.

And then you can never, never go wrong with making a food from a country or region.

Looked at a few things we have made when studying about certain areas.

  • Make pan au chocolat when studying about France.
  • Make Celtic cakes when studying ancient civilizations.
  • Make baklava when studying about Ancient Greece.
  • Make victory soup when studying about the countries of World War II.
  • Make Cherokee pan bread when studying the states in the Southeastern United States.
  • Make soups from South America.
  • Make chili when doing a state study on Texas.
  • Make negrinho when doing a study about Brazil.

4. MAKE A DIY ATLAS

My boys loved making a diy atlas when we studied geography using North Star geography for middle and high school kids.

Instead of labeling for the sake of busy work or so it seems like it to your kids, a diy atlas gives them a purpose for map making.

Make the project large if you are doing a world geography tour or make it only for a certain area if you don’t want to get too overwhelmed.

I like easy projects that focus on specific areas.

We tend to get more out of our projects when we can sharpen our focus on smaller chunks of information.

5. UNLEASH YOUR INNER ARTIST. GEOGRAPHY THROUGH ART.

Another way to draw in a reluctant learner or to mix up your geography is to draw it.

Take a look at Geography Through Art or Mapping the World with Art.

Geography Through Art is a multi-age resource and has some terrific resources for hands-on activities.

6. LEARN GEOGRAPHY THROUGH TRADITIONAL CRAFTS.

And hands down doing crafts from a country or area has to be one of our very favorite. From weaving to painting to paper cutting, your kids will love learning handcrafts from different parts of the world.

Too, look at How to Make An Embroidered African Map Fun Geography Craft, Polish Crafts For Kids: How to Paint Nesting Dolls, Polish Crafts For Kids: How to Paint Nesting Dolls, Indian Crafts Easy: How to Draw a Chalk Pastel Tiger, and Unique Homeschool History Ideas With Handprint Henna For India to list a few.

7. PREPARE FUN GEOGRAPHY LAPBOOKS.

Then, here are just a few of the ones we’ve done.

  • Free Africa Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Lapbook India for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Texas Homeschool Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Lapbook Mexico For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • Free Lapbook Argentina for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • Free Lapbook Canada For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning

Don’t forget to look at my page Homeschool Lapbooks – Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning for more geography lapbooks.

You know our love for lapbooks and in most all of my lapbooks, I add minibooks for geography.

Also, you can do a lapbook just on geography.

8. DITCH TEXTBOOKS AND USE GEOGRAPHY LIVING BOOKS.

Another fun combination of subjects is to mix language arts with geography. A living book brings geography alive through a story.

Tell a child a story, adding hands-on activities and they’ll see a purpose for learning about the world around them.

Though the series of living geography books by Holling C. Holling say they are for upper elementary kids, they are such a precious and meaty resource that I feel you can use them for middle school kids too.

Also, grab this free 166 .pdf supplement to enhance your study of Paddle-to-the-Sea.

9. USE GEOGRAPHY GAMES.

Of course, who can deny the benefits of learning through games?

Look at 5 Awesome National Park Educational Geography Games For Kids Who Love Games and The Benefits Of Using Games That Teach Geography | Review Of Scrambled States

10. BUILD GEOGRAPHY LANDFORMS.

Instead of simply reading about mountains, valleys, plateaus, and canyons, have your kids create their own miniature landscapes.

Use salt dough, air-dry clay, or homemade play dough to build different landforms. Look at how we incorporated these activities.

  • Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia Free Map Template & Salt Dough Map Craft
  • Marco Polo Unit Study – Salt Dough Map + Free Printable Map Flags \
  • South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • Arctic Region Salt Dough Map + Free Map Flag Printable
  • Make a Fun and Easy Salt Dough Daniel Boone Wilderness Road Map
  • Lewis and Clark Louisiana Purchase Edible Map

11. DESIGN MYTHOLOGICAL WORLDS, ISLANDS OR COUNTRIES.

Finally, this last idea is just too fun. My kids never studied so hard to find out what myths were believed about the way the world was shaped or imaginary worlds that were nothing but myth.

Look at my post Mythological Map – Marco Polo Unit Study. This was such a perfect time to talk about the myths that existed in the time of Marco Polo because basically the world was unexplored.

Using one of these eleven ways, I hope will bring a little more pep to your step when teaching geography.

Also, check out the tips for First Grade Homeschool Curriculum for History and Geography and also 3 Reasons Why Hands-On Geography is Important in Middle and High School.

Are you following my geography board on Pinterest on my first account?

Follow Tinas Dynamic Homeschool ‘s board Ge-og-ra-phy {Earth Writing} on Pinterest.

And are you following my newest Pinterest account too?

Visit Tina Robertson’s profile on Pinterest.

Save

17 CommentsFiled Under: Geography, Hands-On Activities Tagged With: geography, handsonhomeschooling, highschoolgeography, homeschoolgeography

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 469
  • 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 © 2026 · 5 TNT LLC · Log in · Privacy Policy