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Welcome

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

September 24, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a cute Wilbur paper plate Charlotte’s Web craft that you and your little ones are going to love. Also, I have more ideas at my post Free Charlotte’s Web Homeschool Unit Study and Fun Hands-on Ideas.

Paper plates are a must-have on hand art supply.

They are inexpensive, take up little room, and can be used in so many ways like creating this craft.

Wilbur is a beloved childhood character from a favorite book that you probably read over and over as a child and couldn’t wait to read to your own children. Am I right?

How cute was that pig and how sweet was the relationship between him and Charlotte?

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Charlotte’s Web is a wonderful read-aloud that everyone will enjoy, it shows an imaginary side of a working farm as the animals converse and plan together. 

It is also a beautiful story about the love between a girl and a tiny helpless runt as well as a growing lonely pig and a sweet spider.

Once you have read the book or had your child read it on their own you will enjoy the movie adaptation as well.

Resources for Learning About Charlotte’s Web

Next, look at these fun resources for studying about Charlotte’s Web.

Charlotte's Web Unit Study Resources

Add some of these books to flesh out your unit study if you're studying about farm animals, geography of Main or spiders.

Charlotte's Web: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. It contains illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books.

The Julia Rothman Collection: Farm Anatomy, Nature Anatomy, and Food Anatomy

This handsome box set provides hours of enlightening entertainment for those curious about farm life, the natural world, and food. Best-selling author and illustrator Julia Rothman presents Farm Anatomy, Nature Anatomy, and Food Anatomy in a specially designed slipcase with 10 framable prints. Rothman’s popular line drawings offer a whimsical and educational guide to life on a farm, nature’s hidden wonders, and delectable tidbits from kitchens and pantries around the globe.

Insects and Spiders (Nature Explorers)

With a mix of fantastic photographs and beautiful illustrations, Insects and Spiders takes you through everything you need to know about these bewildering bugs. Learn what termites build their nests from, how an earwig looks after her eggs, and why wasps have black and yellow stripes.

Pigs

With clear, simple text and bright, well-labeled watercolors, Gail Gibbons explores the truth about pigs. Digging up truffles, competing in county fairs, grunting and squealing to communicate-- these flat-snouted farm animals are complex and surprisingly talented.

DK Super Readers Level 1 A Day on the Farm

A Day on the Farm is a beautifully designed reader all about a day in the life of a farm, with eggs hatching, milking time for the cows, sheep shearing and lots of hungry baby animals!

I'm Trying to Love Spiders

I’m Trying to Love Spiders will help you see these amazing arachnids in a whole new light, from heir awesomely excessive eight eyes, to the seventy-five pounds of bugs a spider can eat in a single year! And you’re sure to feel better knowing you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than being fatally bit by a spider. Comforting, right? No? Either way, there’s heaps more information in here to help you forget your fears .

National Geographic Readers: Spiders

You don’t have to look far to see a spider’s web—in the corner of the window, on a fence, or in a bush—spiders make their homes everywhere. And there are so many kinds of spiders! Some red, some blue, yellow, and more…all fascinating. Amazing photography and easy-to-understand text make Spiders a hit in this National Geographic Kids series.

Assorted Farm Animals Toys

Teach your child about the different farm animals and the sounds they make; Set up an interactive playtime to collaborate with your child to count and sort the animals.

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type

But Farmer Brown's problems REALLY begin when his cows start leaving him notes.... Doreen ronin's understated text and Betsy Lewin's expressive illustrations make the most of this hilarious situation. Come join the fun as a bunch of literate cows turn Farmer Brown's farm upside down.

On the Farm

From the bull to the barn cat to the wild bunny, the farmyard bustles with life. The rooster crows, the rams clash, the bees buzz, and over there in the garden, a snake — silent and alone — winds and
watches. David Elliott’s graceful, simple verse and Holly Meade’s exquisite woodcut and watercolor illustrations capture a world that is at once timeless yet disappearing from view — the world of the family farm.

Also, look at these facts about pigs.

8 Pig Facts

  1. Pigs are not dirty at all, they are very clean animals, one of the cleanest. Pigs will not poop where they sleep, even the babies leave the bed to use the potty.
  2. Mother pigs are known to sing to their babies while they eat, it is a low rhythmic grunting that reminds me of a cat purr.
  3. If you are looking for a smart pet, a pig might be the way to go, pigs are even more intelligent and trainable than any breed of dog.
  4. Pigs do roll around in mud but not because they love to be filthy. Pigs don’t have many sweat glands so to keep cool they roll around in the mud. It also acts as a sunblock to help keep a pig’s skin from getting sunburned.
  5. Surprisingly, though a piglet weighs only 2.5 pounds at birth a full-grown pig can weigh anywhere from 300 to 700 pounds.
  6. Male pigs at any age are called boars while female pigs are called sows, and babies are called piglets.
  7. Pigs’ snouts are more than just cute, they are very powerful. A pig’s sense of smell is around 2000 times more sensitive than a human’s. They are powerful in another way too-pigs have a round disk of cartilage at the tip of their snout that is connected to the muscle to give it flexibility and strength for rooting in the ground.
  8. Wild pigs get a bad rap sometimes, but they are actually very important to the ecosystem, they root around and loosen up the soil which helps create room for new plants to grow and spread plants around with their droppings.
8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

If you are looking for a great reference on pigs you will want to pick up Farm Anatomy by Julia Rothman.

There are 5 full-color pages.

They are pig terminology, breeds, and pig anatomy as well as lots of other great farm animals, crops, buildings, and machinery.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

These adorable pig figures make a great feature for a diorama.

Or use them in a pig sensory bin for dramatic play.

Finally, look at this cute Wilbur paper plate Charlotte’s Web craft

Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web craft

You will need:

  • 2 paper plates
  • 2 googly eyes
  • 1 pink pipe cleaner
  • Light pink craft paint
  • Dark Pink Marker
  • Black Marker
  • Glue
  • Scissors
8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

First, paint both paper plates completely in light pink, just squirt the paint right on the paper plate to paint, no need for a palette.

Allow the paint to dry completely.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

After the paint is dry you want to take one of the plates and cut out pieces.

Like this, cut two triangles for ears, a round snout, two elongated trapezoids, and the bottom pieces that are shaped like an inverted V.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Glue the inverted V shape to the back of the other plate so that most of it is hanging out the bottom to create his back legs.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Color nostrils on the round snout piece and the center of the triangles to make the inner ears and glue into place on the full plate.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Add googly eyes securely with glue as well.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Take the two small trapezoid-shaped pieces and glue them on the back of the plate on either side of the larger leg piece to add on his front legs.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Use the black marker to draw on a mouth.

Cut a piece of twine about 2” long and untwist one end, glue it to the back of the plate at the top to give him a little sprig of hair.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Finally, coil a pink pipe cleaner around your finger or a marker to make a little pigtail.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Glue it to the back of the back leg piece and twist it to the side or down so that it peeps out the bottom.

Wilbur is now ready to reenact all the scenes from the book or hang around on the fridge while you read it aloud.

8 Pig Facts and a Cute Wilbur Paper Plate Charlotte’s Web Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: Charlotte's Web, crafts, farm, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, paper plate activity, pigs, unit studies

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

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

We’re learning about life during colonial times and making a New England craft. Besides, life after the voyage of the Mayflower was not easy. Grab more ideas about the colonists here at Daniel Boone Facts For Kids About Colonial Life and Fun Kids’ Games (DIY Button Whirligig).

September 16, 1620, marks the day that the Mayflower set sail with 102 passengers for America.

While they left for a variety of reasons, some for a fresh start and some for adventures in a new land, one thing was true both in England and America, life was hard.

Too when they landed, they didn’t have the modern amenities that we take for granted today.

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Many of the men who came were gentlemen.

They were not used to the back-breaking work of breaking up the land for farming and keeping a working farm going.

Colonial Life For Men and Women

Men had to:

  • build houses,
  • work fields,
  • hunt for food, and hold the positions of
  • coopers, tailors, tanners, etc.

Women were responsible:

  • for the tedious work of housekeeping,
  • taking care of children,
  • cooking,
  • gathering,
  • and tasks like gardening,
  • mending clothes,
  • grinding corn,
  • making butter,
  • cheese,
  • soap, and
  • candles as well as many other tasks.

5 Facts about Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage

  1. The Pilgrims spent the first month and a half once they landed exploring Cape Cod, but most of them stayed onboard the ship while trying to decide where they would finally build their new colony- choosing what is now known as Plymouth.
  2. In the first winter in Plymouth 45 of the original 102 passengers of the crew died of sickness and harsh conditions.
  3. Plymouth is most famously known for being the site of the first feast in 1621 shared between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag peoples that lasted over 3 days. 
  4. For 30 years William Bradford served as governor of Plymouth and documented his experiences living there in a historic book that is considered the authority on pilgrim life in those times.
  5. The name Plymouth was chosen because it was the name of the port of departure- Plymouth, England.  The Plymouth Rock, which was merely a granite boulder, was placed at the location where they first stepped foot on land.
Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Additionally, add some of these resources to your study of the Pilgrims.

19 Colonial America Books to Read and to Be Read To

Grab some of these books and resources. You can use a book as a unit study spine to learn about Life During the Colonial Times.

Blood on the River: James Town, 1607

Twelve-year-old Samuel Collier is a lowly commoner on the streets of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can’t believe his good fortune. He’s heard that gold washes ashore with every tide. But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, he realizes that the New World is nothing like he imagined. The lush Virginia shore where they establish the colony of James Town is both beautiful and forbidding, and it’s hard to know who’s a friend or foe. As he learns the language of the Algonquian Indians and observes Captain Smith’s wise diplomacy, Samuel begins to see that he can be whomever he wants to be in this new land.

Paul Revere's Ride

 Longfellow's tribute to the famous revolutionary hero begins with the stirring cadence that American schoolchildren have committed to memory for over a century. Now illustrator Ted Rand brings these vivid and beautiful lines to life as dramatically as the poet's immortal message inspires."The clatter of hooves seems to echo in Rand's evocative paintings of that famed midnight ride...."

Daughter of Liberty (The American Patriot Series, Book 1)

The thrilling saga of a nation's founding begins...Eastertide, April 1775. In the blockaded port of Boston the conflict between the British Regulars and the Sons of Liberty rapidly escalates toward a fateful confrontation. Caught in the deepening rift that divides Whig and Tory, Elizabeth Howard is torn between her love for her prominent parents, who have strong ties to the British establishment, and her secret adherence to the cause of liberty. By night she plays a dangerous game as the infamous courier Oriole, hunted by the British for smuggling intelligence and munitions to the patriot leaders. And by day she treads increasingly perilous ground as she flirts ever more boldly with British officers close to her parents to gain access to information the rebels desperately need.Elizabeth’s assignment is to pin down the exact time the Redcoats will march to capture the patriots’ hoarded munitions. But she hasn’t counted on the arrival of Jonathan Carleton, an officer in the Seventeenth Light Dragoons. To her dismay, the attraction between them is immediate, powerful--and fought on both sides in a war of wits and words. When Carleton wins the assignment to ferret out Oriole, Elizabeth can no longer deny that he is her most dangerous foe--and the possessor of her heart.

Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation

While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. The late #1 New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts brings us women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as the men, often defending their very doorsteps.

Drawing upon personal correspondence, private journals, and even favored recipes, Roberts reveals the often surprising stories of these fascinating women, bringing to life the everyday trials and extraordinary triumphs of individuals like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Read Franklin, Eliza Pinckney Catherine Littlefield Green, Esther DeBerdt Reed, and Martha Washington—proving that without our exemplary women, the new country might have never survived.

Betsy Ross

 Folk-art style paintings and a simple text mark a retelling of the life story of Betsy Ross, including her work running an upholstery business and, according to legend, her designing of the first American flag at the request of George Washington.

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch:

Readers today are still fascinated by “Nat, an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor's world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn't promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by “log, lead, and lookout. Nat's long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the “Sailors Bible"), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.

A Lion to Guard Us

Featuring a heroine with faith, courage, and a great deal of grit, this acclaimed historical fiction novel portrays the realities faced by three children hoping to find a new home in an unknown land.

Amanda Freebold doesn't know what to do. Her father left three years ago for the new colony of Jamestown in America, thousands of miles away. But now that her mother has died, Amanda is left to take care of her younger brother and sister all alone back in England.

As the new head of the family, Amanda finally decides to take her brother and sister to America to find Father. The ocean crossing is long and hard, and the children don't know whom to trust. But with her father's little brass lion's head to guard them, Amanda knows that somehow everything will work out.

Colonial Craftsmen: And the Beginnings of American Industry

The vanished ways of colonial America's skilled craftsmen are vividly reconstructed in this superb book by Edwin Tunis. With incomparable wit and learning, and in over 450 meticulous drawings, the author describes the working methods and products, houses and shops, town and country trades, and individual and group enterprises by which the early Americans forged the economy of the New World.

In the tiny coastal settlements, which usually sprang up around a mill or near a tanyard, the first craftsmen set up their trades. The blacksmith, cooper, joiner, weaver, cordwainer, and housewright, working alone or with several assistants, invented their own tools and devised their own methods. Soon they were making products that far surpassed their early models: the American ax was so popular that English ironmongers often labeled their own axes "American" to sell them more readily. In the town squares a colonist could have his bread baked to order, bring in his wig to be curled, have his eyeglasses ground, his medicine prescription filled, or buy snuff for his many pocket boxes. With the thriving trade in "bespoke" or made-to-order work, fine American styles evolved; many of these are priceless heirlooms now―the silverware of Paul Revere and John Coney, redware and Queensware pottery, Poyntell hand-blocked wallpaper, the Kentucky rifle, Conestoga wagon, and the iron grillework still seen in some parts of the South. The author discusses in detail many of the trades which have since developed into important industries, like papermaking, glassmaking, shipbuilding, printing, and metalworking, often reconstructing from his own careful research the complex equipment used in these enterprises.

African-Americans in the Thirteen Colonies

Using many photographs, this is a simple overview of the part played by African Americans during the formative years of the colonial period. The freedom sought by so many Europeans who came to America was not shared with many Africans & their descendants. The brief descriptions in this book tell of slavery as well as the limited freedoms of free blacks. Phillis Wheatley, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, & Benjamin Banneker are among those briefly profiled. Index. Part of the Cornerstones of Freedom series.Bowker Authored Title code. Using many photographs, this is a simple overview of the part played by African Americans during the formative years of the colonial period. Presents a brief history of Afro-Americans and of slavery in seventeenth and eighteenth century America.

Seventh and Walnut: Life in Colonial Philadelphia (Adventures in Colonial America)

A native of colonial Philadelphia describes the famous citizens, landmarks, and daily life of his town

The Farm: Life in Colonial Pennsylvania (Adventures in Colonial America)

An indentured servant looks back on his five years of service on the farm of a Pennsylvania German family in the 1760's.

The Dish on Food and Farming in Colonial America (Life in the American Colonies)

Travel back to a time when: People believed vegetables made you sick. Slaves were forced to grow and harvest crops for masters. Step into the lives of the colonists, and get the dish on food and farming in Colonial America.

Early Family Home (Early Settler Life)

Describes the life of early settlers, including the construction of a home, the clearing of land, folk medicine, candle making, quilting bees, weaving, and wedding parties

An Algonquian Year : The Year According to the Full Moon

Brings to life the seasonal cycles of work, play, and survival as experienced by the Northern Algonquians of pre-colonial America, from the icy cold of January's Hard Times Moon through the fertile autumn harvest moons.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit’s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty.

Almost Home: A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower's Young Mary Chilton

Several of the characters in the story—Mary Chilton, Constance Hopkins, and Elizabeth Tilley—were actual passengers on the Mayflower. Mary Chilton was a young girl when she left her home in Holland and traveled to America onboard the Mayflower with her parents. The journey was filled with trials, joys, and some surprises, but when she reached the New World, she experienced a new life, new freedom, and new home.

Wendy Lawton has taken the facts of the pilgrims’ journey to the New World, and from this information filled in personal details to create a genuine and heart-warming story.

Constance: A Story of Early Plymouth

Runner-up for the National Book Award for Children's Literature in 1969, Constance is a classic of historical young adult fiction, recounting the daily life, hardships, romances, and marriage of a young girl during the early years of the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth.

Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl (Scholastic Bookshelf)

At sunup when the cockerel crows, young Sarah Morton's day begins. Come and join her as she goes about her work and play in an early American settlement in the year 1627.There's a fire to build, breakfast to cook, chickens to feed, goats to milk, and letters and scripture to learn. Between the chores, there is her best friend, Elizabeth, with whom she shares her hopes and dreams. But Sarah is worried about her new stepfather. Will she ever earn his love and learn to call him father?

If You Were a Kid on the Mayflower (If You Were a Kid)

Learn what living conditions were like aboard The Mayflower, what dangers the Pilgrims faced at sea, and much more.

In 1620, a group of Pilgrims left Europe aboard a ship called the Mayflower. They sailed toward North America, hoping to make a new home where they could practice their religion freely. Readers (Ages 7-9) will join Hope and Theodore as their set sail on a 66-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Next, look at some England craft resources.

New England Craft Resources

  • Fold a paper Mayflower for decoration and to discover more about the ship itself.
  • Watch The Pilgrims and The Mayflower Compact to learn more about the journey and settling a new colony.
  • For older kids, The Pilgrims on PBS is a more in-depth video.
  • How To Make An Easy Ink pot & Quill Pen with Berry Ink.
  • Make soap.
  • No sew rag doll.
  • Mayflower Craft And Science Activity
  • Cardboard Tube Pilgrim Hat Craft

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Finally, look at how to make these hand dipped candles.

How to Make Hand Dipped Candles

You will want to designate two containers for these candles, you won’t want to use them again for anything else.

Also, instead of purchasing beeswax pellets you could melt down old candles or pick up cheap ones from Dollar Tree

You will need:

  • 2-4 cups beeswax pellets
  • 2 tall glass heat-safe containers
  • Candle wicking
  • Stick or clothespin
  • Ice water
Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

First, cut a piece of candle wicking about 15 “in long, wrap it around a stick a couple of times, and let each end hang down, about 4”-5” apart.

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Melt beeswax pastilles in a microwave-safe container, heat for one minute, stirring, and then continuing in 30-second increments until completely melted.

Colonial Times Hand Dipped Candles

It helps to use a container with a pour spout, a glass 4-cup measuring cup works well.

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

The height of your jar filled with wax will determine the height of your candle.

If you have two tall, narrow containers you can get a longer candle but you don’t need special supplies, you can use quart mason jars.

Pour melted wax into one of your containers.

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Fill the other with cold water, you can add a couple of ice cubes to help chill it quicker.

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Place jars right next to each other.

Dip the first inch of wicking into the wax, let it drip a few times, and then dip into the cold water.

This will help the wax harden up quicker, so you do not have to wait between dips.

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Turn and dip the other hanging wick into the wax and then the water. Repeat a couple of times, this will give the end a little weight.

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

This is the quickest way I have found to dip these candles, doing two at once- dip one end in the wax as tall as you want to make your candle and the other into the water.

Pull them up, allow them to drip for a few seconds, and twist and drop them into the other jar.

Continue to do this over and over until it is as thick as you would like.

As the wax cools it may need to be remelted by placing it back in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Once the wax has hardened and dried, cut the wicking in the middle, leaving the wick at the end of the candle about ¼” long.

Are you working on a New England craft?

Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: american history, candles, colonial times, early American history, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

September 22, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing some fun pirate activities for middle school and a craft for a pirate ship figurehead. Also, you’ll love my Pirates Unit Study and Lapbook.

If you are swashbuckling your way into a pirate unit study, you are going to need some solid pirate activities for middle school.

I have a tutorial to recreate a pirate ship figurehead.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

And it is not only a great craft for building creativity for your middle school child, but it also makes an awesome addition to a room or your homeschool space.

It can be made as part of a larger study on pirates or just as a fun independent activity for the middle schooler who loves all things pirates.

Figureheads were carved figures mounted on a ship’s bow for good luck or to ward off evil spirits and were often made to look like maidens, angels, or skeletons.

Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 19th and it is the perfect excuse to study pirates, ships, treasures, parrots, and everything that makes up the life of a buccaneer.

5 Facts About Pirates

  1. Pirates kept parrots as pets but often they kept them temporarily, bringing them home from exotic places and selling them for steep prices in places like London.
  2. Pirates did in fact wear eye patches but not just because they were missing an eye. The patches help their eyes adjust quicker between the bright ship deck and the dark belowdecks so they would put a patch on one eye.
  3. On board, pirates packed their ships with cured meats and fermented vegetables. They might also keep animals on the ship that could provide fresh milk, eggs, and even fresh meat.
  4. Captains were elected by popular vote and could be removed if they failed to perform up to “standards”.
  5. Pirates still exist today but are mostly contained in Indonesia, Somalia, and Nigeria. They still board the vessels and steal money and valuables from the crew, as well as cargo. 

Books to Learn About Pirates

Next, you’ll love these books to add to your activities for middle school kids.

Books for Multiple Ages About Pirates and Fun Resources

Add a few of these books about pirates to your history, science or pirates unit study.

The Ballad of the Pirate Queens

Recounting the stories of two legendary women pirates, a ballad about Anne Bonney and Mary Reade describes their desperate 1720 evening battle with the governor's men while the rest of the crew remained below.

A Pirate's Life for Me! A Day Aboard a Pirate Ship

Ahoy, matey! Did you ever wonder what life was like on a pirate ship? Join this pirate crew for a day and see for yourself. Hoist the Jolly Roger as the pirates prepare to attack a merchant ship and you'll earn a share of the loot. Sing a sea chantey as you help wind the capstan. And after you climb down the ratlines from the crow's nest, you can feast on salmagundi. From Spanish galleons to stinkpots, from treasure maps to desert islands, for a pirate it's all in a day's work!

One-Eyed Jake

One-Eyed Jake was the most despicable pirate to ever sail the seven seas. The cook, the bo'sun, and the cabin boy were desperate to escape Jake's evil clutches and live quiet, law-abiding lives--and one day they get their chance. "Buried treasure reluctant beginning readers need."--School Library Journal. "Illustrated with bouncy bravado."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.

Treasure Island: The Original 1883 Edition With Complete Illustrations

"For sheer storytelling delight and pure adventure, Treasure Island has never been surpassed. From the moment young Jim Hawkins first encounters the sinister Blind Pew at the Admiral Benbow Inn until the climactic battle for treasure on a tropic isle, the novel creates scenes and characters that have fired the imaginations of generations of readers.

Mystery History:Pirate Galleon (Mystery History Series)

Describes life aboard a pirate ship. Includes games, puzzles, and mazes.

Little Children's Pirate Activity Book

An action-packed, write-in activity book for little children, full of lots of different things to do. There are things to spot, mazes to follow, colouring, drawing and lots more. Factual information about the
life aboard a pirate ship are incorporated into the activities.

The Pirate's Handbook: How to Become a Rogue of the High Seas

Presents facts about the lives of real pirates, and provides ideas for how to become one with instructions for making pirate shoe buckles, a treasure map, pirate flag, and pieces of eight

The Book of Pirates: by Howard Pyle with Original Illustrations

Rarely have the exploits of marauding pirates and buccaneers of the Spanish Main been more vividly recounted than in the stories of author and illustrator Howard Pyle. Possessed of a unique talent for recapturing the flavor of bygone eras, Pyle wrote and illustrated these highly readable sagas of the sea wolves who sailed under the dreaded black flag.

Pirates (Magic Tree House Research Guide, paper)

When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #4: Pirates Past Noon, they had lots of questions. Did pirates really make people walk the plank? What was life like on a pirate ship? Is there any buried treasure around today? Argh! How do you talk like a pirate? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts.

The Stowaway: A Tale of California Pirates

When a pirate terrorizes the 1818 California coast, a brave young boy summons up the courage to defend his Monterey home from a savage attack. By the author of Jimmy Spoon and the Pony Express.

Pirates: Robbers of the High Seas

Full-color artwork and a simple text chronicle the world of the pirates, detailing the exploits of such famous villains as Captain Kidd and Blackbeard, their battles on the high seas, and their lives aboard ship.

Treasure Island (Signet Classics)

For sheer storytelling delight and pure adventure, Treasure Island has never been surpassed. From young Jim Hawkins’s first encounter with the sinister beggar Pew to the climactic battle with the most memorable villain in literature, Long John Silver, this novel has fired readers’ imaginations for generations. A rousing tale of treachery, greed, and daring, Treasure Island continues to enthrall readers of all ages.

Who Was Blackbeard?

Though much of his early life remains a mystery, Blackbeard most likely began his life as Edward Teach in the sailing port of Bristol, England. He began his career as a hired British sailor during Queen Anne’s War. He eventually settled in the Bahamas under Captain Benjamin Hornigold who taught the young sailor to go "a-pirating." Soon enough, Blackbeard was commanding his own fleet and stealing ships around the Caribbean and up and down the Eastern seaboard. Known for his thick, black beard and fearsome reputation, the legend of Blackbeard has influenced pirate legend and lore for over 300 years.

Pirate Fluxx

Play Pirate Fluxx, boardgames are always a good addition to any study.

How I Became a Pirate

When Braid Beard’s pirate crew invites Jeremy Jacob to join their voyage, he jumps right on board. Buried treasure, sea chanteys, pirate curses—who wouldn’t go along?

Soon Jeremy Jacob knows all about being a pirate. He throws his food across the table and his manners to the wind. He hollers like thunder and laughs off bedtime. It’s the heave-ho, blow-the-man-down, very best time of his life. But then Jeremy Jacob finds out what pirates don’t do. . .

Bucket of Pirate Action Figures

BUCKET OF PIRATES: Ignite your child's imagination with this bucket of pirate action figures playset! Includes 8 detailed pirate figurines, boat, ship, treasures, and more for epic battles and treasure hunts. Let their creativity soar!

Next, look at these pirate activities for middle school.

9 Pirate Activities For Middle School

  1. Read the classic, Treasure Island, or assign it as independent reading to your middle schooler.
  2. Grab my free Pirate Unit Study Ideas and Free Pirates Lapbook.
  3. Another good option for reading is Who was Blackbeard? While these books are recommended for 5-6 grade I think they still have a lot to offer to kids through middle school as an easier read with a lot of great information.
  4. Watch Pirates of The Caribbean together as a family.
  5. This Pirate Escape Room would make an amazing activity for home or even as a group in a co-op setting.
  6. Have your child research and write a paper on female pirates like – Anne Bonny, Cheng I Sao, or Mary Read.
  7. Play Pirate Fluxx, boardgames are always a good addition to any study.
  8. Learn how to draw a pirate map from distressing to final coloring.
  9. Create a piece of pirate artwork like the pirate ship figurehead below.
Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Finally, look how to make this cool octopus pirate ship figurehead.

How to Make an Octopus Pirate Ship Figurehead

Figureheads of the ship embodied the spirit of the ship.

They were made of wood and were placed on the prow of the ship.

The prow is the most forward part of the ship’s bow above the waterline.

And the pirates felt the figurehead offered protection and safe voyage, so they went to great lengths to protect it.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

We are going to create a figurehead that looks as if it might have been recovered from a pirate shipwreck and brought up to be put on display.

You will need:

  • Air dry clay
  • Craft paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Toothpick
  • Craft stick
  • Water
  • Aluminum foil
Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

You will also need:

  • Scrap wood (Dollar Tree)
  • Small rope (Dollar Tree)
Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

First, you want to condition the clay by pulling off a large piece.

Work it in your hands for a minute or two to warm everything up and make it easier to work with.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Divide the clay up and eight same-size pieces as these will be the legs for your octopus.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Roll each of the legs out to the same length and thickness.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Then arrange them in a circle where they touch in the middle. You will not want to move it again after this, so be sure to build it where it’s going to be able to sit for the next two or three days.

Add a small piece of clay over the top of the legs where they touch and carefully smooth it with your fingers so that it’s pressed into each of the legs.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Pirate Ship Figurehead

Now take another piece of clay and condition it by kneading it for a few minutes and use it to shape the head of the octopus.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Press into the piece that you placed over the legs and smooth it, so that it appears to be one solid piece.

Use the paintbrush with a little bit of water to wet the pieces anywhere you join them or want to create a smoother appearance.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Create deep-set eyes by pressing the end of a paintbrush into the sides of the head.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Now you can pose your octopus if you don’t want it to just lie flat by arching his arms, twisting them up words, etc. using balled-up tin foil to hold it into place while it’s drying.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Use a toothpick to create little suctions on the bottom of his tentacles anywhere that you can see the underside.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Let the octopus sculpture dry out completely for 2 to 3 days, and then carefully remove the aluminum foil props pieces.

Once the sculpture is completely dry, paint it however you like and allow the paint to dry, while you’re waiting for that to dry you can move onto the board.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Hot glue your rope all the way around the board to give it a little bit of a nautical look.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Secure the octopus to the center of the board with your chosen glue.

You may want to use something a little more substantial than hot glue like E6000.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Be sure to give us plenty of time to dry before hanging so that your octopus stays secure and will not fall off.

Now, you can either display it flat on a table or shelf or hot glue a loop of twine to the back to act as a hanger.

Pirate Activities For Middle School And Make a Cool Pirate Ship Figurehead

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: american history, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, history, history resources, octopus, pirates, ships

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

September 21, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a fun The Hobbit unit study and a hobbit door craft. Also, grab more ideas on my Best Homeschool Unit Studies page.

Besides Hobbit Day is September 22nd, and I rounded up the best resources to create a hobbit unit study to celebrate.

I love all of Tolkien’s book series and the movies as well.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Too, they lend themselves very well to becoming a unit study.

From character analysis to vocabulary, and research to artwork I have enough to fill a day or a few weeks.

I am also showing you how to create this cute little hobbit door that makes for a great decoration for your celebration as well as to adorn your shelf or table.

The Hobbit Unit Study Resources

Of course, you will want to begin your study with the book itself or maybe the whole series.

The Hobbit Resources

Add some of these books and fun resources to celebrate Hobbit Day or do a fun unit study.

The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition

In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling farther than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard Gandalf and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep to whisk him away on a journey to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon....

“A glorious account of a magnificent adventure, filled with suspense and seasoned with a quiet humor that is irresistible.

J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

When Thorin Oakenshield and his band of dwarves embark upon a dangerous quest to reclaim the hoard of gold stolen from them by the evil dragon Smaug, Gandalf suggests an unlikely accomplice: Bilbo Baggins, an unassuming Hobbit dwelling in peaceful Hobbiton.Along the way, the company faces trolls, goblins, giant spiders, and worse. But as they journey from the wonders of Rivendell to the terrors of Mirkwood and beyond, Bilbo will find that there is more to him than anyone—himself included—ever dreamed. Unexpected qualities of courage and cunning, and a love of adventure, propel Bilbo toward his great destiny . . . a destiny that waits in the dark caverns beneath the Misty Mountains, where a twisted creature known as Gollum jealously guards a precious ring.

Who Was J. R. R. Tolkien?

Best known for his epic Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien was born in British-occupied South Africa. His early life was full of action and adventure. Tolkien spent his childhood roaming the British countryside with his family and could read and write by age four. He was naturally gifted with languages and used this skill as a signals officer in World War I as well as in his fantasy writing. By creating alternate universes and inventing languages in his work he demonstrated that imaginary realms were not just for children. Fondly remembered as the “Father of High Fantasy,” Tolkien’s books have inspired blockbuster movies and legions of fans.

An Unexpected Cookbook: The Unofficial Book of Hobbit Cookery

When a second generation geek with multiple degrees in history grows up to be a professional cookbook writer, it s no surprise you end up with a lovingly researched book of Hobbit cookery.Inside these pages you ll find one chapter for each traditional Hobbit meal. In addition to being based on historic recipes revised to fit Tolkien's specific vision of the Shire, the dishes have the following themes.- Breakfast - hot, fast, traditional morning food - Second Breakfast - cold, sturdy pies full of meat, veg and fruit to fuel a small adventure- Elevenses - a hearty selection of breads to tide you over until Luncheon- Luncheon - lighter fare appropriate for a pub- Afternoon Tea - sweet biscuits, cakes and buns to accompany a caffeinated pick-me-up- Supper - a hot meal of meat, veg, and mushrooms with a sweet finish- Dinner - slow cooked roasts and puddings that take hours to make, but are well worth the wait.

Little People Collector the Lord of the Rings: Hobbits

Includes Frodo Baggins with the One Ring around his neck and holding Sting, Samwise Gamgee and his frying pan, Peregrin “Pippin” Took and Meriadoc “Merry” Brandybuck with their swords

LEGO The Lord of The Rings: Rivendell Building Kit Construct and Display a Middle-Earth Valley

While it's in the higher price range the Rivendell LEGO Set is going to appeal to both the LEGO lover and the Hobbit fan. As you know LEGO is fantastic for fine motor skills, direction following, hand eye coordination, problem solving, planning and attention span.

Next, look at these hands-on activities for your The Hobbit unit study.

Hands-on Activities for the Hobbit Unit Study

Be sure to enjoy breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper. Make Lembas Bread and wrap it up with this recipe and free template for the leaves.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Create a Lord of The Rings Welcome Mat. This is a great art project for older fans like teens.

Use these free pages of Hobbit themed copywork to practice handwriting, focus, and even spelling.

Make these tiny clay door charms to show off your love of the Shire.

Welcome to the study with a chalk drawing or a painting on canvas like I did here for our celebration.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Add in ideas about dragons on my Fun Dragon Unit Study Ideas and Salt Dough Dragon Craft.

And make fun dragon eggs.

In addition, create a map based on Thror’s Map.

You could also challenge your child to create it on their own, using the tutorial from Chalk Pastels The Hobbit Art Lesson – You ARE an ARTiST!

You could also take your creativity outdoors and make a Hobbit Hole Fairy Garden  in a container.

Literature Analysis

And literature analysis should start in middle school although your child can be introduced to these concepts prior to middle school.

First, explain what is literature analysis.

It means understanding what the techniques are, then identify the techniques in the books your child reads and then doling a brief essay explaining what he identified.

Look at these easy helps for literature analysis to help your child understand that every book has these elements.

  • Theme
  • Plot
  • Setting
  • Character
  • Point of View
  • Mood

Each person has their reasons for loving the story. Try to draw out the reasons your child loves it.

For example, we love it because not only is it strong fantasy, but it has elements of fairy tale and even a medieval time period feel.

List of Characters in the Hobbit Novel

Additionally, look at a list of the characters in the novel.

Your child can focus on writing about each one or comparing character traits.

  • Bilbo Baggins
  • Thorin Oakenshield
  • Gandalf
  • Gollum
  • Smaug
  • Bard

About J.R.R.Tolkien

Also, look at these few facts about J.R.R. Tolkien if you want to do an author study.

  • He was born John Ronald Reuel Tolkien.
  • In addition, he was born on January 3rd 1892 in Bloemfontein, England.
  • Too, he was recognized as one of the finest philologists (study of literature) in the world.
  • However, he is best known as the creator of Middle-earth.

Then, although Tolkien created Middle Earth, his stories draw from myths, fables, and fairy tales.

For example, look at some of these elements and ask your child if some of these same concepts are developed in other literature.

  • dwarves, elves, and trolls
  • talking animals
  • riddles and runes. Runes were old letters originally used for cutting or scratching on wood
  • dragon
  • the treasure trove
How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

(Although this Rivendell LEGO Set is set is expensive, it is a beautiful keepsake and gift to treasure for years. Just had to let you know)

Too, look at some of these other best homeschool unit studies.

More Best Homeschool Unit Studies

  • Fun Chocolate Unit Study and DIY Chocolate Candy Bar Activity
  • Fun Renaissance Unit Study Ideas for Kids and Lapbook Renaissance
  • Free Homeschool Geology Unit Study And Easy DIY Eggshell Geode
  • Free The Trail Of Tears For Kids Fun Unit Study Ideas And Lapbook
  • Free World War II Unit Study Ideas and Fun Lapbook
  • Free Carnivorous Plants Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Swiss Family Robinson Unit Study And Easy DIY Water Filter
  • Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas
  • Fun Kids Dandelion Flower Unit Study and Easy Tea Recipe & Notebooking Pages
  • Free Lapbook Maya and Fun Hands-on Meso-America Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Quick France Unit Study and Make Easy French Bread
  • Free Greek Mythology Unit Study and Greece Lapbook & Fun Hands on LEGO Zeus
  • Free South America Printable Lapbook and Fun Hands-on Unit Study Ideas
  • Toddler to Teen 100 Popular Free Homeschool Unit Study Resources
How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Finally, make this hobbit door craft.

Hobbit Door Craft

You will need:

  • Thin balsa wood round
  • Cardboard
  • Green craft paint
  • gold/yellow craft paint
  • Brick red craft paint
  • Small wood bead
  • Artificial greenery
  • Small artificial flowers
  • Black Sharpie
  • 2 Jenga blocks or other thick pieces of wood
  • White paint pen
  • Paintbrush
  • Unfinished mushrooms
  • ruler
How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

First, paint the wood round as well as the jenga blocks a deep green and set aside to dry.

You can paint one or both sides.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Once dry use a ruler and permanent marker to make lines in the round to look as if it is made of planks.

 Add a few lines and knots to give it more of a wood look.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Paint your unfinished mushrooms however you like, or you could use small pre-decorated ones.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Cut a round of cardboard 1” to 1 ½” larger than the wooden round. Paint brick red and allow it to dry.

Once dry use a white chalk marker to make lines all the way around, a few inches in from the edge.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Glue the green wood round into place in the center of the brick red circle.

Paint the small wooden bead gold or yellow and attach to the center of the round.

Hot glue a layer of greenery and moss around the outside edge.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Continue layering on flowers, mushrooms, and more greenery as you like.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Finally, hot glue the two painted Jenga blocks along the back to stabilize and hold the door upright.

You will want to hold it in place until the glue is cold and set.

How to Make a Hobbit Door Craft and Fun The Hobbit Unit Study

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: fantasy, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, middle school, middleschool, unit studies, unit study, unit study approach

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

September 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More Homeschool Cooking

Learn How to Set Up a Kitchen

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

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

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

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

14 Learning How To Cook Books and Games

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

Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World

Get your recommended daily allowance of facts and fun with Food Anatomy, the third book in Julia Rothman’s best-selling Anatomy series. She starts with an illustrated history of food and ends with a global tour of street eats. Along the way, Rothman serves up a hilarious primer on short-order egg lingo and a mouthwatering menu of how people around the planet serve fried potatoes — and what we dip them in. Award-winning food journalist Rachel Wharton lends her expertise to this light-hearted exploration of everything food that bursts with little-known facts and delightful drawings. Everyday diners and seasoned foodies alike are sure to eat it up. 

Cooking Curriculum for the Whole Family

your homeschool curriculum needs life skills and your life needs kids who help out.

Connect with your kids in the kitchen, build life skills, and put peace into your homeschool day.

Who Was Julia Child?

Born in California in 1912, Julia Child enlisted in the Army and met her future husband, Paul, during World War II. She discovered her love of French food while stationed in Paris and enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu cooking school after her service. Child knew that Americans would love French food as much as she did, so she wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961. The book was a success and the public wanted more. America fell in love with Julia Child. Her TV show, The French Chef, premiered in 1963 and brought the bubbling and lovable chef into millions of homes. Find out more about this beloved chef, author, and TV personality in Who Was Julia Child?

The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids

Break out your best aprons and spatulas: The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids, 2nd Edition teaches children the basics of science through a variety of fun experiments, activities, and recipes. Each chapter explores a different science topic by giving you an experiment or activity you can do right in your kitchen, followed by easy-to-make recipes using ingredients from the experiment. Altogether there are over 100 experiments, activities, and recipes for you to try. From learning why an onion makes you cry to how to bake the perfect cupcake, you'll bring the fundamentals of science to life in a new, magical way.

MasterChef Junior Cookbook: Bold Recipes and Essential Techniques to Inspire Young Cooks

Creativity, hard work, and lots of fun—that’s what it takes to cook like a master. Beloved television competition show MasterChef Junior fosters all of this within each of its pint-size home cooks, and what they whip up is truly impressive. This book aims to give any aspiring young chef the tools he or she needs to hone essential cooking skills, with 100 recipes inspired by dishes that the contestants served in the first five seasons, as well as timeless techniques, tips, and advice. With this book, anyone can become an excellent cook.

MasterChef Family Cooking Game.

Bring Masterchef Into Your Kitchen: Turn Mealtime Into Game Time With This Exciting New Culinary Board Game. Teach Kids Valuable Cooking Skills Through A Series Of Fun Challenges With Delicious Results. Find Out If Your Family Has What It Takes To Become The Ultimate Masterchef

Guacamole Game - Cooperative and Critical Thinking Ingredient Matching Card Game

EASY TO PLAY: Players must use critical thinking to collect the ingredients for their guacamole recipes.

FAMILY FUN: This lively family card game is perfect for kids to spice up their day or for contemplative adults.

Foodie Fight Revised: A Trivia Game for Serious Food Lovers

FIND THE BIGGEST FOODIE: Test your knowledge on topics ranging from culinary science to celebrity chefs, exotic cuisine to cooking and baking skills.

Your Kids: Cooking!: A Recipe for Turning Ordinary Kids Into Extraordinary Cooks

Your Kids: Cooking! is a fun and engaging hands-on cooking program that prepares kids for a lifetime of healthy eating by teaching them how to turn fresh, wholesome ingredients into healthy and delicious meals. Much more than a just a cookbook, YKC is a multimedia cooking program that teaches kids how to cook in a structured, fun, and engaging way. 

Melon Rind Check The Oven! Math Game - Adding to 12 Card Game for Kids (Ages 7 and up)

Sometimes you just need to break it up with a fun family game, but to stay on theme let's go with the quick play card game - Check the Oven.

Throw Throw Burrito

Another one that our family enjoys for fun that is food-themed is Throw Throw Burrito, you will end up in stitches with this one.

Teens Cook

Teenagers like what they like, and they will only eat what they like. But instead of causing mealtime strife, now they can learn to cook those foods themselves. With over 75 delicious recipes for meals at all times of the day—breakfast, snacks, sides, dinners, and dessert, too—Teens Cook is a guide to everything teenagers (and tweens) need to learn about conquering the kitchen without accidentally setting the house on fire. Written by teens and for teens in easy-to-follow instructions, authors Megan and Jill Carle give young readers advice on how to maneuver their kitchen in a language they’ll understand (and actually listen to). The Carle sisters pass on their knowledge of how to decipher culinary vocabulary, understand kitchen chemistry (why stuff goes right and wrong when cooking), adapt recipes to certain dietary restrictions (like vegetarianism), and avoid all sorts of possible kitchen disasters.

Where's Mom Now That I Need Her: Surviving Away from Home

WHERE'S MOM NOW THAT I NEED HER?: Surviving Away from Home is the ultimate guide to living away from home! It is filled with real world information and basic survival tips on topics such as:

  • Cooking for BEGINNERS with Recipes for Quick, Easy Meals
  • Nutrition
  • Grocery Shopping
  • Laundry and Clothing Care
  • First Aid
  • And lots more

The Happy Planner - Foodie (Recipe Organizer)

During their last few years at home, it is a great time to put together a book of family recipes. This Happy Planner Recipe Book is a great place to preserve recipes while they work on penmanship and attention to
detail. It has a kitchen conversion list and then is broken down into 8 categories.

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

Homeschool Cooking Setting Up a Starter Kitchen

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

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

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

Kitchen Prepware

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

Cookware

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

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

Bakeware

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

Utensils for a New Kitchen

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

Small Appliances

  • Coffee Maker
  • Stand Mixer
  • Air Fryer
  • Blender

Eating Utensils

  • Utensils
  • Plates
  • Bowls
  • Cups

Miscellaneous Items for a Starter Kitchen

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

Small and Large Appliance Care

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

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

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

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

  • Clean an Oven
  • Descale a coffee pot
  • Clean and sanitize your refrigerator
  • How to clean a microwave
  • Caring for cookware

Budgeting, Meal Planning, and Shopping

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

How to Help Kids Go Beyond the Basics of Homeschool Cooking & Resources
  • Teach them to create a grocery list by “shopping” from the pantry first.
  • Add Meal Planning for Beginners: 10 Steps for Success to what you already know to help prepare them for independence.
  • How to Make a Food Budget You’ll Stick To can give your teen some good basics.
  • Scroll down for two free different master grocery lists to help teach grocery shopping skills.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: cooking, hands-on, hands-on activities, high school, high school electives, life skills, middle school, middleschool, teens

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