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Welcome

Free Homeschool Planner Inside Title Page

September 3, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a homeschool planner free inside title page. Grab other gorgeous planning pages on my Homeschool Planner and 7 Step Curriculum Planner page.

I am love, love, loving the fact that I have decided to spread my curriculum pages for planner printables throughout the year.  When the mood hits me and it hits often, I have to create and make my homeschool planner printables. 

Free Homeschool Planner Inside Title Page

Sharing the new printables with you too is one of my favorite things to do because I hope you get as excited as I do.

Because my 7 Step DIY Homeschool Planner has been the product of many, many years to refine the core of it, I feel like now I can add those refining touches as it grows larger with more options. 

From the beginning, I never wanted one curriculum planner with all the same pages to share with you knowing that everybody else has the same download.

I love options from year to year and I will continue to add them as I plod along.

CURRICULUM PAGES FOR PLANNER

Today, I have the first printable for an inside title page.  It is one of those refinements or new sections.

I have switched over the years to keeper covers for the homeschool planner which means there are no more dated planner covers. 

This allows you more choices to choose from each  year.

Homeschool Planner Inside title page

With that switch though, I know some of you have wanted some place to put the school year and maybe a few notes near the front of your planner. 

Some of the homeschool planner covers allows you to edit and fill in the school year and some don’t.

Also, because you may want something between your front cover and where your papers actually start, I have created the first inside title page for this new section of the planner. 

I haven’t decided where to place this new section of pages, but I will let you know shortly after I find an organized spot on my blog. 

Probably, I will keep them on the same page as the front covers and back covers.  It kind of makes sense to keep them there.

7 STEP DIY HOMESCHOOL PLANNER

The inside title page has a page for you to fill in the current school year and a place for your name.

You can use the lines below that to add other personal information or emergency contact information and/or to add some of your favorite quotes for the year.

  I kind of left it generic meaning you may prefer to add other items and I didn’t want to hem you in to what I thought needed to go there.

And like all my forms, the inside title page will eventually have many font choices and colors and here is my first form.

Hope you like it.  I can’t wait to create my planner for next year, but by starting early now and adding the new forms, we will have plenty to select from.

Look at these other homeschool printable products that I know you’ll love!

  • Glam It Up Package

    Glam It Up Package

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  • 2. Ultimate DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner

    2. Ultimate DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner

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  • Editable Homeschool Lesson Planning Pages - Mink Over You

    Editable Homeschool Lesson Planning Pages – Mink Over You

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  • Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic and Fun Human Body Lapbook for Multiple Ages

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  • Editable Weekly General Planning Page

    Editable Weekly General Planning Page

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  • Doodle Curriculum Planner Cover Store 1 @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus 600x

    Doodle Coloring Curriculum Planner Cover

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  • Sunkissed Curriculum Planner Cover

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  • 0. Westward Expansion History Fun 10 Coloring Pages

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  • 00. Ancient Civilization History 20 Coloring Pages

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  • 1. The Best Undated Dynamic Daily Homeschool Planner

    1. The Best Undated Dynamic Daily Homeschool Planner

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  • Dynamic Renaissance Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic Renaissance Lapbook for Multiple Ages

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  • Dynamic Lewis and Clark Lapbook for Multiple Ages

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Whoa, it’s been a while since I shared an inspirational quote.  You know how much I love them because they pack a punch of energy and I want my everyday filled always with lots of it.  I heart this one today.

There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle, or you can live as if everything is a miracle.”

~Albert Einstein~

So true!

HOW TO GET THE FREE INSIDE TITLE PAGE

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

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: 2. My FREE Organizing Printables {Any topic}, Tina's 7 Step DIY Customized Curriculum Planner Tagged With: curriculum pages, homeschool curriculum planner

Day 9 Flow of Our Day with A Unit Study Schedule 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies by Creating a Unit Study Together

September 2, 2025 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re on day 9 flow of our day with a unit study schedule. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies. I’m doing 10 days of diving into unit studies by creating a unit study together.

Homeschoolers are anything but typical and that difference is reflected in the flow our day with a unit study schedule.

I cringe when I think about sharing “typical homeschool schedules” only because I don’t want to ever give you the impression that this is the best way for the season of homeschooling that you are in right now.

Day 9 Flow of Our Day with A Unit Study Schedule 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies by Creating a Unit Study Together

But having said that, I would rather share with you how my unit study schedule works for my day so that you see how relaxed that it can be. 

I have had many schedules, even having to schedule to half-hour increments where needed.  And all of them have worked for the various stages of homeschooling that I have been at in my journey.

So sharing the groove to our unit study day, I am hoping that you see that when planning by “blocks of time” if you can, you have more control over your day. 

UNIT STUDY SCHEDULE

Freedom with a block of time still gives me boundaries and helps me to plug along in the day.

Too, it allows me to decide if we need to focus on a previous day’s assignment or work on the next assignment in our unit study.

The Flow of Our Day With A Unit Study Schedule

Too, I am an early riser and believe in the value of getting the day started early because I don’t want to waste any time. 

No, we don’t have to start schooling right then, but I like having a little bit more time to enjoy quiet mornings.  

Believe me, it was not always possible with little ones, but they grow up, trust me.

We start our day early most mornings with school too and I do occasionally begin our day with fun subjects like geography, history and science and especially if we feel a bit of burnout coming.

However, for a majority of our homeschooling years, we begin our morning focused on the 3 Rs. 

HOW A DAY FLOWS WITH UNIT STUDIES

I have read numerous articles throughout the years and we have experienced the same thing and that is my sons prime time for learning is first in the day. 

Tackling tougher subjects first instead of giving left over time to them allows them to not be frustrated on such essential life-long skills. 

For most kids tough subjects are usually math and some of language arts like writing.

It is especially important to me to cover math and grammar first because those subjects are harder to cover in a unit study and I don’t want them to suffer. 

For the little ones, you will want to focus on phonics first as well. 

Too, a fun hands-on project waiting to be done in your unit study is a great motivating factor for you for your kids to finish the skill subjects early.

Relaxing and savoring our moment with our unit study is more satisfying when I know that I don’t have to force a subject to fit. Get it done early and move on to the delight of the unit study.

It has been my experience to not labor subjects like math, grammar and phonics. If they fit in a unit study topic, then fine.  If not, always schedule time for them separately and move on to enjoying your day.

Blocks of time work for us. And I always make sure I have time to give to my youngest son if he is struggling and allow time for them to finish up an assignment that might have taken a little longer to cover.  

A block type of schedule allows us longer stretches of time to set up our hands-on materials, work on them and not have to put them away right then for the day. 

We can come back later in the day to work on them also.

10 DAYS OF CREATING A UNIT STUDY TOGETHER

  • Unit Studies Define & Redefine the Meaning – Day 1
  • Tips For Choosing Unit Study Topics.- Day 2
  • Selecting Superior Sub-Topics. Day 3
  • Finalize Sub-topics – Day 4
  • Creating Unit Study Objectives – Day 5
  • Unit Study Resources that Stir the Imagination – Day 6
  • Unit Study Activity Ideas – Day 7
  • Creating a Unit Study Lesson Plan – Day 8
  • Flow of Our Day with A Unit Study Schedule – Day 9
  • Unit Study Beginnings – Day 10

As you can see from my schedule above, we are either together for out unit study from about 10:00 a.m.ish on or right after we finish our early lunch, which is normally around noon.

I decide each day how we will spend it depending on the previous day’s assignment.

A unit study schedule should have an ebb and flow, but be relaxed and flexible.

Do you think you can create an easy unit study schedule based on the tough subjects that you need to tackle first?

Hugs and love ya,

10 Days of Creating A Unit Study Together

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Day 9 Flow of Our Day with A Unit Study Schedule 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies by Creating a Unit Study Together

2 CommentsFiled Under: 4. {10 Days of ... Blogging Series}, Diving into Unit Studies by Creating A Unit Study Tagged With: unit studies

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

September 1, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Get ready for this easy pudding slime recipe that is made with just 3 ingredients in just a minute or two.

Slime has become a favorite hands-on activity for kids everywhere. It’s stretchy, squishy, and endlessly fun to poke, knead, and stretch.

But if you’re making slime for little ones—especially preschoolers or toddlers—you might be concerned about safety

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

That’s where edible slime recipes come in! They’re made from food ingredients, so while they’re not meant to be a snack, you don’t have to worry if your child accidentally takes a bite.

Edible slimes are perfect for sensory play, messy play days, or even a themed homeschool activity.

One of the easiest and most delicious options is chocolate pudding slime. And that is what we are going to tackle today.

The texture of this slime ends up somewhere between slime and playdough and is perfect for little hands.

RESOURCES FOR A CHOCOLATE UNIT STUDY

Next, look at some of these activities to include multiple ages in your fun activity.

8 Books for Creating a Chocolate Unit Study

Add some of these books to learn about how chocolate is made.

Image for THE EXTRAORDINARY HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE

THE EXTRAORDINARY HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE

This book is intended for children who love chocolate and stories.

Discover the exciting story of one of the most popular foods in the world: ''CHOCOLATE'' .This book will take you in the footsteps of the Aztecs who considered it a sacred drink. Later, the Conquistadors will bring it to Spain where it will become THE trendy ''EXOTIC DRINK''. Reserved for kings and nobility, and at first consumed only in the sumptuous palaces, but much later becoming a popular food for all.

Image for How Monkeys Make Chocolate: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Rainforest

How Monkeys Make Chocolate: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Rainforest

In How Monkeys Make Chocolate renowned ecologist Adrian Forsyth introduces the people, plants, and animals of the world’s rain forests through exciting first-hand stories and stunning color photographs. He visits aboriginal shamans and imitates the behavior of animals to tap into the inner workings of various rain forests, revealing a world of riches with unsuspected connections to everyday life. His adventures expose the amazing origins of familiar products, including chocolate, cola, aspirin, and rubber, and offer tantalizing glimpses of the discoveries yet to be made. With visual force and vivid anecdotes, Forsyth instills a deep wonder for the web of life and the importance of conserving these fragile ecosystems.

Image for Who Was Milton Hershey?

Who Was Milton Hershey?

Discover the man behind the chocolate bar! Milton Hershey’s life was filled with invention and innovation.  As a young man, he was not afraid to dream big and work hard.  Eventually, he learned the secret to mass-producing milk chocolate and the recipe that gave it a longer, more stable shelf life.  He founded a school for those who didn’t have access to a good education and an entire town for his employees. Both his chocolate empire and his great personal legacy live on today.

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

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

Food Anatomy includes a wonderfully illustrated section on how chocolate is made from harvest to tempering.
Image for The Chocolate Touch

The Chocolate Touch

In this zany twist on the legend of King Midas and his golden touch, a boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate! Kids will eat this up for summer reading or anytime!

Can you ever have too much of your favorite food? John Midas is about to find out….

The Chocolate Touch has remained a favorite for millions of kids, teachers, and parents for several generations. It's an enjoyable story that pulls in even reluctant readers.

Image for Chocolate Riches From the Rainforest

Chocolate Riches From the Rainforest

A delicious story about the history of chocolate with wonderful illustrations.

Image for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

Image for No Monkeys, No Chocolate

No Monkeys, No Chocolate

Everyone loves chocolate, right? But how many people actually know where chocolate comes from? How it’s made? Or that monkeys do their part to help this delicious sweet exist?This delectable dessert comes from cocoa beans, which grow on cocoa trees in tropical rain forests. But those trees couldn’t survive without the help of a menagerie of rain forest critters: a pollen-sucking midge, an aphid-munching anole lizard, brain-eating coffin fly maggots—they all pitch in to help the cocoa tree survive. A secondary layer of text delves deeper into statements such as "Cocoa flowers can’t bloom without cocoa leaves . . . and maggots," explaining the interdependence of the plants and animals in the tropical rain forests. Two wise-cracking bookworms appear on every page, adding humor and further commentary, making this book accessible to readers of different ages and reading levels.Back matter includes information about cocoa farming and rain forest preservation, as well as an author’s note.

Then, look at a few more chocolate activities.

HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES FOR LEARNING ABOUT CHOCOLATE

  • Reading Charlie and The Chocolate Factory for read aloud.
  • Assign older children Who Was Milton Hershey for independent reading. As a matter of fact here is a whole unit on Milton Hershey and more –Fun Chocolate Unit Study and DIY Chocolate Candy Bar Activity.
  • Have a taste test and compare different types of chocolate like white, milk, dark, semi sweet.
  • Visit a candy store or chocolate factory if you have one near you to see it being melted, molded, and more.
  • Colorful Chemistry: Exciting M&M Science Experiment To Try At Home

8 GREAT EDIBLE SLIME RECIPES

Next, look at more edible slime recipes.

  1. You will definitely have a hard time keeping them from eating this tasty and fun Edible Starburst Slime recipe.
  2. Learn How To Make Edible Slime With Marshmallows, I love recipes with simple and safe ingredients.
  3. Make an Easy Nutella Slime Recipe, another great chocolate slime recipe for exploring the senses.
  4. How to Make Edible Slime with Gummy Bears looks like a fun but also delicious idea and can also be used to learn about color mixing.
  5. Loaded with omega 3 and great for slime, who knew, try out this Chia Seed Slime idea.
  6. This DIY Edible Pizza Slime | How To Make Slime The Best 3 Ingredient Slime is the coolest set up, kids will go crazy for it.
  7. Stir up some fun with this Kool-Aid Slime, make it up in a rainbow of colors for all kinds of fun.
  8. Another food topic that you can really dig into is honey, how bees make it, store it, and more. Supplement it with this How to Make Honey Slime.
Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

Finally, look at this easy chocolate pudding slime recipe.

EASY CHOCOLATE PUDDING SLIME RECIPE

This recipe is simple, quick, and smells just like chocolate pudding. It’s taste-safe and safe for little ones who may be tempted to sneak a lick.

Ingredients:

  • 1 box (3.4 oz) instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 2 cups cornstarch
  • 1–2 cups warm water
Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

In a mixing bowl, combine the pudding mix and cornstarch. Stir well until fully blended.

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

If you want to add a little extra scent you can add in vanilla extract and/or cocoa powder too.

Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, mixing as you pour. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to thicken.

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

Add more water, a little at a time, until the slime reaches your desired consistency. It should be stretchy but not sticky.

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

Knead with your hands for a few minutes to smooth it out.

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

The result is a smooth, stretchy slime with a chocolatey scent. Kids will love squishing it, pulling it, and making “mud pies” with it. Best of all, if they sneak a taste, it’s perfectly safe.

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones

Tips for Success:

Easy Chocolate Edible Pudding Slime Recipe for Little Ones
  • If your slime is too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more cornstarch.
  • If it’s too crumbly, add a splash more water.
  • Play with it on a plastic mat or tray to make cleanup easier.
  • Don’t forget to include bowls, measuring cups and spoons, cookie cutters, rolling pins, and more like buttons to decorate your chocolate creations!

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: chocolate, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, slime

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

August 31, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some fantastic fall crafts to keep hands busy, including a mini cutting board scarecrow. Look at my free unit study and lapbook Fall Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More}.

Scarecrows are a beloved symbol of autumn.

You see them standing proudly in pumpkin patches, perched on porches, or tucked into gardens as cheerful guardians of the harvest.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

While today they’re mostly used for decoration, scarecrows once had a very important purpose- protecting crops from hungry birds and animals.

The name “scarecrow” tells you exactly what these figures were designed to do—scare crows , and other pests away.

Farmers discovered long ago that birds such as crows, sparrows, and blackbirds could cause a lot of damage to crops.

They would swoop down to eat newly planted seeds, nibble on ripening fruit, or pull at tender shoots. To protect their food supply, farmers needed a way to keep these creatures out of their fields.

BOOKS ABOUT FALL FOR KIDS

Then, look at these fun books about fall to add to your home library.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Image for Sophie's Squash

Sophie's Squash

Kids will love this playful story of 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?

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Next, look at more facts about scarecrows and the history of it.

The solution was simple but clever: make something that looked like a person and place it in the field. Birds tend to avoid people, so a tall, human-shaped figure dressed in old clothes could often do the trick.

HISTORY OF SCARECROWS

Sometimes, once the birds realized the scarecrow wasn’t alive, they came back, but the tradition stuck. Over time, scarecrows became a lasting symbol of farming life and autumn harvest.

One of the most delightful ways to bring this tradition into your home is by making a scarecrow craft. Instead of a life-sized version for your garden, you can create a smaller decorative scarecrow using a mini cutting board.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

This makes an adorable fall decoration for your kitchen, entryway, or classroom, and it’s simple enough for kids to make too.

Whether you’re decorating for the season, hosting a fall festival, or just looking for fun crafts to keep hands busy, projects like these create lasting memories.

 Plus, every little scarecrow you make brings a bit of warmth and whimsy into your home—reminding us of the timeless charm of harvest time.

Scarecrows aren’t just an American idea. They’ve been used all over the world for thousands of years.

  • Ancient Egypt- Farmers along the Nile built wooden figures to stand in grain fields and protect them from flocks of quail.
  • Greece & Rome- Vineyards placed carved wooden statues of Priapus (a fertility god) in their fields. People believed he scared away both birds and thieves.
  • Japan- Rice farmers used scarecrows called kakashi, which were sometimes dressed in old raincoats and straw hats, with bells attached to frighten pests.
  • Medieval Europe- Instead of scarecrows, children were sometimes hired to run and shout in fields all day to keep birds away. Later, stuffed figures became more common.
  • Early America- Settlers built scarecrows from old clothing stuffed with straw or cornhusks. They often wore wide-brimmed hats and stood on wooden poles.

Even though modern farming uses nets, scare tape, and other tools to protect crops, scarecrows remain an enduring fall image. Fall festivals, parades, and county fairs often host scarecrow contests where families and communities compete to build the most creative one.

CRAFTS TO KEEP HANDS BUSY

Additionally, look at these fun crafts to keep hands busy.

After you create the scarecrow project, here are a few more fall crafts to keep hands busy whether in a homeschool setting, at co-op, at a fall party, or just for a cozy weekend at home.

  • Easy Fall Crafts To Make And Sell By Kids & Scarecrow Candy Jar
  • Easy Paper Plate Pumpkins – Paint or color a paper plate orange. Add a construction paper stem and decorate with funny faces.
  • How To Make An Upcycled Book Pumpkin | Autumn Art Projects For Middle School
  • Check out this Kids Fun Glue and Watercolor Fall Pumpkin Unit Study .
  • Leaf Rubbings – Collect fresh autumn leaves, place them under paper, and rub over them with crayons to reveal their veins and patterns.
  • DIY Button Pumpkin
  • Pinecone Owls – Glue felt wings and big googly eyes onto pinecones for a cute woodland creature craft.
  • Easy Fall Crafts for Middle School: DIY String Pumpkin Art

DIY MINI CUTTING BOARD SCARECROW

You will need:

  • Mini wooden cutting board (the flat kind works best)
  • Paint Markers
  • Hot glue gun or craft glue
  • Small scrap of fabric, burlap, or felt
  • Raffia, straw, or shredded paper 
  • Buttons or googly eyes
  • Hot glue
  • Paint markers
How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

First, prepare the cutting board by wiping it to clean away dirt, oil, and fingerprints, then allow it to dry.

First, let your child play with the layout of the face, but not gluing anything down yet.

You can use a pencil to lightly sketch the nose, cheeks, and mouth (and eyes if you would rather paint them in). Remember to leave a little space up top for the hat and straw peeking out.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

Once satisfied, they can use markers to draw cheerful eyes, a stitched-on smile, and a triangle nose. For extra character, glue on googly eyes or buttons instead.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

Along the bottom, you can either glue on a scrap of flannel for his shirt or continue getting creative with the paint markers. Set aside to let the paint dry.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

Cut a triangle of felt.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

Fold up the bottom and hot glue into place to give it a brim.

Add a strip of felt or ribbon to dress him up a bit.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

Hot glue some little pieces of raffia or straw at the top so it looks like straw peeking out from under that hat.

How To Make An Adorable Scarecrow & Crafts To Keep Hands Busy

Hot glue it to the top of the cutting board as a rustic hat.

This mini cutting board scarecrow can be personalized in countless ways.

You can make a whole family of them—tall and skinny boards for parents, small round boards for kids—and give each one a different hat or expression.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: fall, fall crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, scarecrow

Backyard Science Fun and Amazing Spider Web Facts For Kids

August 30, 2025 | Leave a Comment
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I have some amazing spider web facts for kids. And with a fun backyard search you can turn this into easy science.

Learning about spiders and spider webs is not just for young children.

Even middle school kids can find spider webs fascinating. And in your own backyard you can stir curiosity for all your children by simply getting outside to observe them.

Backyard Science Fun and Amazing Spider Web Facts For Kids

However, delve into understanding spiders better. Did you know they are a natural pest control?

And most spiders have venom but it’s normally just strong enough to paralyze an insect. Just a few can harm humans like the brown recluse and black widow.

Too, some cool spiders like the diving bell spider can live underwater.

Peacock spiders do colorful mating dances. They are really fascinating creatures.

BOOKS ABOUT INSECTS FOR KIDS

Next, look at some fun books about insects.

11 Insect & Bug Books for Kids Who Love to Be Read To and Read

Add one or two of these books to your home library about insects. I love living books but love to add reference books to our day when I find them.

Image for When Insects are Babies

When Insects are Babies

Describes briefly the short infancy of such common insects as the grasshopper, praying mantis, cicada, earwig, and twelve others.

Image for We Like Bugs

We Like Bugs

This illustrated book for children asks the Have you ever seen a doodlebug? A dragon fly? A leafhopper? Find out all about bugs in this book.

Image for Fabre's Book of Insects

Fabre's Book of Insects

Hailed by Darwin as "The Homer of Insects," famed French entomologist Jean Henri Fabre (1823–1915) devoted hours of rapt attention to insects while they hunted, built nests, and fed their families. Working in Provence, in barren, sun-scorched fields inhabited by countless wasps and bees, he observed their intricate and fascinating world, recounting their activities in simple, beautifully written essays.This volume, based on translations of Fabre's Souvenirs Entomologiques, blends folklore and mythology with factual explanation. Fabre's absorbing account of the scarab beetle's existence, for example, begins with the ancient Egyptians' symbolic view of this busy creature, eventually leading to a careful discussion of its characteristic method of rolling a carefully sculpted ball of food to its den. Elsewhere, he discusses with infectious enthusiasm the physiologic secrets behind the luminosity of fireflies, the musical talents of the locust, the comfortable home of the field cricket, and the cannibalism of the pious-looking praying mantis, among other topics.These charmingly related stories of insect life are a rare combination of scientific study and literary classic that will delight entomologists, naturalists, and nature lovers alike.

Image for Children of Summer: Henri Fabre's Insects

Children of Summer: Henri Fabre's Insects

Henri Fabre (1823-1915) was a famous explorer yet he seldom left his own backyard. He spent his whole life discovering the secrets of the insect world. His home and its surroundings served as his laboratory, and his lab assistants were his wife and children. The entire family shared his passion for insects, especially his youngest son, Paul. Follow Paul as he assists his famous father uncover the secrets of his "children of summer"-insects. You'll meet the undertaker beetle that buries dead animals; the acorn elephant beetle, whose snout is so long that it must hold it straight out to keep from tripping over it; caterpillars that spin tents and roadways of silk; red ants that kidnap black ant babies and raise them as slaves; dancing scorpions; dung beetles that get their nourishment from animal droppings; male peacock moths that pay homage to their princess but don't eat a single meal as adults; and many other unusual creatures. On the way, you'll get to know a fascinating scientist widely regarded as the father of modern entomology. Through texts drawn from the beautiful written records that Fabre kept of everything he did and saw, and exquisite illustrations done in close, scientific detail, this enchanting book reaches far beyond the boundaries of its subject to engage even those who didn't know they were interested in bugs.

Image for Creep and Flutter: The Secret World of Insects and Spiders

Creep and Flutter: The Secret World of Insects and Spiders

Acclaimed naturalist and illustrator Jim Arnosky brings out the beauty—and the “wow!” and the “yuck!” factors—of hundreds of insects and spiders. Eight spectacular gatefolds show moths and mosquitoes, butterflies and beetles, spiders and silverfish life-size, up close, and personal!

Image for Insects Do the Strangest Things (Step-Up Books)

Insects Do the Strangest Things (Step-Up Books)

Describes insects that have peculiar and strange characteristics, such as the camouflage of the walking stick, and the driver ants that prefer people to picnics.

Image for Insect Life

Insect Life

Be immersed in the fascinating world of insects as you're taken on a journey observing and learning about the world around you.

This volume teaches about what makes an insect, the parts of a caterpillar, moths, butterflies, beetles, wasps, bees, flies, crickets, grasshoppers and more!

Image for The Big Book of Bugs (The Big Book Series)

The Big Book of Bugs (The Big Book Series)

From moths and beetles to worms and spiders, the world is crawling with fascinating bugs. The Big Book of Bugs is the first fact-filled book for children to explore the vast array of creepy-crawlies that share our Earth.

In the first pages, children learn that bugs live nearly everywhere on the planet and gain tips on how to become a young bug spotter. As the book continues, the scenic compositions on each page are dedicated to key groups of bugs, including beetles, moths, butterflies, bees, snails, crickets, grasshoppers, worms, and spiders. Some spreads approach the world of bugs thematically, such as bugs that come out at night, baby bugs, and life cycles, how bugs hide and show off, and how some bugs love to live in your home. The conversational, funny text is also full of facts that will astonish children and adults, and accompanied by Yuval Zommer’s colorful illustrations. Illustrated in color throughout.

Image for Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies: Take-Along Guide (Take Along Guides)

Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies: Take-Along Guide (Take Along Guides)

An introduction to the world of insects, caterpillars, and butterflies including identification information, educational activities, and fun facts.Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. Safety tips are provided and interesting activities are suggested.

Image for The Beetle (Dimensional Nature Portfolio Series)

The Beetle (Dimensional Nature Portfolio Series)

Features the beetle in huge, three-dimensional form. The book consists of an enormous center pop-up and two seven-page books, one bound into each cover, which are full of additional pop-ups, anatomical cutaways and photographs taken through electron microscopes.

Image for The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

In this beautiful nonfiction biography, a Robert F. Sibert Medal winner, the Newbery Honor–winning author Joyce Sidman introduces readers to one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion for insects.

One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. 

Richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, The Grew Who Drew Butterflies will enthrall young scientists.

Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be “born of mud” and to be “beasts of the devil.” Why would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them? The Girl Who Drew Butterflies answers this question.

Then, look at some questions you can use when investigating them in your backyard.

Have your children write them down in their journal before heading out side so you don’t have to stop the fun.

MORE SPIDER ACTIVITIES

  • Fun And Easy Spider Craft: Insect Lessons For Elementary Students
  • Check out this Free Kids Insect Unit Study┃ How to Make Clay Insects
  • What a neat idea, the LEGO Ideas The Insect Collection lets your child make a model of some common insects with their favorite building blocks.
  • Bugs Facts For Kids And Free Paper Bug Bracelets

SPIDER QUESTIONS FOR BACKYARD INVESTIGATIONS

  • Why do spiders build their webs in certain places?
  • How strong is a spider web?
  • What kind of bugs get caught in the web?
  • How long does a web last?
  • What happens when it rains?
  • Why do spiders have so many eyes? Does that make them see better?
  • What do spiders eat?
  • How long do spiders live?
  • Are all spider webs the same?

Next, look at some amazing spider web facts for kids.

AMAZING SPIDER WEB FACTS FOR KIDS

Spider webs are made from a net made of silk that spiders spin using a special part of their body called the spinneret.

This silk is crazy strong stronger than steel if you compare it by weight. Spiders follow special patterns depending on what kind of spider they are.

Backyard Science Fun and Amazing Spider Web Facts For Kids

Here’s a step-by-step look at how an orb-weaving spider builds its web.

  1. Spiral: The spider makes a sticky spiral that catches insects.
  2. Bridge line: The spider shoots a thread across a space (like between two tree branches).
  3. Frame: It adds more lines to create a base.
  4. Radial lines: These are like the spokes of a bike wheel.

And webs can stay together even in rain and wind. Different spiders make different kinds of webs, and we can study them to learn more.

Search near bushes, flower beds, under leaves, or along fences where spiders may build their webs.

Use a magnifying glass to look closely at the spider or its web. Notice details like body shape, number of legs, colors, and patterns.

In your notebook, sketch the spider or its web. Try to include as many details as you can.

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

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