crafts

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

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

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

Aged paper can be used in a myriad of ways.

Also, include in your lesson what causes aging on paper and how scientists preserve historical documents.

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

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft With Kids

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

Also, use it when learning about pirates, historical documents like the Declaration of Independence or even as a science lesson on aging and deterioration.

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

How Important Documents Are Preserved

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To preserve historical documents historians encase them where the oxygen (which speeds up breakdown) has been removed, control the moisture, keep it out of harsh light, temperature, and they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

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

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

20 Ways to Use Your Aged Paper

Use it to make a pirate map.
Print a paper about historical times or people on it.
Roll it up and tie it with a ribbon to create a parchment scroll.

Use it as a matte for old photos.
Print sheet music on it.
Paint a picture on it with acrylic paint.
Apply the aging technique to book pages and create a bunting banner.
Write an original poem on it.
Practice your calligraphy.
Practice handwriting or cursive by penning a letter to someone in the family.

Use it as a drawer liner.
Learn How to Make an Envelope with it.
Cut it into strips and make a unique bookmark.
Make an Ink pot & Quill Pen with Berry Ink to use along with it.
Use it to make homemade gift tags.
Create your own journals or notebooks for a history unit study.
Make a get well, thank you, or just because card to mail out.
Create a family newspaper using your aged sheets.
Use them to create a “scrapbook” or timeline of historical events.
Make 3D stars for a cool vintage decor piece.

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

How To Make Paper Look Old Craft

You will need:

Card stock
Instant coffee
old paint or makeup brush
Baking sheet
Pants hanger

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

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

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

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

Flip and brush the other side.

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

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

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

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

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles With Kids

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Books About Founding Mothers & Early American History

9 Books about the Founding Mothers

Learn about the founding mothers brings history to life.

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

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

Founding Mothers: Remembering the Ladies

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

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

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

1776

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

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

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

Guns for General Washington: A Story of the American Revolution

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

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

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

Dolly Madison; (Landmark books, 47)

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

Martha Washington: An American Life

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

Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution

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

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

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

8 Facts about First Lady Dolley Madison

Dolley Madison was the wife and the first lady of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States from 1809-1817.

She was expelled from her Quaker community for marrying outside her faith when she wed James Madison (her second husband).

Dolley Madison was known for using her social skills, charm and personal popularity to win over her husband’s political opponents and strongly influenced bipartisan efforts.

Her biggest claim to fame is for saving Washington’s portrait when the British burned the White House in the War of 1812. While she did not carry it out herself, she ordered servants to grab it and carry it to safety.

Lesser known is the fact that she was the first American and the first of all first ladies to answer a telegraph message.

While her husband served as Secretary of State for Thomas Jefferson, Dolley acted as White House hostess for the widowed president Jefferson and set a precedent for excellence among future first ladies.

Dolley was the first lady to decorate the White House, previously filled with used and worn pieces.

This popular first lady was quoted as saying “It is one of my sources of happiness never to desire knowledge of other people’s business.” Smart lady!

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

More American History Activities for Kids

How to Make American History Silhouette Puzzles

You will need:

White cardstock
Black cardstock
Pencil
Glue stick
Scissors
Printed profile image of historical figure

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

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

Trace the image with a pencil onto your black cardstock.

Cut out the image carefully.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prewriting skills are important early learning fundamentals.

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

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

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

Preschool How-To Homeschool Resources

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

12 Homeschooling Preschoolers Resources, Activities, and Curriculum

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

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

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

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

Before Five in a Row: Second Edition

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

Photo Credit: www.goodandbeautiful.com

Preschool Language Arts Course Set

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

Pathways for Preschool

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

Horizons Preschool Curriculum Set

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

Photo Credit: www.mothergoosetime.com

Toddler – Experience Early Learning

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

Photo Credit: ivy-kids.com

Ivy Kids | Subscription Box STEM Kids Children Ivy Kids Kits

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

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

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

Photo Credit: blossomandroot.com

Early Years Curriculum

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

The Giant Encyclopedia of Lesson Plans for Children 3 to 6

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

Slow And Steady Get Me Ready

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

Photo Credit: shop.busytoddler.com

Playing Preschool Year 1: Homeschool Preschool Program

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

Next, look at these multi-sensory ideas.

10 Multi-sensory Preschool Name Recognition Activities

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

Other Ways to Use The Hot Cocoa Craft Preschool Craft

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

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

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

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

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

How to Make a Cocoa Name Craft

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

You will need:

2 paper plates
Brown craft paint
Color craft paint of choice
White craft foam
Black marker
Baking cocoa/cocoa mix
Foam brushes
Scissors
glue

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

This represents the rim of the cup.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Science Fiction Books for Middle School Kids

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

11 Science Fiction Books for Middle School

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

The Wild Robot (Volume 1)

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

The War of the Worlds

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

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

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

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

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

The Time Machine

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

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

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

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

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

Ender's Game (The Ender Saga, 1)

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

The Hunger Games

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

Divergent (Divergent Series, 1)

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

Ready Player One

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

25 Things to Put in Your Time Capsule

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

5 More Cool Time Travel Crafts and Activities

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

Putting Together a Time Capsule

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

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

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

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

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

You will need:

An Airtight container
Letter and number stickers
Themed stickers
Tissue paper
Masking or packing tape
Your chosen items

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

How to Put Together a Time Capsule Craft

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 Australian Animal Craft Ideas | Easy Paper Bag Platypus

January 26, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Not only do I have a craft for you, but I also have 6 more Australian Animal craft ideas to add to your unit studies. Also, look at this Hands-On Geography: Australia Awesome and Deadly Animal Art.

I love an elaborate, involved, detailed craft as much as the next mom now and again but paper bag crafts like this adorable platypus prove that you don’t always need expensive or complicated supplies.

A platypus is an easily identifiable animal with fur.

6 Australian Animal Craft Ideas | Easy Paper Bag Platypus

It has webbed feet, and a duck-like bill.

It’s like some kind of odd Frankenstein creation of a beaver, otter, and duck.

Luckily even though it’s unusual looking it is still a very basic shape and easy to replicate with a few craft supplies.

With this very simple craft, you are still able to teach about the strange physical characteristics of the Australian platypus and talk about where it makes its home, how it reproduces and so much more.

Let’s start by learning a little bit more about the platypus. Of course, I have more Australian animal craft ideas to do and finally, we will put together that paper bag platypus

Kids’ Books Set In or About Australia

Next, I like to add books to our learning day and I lean toward living books first.

Then I add reference books to round out our learning day.

You may love to add one or two of these books to your home library.

14 Australia Books and Resources for Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add some of these fun books about Australia to your home library or use them in your unit studies.

Aussie Year: Twelve Months in the Life of Australian Kids (A Kids' Year)

Meet Ned, Lily, Zoe, Kirra and Matilda ― Australian children representing a multicultural blend of culture and race that typifies our beautiful country. They are taking you through a year in the life of Australian kids, from celebrations to traditions to events, to our everyday way of life. They are Australia.An Aussie Year is a picture book bursting with national pride. It is a snapshot of who we are as a nation, and covers our modern day culture, lifestyle and traditions. Its pages feature trailing, meandering text, dates and gorgeous illustrations showing our five Aussie children at play, at school, at home, and enjoying their parts of Australia ― from the tropical north out to our rugged west and beautiful Tassie.

D is for Down Under: An Australia Alphabet

What country holds the title as the world's smallest continent and yet the world's largest island? I stands for island, but one that's not too small. Our island is enormous. Just try to see it all! There's no place else quite like it; that is clearly true. Australia is a continent, but it's an island, too. Originally founded as a penal colony, Australia has long been known for its contrasts (think: wild outback and sophisticated Sydney Opera House). Accompanied by vibrant colorful artwork, D is for Down Under: An Australia Alphabet captures the spirit of this proud country and its many treasures, natural and man-made. Visit spectacular Sydney Harbor, try your hand as a jackaroo working a sheep station, or just sit back and enjoy a Vegemite sandwich. Below the starry night glitter of the Southern Cross constellation, Australia's "down under" wonders shine brightly. Devin Scillian is an award-winning author and Emmy-award-winning broadcast journalist. His books with Sleeping Bear Press include the national bestseller A is for America: An American Alphabet. Devin lives in Michigan and anchors the news for WDIV-TV in Detroit. Geoff Cook has been illustrating for 35 years. His career began as a graphic designer, after graduating from Prahran College in Melbourne. Soon realizing he wanted to be an illustrator, he became a partner in the illustration studio All Australian Graffiti. He lives in Australia.

Are We There Yet?

Grace recounts how she, her parents, and her brothers spent an entire winter travelling completely around Australia in a camper.

This is Australia: A Children's Classic

Like the other Sasek classics, these are facsimile editions of his original books. The brilliant, vibrant illustrations have been meticulously preserved, remaining true to his vision more than forty years later and, where applicable, facts have been updated for the twenty-first century, appearing on a "This is . . . Today" page at the back of each book. The stylish, charming illustrations, coupled with Sasek’s witty, playful narrative, make these books a perfect souvenir that will delight both children and their parents, many of whom will remember them from their own childhood. In This is Australia, first published in 1970, Sasek swings down under, winging his readers into Sydney, with its famous bridge and space-age Opera House; bustling, modern Melbourne; colonial Adelaide; semitropical Brisbane; the garden city of Canberra; mineral-rich Perth; and Alice Springs, Australia’s most famous outback town.

Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo: For the Children of Gunbalanya

When Ernie leaves the city and goes to live in Arnhem Land in the Australian outback, he sends letters to his old classmates--Rosie, Frank, Tessa, Nicky, Clive, and Celeste--describing the activities of his new friends.

The Pumpkin Runner

"Nearly all the sheep ranchers in Blue Gum Valley rode horses or drove jeeps to check on their sheep. But Joshua Summerhayes liked to run...with Yellow Dog trailing behind him." So it's no surprise when Joshua decides to enter a race from Melbourne to Sydney. People laugh when old Joshua shows up in his overalls and gumboots, calmly nibbling a slice of pumpkin for energy. But then he pulls into the lead, and folks are forced to sit up and take notice. Inspired by a true event (and just in time for fall's pumpkin harvest!) a talented team introduces a humble and generous hero who knows that winning isn't always the reason to run a race. Marsha Diane Arnold made "an impressive debut" (School Library Journal) with the multi-award-winning Heart of a Tiger (Dial). Brad Sneed most recently illustrated Smoky Mountain Rose (Dial), an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists that Publishers Weekly said will "make readers 'happy as a pig in a peanut patch.' " Marsha Diane Arnold lives in Sebastopol, California. Brad Sneed lives in Prairie Village, Kansas.

Possum Magic (Voyager Books)

Grandma Poss uses her best bush magic to make Hush invisible. But when Hush longs to be able to see herself again, the two possums must make their way across Australia to find the magic food that will make Hush visible once more. “Another treat from Mem Fox that is sure to be treasured. The whimsical illustrations are a wonderful complement.

My Place

Depicts life in Australia at different times in its development by viewing one place in different years while moving backwards from 1988 to 1788.

Thunderbolt the Falcon

When Joe discovers that his friend David’s grandfather used to train hawks just like in the book he’s reading he wants to try it for himself. After convincing Grandfather Mannering to teach them the art of falconry they set off to capture a juvenile Peregrine Falcon and learn the ancient art. Set in Australia, but relevant everywhere Peregrine Falcons are found, Thunderbolt the Falcon is a fascinating and humorous read. C.K. Thompson weaves many facts about birds and nature seamlessly within the narrative with many events inspired by real life

Larry - The Story of an Australian Seagull

Some birds and animals of Australia in natural color

Dreaming Soldiers

A powerful and moving story about true mateship. Dreaming Soldiers weaves tales of childhood adventures and battlefield challenges with gentle Dreaming themes.This is a touching friendship story about Jimmy and Johnno, two young Australian boys in the 1900s; mates who do everything together, sharing adventures and growing up side by side in the dusty cattle yards of an Outback South Australian station and later on the muddy WWI battlefields of the Western Front.

The Mostly True Story Of Matthew & Trim,

Matthew Flinders and his beloved cat, Trim, circumnavigate and map Australia, travel the oceans, end up shipwrecked, saved, then captured and imprisoned on the Ile de France where Trim is separated from his beloved master. Will they ever meet again?

The Voyages of Matthew Flinders

Captain Matthew Flinders was one of the most successful navigators and cartographers of his time. He sailed with Captain William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia, survived shipwreck and disaster only to be imprisoned for violating the terms of his scientific passport by changing ships and carrying prohibited papers. From an early age, it was his desire to be an explorer. He realised that the ability to make the best use of equipment at hand was a necessary skill of an explorer.

Mini Australian Wildlife Animal Figurines

The miniature animal figurines playset includes Kangaroo, Koala, Frilled Lizard, Ostrich, Cockatoo, Crocodile, Platypus, African Wild Dog, Oxyuranus scutellatus, Tasmanian devil, Wombat. Totally 11 PCS mini north American animals figurine

Weird and Wonderful Facts About The Platypus

Platypus are only found in eastern Australia from the steamy tropics of far north Queensland down to the freezing snows in Tasmania.
The only place you will see a platypus in America is in a zoo, and currently, the only two platypus outside of Australia are at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
The male platypus is one of the very few venomous mammals in the world.
Rather than giving birth to live young, like most mammals, the platypus lays eggs underwater, and then they hatch 10 days later. They will stick around for another four months to nurse.
Platypus are nocturnal animals and spend up to half the time in the water feeding and about 14 hours sleeping in the nesting boxes along their burrows near river banks.

You can also check out one of my favorite children’s educational shows that features animal life all over the planet, Wild Kratts. This episode is about this duck-billed wonder, Platypus Cafe.

6 Australian Animal Craft Ideas

For preschoolers learn How To Make A Kangaroo Pocket with my Letter K Craft Preschool Australia Theme.
The 4 species of echidna are the only other mammals that lay eggs and make an adorable Paper Plate Echidna.
Make a Paper Plate Cassowary craft to highlight this very unusual Australian bird.
Check out these 9 Australian Animals Art Ideas and Fun Koala Handprint Craft for another cuddly Australian friend.
This sweet little felt Kookaburra Craft idea includes the lyrics to the old campfire song-Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree.
Create a cute and cuddly Koala Newspaper Craft with easy supplies and a free template.

Be sure to grab a set of these Australian animals to use in dioramas, sensory bins, sensory trays, with Play-Doh, in the block center, and anywhere else to spark your child’s imagination and see Australian animal replicas up close.

Easy Paper Bag Platypus

You will need:

Two paper bags.
Black craft foam.
Large Googly eyes.
Craft glue
Scissors
Black marker

Flip your paper bag over so the side with no fold over is facing down on the table. Bend the four corners in about an inch and glue them down into place through both layers.

Next, flip your bag over and open it up.

Stuff the second paper bag crumpled up inside of it to give a little bit of dimension to the body.

Run a line of hot glue inside the opening end of the bag and press it together to seal it closed.

On a large sheet of black craft foam draw two bills, a tail, and four webbed feet. Platypuses have five digits on each foot.

Cut out your foam shapes and use a black marker to make nostrils on the end of one of the bills, and to create Vs for toes and webbing on the feet.

Flip your paper bag back over and glue the Google eyes.

Glue close to the end with the opening leaving enough room to attach the bill.

Use craft glue.

For older children hot glue works well and dries quickly to attach the bills on the top and bottom of the end with the opening below the eyes.

Glue the 4 feet inside the side folds of the bag.

Then add the tail on the back.

Finally, use the black marker to add a little bit of fur detail to the bag.

I promised you it was easy and cute, didn’t I?

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Easy Paper Bag Platypus

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