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geography

Explorer Facts and Free Printable Meet the Explorers Activity

July 20, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will learn some explorer facts with the free printable Discovering the World Meet the Explorers Activity Pack. Also, look at my page Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips for more ideas.

Geography comes alive when children discover the incredible people who dared to sail into the unknown, map uncharted lands, and change the way we see the world.

Explorer Facts and Free Printable Meet the Explorers Activity

Reading books is a fun way to learn about famous explorers, but completing engaging activities helps children connect with the people behind the discoveries.

They can learn about explorers like Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, Samuel de Champlain, James Cook, and many others by including them with this study.

Also, we love adding living books to our printables to make the subject come to life.

GEOGRAPHY LIVING BOOKS FOR HOMESCHOOLERS

Too, with a fun geography living book and a few printables your child can learn independently.

Some children are ready for independent learning earlier than others. So a fun set of printables alongside a geography living book nurtures your child’s love for independence.

13 Geography Living Books

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

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

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

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

Image for Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Seabird: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

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

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

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

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

Image for Tree in the Trail

Tree in the Trail

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

Image for Complete Book Of Marvels

Complete Book Of Marvels

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

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

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

Where We Live: Mapping Neighborhoods of Kids Around the Globe

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

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

Minn of the Mississippi: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

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

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

National Parks of the USA (Americana, 1)

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

Image for Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

Strawberry Girl by: Lois Lenski

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

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

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

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

Image for How the States Got Their Shapes

How the States Got Their Shapes

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

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

Image for A Child's Geography of the World

A Child's Geography of the World

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next, look at these other geography activities for kids.

MORE GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORER ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • The Ultimate Guide to Brave Explorers (Great and Small)
  • Explore the World: Free Continent Printables to Color by Number
  • Free The New Seven Wonders of the World Worksheet
  • Free The World Of Columbus And Sons Lapbook For Kids Who Love Hands-On Learning
  • How To Make A Mini Mount Rushmore & Landmarks Of USA
  • The Fascinating World of Sea Geography | Paddle to the Sea Craft
  • 12 Free & Unique Geography Resource History Makers Pages
  • History Makers Notebooking Pages – Famous Persons from Ancient to Modern – Set 2
  • 18+ Fun and Interactive Ways to Learn Geography With Kids
  • 22 Homeschool Geography Go To Resources
  • The Benefits Of Using Games That Teach Geography | Review Of Scrambled States
  •  Marco Polo Unit Study and Lapbook 1254 to 1324.
  • Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study
  • Hands-on Geography: Longitude/Latitude Mapmaking Activity
  • How to Make An Edible Geography Model of Tidal Zones
Explorer Facts and Free Printable Meet the Explorers Activity

Next, look at the explorers included in this free activity pack download.

  • Christopher Columbus
  • Vasco De Gama
  • Marco Polo
  • Prince Henry the Navigator
  • Bartolomeu Dias
  • Robert Falcon Scott
  • Sally Ride and
  • David Livingstone

HOW TO GET THE FREE DISCOVERING THE WORLD MEET THE EXPLORERS ACTIVITY PACK

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this 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: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic} Tagged With: geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, highschoolgeography, homeschool, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

June 15, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Enjoy a fun and simple K is for Kiwi Craft with your preschooler through elementary-aged kids using supplies you already have on hand. Also, look at my pages How to Homeschool Preschool, Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook/ Fun Edible Bird Nests and Homeschool Geography for more learning ideas and teaching tips.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

New Zealand is one of the most fascinating places in the world, especially when it comes to its birds. Because the islands are separated from other land masses, many unique bird species are found there that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.

Learning about New Zealand birds is a wonderful way to explore geography, science, and nature in one lesson.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at some of the country’s most interesting, feathered residents and creating a simple kiwi bird craft to celebrate New Zealand’s national symbol.

BOOKS ABOUT NEW ZEALAND FOR KIDS WHO LOVE TO READ AND BE READ TO

Next, look at some living books to add to your unit study or home library.

6 New Zealand Books

Books about New Zealand or set in New Zealand to add to your home library or use for a unit study.

Image for Where Lions Roar at Night: The fun and adventures of a 'pioneering' New Zealand family

Where Lions Roar at Night: The fun and adventures of a 'pioneering' New Zealand family

Ten-year-old Milly had always dreamed of living in thecountry and owning all sorts of animals. So when her parents buya piece of land and move their six children into a ninety-year-oldbarn, Milly can't believe her luck.But she never imagined that living the simple life wouldinclude mucking out a filthy water tank, gathering endlesssupplies of firewood, clearing the land, and rescuing animals in a'hundred year' storm.Nor did she expect to hear deep groanings in the night...

Image for New Zealand Geography Workbook for Ages 8–10:

New Zealand Geography Workbook for Ages 8–10:

Take your child on an exciting journey through New Zealand — a land of towering mountains, sparkling lakes, rich Māori culture, and fascinating history.

In this engaging workbook, children will explore:

Famous landmarks like Aoraki / Mount Cook and Milford Sound Geothermal wonders in Rotorua Forests, coastlines, glaciers, and natural features.

Image for Pelorus Jack the Dolphin Guide

Pelorus Jack the Dolphin Guide

A true New Zealand story of a dolphin that captured the hearts of passengers in the 1880s.This is the heart-warming tale of Pelorus Jack, a rare white Risso’s dolphin who delighted passengers over 100 years ago as he guided steamships through the rough waters of French Pass into the calm waters of the Marlborough Sounds. Passengers from around the world, even royalty, came to see him and it is believed he became the first sea creature to be protected by law in anycountry.A life-size bronze statue of Pelorus Jack stands at Collinet Point, overlooking French Pass.

Image for The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand

The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand

A bestseller revised: the new edition of this essential reference for identifying New Zealand birds features its biggest update ever.

Image for The New Zealand Bird Book

The New Zealand Bird Book

The New Zealand Bird Books continues the tradition of the Burgess books, as Peter Rapeti takes his travels through the Islands of New Zealand discovering the fascinating bird life along the way.

Image for Children of the Rush

Children of the Rush

Weng Wai Chan, author of A Lizard's Tale, winner of the New Zealand Book Award

Children of the Rush is the winner of a Notable Book Award from the Storylines Trust and a currently finalist of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults (winner announced August 10, 2023).

Book One It’s 1861, and gold fever is sweeping the world. Otherwise sensible adults have gone mad and will do anything to get their hands on the precious metal. But two children have been caught up in the rush. Michael and Atarangi couldn’t be more different, but they share one thing: each has a remarkable and magical talent. Circumstances conspire to bring the children together in the remote and inhospitable goldfields, and they’re thrust into a world where lawlessness, greed, and cruelty reign. When the children find out that a cut-throat gang stalks the goldfields, preying upon the innocent, they have a choice to make: turn a blind eye, or fight back?

First, learn a bit of geography and history.

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand sits isolated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean to the right of Australia.

The town of Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu holds the Guinness World Record for having the longest name. I wouldn’t want to have to say that every day!

New Zealand was one of the last sizable territories on Earth to be settled by Polynesian explorers who became the Maori.

Because it is a narrow strip, no location on the island of New Zealand is more than 80 miles from the sea but 932 miles from the closest land, Australia.

Because of this isolation, many birds evolved in unusual ways.

Some lost the ability to fly because they had few natural predators.

Others developed special feeding habits and adaptations that helped them survive in New Zealand’s forests, mountains, and wetlands.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

New Zealand’s birds are unlike those found anywhere else in the world.

From the curious kea and musical tui to the rare kakapo and national bird, the kiwi, these remarkable creatures tell the story of a land shaped by isolation.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

If you want an amazing book for your study that you will reach for time and again, we found a wonderful map full of information in MAPS, just look at that oversized spread!

FACTS ABOUT BIRDS OF NEW ZEALAND

KIWI FACTS

The kiwi is probably the most famous bird in New Zealand. It is so important to the country’s identity that people from New Zealand are often nicknamed “Kiwis.”

  • It is New Zealand’s National Bird.
  • They cannot fly and have tiny wings hidden beneath their feathers.
  • Kiwis use their long beaks to search for worms and insects underground.
  • Their nostrils are located at the tip of their beaks, and this gives them an excellent sense of smell.
  • Kiwi eggs are huge compared to the size of the mother bird.
  • The kiwi is found nowhere else in the wild.

KEA FACTS

  •   Kea parrots are considered to be one of the smartest birds on Earth.
  • The kea is the world’s only alpine parrot and lives high in the mountains of New Zealand’s South Island.
  • They are known for being intelligent and curious creatures.
  • They have bright orange feathers hidden under their wings of olive green, which help them blend into their environment but show off a beautiful splash of color when they fly.

TUI FACTS

  • Tuibirds have shiny black feathers with blue and green iridescence on them.
  • They are known for their complex songs and calls; they have two voice boxes, which allow them to produce two notes at once.
  • A tui can mimic sounds, including human speech and even ringtones.

KAKAPO FACTS

  • Kakapos can live for more than 60 years.
  • The kakapo is the world’s heaviest parrot.
  • It is nocturnal and spends most of its time on the ground.
  • Kakapo cannot fly, but they are excellent climbers.
  • Their green feathers help them blend into forest vegetation.
  • They are among the rarest birds in the world.

Today, conservationists carefully monitor every remaining kakapo. Due to their efforts, the population has slowly increased, making the kakapo one of the world’s greatest conservation success stories.

NEW ZEALAND CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES

  • New Zealand Volcano Science Experiments!
  • Poi Spinning: Easy Crafts for Kids – SpinPoi
  • Travel To New Zealand From Home
  • Where is New Zealand Video
  • Kids’ Clay Koru Necklace

K IS FOR KIWI CRAFT

Homemade puffy paint gives your Kiwi bird a softer feather-like texture, and using a plastic fork as a paintbrush is just downright fun.

You will need:

  • Brown construction paper
  • Cream or yellow construction paper
  • Google eyes
  • Glue stick
  • Plastic fork
  • Scissors
K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

First, use brown construction paper to cut out an oval body and a small head.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

Cut a long tapering beak and 3-toed bird feet from the yellow or tan paper.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

Mix foaming shave gel and brown paint.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

Use a fork to apply it all over the head and body.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

Allow to dry and go back over the dry paint with a fork, scraping in different directions to give it some texture that resembles the feathers.

K Is For Kiwi Craft & New Zealand Bird Study

Glue the head to the body and add googly eyes, the long, narrow beak, and feet with a glue stick.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: bird, geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, life science, New Zealand, science

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

May 11, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Along with a free printable map of Argentina, you are going to enjoy this other map activity, a wood-burning project that can be used to make learning any map fun. Also, look at my page South America Unit Study Resources for more ideas about South America.

This is a fun activity for older kids when they have outgrown simple coloring pages, and the older they are, the more detail you can ask them to show.

This idea can be applied to learning about any country and would make a lovely display hanging to commemorate what your child has learned if you use it for each country that you study, but today our focus is on South America, in the country of Argentina.

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Argentina is one of the largest countries in the world, stretching across much of southern South America. It’s the eighth-largest country globally and the second-largest in South America after Brazil.

Because it’s so long from north to south, Argentina has a wide variety of climates, from tropical heat in the north to icy glaciers in the south.

The capital city, Buenos Aires, is often called the “Paris of South America” because of its beautiful architecture, wide boulevards, and rich culture.

It’s also the birthplace of the famous tango dance.

BOOKS ABOUT ARGENTINA FOR KIDS

Next, look at these books about Argentina.

We love living books and prefer them when we can find them.

5 Books Set in Argentina or About Argentina

Grab one or two of these books about Argentina to add to your reading day.

Image for On the Pampas

On the Pampas

An account of a little girl's idyllic summer at her grandparents' ranch on the pampas of Argentina.

Image for The Magic Bean Tree: A Legend from Argentina

The Magic Bean Tree: A Legend from Argentina

The evil bird who lives on top of the magic tree that grows in the Argentine pampas has the powr to stop the rain, so one summer, a little boy risks everything to save his village from dying of thirst by taking a stand against the powerful bird.

Image for Our World: Argentina

Our World: Argentina

Discover the vibrant sights and sounds of Argentina, from morning light to city night! Snack on medialunas, explore the bustling stalls at la feria, and ride the caballito on the carousel. Even learn words in Spanish with pronunciation guides throughout the story.

  • Part of the Barefoot Books Our World series with over 200k copies sold
  • Written by Argentinian author, Aixa Pérez-Prado and Argentinian illustrator, Mariana Ruiz Johnson
  • Extended endnotes provide more insights into life in Argentina
Image for Abuelo (Spanish Edition)

Abuelo (Spanish Edition)

Arthur Dorros's skillful blend of Spanish and English and Raúl Colón's poignant paintings illuminate how the special bond between an abuelo and a nieto reaches across miles.

Together, a young boy and his abuelo go camping, ride horses, and even confront a mountain lion. Soon, the boy's family moves to the city from the country, away from Abuelo, and it is the boy's memories that help him adjust to his new life.

Fans of Dorros's Papá and Me and Abuela will delight in this bilingual and multigenerational picture book about a special family relationship.

This beautiful picture book blends Spanish and English seamlessly, all at once telling a wonderful story and introducing young readers to both languages. Perfect for bilingual families as well as teachers and families who want to expose their children to multiple languages.

Image for Chucaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa

Chucaro: Wild Pony of the Pampa

The world of the Argentine pampa comes to life in this humorous tale of a South American boy determined to tame and ride a wild pony.

Argentina is known for its strong cowboy culture. The “gauchos” (Argentine cowboys) lived on the grassy plains called the pampas and became symbols of freedom and hard work.

It is also known as the home of some of the best beef in the world, traditional meals often include grilled meat called “asado,” which is a big part of family and social life.

Before we begin our project, let’s learn a little more about the places and people of this beautiful country.

FAMOUS FACES OF ARGENTINA

  • José de San Martín- A national hero who helped lead Argentina, Chile, and Peru to independence from Spain.
  • Eva Perón- Known as “Evita,” she was beloved for helping the poor and working-class citizens.
  • Lionel Messi- One of the greatest soccer players of all time and a global sports icon.
  • Pope Francis- The first pope from South America, born in Buenos Aires.

AMAZING PLACES TO FIND ON YOUR MAP

As your student works on their printable map or wood-burning project, these are must-see places to locate and learn about:

Iguazu Falls- One of the largest and most powerful waterfall systems in the world, located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. It’s made up of over 250 individual waterfalls!

Patagonia- A vast, wild region in southern Argentina filled with mountains, glaciers, and unique wildlife. It’s a dream destination for adventurers.

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Andes Mountains- The longest mountain range in the world runs along Argentina’s western edge. It includes the highest mountain in the Americas.

Aconcagua- Standing at nearly 23,000 feet, Aconcagua is the tallest mountain outside of Asia.

Perito Moreno Glacier- A massive glacier that is still growing! Visitors can sometimes see huge chunks of ice break off into the water.

Pampas- Fertile plains where cattle ranching thrives, and gauchos made their mark.

As you create your wood-burned map of Argentina, don’t just focus on the outline; use it as a learning tool. You can:

  • Connect people to places (for example, Buenos Aires for Pope Francis)
  • Mark major landmarks like Iguazu Falls or Aconcagua with colored pins
  • Use different string colors to show regions (mountains, plains, glaciers)
  • Add small labels or flags for important cities like Buenos Aires

ARGENTINA CRAFT AND ACTIVITY IDEAS

  • An Argentina Craft Tutorial: How To Make A Gaucho Sombrero
  • Colorful Buildings Paper Collages: Exploring Argentina Through Art – Creative Family Fun
  • Free Lapbook Argentina for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  • DIY Gaucho Belt
  • Argentina Coloring Pages

FUN WOOD BURNING ACTIVITY

You will need:

  • Wood
  • Wood-burning tool
  • Carbon paper
  • Pencil
  • Map outline
Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

I printed my map in black and white at 200%, and it worked perfectly for my sizing. You may need to experiment with yours a bit.

Place your carbon paper with the darker transfer side face down onto your wood piece. To help keep it straight, I lined it up with the edge of my desk and taped each layer in place using the straight edge as my guide.

Then place your map over it and tape it in place.

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Trace the outline with a pencil. You can also mark the capital, trace water, mountains, etc. For our first wood-burning project, we decided to keep it simple, with just the outline, the country name, and the capital marked.

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Peel the paper back, leaving the tape on one side so that you can make sure your transfer went through all over. If it’s missing spaces, just simply tape that side back down and go over it again; otherwise, you can remove the paper.

You should have a nice, solid outline.

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Heat your wood-burning tool, then, holding it like a pencil, go over all the pencil lines you created. The slower you go, the deeper and darker your wood burn will be. You can use a piece of scrap wood to practice on and find out what the best method for you is. Make sure you do not touch any of the metal parts.

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Continue until everything has been filled in and is as dark and as thick as you wish

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Finish it up by burning Argentina onto the wood plaque to complete your map.

Free Printable Map of Argentina & A Fun Wood Burning Project

Now, how to grab the free country reports. This is a subscriber freebie.

HOW TO GET THE FREE 9 COUNTRY MAP REPORTS FOR SOUTH AMERICA (INCLUDING ARGENTINA)

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this freebie.

The 9 country reports you get in this one download are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chili, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela.

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: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschool geography, south america

Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia Free Map Template & Salt Dough Map Craft

April 14, 2026 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re doing a hands-on geography Mesopotamia fun salt dough map. Also, look at my page Ancient Mesopotamia Fun Facts For Kids Who Love History for more hands-on history ideas. And I have a free printable map of the Middle East and Mesopotamia template you can download below.

Teaching your homeschoolers about ancient civilizations should be engaging and fun. Too, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia Free Map Template & Salt Dough Map Craft

After all, there is so much to learn about how we humans came together, created society, and learned to use tools to make our lives better.

Every society in history is fascinating to study, but if you want to start at the beginning, Mesopotamia is the place.

According to Merry E. Weisner in Discovering the Western Past, historians and archaeologists define a city as “a place inhabited by more than 5,000 people.” The remains of the earliest communities of this size can be found in ancient Mesopotamia.

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

Next, look at a few books about Mesopotamia.

We prefer living books when we can find them.

7 Books to Read About Ancient Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is a region situated within the Tigris–Euphrates River system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia occupies modern Iraq.  In the broader sense, the historical region included present-day Iraq and parts of present-day Iran, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey.

Image for Gilgamesh the King (The Gilgamesh Trilogy)

Gilgamesh the King (The Gilgamesh Trilogy)

Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. To impress them forever he orders a great wall to be built, driving his people to exhaustion and despair so that they cry to the Sun God for help.

Image for The Golden Bull: A Mesopotamian Adventure

The Golden Bull: A Mesopotamian Adventure

5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia during a terrible drought, Jomar and Zefa's father must send his children away to the city of Ur because he can no longer feed them. At fourteen, Jomar is old enough to apprentice with Sidah, a master goldsmith for the temple of the moongod, but there is no place for Zefa in Sidah's household. Zefa, a talented but untrained musician, is forced to play her music and sing for alms on the streets of Ur.

Image for Science in Ancient Mesopotamia

Science in Ancient Mesopotamia

Describes the enormous accomplishments of the Sumerians and Babylonians of ancient Mesopotamia in every scientific area, a heritage which affects our own everyday lives

Image for Ancient Mesopotamia: The Sumerians, Babylonians, And Assyrians

Ancient Mesopotamia: The Sumerians, Babylonians, And Assyrians

Explores Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian cultures, discussing social structure, lifestyles, and the military in these societies.

Image for Lugalbanda: The Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War: An Epic Tale From Ancient Iraq

Lugalbanda: The Boy Who Got Caught Up in a War: An Epic Tale From Ancient Iraq

Lugalbanda woke with a jolt. He opened his eyes and what did he see but the terrible Anzu bird beating its wings in its nest high above. . . . Did he quake? Did he quail? No. Lugalbanda the Brave sat and stared, and into his head came a brilliant idea.

Image for Mesopotamia (A True Book)

Mesopotamia (A True Book)

Presents the history of ancient Mesopotamia, describing the different groups of people who lived there, and their government, cities, everyday life, religion, and writing.

Image for You Wouldn't Want to Be a Sumerian Slave!

You Wouldn't Want to Be a Sumerian Slave!

Invites readers them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history.

HANDS-ON GEOGRAPHY MESOPOTAMIA

Mesopotamia, located in what is now southern Iraq, has been called the cradle of the human race. It is considered by many to be the birthplace of western civilization.

Its location between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers is to blame. In fact, Mesopotamia means “the land between the rivers.” The rivers originate in the Armenian Highlands of Eastern Turkey and empty into the Persian Gulf.

The valley between these two long rivers had rich soil capable of producing abundant crops which could sustain an early civilization.

Believe it or not, the region got very little rain even in ancient times.

Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map. Studying Ancient Civilizations doesn’t have to be boring. Your kids will love this EASY hands-on geography.

The soil was enriched with silt each spring when the rivers flooded due to snow melt in the upland mountains where the rivers began.

The problem was that the rivers flooded with the snow melt and the times and amounts were unpredictable.

As rich as the soil was, it couldn’t be farmed unless people could control the flooding.

They came up with a large-scale system of water control that included irrigation and drainage ditches, making it possible to grow crops on a regular basis.

The resulting abundance of food enabled large numbers of people to live together and create a civilization.

HANDS-ON ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Sometimes it’s hard for kids to get a grasp on a place that existed 5,000 years ago. It sounds made-up and is hard to picture in the real, modern world. Learning about Mesopotamia should include all the cool facts, like the ziggurats that housed holy temples, the Code of Hammurabi, and cuneiform–the world’s oldest writing system.

But you should also make sure they understand exactly where it is. Maps will help, but creating a hands-on experience will help even more.

Hands-on learning is the best learning. When your kids engage in kinesthetic activities while you’re teaching them with auditory or visual methods, they can retain the information better.

In other words, the more ways you engage them in a lesson, the more they’ll remember what they’ve learned.

Especially when you’re dealing with something for which they can’t get a true visual (like the geography of an ancient civilization), giving them a hands-on activity to do can help them wrap their minds around the lesson.

SALT-DOUGH MAP OF MESOPOTAMIA

Help your kids get a visual of Mesopotamia and remember where it is with this fun activity. Make sure you have some books or other materials for them to learn from along with their map-making.

What you need:

Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • A map of Mesopotamia for reference
  • Printable Map of Modern-Day Middle East (instantly download below by adding your email below)
  • Printable Mesopotamia template (instantly download below by adding your email below)
  • Laminator and laminating sheets (optional)
  • Tape
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 cup water
  • Blue, green, white, and brown craft or tempera paint
  • Paint brushes
  • Plastic knife

What you do:

Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Print Map of Modern-Day Middle East: In printer properties change multiple page function to “1 in 2×2 pages.” (This will allow your printer to print a larger map on 4 pages.) Or enlarge the map 200% on a copier
  • Laminate map pieces (optional)
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Tape map pieces together
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Mix flour and salt in a medium bowl
  • Add water slowly, stirring as you go
  • Mix until it resembles play dough–if it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour
  • Knead the dough for a couple of minutes till it’s easy to work with
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Roll it out on a floured surface
  • Print and Cut out template of Mesopotamia and use it to shape salt dough, cutting away excess with plastic knife
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Use the back of the plastic knife to trace the rivers onto the salt dough
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Remove the template and deepen the river outlines in the salt dough with the back of the plastic knife; paint them blue
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Use extra salt dough to add Armenian Highlands at the north end, keeping the flow of the rivers going through them; paint tips white and bases brown
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Use finger tips to thin dough between rivers into a valley and paint valley green
  • Allow to dry several days or dry quickly in oven by covering loosely with foil and baking 20 minutes at 250F
Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
  • Place your salt dough Mesopotamia on your map whenever you’re learning about the ancient civilization

Mesopotamia Geography

If you want your kids to get an even deeper experience of the geography of Mesopotamia, try these ideas:

  • Label the rivers on your salt dough map
  • Use black paint to make dots on your salt dough map that represent the cities of Mesopotamia (Babylon, Uruk, Ur, Eridu, Nineveh, and Susa)
  • Use white or another color to paint the borders of the 3 regions of Mesopotamia on your salt dough map (Assyria, Akkad, and Sumer)

Fun, useful, and memorable, this activity is sure to help your kids remember where Mesopotamia was and the topography that made it possible.

Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map. Studying Ancient Civilizations doesn’t have to be boring. Your kids will love this EASY hands-on geography.

And also we love hands-on history activities from Home School in the Woods. Be sure to look over their beautiful timeline materials.

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

HOW TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE PRINTABLE MAP OF THE MIDDLE EAST AND MESOPOTAMIA TEMPLATE

That means when you sign up to follow me, you get my emails in your inbox and you get this 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!

You’ll love these other hands-on activities:

  • Hands-on History Activities for Learning about Ancient Civilizations
  • Marco Polo Unit Study – Salt Dough Map + Free Printable Map Flags 
  • South America Geography Salt Dough Map + Printable Pennants
  • Arctic Region Salt Dough Map + Free Map Flag Printable

Written by KT of Lit Mama Homeschool

1 CommentFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Geography, Geography Based, Hands-On Activities, History Based Tagged With: ancient civilizations, geography, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolgeography, mesopotamia, salt dough map

6 Unit Study Resources: Mountain Men – Explorers of the West

March 13, 2026 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing six mountain men unit study resources. Also, look at my page BEST Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook for more resources.

Whether you’re studying about the American Frontier, fur trade or living off the grid, you’ll bring history alive through studying the tough life of mountain men.

Today, I rounded up six unit study resources to grab for a unit study. Besides explorers and fur traders, they were some of America’s first trail blazers.

6 Unit Study Resources: Mountain Men - Explorers of the West

These rugged adventurers lived in the wilderness, exploring forests, rivers, and snowy mountain ranges. Their lives were full of adventure, danger, and discovery.

They were explorers and fur trappers who lived in the western parts of North America during the early 1800s. They traveled through places like the Rocky Mountains, where few settlers had gone before.

BOOKS ABOUT MOUNTAIN MEN FOR KIDS

Next, look at some fun books to read about their life.

5 Mountain Men Books

Whether you’re learning about mountain men for the day or want to create a unit study, add a book or two to your home library.

Image for Mountain Men: True Grit and Tall Tales

Mountain Men: True Grit and Tall Tales

In 1804, Lewis and Clark set out to find the fabled Northwest Passage to the Pacific, mounting the first expedition across the uncharted territory of President Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase. Though they never found the nonexistent Northwest Passage-or the lost tribes of Israel, rumored to be living in the Great American Desert-they did discover that the entire region west of the Mississippi was swarming with beaver. And so began the American fur trade, as the first tough trappers headed out to make their fortunes in beaver pelts.

Image for My Side of the Mountain

My Side of the Mountain

Twelve-year-old Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in his family’s crowded New York City apartment. One day—armed with just a penknife, a ball of red cord, forty dollars, some flint and steel, and the clothes on his back—he decides to run away to his grandfather’s abandoned farm in the Catskill Mountains, to live in the woods all by
himself. There, Sam must rely on his own ingenuity and the resources of the great outdoors to survive, as he discovers a side of himself he never knew existed.

Image for Dan Frontier

Dan Frontier

The books follow Dan Frontier, a pioneer who protects settlers, rescues friends from dangers like wolves and wildcats, and interacts with Native Americans on the early American frontier

Image for Grizzly Killer: The Making of a Mountain Man

Grizzly Killer: The Making of a Mountain Man

When Zach Connors and his pa left their Kentucky homestead in the summer of 1824 to see the Rocky Mountains, he didn’t realize he would never see his childhood home again or that he would find love, friendship, fame, and a new home in this wild and harsh wilderness. After a grizzly kills his pa, Zach struggles to survive a cold and brutal winter alone. After killing a rouge grizzly and fighting hostile Indians on his own, he becomes known as Grizzly Killer and is respected throughout the West. Along with his dog, Jimbo, whom the Indians call the Great Medicine Dog, he finds Running Wolf, an injured Ute warrior, and together they fight off a hostile war party. They rescue two Shoshone sisters from the brutality of a French trapper and take them as wives. After Zach saves Running Wolf’s beautiful sister, Shining Star, he is expected to take her as a second wife, but his Christian beliefs conflict with the Indian traditions, and he struggles within himself to
accept the Indian ways

Image for The Mountain Men: The Dramatic History And Lore Of The First Frontiersmen

The Mountain Men: The Dramatic History And Lore Of The First Frontiersmen

To know how the West was really won, start with the exploits of these unsung mountain men who, like the legendary Jeremiah Johnson, were real buckskin survivalists. Preceded only by Lewis and Clark, beaver fur trappers roamed the river valleys and mountain ranges of the West, living on fish and game, fighting or trading with the Native Americans, and forever heading toward the untamed wilderness.

TRAILBLAZERS

This guide Trappers, Traders, and Trailblazers: Mountain Men in the Rocky Mountain West is a great start to dive into learning about mountain men.

Next, this super helpful free teacher’s guide about the beaver is chock full of information.

It has a unit on fur trade, mountain men lifestyle, and legends of the mountain men. Look below at the expansive unit for a unit on fur trade and lifestyle.

And even though it mentions items in a trunk, it’s really helpful in understanding artifacts and every day items used by mountain men.

Read about the items they used and a few them look like they could be easily made.

This next fun guide talks about the importance of being able to identify animal tracks along with the animal tracks labeled. Click here for Tracking” Down the Secret Code / North American Animal “Who am I”

It has a handwritten letter which is a primary source and a lesson about beavers.

Hands-on History and Geography

More units like the Language of a Trapper, Rendezvous, Mountain Man Tales, and Indian Wives of the Mountain Men are a few of the fun and interesting units in this expansive unit.

6 Unit Study Resources: Mountain Men - Explorers of the West

This is an interesting read for your middle or high school kid. While it doesn’t have pictures, it’s the diary of Jedediah Strong Smith, a mountain men. It describes the perils he faced each day.

Lastly, this link Mountain Man Artifact Kit has a lot of background information about the fur trade and the ways of the mountain men.

Download them and add to them a unit study about geography or use them for a mini unit study.

6 Unit Study Resources: Mountain Men - Explorers of the West

Also, you’ll like my posts:

  • 30 Fun Resources for Learning About Daniel Boone
  • Westward Ho! Lapbook {Time period we covered 1803 to 1890}
  • 100 Oregon Trail Homeschool History Resources

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Geography, Geography Based, Hands-On Activities, History Based, History Resources Tagged With: explorers, frontier, geography, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, history, history resources, homeschoolgeography, mountain men, unit studies, westward expansion, westwardho

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