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Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

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This Geronimo Stilton Time Travel book has your kids going back in time through the Medieval time. If you love the Geronimo Stilton Books, you’ll love this medieval stained glass window cling.

Let’s ride off with brave Geronimo Stilton through the Medieval Period straight into Camelot.

This first book in the series takes you through prehistory with the dinosaurs, and through Ancient Egypt and the Great Sphinx of Giza, and finally into Camelot.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

The Medieval period is where we are going to hang out today with a colorful hands-on activity that you will love.

After reading Geronimo Stilton: The Journey Through Time (Geronimo Stilton), we decided to make a stained glass window craft.

This is a DIY window cling that you can use over and over and move it around as you like.

Start with a simple design like a window with big areas to fill in.

However, once you get the hang of it you can create beautiful flowers, swords, a coat of arms and more to deck your windows out in style.

About the Geronimo Stilton Time Travel Series

And the time travel series are a unique series. Like most all the books they have unique sections and pictures full of facts for the time period.

They are filled with maps that show your child where events are taking place.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel: How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

Also, facts about the time period, detailed and labeled buildings, in this case a castle.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel: How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

Throughout the reading there are important tidbits woven in like what they ate and wore during the time period.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel: How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

So, the series is more than just fun reading, but a way to make science, history, and geography a meaningful part of the story.

Again, we’re focusing on only one section of the book.

History Middle Ages Hands-on Activities

Then, add a few more activities and fun items.

And you can create a simple and easy Middle Ages unit study that your royal knight will thoroughly enjoy.

In addition, here is a fun role-playing costume.

Too, you’ll love these other Geronimo Stilton activities to go with the books.

Other Geronimo Stilton Chapter Book Activities

Finally, here are some tips to keep in mind before doing this craft.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel: How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

How to Create a Medieval Stained Glass Window Craft

Before you get started, know this.

  • Keep a couple wet q tips on hand to clean up drips and overflow.
  • Start with a simple design for your first one, keep it large and with minimal detail.
  • Don’t use paint in place of food coloring or it will not have the translucent effect. You can use liquid food coloring though if that’s what you have on hand.

List of supplies.

  • Black craft paint
  • White craft glue
  • Gel food coloring
  • Dish soap
  • paint brushes
  • Gallon ziploc bag
  • paper
  • Paint palette or a paper plate

Start by designing your window by drawing it with a pencil on a sheet of white paper or cardstock.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

Once you are happy with the design darken the lines by drawing over them with a black marker.

Slip your drawing inside a gallon sized ziploc bag.

To create the leaded paint lines, mix black paint into white craft glue.

This part does not need to be translucent and we want thicker lines here.

Just add enough paint to the glue to turn it black. Add 2 drops of dish soap and mix well.

Smooth out your plastic bag and “draw” over the outlines of your picture with the black glue mixture.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

You will need to let this dry probably overnight so that it is completely dry and will not smear for the next step.

Once the black lines are dry you can add your color.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel Stained Glass Craft

To do this, mix a drop of gel food color and a very small drop of dish soap to a couple teaspoons of glue.

Repeat this for as many colors as you would like.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

Fill in all the open spaces.

Make the spaces solid or swirl to get a different effect.

Be sure to add a thick layer of paint so that your cling is sturdy and doesn’t fall apart when peeled off.

Use a wet q tip to clean up drips off the black paint if needed.

You will need to let this next step dry for a day as well.

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft

Once everything is dry, carefully peel the window off the plastic bag.

Clean the window where you want to put it with a bit of windex and leave slightly damp.

Apply your stained glass to the window.

It will stick until you peel it off and can be stored in a plastic bag when not in use.

If you have them, separate multiple window clings with pieces of waxed paper.

What do you think? Ready to try another fun Geronimo Stilton activity?

15 World History Board Games Guaranteed to Make Learning Fun

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I’ve rounded up some fun world history board games. Also, you’ll love grabbing more ideas for history games on my page.

If you are digging deep into a study on Ancient Egypt, The Fall of Rome, or The Middle Ages the best ways to learn and have fun at the same time is with a great board game.

15 World History Board Games Guaranteed to Make Learning Fun

While not all may actually teach specifics of history they are a great way to get a taste and understanding of life back then.

Of course you don’t have to be studying a specific history topic.

All of these games are great for any history lover in general and have a lot to offer for fun and game schooling.

Learn about history through strategy, trivia, combat, role playing games and more.

Start by exploring three main periods of history

The three main time periods I’ve covered in these games are

  • The  Ancient World
  • Middle Ages,
  • and Modern History of the world.

Cool History Games

After all, those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it according to George Santayana.

Besides the facts these games can help teach a period of history game play is just amazing for family bonding.

Too, family board games help your children learn other things like cooperation, strategy, memorization, and reading comprehension.

Besides being a diversion from the normal routine of your homeschool day, cool history games can motivate your kids if they find history boring.

I’ve divided up board games by time periods so that you can easily match to your unit studies.

15 World History Board Games Guaranteed to Make Learning Fun

More Fun History Games

I know you’ll find something you’ll love in one of these time periods.

Ancient World History Board Games

This period covers the oldest records of human history from 3000 BCE – 500 CE. It ends with the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Han Dynasty in China, and the Gupta Empire in India. It teaches us about origins, cultures, traditions, and beginning civilizations. Here is where we learn of Egyptian Kings and Queens, the Trojan War, and Genghis Khan. It begins rising out of Mesopotamia and Egypt and ends with the fall of the Roman Empire

Middle Ages World History Board Games

The Middle Ages refers to that time in European history that started with the collapse of Roman civilization in the 5th century CE to the Renaissance. It is full of conquerors, explorers, scholars, brave knights and Vikings.

Modern Age World History Board Games

Explore card and strategy games that take place from the end of the Middle Ages to the middle of the 20th Century. Test your knowledge on things like the Industrial Revolution, Cold War, and the Wright Brothers first flight.

World History Board Games Covering Multiple Time Periods

These games cover ancient to modern history for those that want a broader scope of time. Test your knowledge of everything from Ancient Egypt to Adolph Hitler and see who will hold the title of Hero of History.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

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The Geronimo Stilton The Journey Through Time #2: Back In Time has your kids going back in time to Ancient Rome. If you love the Geronimo Stilton Books, you’ll love this craft which is making a fun mosaic.

Traveling with this wandering mouse we will be introduced to Romulus and Remus, the birth of Rome, the official language of Ancient Rome, fashions of the time, thermal baths, and chariot races.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

There are even some puny Roman jokes.

I always learn so much myself from just a small section of Geronimo Stilton’s adventures and The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Geronimo Stilton Special Edition) is no different.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

The series of books really weave so much about that time into an entertaining story with colorful inviting words, images, and a storyline that draws in the most reluctant readers.

About Ancient Mosaics

Today, we are going to be creating a Roman mosaic in honor of Geronimo’s visit to Ancient Rome.

We did a profile of a Roman soldier but you can choose anyone or anything you like to make.

This hands-on activity is great for learning about history through an ancient art form, working fine motor skills, and you can create a special piece to display.

A mosaic is just a picture or pattern that is made with small pieces of ceramic tile.

The Romans used to create very large and elaborate mosaic pieces, covering walls and sometimes the entire floor in their art.

Be sure you grab the SuperToob Ancient Rome to go along with your study.

What can you use these cute little figures for?

There are lots of ways to use them to compliment a unit and they come in so many themes.

  • Introduce a new unit with a fun set up.
  • Sensory Bins
  • Dioramas
  • Model for art projects
  • Shadow boxes
  • Cake/cupcake toppers
The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

Then, add in more fun Ancient Rome activities.

Ancient Rome Activities

Here are a few more fun activities to include.

Here are some ideas for additional mosaic tile art subjects you could choose from which keep with the Ancient Rome theme.

  • Colosseum
  • Columns
  • Soldier
  • Gladiator
  • Triumphal Arch
  • Pottery
  • Parthenon
  • Laurel Wreath
  • Roman gods and goddesses

Too, I recommend that you stick with a simple image for your first project, two to three colors max.

It is a lot of gluing and arranging.

Once your children get the hang of it, the sky is the limit.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

Hands-on History Ancient Rome Mosaic

You could also try making a mosaic of your dog, a cup of coffee, a video game controller, or whatever interests you.

I used cardstock.

But you could also upcycle colorful magazine pages and sort the colors for your project, use construction paper, or paint sample cards would be great.

You will need:

  • Cardstock
  • Scissors or paper cutter
  • Glue stick

Choose what image you want to create.

Then lightly draw the most important outlines and features with a pencil.

You don’t need to be detailed just get the general shape down.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

Grab cardstock in the colors you will need and cut them in about ½” strips with scissors or paper cutter.

Next, cut the strips down into ½” pieces.

I cut some slightly larger and smaller to help fill in different areas.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

Add any details you want to put in your picture first, then work around them like the eyes and mouth.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

Apply glue in small sections and work on one color at a time to fill in completely.

I found that it was easiest to do the outline of the particular section first and then fill in.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

Continue gluing and pressing down squares until your piece is completely filled in.

Once the glue is completely dry, lay it under a heavy book for a few hours to flatten if you like.

The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic

Other Geronimo Stilton Chapter Book Activities

What do you think? Ready to try another fun Geronimo Stilton activity?

National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

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Today is National Bison Day and to celebrate we made some Oregon Trail bison jerky. If you’re looking for a unit study on Westward expansion or Westward Ho Unit Study grab my ideas.

If you are studying pioneers and westward expansion you’ll have fun with your kids making my Oregon Trail bison jerky.

Cooking is a great way to learn about the times and work some practical life skills into your lessons.

National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

Westward expansion, wagon trains, pioneer life, wide open prairies, hopes of new and exciting lands full of game and promise- what a time it must have been.

It was also hard work, using what you could find, sicknesses on the trail, and eating whatever you could scare up.

I am still pretty sure I would happily don my bonnet and apron to load up in a wagon for that great adventure.

Oregon Trail Bison Jerky

One thing that was a staple for many on the Oregon Trail was bison.

A great way to preserve it was to turn it into jerky so it could be eaten longer.

Pioneers used the sun, wind, and smoke from carefully controlled fires to turn fresh meat into jerky.

The cooking method is very different today as well as the method of obtaining the bison.

However, it’s still fun to get as close as you can to what the pioneers on the Oregon Trail might have eaten.

What’s the Difference Between Buffalo and Bison

Aren’t they the same thing? They are not in fact.

Bison have large humps at the shoulders and bigger heads than buffalo do.

They also have beards and thick coats that they shed in warmer weather.

Cape and water buffalo are native to Africa and Asia. Bison can be found in North America and Europe.

Oregon Trail Hands-on Activities

Grab these fun Westward Ho Coloring Pages to add to your fun Westward Expansion activities.

Next, look at these books.

Westward Expansion Books and Resources

Add in a few books and one gameboard to your study.

10 Westward Expansion Resources

Add in a few books and resources to bring the study of the Oregon Trail to life during the United States expansion of the west.

Additionally, here are a few tips about cooking with bison.

3 Tips on Cooking With Bison

Then a few final tips about bison before we begin.

  1. I found ground bison at both Walmart and Target. But if you can’t find it or would just don’t care for it you can follow the same recipe with ground beef, choose the lowest fat beef you can find like 90/10.
  2. If you think you will get more use out of it these jerky guns, it comes in handy for making your own out of all sorts of ground meat.
  3. Ground beef jerky is much more brittle than that made from muscle. So you will need to take more care when storing or your pieces will end up as crumbs.

Finally, let’s make Oregon Trail jerky.

National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

How to Make Oregon Trail Jerky

Here is what you need:

  • 1 pound ground bison
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon onion flakes
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper flakes
National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

First, preheat your oven to 200℉.

Spray a large baking sheet well with nonstick cooking spray.

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.

National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

Mix well with your hands to completely combine.

National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

If you have a jerky gun load the ingredients.

Follow the directions for making flat or tubular jerky, otherwise follow along with the rest of my steps/

Place the mixture between two large sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper and roll out to about ⅛” thickness.

Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut into 1”x 4” to 5” strips.

Transfer carefully to a large pan using a knife or spatula to lift each piece from the parchment paper.

National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

Leave a little space between each so that the air circulates and they are able to dry evenly.

National Bison Day: Make Fun Oregon Trail Bison Jerky With Kids

Bake for 2 hours, then flip each piece carefully and bake for another 2 hours or until completely dry.

Store in an airtight jar for up to a month.

I served ours up to try in little pockets I made from waxed paper.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

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The Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series has so many topics in one book. If your child is loving the Geronimo Stilton books, your child will love making a fun Eiffel Tower.

In Geronimo Stilton No Time To Lose The Fifth Journey Through Time Geronimo jumps from Napoleon’s Time to the Vikings’ Time and finally to King Solomon’s time in the Whisker Wafter time machine.

We are going to ride with him to France to Napoleon’s Court for his coronation ceremony to crown him as emperor of France.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

And then we will work on a hands-on activity which combines several areas of stem.

  • technology
  • engineering
  • math
  • art and
  • some history, and geography as we learn about a famous French landmark.

Geronimo Stilton Hands-on Literature

As usual these great Geronimo Stilton adventures take you through the clothing of the time periods in the books.

No Time To Lose (Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time #5) is no exception.

You get to meet interesting historical figures like Napoleon and Josephine, and your kids learn so much about history through an entertaining little chapter.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Was the Eiffel Tower part of the landscape when Napoleon charged through?

No, but it was built to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution at the World’s Fair.

While it is not a part of the story it is unarguably one of the most famously identifiable landmarks in the world.

Too, this is a great way to introduce a timeline to learn about events before, during, and after the French Revolution.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Also, you’ll love my French Revolution Unit Study and Lapbook to go with this craft.

6 Hands-on Activities for Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series

Then, look at these 6 ways to enhance the book and timer period about the French Empire.

  1. Pull up a world map online, check out the map on your wall, or use an atlas to help your child identify France.
  2. Give them a hands- activity like this Edible Eiffel Tower to make.
  3. Learn a few words in French – Bonjour-Hello, Au Revoir- Goodbye, Merci- Thank You, Oui- Yes and Non- No
  4. Check out a few French artists through their paintings online or in a book.
  5. Free Storming the Bastille Game
  6. Learn About the Geography of France by Creating A Solar Oven

French Empire Hands-on Activity

First, before I get to the directions I want to say you should definitely let your kids learn through trial and error in making this edible Eiffel Tower.

This is a great learning experience but I do want to give you a few tips that we learned along the process that will make it a little bit easier for you. 

We originally set out to make our Eiffel Tower with just the cookies and the frosting which was not a strong enough glue. 

Definitely, include toothpicks as well as anything else you think might be helpful for the building process and then let your child experiment with what works and what doesn’t. 

Second, I found the sugar wafers cut very nicely with a butter knife but they make a huge mess from the minute they leave the package.

I’m talking worse than those little green packages of granola bars that leave crumbs everywhere.

I highly recommend you do this somewhere that is easily swept up or possibly even outside.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Will it be perfect? No it won’t, but remember momma, that’s okay the goal here is for them to learn and most importantly have fun while figuring it out.

Add these Safari Ltd Around the World figurines to your collection.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

They can be used as art inspiration like for the Eiffel Tower, in sensory bins and dioramas, and so much more.

Build a Fun Edible Eiffel Tower

You will need:

  • Vanilla sugar wafers
  • Frosting
  • Plastic or metal butter knife
  • Toothpicks, skewers, etc…
  • Plate, cookie sheet or other base
Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Next, the directions to make this fun craft Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series

This is an activity where you want your kid to be in the lead.

Let them solve with as little support as possible.

Try to keep your help as open ended as possible by forming it into a question.

  • I see your tower is leaning, what do you think you could do to help that?
  • You did a great job on the base, what is your next step going to be?

That being said I will give you a few tips and things that worked for us to share with your child to help them get started.

Dip both ends of your cookies in the frosting to help hold it into the base and each other as you secure it. 

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Start by making the base with 4 cookies in each corner.

Using another cookie in between is a good way to measure equal distances between the corners.

I found the easiest way to do this was to carefully press a toothpick through two, slide them apart to the ends and bend them slightly to get an angle. Two made a stronger connection.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Then build your “platform”.

This is easily done by piercing two wafers through the sides at each end like this.

Place it on top of the angled corners and secure.

You can then “wrap” cookies all around the side or just leave the platform depending on your little one’s level.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Repeat the same steps and cut your cookies slightly smaller for each level to create the tall tapering look. Use lots of toothpicks.

This is what happened before we started using lots of toothpicks to secure everything- a great lesson in why the strength of the foundation and each subsequent level to support your structure is so important.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Continue building all the way up as high as your child wants to go.

They will find after a certain point it will not hold well. Another great lesson they can learn on their own by doing.

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Here is what your final structure may look like.

Finally, look at these other Geronimo Stilton books.

Other Geronimo Stilton Chapter Book Activities

For younger children or those who may become too frustrated due to coordination or learning challenges you may just choose to let them copy the Eiffel Tower on a flat surface.

You can still talk about the structure, the shape, what makes the Eiffel tower strong, etc.