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Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

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If you’re looking for rainforest science activities for kindergarten, you’ll love this living terrarium craft. Look for my other kindergarten tips and crafts on my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum. Also, look at my pages Rain Forest – Amazon and Rainforest Activities for Kids.

Are you learning all about the beautiful and fascinating rainforest habitat?

You can have your child make a diorama the old-fashioned way or try something new and end up with a beautiful living decor piece.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

This living rainforest diorama terrarium can be a great hands-on way to teach your child about the animals and plants of the rainforest and a lesson on self-sustaining environments.

This mini ecosystem becomes a self-sustaining environment with living plants once the lid is closed.

And it is a beautiful addition to your homeschool or living room. Add this idea to your rainforest science activities for kindergarten.

Nature Book

Also, I wanted to share this beautiful resource I found with you that is perfect for adding some botany into your studies.

Botanicum is an oversized book which has gorgeous illustrations that look like vintage museum prints.

There is a good section with information on rainforests including tropical trees and plants

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Also, beautiful, detailed pictures that are great for tracing or using as inspiration to draw your own.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Also, here are some rainforest facts.

Rainforest Facts

  • The Amazon Rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest.
  • In addition, there are two types of rainforests- tropical and temperate.
  • The average temperature in the rainforest is 82℉.
  • 6% of the earth is covered by rainforests.
  • More than ⅔ of the world’s plant and animal species live here.
  • It can take all the way up to 10 minutes for a raindrop to fall to the ground because of the thick canopy cover of the trees that slows it down.
  • 25% of medicines in production come from the rainforest regions.
  • The rainforest contains over two million types of insects!
  • Most animals and plants live in the canopy area of the rainforest.
Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

And the rainforest is made up of 4 different layers:

  1. The dark, damp Forest floor.
  2. The Understory, the part that makes up the shorter tree space between the canopy and the forest floor.
  3. The Canopy, the lush thicker tree filled area where most animals live.
  4. The Emergent Layer, the thick treetops that stretch up into the open air.

Other Kindergarten Resources

Too, be sure to not miss these other homeschool kindergarten resources.

Additionally, you love some more rainforest activities.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

You’ll love all the Amazon Rainforest resources.

More Amazon Rainforest Activities

Now, let’s dive into making this amazing living terrarium.

How to Make a Rainforest Living Terrarium

First, you will need the following items.

  • Potting soil
  • A large sealing glass jar, a gallon size is perfect.
  • Small succulents-real or faux
  • Other small tropical plants
  • Small rocks or pebbles
  • Rainforest animals
  • Moss. I used dried moss from Dollar Tree and you can include live moss on the forest floor if you have some.
  • Sticks or small limbs from the yard
  • Hot glue gun/glue sticks
  • White labels

Then, here are the directions.

Add a 1” -2” layer of small rocks or pebbles carefully to the bottom of the jar, this will help with drainage.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Next, place 2” of potting soil on top of the rocks.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Before planting the succulents spritz them well with water or give them a good dunk under water.

Now you can use real or fake succulents if you don’t want to keep up with watering but the care for succulents is minimal.

And once established, they need little care.

Plant your succulents and spread around the jar. We used a mix of real and fake succulents to fill the space.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Now to create the tall full lush trees we used some sticks we gathered from the yard.

Break them down to size so that they fit a couple inches below the lid once pressed into the dirt.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

 Make your trees by putting hot glue all around on the top of the stick.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Then, roll it around and press it into the moss.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten

You may repeat this step to fill in your tree as full as you would like.

Don’t forget to add some to your lower branches if your tree has them.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Once the glue has hardened you can press them down into the soil and rocks.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Finally, add in some rainforest creatures to live in your habitat.

Additionally, these toob animals come in handy for so many projects. Try to spread them out among the 4 different layers.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Spritz everything well and close up the lid.

Now your habitat is also a fantastic demonstration on the water cycle as moisture will form on the inside and on the plants.

That moisture will drip down and water the soil.

The cycle will repeat itself over and over. It is good to open the lid once a month for a few minutes and allow the plants to get fresh air.

Now, to learn a bit about the 4 layers -use a white label to write the 4 layers that make up the rainforest- The Emergent Layer, Canopy, Understory and Forest floor. 

Have your child place them in the correct place on the side of the jar to label each one.

Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium

Your terrarium just needs indirect sunlight and do not place directly in the sun.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

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Today is National Native American Heritage Day and we’re making a fun Iroquois bracelet. Add this to my Iroquois lapbook for an amazing unit study.

When studying the Iroquois, you can’t forget the beautiful beadwork that was so important to the culture for many reasons. 

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

Additionally, wampum belts were worn for ornamental, ceremonial, diplomatic and commercial purposes.

They were made to identify agreements and treaties between peoples.

For example, like between the Haudenosaunee and newcomers to North America.

Also, they were used as currency between tribes and the colonists.

We are going to take some liberties and use regular beads to work on fine motor skills with some simple coloring in squares and bead stringing.

Adding in some Native American history we’ll create simple a beadwork bracelet and have fun in the process.

While there are more complex weaving patterns for the wampum, this simple tutorial makes it easy for anyone to create.

Books About the Iroquois

Grab a few books from your library or pick up a couple that I have linked below to learn a little more about the Iroquois and the importance of wampum.

5 Books About the Iroquois

Learn about how the Iroquois lived.

Then look at some facts below.

Interesting Iroquois Facts

  • They were originally Five Nations that made up the Iroquois people- Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca. Later the Tuscarora joined.
  • There was a trail that connected the Five Nations that make up the Iroquois, it was called the Iroquois Trail.
  • The Iroquois Great Council still meets today.
  • Wampum Is a shortened version of wampumpeag, which is derived from the Narragansett word meaning “white strings of shell beads. They were tubular beads made from seashells on the coast and were most often the white shells from the whelk shell and purple from the quahog clam shell.
  • The main homeland of the Iroquois was in what is now New York State. They were also spread across Ohio, Pennsylvania, Quebec and Ontario.
  • Up to 60 people would live in a single longhouse.
  • The Iroquois slept on raised platforms.
  • Besides the animals that they hunted, they mainly ate corn, beans and squash, named the Three Sisters.
  • Men of the Iroquois hunted and fished, were the traders and fighters. And the women took care of farmed, gathered and processed food, raised the children, and took care of the housekeeping.
  • The Iroquois moved to a new settlement near water every 10-30 years because the soil lost its nutrients and the animal and fish population declined from use.

Also, I have these other resources.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

Finally, look at these Iroquois resources below.

More Iroquois Resources

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

In addition, look below at how to make a Native American wampum bracelet.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

How to Make a Native American Wampum Bracelet

Next, you will need:

  • Colorful beads
  • Pipe cleaners/chenille stems
  • Graph paper
  • Markers in the same colors as the beads you use.
  • Small piece of cardboard
  • scissors
National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

The number of beads you will need will depend on the length you want it and the size of the beads you choose.

First, determine how long you want the bracelet to be.

Line up beads along the length of the pipe cleaner to designate the length and this will help you decide how many you need for one row to determine the pattern in the next step.

You want to make it large enough that it can slide on and off without opening.

Decide on a pattern you would like to use, you can keep it simple and just alternate 2 to 3 colors, or a simple shape.

Mark it on a sheet of graph paper by coloring in each of the squares to represent the bead color you will use. For a bracelet 3 to 4 lines tall is perfect.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

Next, cut a piece of cardboard a little shorter than the pipe cleaners and about  4”- 5” wide.

Cut slits in one end ¼” apart.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

Place pipe cleaners on cardboard, press them through the slits and bend a small amount of one end over the back

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

Follow the pattern.

Put either one pipe cleaner at a time or across from one side to the other to replicate the pattern you created on paper.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

Once all your beads are in place, remove the strands and twist one end together tightly without moving all the strands.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

On the opposite end of the bracelet twist the ends together around one strand leaving it longer than the others.

Bend into a bracelet shape and wrap the longer strand from the end around the other piece to close it off.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

Winter Craft Ideas How to Make Fun Pinecone Flowers

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

If you’re looking for winter craft ideas for a winter season unit study, your kids will love these fun pinecone flowers.

These pinecone flowers are adorable and add a sweet touch to your table or bookshelf.

Creating an entire bouquet is a great way to fill a chilly fall or winter afternoon with your nature lover. 

Winter Craft Ideas How to Make Fun Pine Cone Flowers

I just love the mix of the natural and the handmade.

This activity can be done as a standalone or as part of a tree or pinecone unit study.

All you need to do is gather up some pinecones from the yard and a handful of small sturdy twigs and you are ready to get to creating a beautiful bouquet.

Favorite Nature Winter Craft Ideas

If you want to include this craft as part of a unit on pinecones or trees in general here are some of my favorite resources for nature study.

The Nature Anatomy book is always a goldmine of information.

There are plenty of pages on bark, leaves, pinecones, tree rings, etc.

Another great pinecone activity is this Easy and Fun PineCone Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten.

  • This is a cute and well done Pinecone Unit Study that you can do.
  • Nature lovers should have a copy of Peterson First Guides Trees on hand. This is a great reference for home or to pack for nature walks.

Safari LTD Trees Toobs are great as a reference especially trees you might not see in person but they can also be used for dioramas and sensory bins.

Finally, explore this simple activity: Why Do Pinecones Open and Close While you have pinecones gather up.

Pinecone Facts

Winter Craft Ideas How to Make Fun Pine Cone Flowers

Also, here are a few pinecone facts.

  • The main purpose of a pinecone is to keep the tree’s seeds safe.
  • The inner bark can be sliced and fried, it is a good emergency food option.
  • Pinecones can stay on pine trees for more than 10 years before falling to the ground.
  • The large pinecones you see are the female pinecones.
  • Pinecones are the official Maine state flower.
  • Pine nuts can be used in coffee, jam, tea, and seasoning.
  • Pinecones are a natural barometer for predicting severe winters and forest fires. A pinecone on the forest ground is an indication of moisture and could mean a wildfire risk. The closed scales on a pinecone indicate damp conditions while open scales mean the forest floor is dry.
  • Pine, spruce, firs, cedars, larches, hemlocks, yews, etc. are all conifers and produce cones, but pinecones only come from pine trees.
  • The reason that pinecones close their scales is to protect the seeds from cold temperatures and the wind.

Other Winter Craft Ideas

Also, look at a few more craft ideas.

Now, look at how to make these fun pinecone flowers.

How to Make Pinecone Flowers

You will need:

  • Pinecones
  • Sticks
  • Craft paint
  • Paintbrushes
  • Toilet paper rolls
  • Pruning shears/cutters
  • Hot glue gun/sticks
Winter Craft Ideas How to Make Fun Pine Cone Flowers

Go on a nice leisurely nature walk and gather pinecones and twigs.

If you can’t find any in your area, they are easily found at craft stores in bags.

Clean the pinecones with soap and water to remove dirt, bugs and loose pieces.

Allow to dry completely. Use pruning shears or loppers to cut pinecones into about 3 pieces. Pull off loose leaves.

Winter Craft Ideas How to Make Fun Pine Cone Flowers

Cut empty toilet rolls into rings and use them to prop up your pinecones.

This will help them dry quicker from underneath.

Paint pinecones completely inside and out, top and bottom and allow them to dry. 

Repeat with a second coat to get nice coverage, allowing it to dry completely.

If you like, add dots of yellow paint to the center to create the center of the flower the pistil.

Once all the paint is completely dry choose a twig to fit with the size of your pinecone and attach it to the bottom with a generous amount of hot glue.

You will need to hold each one in place while the hot glue cools and hardens. Repeat for each flower.

Once all stems have been added you can arrange them in a simple jar or lay them on shelves to brighten up your home.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

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Geronimo Stilton Out of Time The 8th Journey Through Time we make a visit to Sir Francis Drake. You’ll love the other Geronimo Stilton Books and crafts on my page.

I am so enamored with this little mouse and his wild adventures through time to meet famous figures.

At least we get to have a peek through his stories, right? 

In this book, Geronimo visits Alexander the Great, Queen Cleopatra, Mozart, and our focus today Sir Francis Drake. 

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

If you are not familiar with Francis Drake, he was an English explorer.

But he was also a sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. 

His biggest claims to fame are having a major role in England’s defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.

He was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

About the Geronimo Stilton Series

Geronimo Stilton is full of fun facts presented in a colorful and interesting way for even the child that is reluctant to read.

The series is a younger version of a graphic novel and a great way to introduce history to your child. 

This book has jokes, a seek and count page, maps, and lots of fun pirate terms to learn.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

Too, colorful words in different fonts and sizes keep kids interested in the story while learning new vocabulary and placing emphasis on what is important.

Activities for Learning About Sir Francis Drake

Besides the wonderful activities in the book, look at some other ideas for learning about Sir Francis Drake.

Then, add some information about the differences between a pirate and a privateer.

What is the difference between a pirate and a privateer?

A pirate attacks and robs ships at sea for their own gain.

Privateers are pirates that were hired by the government to do the same thing.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

However, they keep part of what they steal for themselves.

Other Geronimo Stilton Chapter Book Activities

Next, look at these other crafts to go with the books.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

Finally, look at how to make a Sir Francis Drake ship craft.

How to Make a Sir Francis Drake Ship

Here is a list of supplies.

  • White Paper plate
  • Brown craft paint
  • Black, white, and brown construction paper/cardstock
  • Two wooden skewers
  • Red marker
  • Hot glue gun/glue sticks
Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

First, cut a paper plate in half, hot glue the two sides together.

You can do this with regular glue instead of hot glue if you’d like it to be an entirely child lead craft but it does take a lot longer for the glue to dry.

So, you may choose to just hot glue it so they can get on with the craft quicker.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

This is what it should look like at this point.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

Let your child paint both sides of the boat as well as the inside if they like and allow it to dry completely.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

While you’re waiting for the boat to dry cut out three small circles of brown construction paper.

And cut three slightly smaller circles out of black construction paper.

Then layer them to create the little portholes on the ship.

Next, take white card stock and cut two smaller trapezoids.

Also, cut two larger trapezoids for the sales as well as a small rectangle for the flag and you can see what that will look like below. 

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

Help your child to poke the top and bottom of the trapezoid through the skewer.

Bend it out a little bit to look like it has a little wind and it sails of course with a larger trapezoid on bottom and the smaller trapezoid on top.

Attach the flag to the top of one with glue.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

Glue portholes to the side of the ship.

Geronimo Stilton Out Of Time Fun Sir Francis Drake Ship Craft

Slip the skewered flags inside the ship and attach with hot glue, this will make certain it is secure and allow it to be ready faster.

Once the glue is cooled your ship is ready to set sail for adventure.

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

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

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Today is National Gingerbread Cookie Day and your kids will love this fun selfie salt dough gingerbread kids activity. Add this fun craft to my winter season unit study.

If you are not a fan of edible gingerbread, I have a fun activity for you.

Turn these salt dough gingerbread men into a cute little 3D or even an entire family portrait.

Kids can recreate themselves, favorite book characters, historical figures, or any other person they like.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

This is a great way to spend a chilly winter afternoon and would be the perfect activity for an all about me unit, or to give to a kid that loves taking selfies a different outlet for that creativity.

Use paints, paint pens, and other craft items to create custom gingerbread men.

Great Gingerbread Facts

  • The term gingerbread is from the Latin term zingiber via an old French word-gingebra, meaning preserved ginger.
  • The first known recipe for gingerbread came from Greece in 2400 BC.
  • Nuremberg, Germany is known as the “Gingerbread Capital of the World”.
  • Ginger not only tastes good, but it also helps act as a preservative.
  • It is believed gingerbread was brought back by returning crusaders from the middle east where it was custom to bake spicy bread.
  • There are 2 dates for National Gingerbread day- June 5th and November 21st (the 21st is actually National Gingerbread Cookie Day.

  • Queen Elizabeth I of England is credited with the first gingerbread men.
  • Once, a doctor even wrote a prescription for gingerbread for the Swedish King Hans to cure his depression.
  • Ginger is a plant that is native to India and China. And is prized throughout the world for its culinary and medicinal uses.
  • Gingerbread itself is made from ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, anise and is sweetened with molasses or honey.
  • After Hansel and Gretel was published by the Brothers Grimm in the 19th century, gingerbread houses became very popular to make in Germany.

The world’s largest gingerbread house took 9 days to build, and was completed at the Mall of America in Minnesota in 2001.

It stood 67 feet tall and held 1,800 Hershey bars, 1,200 feet of Twizzlers, 100 pounds of tootsie rolls, 100 whirly pops and thousands of other pieces of candy. YUM!

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

Next, look at these fun hands-on gingerbread activities.

Gingerbread Activities

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

Bake up a Simple Gingerbread Recipe for Kids if you want to taste your creation.

More Winter Unit Study Resources

Additionally, look at these other winter unit study resources.

Further, look below at how to make this fun salt dough craft.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

How to Create a Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Men

First, here is the list of ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup fine salt
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 Tablespoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • Gingerbread cutters
  • Craft paints or paint pens
  • paintbrushes

Next, preheat your oven to 200℉.

And combine all of the dry ingredients together. Mix well.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

Also, slowly add water until fully incorporated.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

You can add a little brown or tan paint at this point to create different skin tones if you want.

Roll the dough out onto a floured surface until it’s about ¼” thick.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

Cut dough into gingerbread shapes with a cutter, or other shapes if you wish.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

If you want to hang your gingerbread selfie man, use a straw to poke a hole through the top before baking, be sure not to do it too close to the edge so it will be sturdy.

Spray the baking sheet with some nonstick cooking spray.

Transfer cut outs to the baking sheet and spritz the top of the cut outs with nonstick spray as well to help retain some color.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

What’s more you can also use aluminum foil as a framework to bend the arms and hold them into place, make them sit up, and more.

Fun Selfie Salt Dough Gingerbread Kids Activity for Long Winter Nights

Then, put in a preheated oven and bake for 2 hours or until thoroughly dry. Time may vary based on the thickness of your dough.

Once your dough is baked, allow it to cool completely.

Furthermore, use craft paints to decorate your ginger people with hair, faces, clothes, and other details.

Lastly, allow paint to dry thoroughly before using your gingerbread for decorations, playing pieces for games, in sensory bins, or even to make your own jewelry!