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Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

October 31, 2022 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Easy and Fun Pine Cone Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten

October 20, 2022 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This fun snowy owl winter craft for kindergarten can be used for a winter unit study. Grab more craft ideas on my kindergarten homeschool curriculum page.

Whoooo doesn’t love owls? Sorry, corny pun. If you are working on an owls unit study or talking about winter I have the perfect hands-on winter craft to add

You probably won’t even need a trip to the store to put together this snowy owl winter craft for kindergarten.

Easy and Fun Pine Cone Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten

Whether you are learning about winter, owls, or even just looking for an O or W craft for your letter of the week this simple activity is fun and cute to include.

You can find pinecones on your nature walk.

But if not, you can also find them at craft stores in the seasonal section.

Add a few books and additional activities like videos and you have a quick mini snowy owl unit study ready to go.

Snowy Owl Facts

Female owls remain with the babies while the male owl brings food back.
A baby owl is called an owlet.
They have feathers all over their legs and feet to keep them warm.
They are quite large. Their wingspan can reach 4’-5’ wide.
Snowy owls are diurnal, unlike most other owls. Instead of hunting at night they hunt during the day.
Male owls are pretty much solid white. Females have brown markings on their white plumage.
Snowy owl pairs mate for their whole life.
Lemmings make up most of the snowy owls diet.
By the time they are just 6 weeks old, snowy owls can fly well.

Snowy Owl Books

Nature Anatomy is the perfect companion spine for little learners, even if they are not reading yet.

The illustrations are fantastic and the little pieces of info they give are just enough for you to read and keep their attention.

I found a two page spread on owls to go along with the craft.

Gail Gibbons books are also a fantastic choice if you love the idea of Charlotte Mason style living books.

Owls are perfect to go along with this activity too.

The classic Owl Babies would also be a wonderful addition to your book collection.

Look below for more ideas.

Winter Unit Study Ideas

Try these other activities along with your winter craft

Listen to these Snowy Owl Sounds while you craft from YouTube.
Also look at my Inuit of the Arctic: How Animals Survive Harsh Winters Fun Blubber Activity. It is a fun way to demonstrate how Arctic animals keep warm.
How to Make fake snow with 2 ingredients for your owlet to hide in or for your little learner to play with in a sensory bin.
This Owl Babies Craft is absolutely adorable and would make for a great companion activity to this one.

Finally, measure out 5’ with painters tape on the floor to demonstrate to your child how large the snowy owl wingspan can be.

Next, let’s make a pine cone snowy owl craft.

Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten

You will need:

A large pine cone
Craft glue
White and yellow craft felt
White feathers, cotton balls, or cotton batting.
Tan or yellow pipe cleaner
Googly eyes

First, prepare small pieces of cotton batting, cotton balls, or white feathers.

Cut wing shapes from white felt. Cut them a little bigger than you think you need.

Try on your pinecone and trim as needed.

Draw w’s with a paint marker or sharpie to create feather definition on the wings.

Cut a small beak and two circles slightly larger than your google eyes from the yellow felt..

Squeeze a generous amount of school glue into the openings between the scales of the pinecone.

Stuff in your cotton pieces to make it fluffy.

I had originally intended on using fiber fill on the owl because I had it on hand but took a run to Hobby Lobby and found this cute little fluffy boa on sale for $1.50.

It looked so soft we couldn’t resist.

I cut it into little pieces to make stuffing all over easier. Encourage your child to fill it in and create a sweet little fluff ball baby owl.

When the pinecone is stuffed and fluffy to their liking, glue the wings, beak, and eyes in place with a generous amount of glue.

We found that laying it on its back to dry helped keep the pieces from sliding off.

Finish off by gluing small v shaped pieces of pipe cleaner/chenille stems to the bottom for his feet.

Other Winter Craft Ideas for Kindergarten

Also, look at a few more craft ideas.

Amazing and Free American Revolution Lapbook for Multiple Ages

October 19, 2022 | 2 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This free American Revolution lapbook and hands-on unit study for multiple ages is fun to use as spine. Be sure you grab my other lapbooks for hands-on history.

The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America.

Amazing and Free American Revolution Lapbook for Multiple Ages

And using a history lapbook to contain all the subtopics which interests your children is a fun way to not only learn, but memorize important parts.

American Revolution Facts for Kids

Here is some information about the colonies which will help you to start your lapbook and unit study.

New England Colonies

Connecticut
New Hampshire
Massachusetts
Rhode Island

Middle Colonies

Delaware
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania

Southern Colonies

Maryland
Georgia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Virginia

Also, look at this book The American Revolution for Kids: A History with 21 Activities.

There are many ways you can arrange the lapbook and it’s necessary to use all my minibooks.

Mix and match my lapbook with other topics that interest your children.

Minibooks for an American Revolution Unit Study

Also, look at the minibooks included in this free lapbook.

There are 6 cover pages
Battles of the American Revolution
Boston Massacre
Boston Tea Party and the Sugar Act
Can You Answer
Causes of the War
England’s Reason for Taxing the Colonist
Join or Die political cartoon
Map of the 13 colonies
Patriots
Road to Liberty timeline
The Stamp Act
Paul Revere
Taxation Without Representation
Who was King George and Who Were the Colonist

Too, you’ll love these ideas for a fun co-op or just to do at home.

Besides, it’s the hands-on fun which make history come alive.

American Revolution Hands-on Ideas

First, we made a trip to Goodwill and picked up teacups (mismatched is perfect), some fall foliage from Hobby Lobby. and we picked up a lot of clothes.

As you can see in the picture above, our table decorations for the Early American co-op rocked.

We had different tables or stations set up for the following activities.

Because silhouette photos were popular, we had a station for pictures. Bring a lamp, and a chair, and tape paper to the wall for your little artist to trace their sibling or friend.
Of course we had to try different flavored teas.

In addition, we had other activities.

One table we had corn husk doll making and another table the kids made bead decorating or flint corn.
Additionally, we had a guest speak from the Daughters of the American Revolution who was “George Washington’s” mom and told us stories about him.
We learned George Washington’s favorite dance, the Minuet. He was supposed to be quite the dancer.

Also, one of the activities the kids loved the most was the Minute Man race.

Our co-op bought tons of oversized clothes and just like the Minute Man, the kids had a minute to change into them.

Remember to buy the clothes oversized so the kids can leave their clothes on. (lol). Then have them race for their teams.

How to Get the American Revolution Lapbook

Finally, how to Grab the Free 33 page lapbook. It’s a subscriber freebie.

1) CLICK HERE ON THIS LINK TO SIGN UP ON MY EMAIL LIST & TO GET THIS FREEBIE

2) Grab the freebie now.

3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

Exploring Space and Astronomy Free Unit Study for Multiple Ages

Easy Hands-on Fun Ancient Greek Games for Kids DIY Knucklebones

October 16, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you’re doing hands-on history and want to add ancient Greek games for kids, you’ll love this knucklebones game and the other games on my page Kids History Games Boosts Learning & Promotes Critical Thinking.

I am sharing with you how to make and play Knucklebones.

It’s one of the oldest discovered ancient games.

Easy Hands-on Fun Ancient Greek Games for Kids DIY Knucklebones

Knucklebones is an ancient Greek game typically played with 5 small objects.

They were initially made from the knuckles of sheep or goats.

It was also called Tali, 5 stones, Jacks, scatter jacks, dibs, jackstones, or astragalus.

It is a primitive form of the modern game of jacks that is played with little metal pieces and a rubber ball.

The game of Knucklebones is 2,000 years old.

How Knucklebones Was Invented

The official rules are not known as it is such an ancient game.

But several versions have been guessed at through paintings and sculptures.

We are making the version that is like the more modern jacks game.

According to Sophocles, the mythical figure Palamedes invented te game of Knucklebones.

And taught it to Greek soldiers during the Trojan War.

Here is an image of a sculpture depicting two Greek girls playing Knucklebones.

They look so much like two little modern girls playing on the sidewalk, don’t they?

Ancient Greek Games for Kids

Look at some other toys ancient Greek children played with or spent their day being entertained with. And learn the Greek name for them.

Spinning Top-Stromvos
Rattles- Platagi
Animal Figurines- Athyrma
Marbles- Spheria
Piggyback game- Ephedrismos
Ourania- Game with a ball
Passe-boule- Similar to basketball

Here are some images of Ancient Gr e ek Toys to get an idea of what they looked like.

Ancient Greece Game Knucklebones Rules

You can play this game with 1 to 4 players. Cast (or toss) the knucklebones the same way you would dice.

Toss one knucklebone up into the air and try to grab one off the ground. Catch the falling one before it hits the ground.

Repeat but grab 2, then 3, then 4 to complete a sequence.

The winner is the first person to complete all the required sequences.

You can also play by tossing up all into the air and trying to catch as many as you can on the back of the hand or in your palm.

If you are going to play this version make your knucklebones smaller so they are easier to catch and don’t hurt.

Yet another variation is to try to toss one up and grab as many as you can in your hand before it falls.

You will want to practice.

Don’t scatter them to much or throw them too high. This will give you more control over catching them or grabbing them up.

Also, a completely different take on knucklebones assigns a points system to each side of the die.

And the winner is the one with the highest point value after tossing the knucklebones and counting up where they land. This is where the numbers or symbols you added come into the game.

Encourage your children to make up their own game with the Knucklebones. See what their imagination comes up with.

Next, look how to make your own DIY Knucklebones.

How to Make DIY Knucklebones Game

I found this terra cotta air dry clay at dollar tree and thought it looked pretty ancient so it was perfect.

You will need:

Then, create a rustic dice shape by first rolling 4 to 5 similar sized balls of clay out.

Next, pinch to create a bowed shape on the top and bottom of one face. But don’t invert too much if you plan on writing/drawing on them.

Rotate and repeat this step all the way around, this will give us a basic shape similar to real knucklebones.

Allow the clay to dry completely. This is what your final shape should look like.

Decorate your sides with numbers or symbols if you like using a small paintbrush and paint or a paint pen.

We researched ancient Greek numbers and used those. This will give your child some math practice too. You could also make up your own symbols for your family if you want.

Make a key like I did here to keep track of what each Greek number represents.

What do you think? What other Ancient Greek games for kids will you add to your Ancient Greece Unit study?

Other History Games for Kids

And finally, here are some other Ancient Greece activities.

Other Ancient Greece Activities

3 Fun Cocoa Winter Hands on Science Activities

October 6, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love doing three different cocoa winter hands-on science activities to go with my winter season unit study.

And we’re taking one of our favorite winter treats and turning it into science.

Using a simple packet of cocoa, we’re going to do three fun winter hands on science activities that your kids will love.

3 Fun Cocoa Winter Hands on Science Activities

These activities will appeal to multiple senses and can be used to teach some basic science principles.

Adding a new sensory experience to some science activities that might be ordinary and basic can give them new life.

Too, it makes them interesting, stirs your child to ponder about science, and helps your child retain what he has learned in an exciting new way.

3 Fun Cocoa Science Activities for Kids

Grab some of your favorite chemistry books like Basher Chemistry to reference while exploring these cocoa winter science activities.

And learn some of the vocabulary and scientific terms that go with them.

Don’t forget to enjoy a delicious cup of cocoa with your little scientist while you have fun with these activities.

Don’t confuse it with one of science mixtures.

1. Hydrophobic Hot Cocoa Science Activity

First, begin with this hydrophobic hot cocoa activity.

You’ll need:

A clear container
Spoon
Hot cocoa mix
Water- hot and cold

Directions:

Grab a glass of cold water and a heaping tablespoon of hot cocoa powder.

Slowly lower the spoon into the glass.

Twist and move the spoon a bit.

Raise the spoon out of the glass. What happened? The liquid that was wrapped around the powder rolls right off.

Now heat up a cup of water. It doesn’t have to be boiling just nice and hot.

Stir another tablespoon of cocoa into the water and see how fast it dissolves.

What is the Science of Hydrophobic Hot Cocoa

Cocoa is a substance that is known as hydrophobic. This means that it repels water.

The fat in the cocoa makes it hydrophobic. Oil is also hydrophobic. Have you heard the old saying oil and water don’t mix? It’s true.

So why does it dissolve in hot water so much better than cold water? Simply put, hot water has more energy in it than cold water.

This means that the molecules move faster and break down the cocoa powder faster than cold water does.

You can also try this experiment with cold and hot milk. It will work the same due to the amount of water in the milk.

2. Hot Cocoa Slime Science Activity

Second, slime is not just a fun sensory activity.

It can be used to learn some basic chemistry terms like

molecules
polymers
chemical reactions
and nonnewtonian fluid ( neither a solid or a liquid).

And slime is also calming. It helps with focus and builds fine motor skills. This slime smells amazing and is a great winter themed experiment.

You’ll need:

1 packet of hot cocoa
1 cup of school glue
2 Tablespoons of contact solution
3 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

Place glue, baking soda, and contact solution in a large bowl.

Stir in an entire packet of hot cocoa.

Remove from bowl and knead with your hands for a few minutes until desired texture is reached.

What is the Science of Cocoa Slime

When you mix baking soda with contact lens solution the main ingredients polyvinyl alcohol and borate ion undergo a chemical reaction called an endothermic reaction

Together, these two ingredients create a non-Newtonian fluid which is a substance that is neither liquid nor solid.

Slime is a polymer.

And polymers are made up of long chains of molecules.

Too, the glue contains polymers which can bend and slide past each other. This allows the slime to flow and to take the shape of the container it is in.

Last, this activity is the hot cocoa volcano.

3. Hot Cocoa Volcano Science Activity

This is a fantastic multi-sensory science experiment. It smells great and creates an exciting chemical reaction that kids love.

You can continue to add baking soda and vinegar to keep the reaction going indefinitely.

You’ll need:

Small plastic cup
1 Tablespoon Hot Cocoa
2 Tablespoons baking soda
Vinegar

Directions:

Mix baking soda and hot cocoa in a small cup.

Place your cup outside or on a surface that is easy to clean, this ~~could~~ WILL get messy.

Slowly pour vinegar into the cup and watch it bubble over.

Add more baking soda and vinegar to continue with the cocoa lava flow.

if you really want to get a bubbly foaming concoction that resembles lava add a bit of dish soap to your mixture.

What is the Science of the Hot Cocoa Volcano

Baking soda and vinegar react to neutralize each other.

Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is an alkali.

And the resulting reaction releases carbon dioxide which is the bubbles of gas that make it look like a bubbling volcano.

More Winter Season Unit Study Resources

Then, here are some other winter unit study resources you’ll love.

And add my other unit study Arctic Region.

What do you think? Are you ready for a bit of winter fun and science?

handson

Geronimo Stilton Journey Through Time Series Fifth Journey Fun Eiffel Tower

Geronimo Stilton Hands-on Literature

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

French Empire Hands-on Activity

Build a Fun Edible Eiffel Tower

Other Geronimo Stilton Chapter Book Activities

Easy and Fun Pine Cone Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten

Snowy Owl Facts

Snowy Owl Books

Winter Unit Study Ideas

Snowy Owl Winter Craft for Kindergarten

Other Winter Craft Ideas for Kindergarten

Amazing and Free American Revolution Lapbook for Multiple Ages

American Revolution Facts for Kids

Minibooks for an American Revolution Unit Study

American Revolution Hands-on Ideas

How to Get the American Revolution Lapbook

Easy Hands-on Fun Ancient Greek Games for Kids DIY Knucklebones

How Knucklebones Was Invented

Ancient Greek Games for Kids

Ancient Greece Game Knucklebones Rules

How to Make DIY Knucklebones Game

Other History Games for Kids

Other Ancient Greece Activities

3 Fun Cocoa Winter Hands on Science Activities

3 Fun Cocoa Science Activities for Kids

1. Hydrophobic Hot Cocoa Science Activity