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Gifts For Kids Who Are Wild About History

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

I have gifts for kids who are wild about history.

Whether you want to keep history hands-on, are wanting to hook your children on history or you have a budding history buff, here are some ideas for gifts for kids who are wild about history.

Gifts for Kids Who Are Wild About History | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

MORE GIFT LIST IDEAS

First, look at these other gift lists for more unique ideas.


1. BrainBox for Kids – World History Card Game

Though we don’t play the 10 minute version and changed this game around a bit, this is a great way to add to your history program or just to include all ages.

How many details can you remember?

2. Greeks (Ancient Civilisations Pop-Ups) A pop up book for the big kids too. With all the intricate detail, this will keep your child entertained for hours.

And though we don’t have this book, The Pompeii Pop Up, it is one we want.

3. Time For Kids: Benjamin Franklin: A Man of Many Talents (Time for Kids Biographies)

This is another series of books that has kept my boys loving history because the focus is on understanding some of the great minds behind history and not boring dates.

There are many to choose from too.

4. The Ultimate History Trivia Book

This series of trivia card game has bailed me out on more than one occasion when our time spent doing history was going flat. Though it says it is for 7 years of age and up, we used our games for much longer.

Can you really know all there is to know about history? Check out the other games on history too.

And for goodness sakes if you ever get to get your hands on a history treasure chest (swoon), new OR used (in good condition) made by Running Press many years ago,  it is the best money I ever spent on feeding my boys’ love of history.

I do believe (blush) we have every history treasure chest they made.

Check out some more ideas to keep history fun!

30 Fun Resources for Learning About Daniel Boone

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

Today, I have rounded up 30 fun resources for learning about Daniel Boone.  He straddles quite a few epoch time periods in American history.

Learning About Daniel Boone

Planning on updating more of my unit studies, even though being patient is not part of my personality, I hope to slowly share them with you throughout the year.

30 Fun Resources for Learning About Daniel Boone

Look below at these ideas for studying about Daniel Boone and about the colonial and frontier time periods.

Language Arts Ideas for Learning About Daniel Boone

Read this short story Daniel Boone’s Dear from American Folklore.  Use it to write a longer story or rewrite it. Read the Obituary on Daniel Boone and describe an American Folk Hero.

Copywork. Grab some quotes from here about Daniel Boone for copywork.

Also, look at these classroom activities.

Life During the Colonial Period and on The Frontier During the Life of Daniel Boone

Daniel Boone’s father was a blacksmith. Download a free .pdf which lists the different jobs during the colonial period. Also, learn about the food eaten during the colonial period.

Too, grab a huge 205 page free download about Women on the Frontier. 

I have not read all the way through it, but it has some great pictures and stories. Sometimes in teaching my sons about explorers, I overlook just how resourceful woman had to be too. This .pdf is a nice reminder full of stories.

Free printable lesson plan about the frontier and frontier life.

Free lesson plan for directions on making a colonial recipe, an activity for quilting and dyeing fabrics with household fruits and vegetables.

You’ll love learning more about American History with these fun hands-on units from Home School in The Woods.

Geography Ideas for Studying About Daniel Boone.

  • Research the history of Pennsylvania.
  • Research about the Appalachian Mountains. Read about the Appalachian Mountains here in the free .pdf publication.

Free Maps of the Cumberland Gap Area/Wilderness Road.

Wilderness Survival Skills

Next, you can’t lean about Daniel Boone without learning about wilderness survival skills. Watch this YouTube video about How to Navigate the Wilderness. Also, look at Fire Starting with Sticks. 

Learn about how to tan deer hides and small fur skins.

Too, download this Wilderness Survival workbook. And this fun freebie too which is Outside Survival.

Events During the Life of Daniel Boone

And if you want to learn about the colonial period you’ll love this fun hands-on resource from Home School in the Woods.

In 1755, Daniel Boone went to fight in the French and Indian War. You’ll love my French and Indian War lapbook.

French and Indian War Free Lapbook

Also, he also lived through the American Revolutionary War.

American Revolution Lapbook

Grab my free American Revolution War lapbook.

Hands-On Activities for Learning About Daniel Boone

How to Build a Fort Build a Fort
(Pic. attribution: megahowto)

Build a Fort. Really cool project for those that take their fort building serious.

Next, make a fringed hunting shirt. It is important to be sure we teach our kids accurate clothing of the time period. 

30 Fun Resources for Learning About Daniel Boone
(Pic. Attribution: vaporofcolor)

So this site, N. Hurst Historic Tailoring, has a very helpful .pdf with pictures that explains how it was done.  Click on Fringe on the American Hunting Shirt pdf.

Also as shown from the picture above, you can make an easy fringed shirt. In addition, look at this site to show the large lapels on Daniel Boone’s clothing. Lots of good pictures here to show time period clothing and their history.

Play games children would have played while living on the frontier.

How to build a log cabin diorama– YouTube video.

Grab a free minibook at Practical Pages. Nadene has a page about a spinning wheel to describe the steps on how to spin.

Media about Daniel Boone

History of the Early American West – The Frontier (part 1) YouTube. Here is the description: In this mini-documentary, historian Darren R. Reid (University of Edinburgh) explores the development of the frontier in the years leading up to the American Revolution. From Daniel Boone’s exploration of Kentucky in 1769 to the outbreak of Dunmore’s War in 1774, this video is the perfect introduction to the early American west.

A History of the Early American West – The Frontier (part 2) Time: 10:41

Watch National Geographic: Appalachian Trail on Netflix. 50 minutes. “National Geographic straps on the boots to explore the splendors of the Appalachian Trail, the longest marked trail in the United States.”

Books and Fun Resources To Learn About Daniel Boone

Then, you’ll love these books and fun resources to round out your study about the life of Daniel Boone.

 

30 Fun Resources for Learning About Daniel Boone

Finally, we loved learning so much about Daniel Boone that I created a lapbook.

30 Fun Resources for Learning About Daniel Boone

Also, you may love these other fun resources:

Hugs and love ya,

13 Free and Fun BEST Printable History Board Games

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

Today, I have rounded up 13 Free Printable History Board Games. You’ll love the other history games on my page. I think there is a great lack of fun history board games.

Besides learning history can be more engaging at times when the kids can play games with each other instead of touching an app.

13 Free and Fun BEST Printable History Board Gam

Don’t we have enough games where our kids play alone? I really try to keep the sibling rivalry camaraderie going too.

Not only do history board games fight the doldrums, but they make learning about history come alive. I know you’ll love one or two of these.

History Board Games

1. Viking Voyages. A board game about Viking Trade Routes at Ellen J. McHenry. While you’re there check out her other great games and hands-on ideas.


2. Then if you’re study Amercian history look at The Presidents Game. Find the .pdf towards the bottom of the post.


3.  Royal Game of Ur _ A History Game from Mesopotamia.  It’s a subscriber freebie. If you sign up for her newsletter, you  get the freebie.

4. Free printable Ancient Egypt Board Game by Homeschool Gameschool.

ancient egypt game

Free Printable History Board Games

Also, don’t forget to check out Home School in the Woods. They are on of my favorite hands-on history companies. I’ve used them a lot through the years.

DiggingUpGreecePic

5. Furthermore this free Printable Digging Up Greece board game by Ellen J McHenry is the perfect addition to a unit study.

Lewis and Clark Board Game

6. In addition, here is a free Printable Lewis & Clark Board game by Deceptively Educational.

Best History Board Games

s.Game for the Oregon Trail Westward Ho!

7. My Printable Board Game for the Oregont Trail is part of my free lapbook and unit study for the Westward Expansion.

More Kids Fun History Games

Moreover, you’ll love these other fun history games for kids.

13 Free History Printable Board Games. Looking for a way to make history exciting in your homeschool? CLICK HERE! You'll love these AWESOME games!

8. I also created a free printable Oregon Trail Game.

Ancient Egypt Collage

9. Next, this is pretty nifty though it’s not a board game, it is still a printable history game. or do online. In this game, your child has to spot the differences in pictures about the Hagia Sophia from Hello Kids.

The Basement Workshop Store


10. Then I created a free printable Ancient Egyptian snake game for us when studying about Ancient Egypt.

Free {Storming the Bastille} Game

11. Next,I also created one when studying about the French Revolution called Storming the Bastille that you can download too.

12. This game has to be coolest free thing I have found lately.

It is a vintage George Washington snake game which has the instructions written right on it.

George_Washington_snake_game

The game has American History pictures on it. 

For example, when you go over to see it at the link and choose one of the sizes to download, be sure to zoom in on it to read the rules. 

Though I have not printed it yet, I am thinking each part needs to be printed pretty big to read the rules.

13. Free History of Flight Printable Board Game. How fun!

And I know you don’t know mind if I add a few more!

14. Additionally, another fun one to learn the history of the city of Raleigh, North Carolina.

15. Free Civil War Board Game at 123 Homeschool 4 Me.

Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem For a Fun Unit Study

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

Today, I want to share some free copywork Cattle a Texas poem about our home. And look at History of the Texas Cowboy, Cattle Drives, and Chisholm Trail for fun ideas.

Talking with Tiny about our pending move to South America, I decided to find a poem about Texas so he understands that we are not going to forget it. 

Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem For a Fun Unit Study

Excited as we are about the move, you can imagine the whole host of emotions the kids go through. 

Excited one day and then a bit of trepidation the next.  So I turned that into a mini lesson and copywork about our home.

Next, look at these fun books to add to your unit study.

BOOKS FOR TEXAS ABOUT KIDS

10 Resources for Learning About the Lone Star State & Texas Cattle Drives

Add a few of these resources to learn about the great state of Texas.

Also, look at this poem about Texas.

Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem

The Texas poem was written in 1932 by Berta Hart Nance called “Cattle”.  Here is the whole thing that has such beautiful imagery and language.

CATTLE

By Berta Hart Nance

Other states were carved or born

Texas grew from hide and horn.

Other states are long and wide,

Texas is a shaggy hide.

Dripping blood and crumpled hair

Some fat giant flung it there,

Laid the head where valleys drain

Stretched its rump along the plain.

Other soil is full of stone

Texans plow up cattle bones.

Herds are buried on the trail

Underneath the powdered shale,

Herds that stiffened like the snow

Where the icy northers go.

Other states have built their halls

Humming tunes along the walls,

Texans watched the mortar stirred

While they kept the lowing herd.

Stamped on Texan wall and roof

Gleams the sharp and crescent hoof,

High above the hum and stir

Jingle bridle-rein and spur.

Other states were made or born

…Texas grew from hide and horn.

Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem For a Fun Unit Study

To go along with this poem, I thought I would teach Tiny how to make a simple Texas chili and you know spend a bit more time together.

Tx Unit 1Tx Unit 2

Too, we have had some cold weather that is almost unheard of in May so that called for home made Texas chili.  Well, I should say part home made. 

Any good Texan would make their beans from scratch, but canned beans are fine after we had a long day selling furniture in our house.

Easy Texas Homemade Chili

Here are some things we put in our chili:

  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of sirloin meat.  We are meat eaters.  Love the stuff.  This is a twist on our chili because we don’t use ground beef when we make it.
  • 1 onion, 1 jalapeno if I have it, some bacon for flavoring which makes any chili come alive.
  • About 1 tablespoon of cumino, 2 or 3 chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, salt and pepper to taste.
  • 4 or 5 cans of pinto beans, though we use home made when we have them.
  • 1 can or 2 cans of Rotel Tomatoes, a bit of beef broth or beef bouillon.
Tx Unit 3Tx Unit 4

Tiny and I share a love of cheese and a multiple assortment of delicious toppings over our chili when its cooked.

I like to add sour cream, tortilla strips,  avocado and the best recipe for home made salsa by Pioneer Woman.  I make that stuff by the bucket loads around here.

Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem For a Fun Unit Study

Trying to keep our school work light, this mix of homeschool lessons has been something I have not done before. 

I am finding it very gratifying to plan so spur of the moment and school on the wild and free side.  Sometimes you just a need a break from all the well laid out plans and sharing a bowl of hot Texas chili helps things too.

Free Copywork Cattle A Texas Poem For a Fun Unit Study

HOW TO GET THE FREE POEM COPYWORK

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

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.

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You’ll love these other resources too:

Cattle by Berta Hart Nance Collage

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

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

I have a fun metamorphic edible rocks activity. Also, look at my Free Earth Science Lapbook & Unit Study Ideas.

I have been trying to do easy and fun homeschooling projects. 

Well that sounds better than saying I’m a bad homeschooling momma because I have done the fun metamorphic edible rocks with my older boys, but not Tiny. 

Actually both of those statements are true.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

You know what I am talking about if you have done a lot of fun hands-on things with your older children and feel that tinge of guilt inspiration to keep it fun for your younger children too. 

I will be falling back on some of those ideas as we continue to sell our furniture and downsize.

Metamporphic Rock and Notebooking Pages

Talking about downsizing, look what went this week.

The table we used in our formal dining area for our homeschool is now gone.  

empty school room

We will move to our breakfast table for school now.

Actually, doing our hodgepodge school has been a welcomed change since we have to do a lot of start/stops in the day to show people our furniture as they call us.

Keeping it fun and easy is key for right now and making edible metamorphic rocks works today. 

Too, this fun and easy recipe is great to do with all your kids even though the older ones may know the basic differences in rocks.

First, look at some of these fun books about rocks.

Books about Rocks for Kids Who Love Rocks

I love living books when I can find them, then add other reference books to our reading diet.

6 Rock Unit Study Books & Fun Resources

Whatever grade you're teaching, you'll love adding one of these books or resources to your day.

With 3 ingredients, a spoon, a bowl and some waxed paper you probably already have these ingredients on hand.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

We absolutely love peanut butter in our house too, but giving you a heads up now that it uses peanut butter in case you have an allergy. 

Our Journey Westward

By the way if you try this recipe with a peanut substitute and it comes out good, let me know so I can let my other readers know.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

Like the recipe above says, just mix the mini-marshmallows, chocolate chips and enough peanut butter so that it sticks or clumps together. 

Metamorphic Rocks Edible Recipe for Kids

We added a tad more because having made these before and because Tiny is a peanut butter addict, we wanted that creamy taste in our “metamorphic rocks”.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

Then form the clumps.  Oh yes that is right, this is earth science. 

So then at this point, just point out that these are “sedimentary rocks” and the sediments of chocolate and mini-marshmallows are cemented together with the mineral peanut butter.

Of course the next point to illustrate is how the rocks change through heat.

So put half of them back into your bowl, zap in the microwave for about 20 seconds to 1 minute depending on the heat level of your microwave.  We gave ours a gentle stir.

The Basement Workshop Store

Then turn the mixture back out onto the waxed paper or drop by globs.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

Besides this activity having a great easy wow factor for very little time and effort which is always the best kind of activities for us, they are absolutely delicious too after they cool. 

We love to stick our metamorphic rocks in the refrigerator and have them get a bit harder too.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

I made a couple of easy rock notebooking pages with answers and a bit of background information to help you or your kids. Download them under the picture below.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages
Metamorphic Rocks Notebooking Pages 1Metamorphic Rocks Notebooking Pages 2

  Note if you want the recipe: Just right click the recipe picture at the top and “save as” a picture.

Moving on to some more bigger pieces of furniture, we are trying to move faster toward listing our house.  I hope I can keep up with it all, but probably not.

So I will just enjoy our different homeschooling things we will be doing until we have our final date for our move.

Fun Metamorphic Edible Rocks & Notebooking Pages

More Hands-on Rock Activities

Free 2 Notebooking Pages

Next, use my pages below to add your child’s thoughts about rocks.

  1. Metamorphic Rocks – Rocks that Change
  2. How Are Metamorphic Rocks Formed

How to Get the Free Notebooking Pages

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

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Metamorphic Edible Rock Recipe and Free Notebooking Pages @ Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus