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How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

September 20, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You can make a list of organs in the human body and their functions or you can turn it into a fun simple game that your kids will not forget. Also, look at these other pages Beautiful Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study and Fun Human Body Crafts for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning.

When it comes to teaching science at home, hands-on learning consistently proves to be the most effective approach. Kids learn best when they can see, touch, and interact with real-life examples.

We will use Safari Ltd. Human Organs Toob as a resource to do just that. 

How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

This small tube of realistic organ replicas includes the heart, lungs, brain, liver, stomach, kidneys, and intestines, making anatomy accessible for all ages.

We have had them for years and have used them in several ways across different grades.

Just like this game is great for several age groups and can be used by making it more challenging or simpler for younger learners.

HUMAN BODY RESOURCES FOR MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL

First, look at these resources for more hands-on ideas for middle and high school.

12 Human Body Games for Middle & High School Students

Middle and high school kids need a break from reading and playing games to learn science is the perfect supplement and break.

Cytosis: A Cell Biology Board Game | A Science Accurate Strategy Board Game

This game takes place inside of a human cell, you must race to build enzymes, hormones, and receptors and play with proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and DNA. It also comes with a fact-filled booklet that explains every concept in the game.

The Awkward Yeti Organ Attack! Card Game

If they enjoy doctor/human body games this one is ideal. It’s a fun and silly game that is great for kids to adults where the main objective is to remove your opponent’s organs before they can remove yours

Pandemic Board Game (Base Game) |

A cooperative board game using your characters' strengths and skills to stop diseases and epidemics before they go global. Everyone starts at the Atlanta Center for disease control and then builds research stations all over the world. What I love about this game is that it is a good source for discussion on pandemics, diseases, symptoms, immune systems, and more.

Anatomy Fluxx Card Game - Card Games for Kids and Adult

There are many versions of Fluxx available but this one is perfect for an anatomy unit study. It is a card game for 2-6 players and was designed by an ER doctor. It contains anatomical trivia, and twists, and makes a great way to learn about the different systems of the body.

Virulence: An Infectious Virus Card Game - Educational Bidding Game for Kids

 Fast-paced and solid way to learn about virus structure and viral components like helical, icosahedral, and genomes. In this game, players take on the role of the virus trying to infect a host cell rather than trying to eradicate the virus.

Outset Media Professor Noggin's Human Body Trivia Card Game

For ages 7+, with 3 levels of play this is another game that I think is still very applicable for younger teens and preteens to play. It incorporates trivia, true or false questions, as well as multiple choice.

Dr. Dreadful Scabs and Guts Board Game

This one says 6+ but I truly think that 6th and 7th graders will still enjoy it and be able to learn from it. It is a quick play with real anatomy science facts and images.

Biology Review Curriculum Mastery Game, High School, C

 A biology game perfect for high school review. It comes with 25 sets of 30 illustrated and self-correcting review cards for use, and 12 different game boards. While it covers all of biology beyond the human body I think, though expensive, it gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

Brain Busters Card Game - Human Body - with Over 150 Trivia Questions -

While this one seems a bit young, a teen that needs a refresher in things like what two muscles do we use in our arm when lifting and down will find this a fun review. It has 150 questions and covers a wide variety of human body topics, great for car rides or waiting in lines.

Capstone Games: Clinic Deluxe - Strategy Board Game,

I think this one would be a treat for the teen who plans to go into any direction in the medical field. It is a strategy game where you work to build your own clinic just the way you like it- caring for patients and maintaining staff while you expand.

Word Game | Fast-Paced Family Board Game | Choose a Category & Race Against The Timer

Next, this one is not medical or anatomy themed but I’m adding it because it is a base game that has an open-ended theme. The object is to pull a card that gives you a theme and then take turns calling out words in that theme that begin with each letter of the alphabet. When you call it you tap that letter down and it's out of play, continue until someone can't think of one. You can play this anatomy themed in general, bones, organs, body systems, etc.… We have played this game as a compliment to multiple unit study themes.

Netter's Anatomy Art Card Deck

Simply just an anatomy-themed deck of cards but a fantastic way to familiarize your student with the human body using illustrations from Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy. You can pick your favorite game like solitaire, garbage, or even 52 card pick up with this.

Before we begin creating our game, here are some great facts about each of the organs contained in the Safari toob to get you started.

FACT LIST OF ORGANS IN THE HUMAN BODY AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

HEART

  • The heart is a strong muscle that pumps blood through the entire body.
  • It beats about 100,000 times every day.
  • The heart has four chambers (two atria and two ventricles) that keep oxygen-rich blood separate from oxygen-poor blood.
  • Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body and removes carbon dioxide and waste.

LUNGS

  • The lungs bring oxygen into the body and release carbon dioxide when we breathe out.
  • Each lung is filled with tiny air sacs called alveoli (about 300 million of them) where oxygen is exchanged with blood.
  • The right lung has three lobes; the left lung has two lobes (to make room for the heart).
  • Oxygen from the air helps cells make energy.

STOMACH

  • The stomach helps digest food by mixing it with acid and enzymes.
  • Food enters the stomach after being chewed and swallowed.
  • Strong stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) breaks food down into smaller pieces.
  • The stomach lining has special cells that protect it from the acid.
  • After 2–4 hours, food turns into a thick liquid called chyme.

SMALL INTESTINE

  • The small intestine absorbs nutrients from food.
  • It’s about 20 feet long in adults, but it coils up tightly in the abdomen.
  • Tiny finger-like shapes called villi and microvilli line the walls to grab nutrients.
  • Nutrients (like vitamins, sugars, proteins, and fats) move into the bloodstream here.

LARGE INTESTINE (COLON)

  • The large intestine absorbs water and gets waste ready to leave the body.
  • It’s about 5 feet long but much wider than the small intestine.
  • Friendly bacteria live here and help break down leftovers.
  • It compacts waste into stool before it exits the body.
  • About 60% of stool is made of helpful bacteria.

KIDNEYS

  • The kidneys clean the blood and remove waste by making urine.
  • You have two kidneys, shaped like beans, located in your lower back.
  • Each kidney contains about 1 million tiny filters called nephrons.
  • They also help balance water, salt, and minerals in the body.
  • Every day, your kidneys filter about 50 gallons of blood.

LIVER

  • The liver has many roles—cleaning toxins, helping digestion, and storing nutrients.
  • It’s the largest internal organ in the human body.
  • Produces bile, a greenish liquid that helps digest fats in the small intestine.
  • Stores extra glucose (sugar) as glycogen and releases it when the body needs energy.
  • Breaks down alcohol, drugs, and other harmful substances.
  • The liver can regenerate itself—if part is damaged, it can grow back.
How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

 BRAIN

  • The brainstem manages automatic functions like breathing and heartbeat.
  • The brain is the control center of the body.
  • It’s made of billions of nerve cells called neurons that send messages throughout the body.
  • The cerebrum controls thinking, memory, speech, and voluntary movement.
  • The cerebellum controls balance and coordination.

HOW TO MAKE A FUN GAME TO LIST OF ORGANS IN THE HUMAN BODY AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

You will need:

  • Safari Ltd. Human Organs Toob
  • Markers or printed body outlines
  • Cardstock, notecards
  • Tray, optional but it makes it so appealing
How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

Directions:

Start by making a large body outline.

You can either…

  • Draw your own simple torso-and-head outline on a poster board or large sheet of cardstock with pencil.
How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

Then trace with a black marker to make it stand out.

How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions
  • Use felt for a reusable version—cut out a felt silhouette and add Velcro to the organs so kids can stick them on.

This body board will act as the central game board where organs are placed.

Have each child take a turn drawing an organ from the pile.

They must place the organ in the correct spot of the body outline.

How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

If they get it right, they earn a point.

  • Beginner– Match the organ by shape and spot only.
  • Intermediate– Name the organ while placing it.

To deepen learning, create question cards that pair with each organ. Write one question per index card. Look up facts on them and then form them into a question, just check out the list above.

How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

Flip your cardstock over to the other side that is blank and spread out your toob organs.

How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

Have your child match the cards to the correct organ.

How To Make A Fun Game List Of Organs In The Human Body And Their Functions

Before a player can place the organ, they must answer a trivia question correctly.

This encourages recall and reinforces facts

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, human body, human body crafts, science

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches

September 18, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Not only do I have fun facts about tailors in colonial times, but if you are not a sewer yourself, I am going to give both you and your child a lesson in basic stitches.

When we think of colonial America we might think of farmers, blacksmiths, and shopkeepers. And while those were very important jobs, another important figure in every community was the tailor.

Tailors were the people who made, repaired, and altered clothing. In a time before fast fashion or even department stores, tailors provided an essential service that helped families stay clothed and respectable.

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches

At the same time, many families, especially women, learned to sew at home, practicing the most basic stitches for everyday needs.

First, we’ll explore some fun facts about tailors in colonial times and then give you a simple beginner’s guide to sewing a few basic stitches you can try at home.

By learning the same stitches they used like the running stitch, backstitch, overcast stitch, and cross stitch, you can connect with history in a hands-on way.

It’s a reminder that history isn’t just something to read about it’s something you can try with your own two hands.

BOOKS ABOUT THE COLONIAL PERIOD FOR KIDS

First, look at adding some of these books about the colonial period for your home library.

19 Colonial America Books to Read and to Be Read To

Grab some of these books and resources. You can use a book as a unit study spine to learn about Life During the Colonial Times.

Blood on the River: James Town, 1607

Twelve-year-old Samuel Collier is a lowly commoner on the streets of London. So when he becomes the page of Captain John Smith and boards the Susan Constant, bound for the New World, he can’t believe his good fortune. He’s heard that gold washes ashore with every tide. But beginning with the stormy journey and his first contact with the native people, he realizes that the New World is nothing like he imagined. The lush Virginia shore where they establish the colony of James Town is both beautiful and forbidding, and it’s hard to know who’s a friend or foe. As he learns the language of the Algonquian Indians and observes Captain Smith’s wise diplomacy, Samuel begins to see that he can be whomever he wants to be in this new land.

Paul Revere's Ride

 Longfellow's tribute to the famous revolutionary hero begins with the stirring cadence that American schoolchildren have committed to memory for over a century. Now illustrator Ted Rand brings these vivid and beautiful lines to life as dramatically as the poet's immortal message inspires."The clatter of hooves seems to echo in Rand's evocative paintings of that famed midnight ride...."

Daughter of Liberty (The American Patriot Series, Book 1)

The thrilling saga of a nation's founding begins...Eastertide, April 1775. In the blockaded port of Boston the conflict between the British Regulars and the Sons of Liberty rapidly escalates toward a fateful confrontation. Caught in the deepening rift that divides Whig and Tory, Elizabeth Howard is torn between her love for her prominent parents, who have strong ties to the British establishment, and her secret adherence to the cause of liberty. By night she plays a dangerous game as the infamous courier Oriole, hunted by the British for smuggling intelligence and munitions to the patriot leaders. And by day she treads increasingly perilous ground as she flirts ever more boldly with British officers close to her parents to gain access to information the rebels desperately need.Elizabeth’s assignment is to pin down the exact time the Redcoats will march to capture the patriots’ hoarded munitions. But she hasn’t counted on the arrival of Jonathan Carleton, an officer in the Seventeenth Light Dragoons. To her dismay, the attraction between them is immediate, powerful--and fought on both sides in a war of wits and words. When Carleton wins the assignment to ferret out Oriole, Elizabeth can no longer deny that he is her most dangerous foe--and the possessor of her heart.

Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation

While much has been written about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution, the wives, mothers, sisters and daughters they left behind have been little noticed by history. The late #1 New York Times bestselling author Cokie Roberts brings us women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as the men, often defending their very doorsteps.

Drawing upon personal correspondence, private journals, and even favored recipes, Roberts reveals the often surprising stories of these fascinating women, bringing to life the everyday trials and extraordinary triumphs of individuals like Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Read Franklin, Eliza Pinckney Catherine Littlefield Green, Esther DeBerdt Reed, and Martha Washington—proving that without our exemplary women, the new country might have never survived.

Betsy Ross

 Folk-art style paintings and a simple text mark a retelling of the life story of Betsy Ross, including her work running an upholstery business and, according to legend, her designing of the first American flag at the request of George Washington.

Carry On, Mr. Bowditch:

Readers today are still fascinated by “Nat, an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor's world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn't promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by “log, lead, and lookout. Nat's long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the “Sailors Bible"), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.

A Lion to Guard Us

Featuring a heroine with faith, courage, and a great deal of grit, this acclaimed historical fiction novel portrays the realities faced by three children hoping to find a new home in an unknown land.

Amanda Freebold doesn't know what to do. Her father left three years ago for the new colony of Jamestown in America, thousands of miles away. But now that her mother has died, Amanda is left to take care of her younger brother and sister all alone back in England.

As the new head of the family, Amanda finally decides to take her brother and sister to America to find Father. The ocean crossing is long and hard, and the children don't know whom to trust. But with her father's little brass lion's head to guard them, Amanda knows that somehow everything will work out.

Colonial Craftsmen: And the Beginnings of American Industry

The vanished ways of colonial America's skilled craftsmen are vividly reconstructed in this superb book by Edwin Tunis. With incomparable wit and learning, and in over 450 meticulous drawings, the author describes the working methods and products, houses and shops, town and country trades, and individual and group enterprises by which the early Americans forged the economy of the New World.

In the tiny coastal settlements, which usually sprang up around a mill or near a tanyard, the first craftsmen set up their trades. The blacksmith, cooper, joiner, weaver, cordwainer, and housewright, working alone or with several assistants, invented their own tools and devised their own methods. Soon they were making products that far surpassed their early models: the American ax was so popular that English ironmongers often labeled their own axes "American" to sell them more readily. In the town squares a colonist could have his bread baked to order, bring in his wig to be curled, have his eyeglasses ground, his medicine prescription filled, or buy snuff for his many pocket boxes. With the thriving trade in "bespoke" or made-to-order work, fine American styles evolved; many of these are priceless heirlooms now―the silverware of Paul Revere and John Coney, redware and Queensware pottery, Poyntell hand-blocked wallpaper, the Kentucky rifle, Conestoga wagon, and the iron grillework still seen in some parts of the South. The author discusses in detail many of the trades which have since developed into important industries, like papermaking, glassmaking, shipbuilding, printing, and metalworking, often reconstructing from his own careful research the complex equipment used in these enterprises.

African-Americans in the Thirteen Colonies

Using many photographs, this is a simple overview of the part played by African Americans during the formative years of the colonial period. The freedom sought by so many Europeans who came to America was not shared with many Africans & their descendants. The brief descriptions in this book tell of slavery as well as the limited freedoms of free blacks. Phillis Wheatley, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, & Benjamin Banneker are among those briefly profiled. Index. Part of the Cornerstones of Freedom series.Bowker Authored Title code. Using many photographs, this is a simple overview of the part played by African Americans during the formative years of the colonial period. Presents a brief history of Afro-Americans and of slavery in seventeenth and eighteenth century America.

Seventh and Walnut: Life in Colonial Philadelphia (Adventures in Colonial America)

A native of colonial Philadelphia describes the famous citizens, landmarks, and daily life of his town

The Farm: Life in Colonial Pennsylvania (Adventures in Colonial America)

An indentured servant looks back on his five years of service on the farm of a Pennsylvania German family in the 1760's.

The Dish on Food and Farming in Colonial America (Life in the American Colonies)

Travel back to a time when: People believed vegetables made you sick. Slaves were forced to grow and harvest crops for masters. Step into the lives of the colonists, and get the dish on food and farming in Colonial America.

Early Family Home (Early Settler Life)

Describes the life of early settlers, including the construction of a home, the clearing of land, folk medicine, candle making, quilting bees, weaving, and wedding parties

An Algonquian Year : The Year According to the Full Moon

Brings to life the seasonal cycles of work, play, and survival as experienced by the Northern Algonquians of pre-colonial America, from the icy cold of January's Hard Times Moon through the fertile autumn harvest moons.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Sixteen-year-old Kit Tyler is marked by suspicion and disapproval from the moment she arrives on the unfamiliar shores of colonial Connecticut in 1687. Alone and desperate, she has been forced to leave her beloved home on the island of Barbados and join a family she has never met. Torn between her quest for belonging and her desire to be true to herself, Kit struggles to survive in a hostile place. Just when it seems she must give up, she finds a kindred spirit. But Kit’s friendship with Hannah Tupper, believed by the colonists to be a witch, proves more taboo than she could have imagined and ultimately forces Kit to choose between her heart and her duty.

Almost Home: A Story Based on the Life of the Mayflower's Young Mary Chilton

Several of the characters in the story—Mary Chilton, Constance Hopkins, and Elizabeth Tilley—were actual passengers on the Mayflower. Mary Chilton was a young girl when she left her home in Holland and traveled to America onboard the Mayflower with her parents. The journey was filled with trials, joys, and some surprises, but when she reached the New World, she experienced a new life, new freedom, and new home.

Wendy Lawton has taken the facts of the pilgrims’ journey to the New World, and from this information filled in personal details to create a genuine and heart-warming story.

Constance: A Story of Early Plymouth

Runner-up for the National Book Award for Children's Literature in 1969, Constance is a classic of historical young adult fiction, recounting the daily life, hardships, romances, and marriage of a young girl during the early years of the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth.

Sarah Morton's Day: A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl (Scholastic Bookshelf)

At sunup when the cockerel crows, young Sarah Morton's day begins. Come and join her as she goes about her work and play in an early American settlement in the year 1627.There's a fire to build, breakfast to cook, chickens to feed, goats to milk, and letters and scripture to learn. Between the chores, there is her best friend, Elizabeth, with whom she shares her hopes and dreams. But Sarah is worried about her new stepfather. Will she ever earn his love and learn to call him father?

If You Were a Kid on the Mayflower (If You Were a Kid)

Learn what living conditions were like aboard The Mayflower, what dangers the Pilgrims faced at sea, and much more.

In 1620, a group of Pilgrims left Europe aboard a ship called the Mayflower. They sailed toward North America, hoping to make a new home where they could practice their religion freely. Readers (Ages 7-9) will join Hope and Theodore as their set sail on a 66-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean.

Next, look at some facts about colonial time tailors.

FUN FACTS ABOUT TAILORS IN COLONIAL TIMES

Tailors Were Highly Respected Craftsmen – In colonial America, tailors were more than just clothing makers, they were considered skilled artisans. Creating clothing from fabric required not only careful measurement and cutting but also knowledge of how different fabrics behaved. 

Most Men Wore Clothes Made by Tailors – Unlike today, where clothing is mass-produced, colonial men relied on tailors for most of their garments. Breeches, coats, waistcoats, and shirts often came from a tailor’s skilled hand. Wealthier men ordered custom pieces made with imported fabrics, while farmers and working men might have plainer garments made from homespun cloth.

Women Usually Made Family Clothing at Home – Tailors mostly served men, while women did the bulk of sewing for their households. Mothers, daughters, and wives made dresses, aprons, and children’s clothing. But families sometimes had special garments like men’s coats or uniforms made by a professional tailor.

Apprenticeships Lasted for Years – Young men who wanted to become tailors often started as apprentices around the age of 12 or 13 and might last seven years or more. They learned to measure, cut patterns, sew stitches, and handle fabrics.

Tailors Used Handmade Tools – Colonial tailors didn’t have sewing machine, they worked entirely by hand. Their tool kits included- needles, pins, scissors, thimbles, and beeswax (to strengthen thread).

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches

Also, look at more activities about the colonial period for kids.

COLONIAL PERIOD ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

  • Colonial Life After the Mayflower Voyage & Fun and Simple Candle New England Craft
  • Daniel Boone Facts For Kids About Colonial Life and Fun Kids’ Games (DIY Button Whirligig)
  • Beautiful American History Living Books & Sign Of The Beaver Craft
  • 6 Kids Movies About Paul Revere | How To Make A Lantern

Now that we’ve looked at tailors in colonial times, let’s step into their shoes (or rather, their needles) and learn how to sew a few basic stitches. 

LEARNING FROM THE PAST: HOW TO SEW BASIC STITCHES

In a time without machines, every piece of clothing was the result of hours of careful hand sewing.

Trying these stitches yourself can help you appreciate their skill and patience. Plus, these simple sewing skills are practical to know for mending clothes, making costumes, or even starting larger sewing projects.

You will need:

  • Embroidery hoop
  • Embroidery floss
  • Large blunt needles
  • Muslin fabric
Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches

Tips For beginners

  • You may want to draw the stitches onto the fabric lightly with a pencil first.
  • Use a bigger safety needle and embroidery thread for ease in handling and to make the stiches more visible.
  • Do not make the entire length of the thread longer than 20” or it becomes easily tangled. Start by slipping the thread through the eye of needle, doubling it over, then tie the end in a knot.
  • Use an embroidery hoop to hold the fabric tightly in place.
Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches

Running Stitch– The running stitch is the simplest of all stitches and one of the most widely used in colonial households. It’s perfect for sewing seams that don’t need to be very strong or for gathering fabric.

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches
  1. Thread your needle and knot the end.
  2. Insert the needle up through the fabric.
  3. Push the needle in and out in small, even stitches along a straight line.
  4. Pull the thread through, leaving evenly spaced stitches that look like a dashed line.

Backstitch- The backstitch was a favorite for strong seams in colonial times. It’s much sturdier than the running stitch and is still used today in hand-sewn garments.

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches
  1. Start with a running stitch.
  2. Instead of moving forward each time, bring the needle back into the end of the last stitch, then come up ahead of it.
  3. This creates a solid line of stitches that overlap slightly.

Whipstitch- This stitch was commonly used in colonial sewing to finish the raw edges of fabric so they wouldn’t fray.

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches
  1. Bring the needle up through the fabric near the edge.
  2. Loop the needle over the edge and insert it again from the underside.
  3. Continue making diagonal stitches along the fabric edge.

Cross Stitch- While not always used for practical sewing, the cross stitch was popular in colonial times for decorative embroidery. Many young girls learned it as part of their needlework education, often creating samplers to show their skill.

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches
  1. Make a diagonal stitch across the fabric.
  2. Cross it with another diagonal stitch in the opposite direction.
  3. Repeat to form an “X” pattern in rows.

Encourage your child as they go to make the back as neat as the front by pulling stitches tightly and trimming off the long knotted ends.

Fun Facts About Tailors In Colonial Times | How To Sew Basic Stitches

Remember that their first attempt will be far from perfect but how fun and empowering to learn new things. Don’t worry about an imperfect backstitch or crooked lines.

Muslin fabric and embroidery thread are inexpensive.

And while you start out just learning to make the simple stitches eventually they can move on to “writing” words and making pictures with these basic stitching techniques.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschool

Exploring Seed Activity: How To Do A Sinking Seed Experiment

September 16, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re doing a fun and easy seed activity today. Also, look at this post Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary)

Simple hands-on science experiments with nature spark fun and curiosity. And the best thing about this simple seed activity is that you probably have most of these supplies at home already.

This easy activity not only teaches kids about seeds and plant biology, but also develops key skills in observation.

Exploring Seed Activity: How To Do A Sinking Seed Experiment

In this sinking seed experiment kids will test different types of seeds by placing them in water.

Your child makes a guess if the seed will sink or float. Of course, you will want your child to record his results.

Further, you want to engage your child about why some seeds and others float.

BOOKS ABOUT SEEDS FOR KIDS

Next, add some of these seed books to your home library.

5 Fun Books About Seeds

Children of all ages love activities about seeds. Add a few of these books to your learning day or use as a unit study.

A Seed Is Sleepy: (Nature Books for Kids)

This gorgeous book from award winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston offers children a beautiful and informative look at the intricate, complex, and often surprising world of seeds. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, the book introduces children to a fascinating array of seed and plant facts, making it perfect reading material at home or in the classroom.

Seeds Move!

Every seed, big or small, needs sunlight, water, and an uncrowded place to put down roots. But how do seeds get to the perfect place to grow? 

A Seed is the Start

Meet seeds that pop, hop, creep, and explode in this vividly illustrated introduction to the simplest concepts of botany. 

From Seed to Plant

With simple language and bright illustrations, non-fiction master Gail Gibbons introduces young readers to the processes of pollination, seed formation, and germination.

Go Seed, Grow!

Through wind, drought, fire, and water, a seed can be one of the most tenacious miracles on the planet. A seed is life, and life always finds a way. Follow how a seed magically beats the odds time and time again, to transform the world. 

Now, look at some other fun seed activities for kids.

MORE SEED ACTIVITIES

  • Fun Kids Activity How to Make Wildflower Seed Bombs
  • How to Easily Make Fun Seed Tape With Kids
  • Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary)
  • Make Fun Seed Slime
  • Two Yummy Pumpkin Seed Recipes
  • Watermelon Seed Slime
  • Growing a Seed Activity For Kindergarten Science Kids Activity
Exploring Seed Activity: How To Do A Sinking Seed Experiment

Finally, look at how to do this easy sinking seed experiment.

SINKING SEEDS EXPERIMENT

Look at this easy list of supplies.

  • A clear jar
  • Water
  • A variety of fall seeds: apple seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and acorns.

Gather seeds. Collect different fall seeds such as apple, pumpkin, sunflower, and acorns.

Exploring Seed Activity: How To Do A Sinking Seed Experiment

Make predictions. Ask kids to guess which seeds will float and which will sink.

Fill the jar. Pour water into a clear container so the results can be seen clearly.

Test the seeds. Drop each seed into the water one at a time. Watch carefully to see if it floats on the surface or sinks to the bottom.

Talk about it. Discuss why some seeds float while others sink. (For example, lighter seeds or ones with air inside may float, while heavier ones usually sink.)

Extend the fun. Try the same experiment with other fall items like corn kernels, leaves, or pinecones.

BENEFITS OF THE SEED SINKING EXPERIMENT

  • Hands-on Learning – Encourages exploration of nature and everyday items.
  • STEM Skills – Builds early science understanding through observation, prediction, and testing.
  • Critical Thinking – Teaches kids to compare predictions with results and think about “why” something happened.
  • Curiosity & Discovery – Sparks excitement for simple experiments and builds a love of learning.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, life science, science, seeds

5 Days of Learning Printables The World of Columbus and Sons Day 4 For Middle and High School

September 15, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today’s printables in my series 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 3 For Middle and High School Day 4 For Middle and High School are from Part I. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips

When Columbus Was a Boy (1451 – 1474), Lesson 3 and from Part II. When Columbus was in Portugal and Spain (1474 – 1492) Lesson 4.

5 Days of Learning Printables The World of Columbus and Sons Day 4 For Middle and High School

For studying Lesson 3, I prepared a minibook to tell about Ferdinand and Isabella and how they united Spain through their marriage.

For studying Part II. When Columbus was in Portugal and Spain  (1474 – 1492) Lesson 4, two more characters of that time period are introduced which are Marco Polo and Ptolemy.

5 Days of Learning Printables The World of Columbus and Sons Day 4 For Middle and High School. Today’s printables in my series 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 3 For Middle and High School Day 4 For Middle and High School are from Part I. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips  3 free books.
5 Days of Learning Printables The World of Columbus and Sons Day 4 For Middle and High School. Today’s printables in my series 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 3 For Middle and High School Day 4 For Middle and High School are from Part I. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips  3 free books.

And don’t forget I have a huge Renaissance Unit Study and Glass Blowing Unit Study that will enhance your study of The World of Columbus and Sons.

5 Days of Learning Printables The World of Columbus and Sons Day 4 For Middle and High School. Today’s printables in my series 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons 5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 3 For Middle and High School Day 4 For Middle and High School are from Part I. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school and how to homeschool high school page for more fun tips  3 free books.

Renaissance 1300 to 1600 Unit Study and Glassblowing

5 Days of Learning Printables: The World of Columbus and Sons

Here are the other posts in these 5 Days of Learning Printables: The World of Columbus and Sons.

Day 1.
5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 1 For Middle and High School.
Day 2.
5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 2 For Middle and High School.
Day 3. 
5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 3 For Middle and High School.
Day 4.
5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 4 For Middle and High School.
Day 5.
5 Days of Learning Printables:The World of Columbus and Sons Day 5 For Middle and High School.

HOW TO GET THE FREE COLUMBUS MINIBOOKS

Now, how to grab the freebie. 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 instantly.

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

Leave a CommentFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Geography Based, History Based, Notebooking Pages Tagged With: freeprintables, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, lapbook

Free Africa Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

September 14, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have a free Africa lapbook with some hands-on history ideas. Also, you’ll love my other Homeschool Lapbooks – Powerful Tools For Mastery Learning on my page.

Too, look at my post Free Africa Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning | Free Continent & Country Reports.

Whether you’re wanting to learn geography or are looking to expand history studies on Africa, a lapbook is a fun interactive tool to use for a hands-on learner.

Free Africa Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

Besides, Africa is home to like 54 countries so a lapbook about Africa gives you a starting point to dive deeper into countries or cultures which interest your child.

And it’s one of the most diverse regions. For example, the languages of Swahili, Arabic and Zulu are a few of the ones spoken.

A lapbook is a good research tool for a middle and high school child because they add projects like the importance of the Sahara Desert and Nile River.

BOOKS ABOUT AFRICA FOR KIDS

Next, look at these fun books about Africa.

Add one or two to your home library.

13 Resources for Children Studying About Africa

Add one or two of these books to your study about the art of Africa.

Africa For Kids: People, Places and Cultures - Children Explore The World Books

Africa For Kids: People, Places, Culture gives children not only a peek into the land and its people but the artwork of even simple everyday items like weaving and serving plates.

Africa Coloring Book For Kids!

Here is a coloring book filled with African souvenirs to color that is soothing and a great springboard for discussion.

African Patterns Scrapbook Paper

I found this beautiful book of African Patterned Scrapbook paper that can be used for many craft projects.

Africa, Amazing Africa: Country by Country

Atinuke’s first non-fiction title is a major publishing event: a celebration of all 55 countries on the African continent! Her beautifully-written text captures Africa’s unique mix of the modern and the traditional, as she explores its geography, its peoples, its animals, its history, its resources and its cultural diversity. The book divides Africa into five sections: South, East, West, Central and North, each with its own introduction. This is followed by a page per country, containing a delightful mix of friendly, informative text and colourful illustrations.

Africa Is Not a Country

Enter into the daily life of children in the many countries of modern Africa. Countering stereotypes, Africa Is Not a Country celebrates the extraordinary diversity of this vibrant continent as experienced by children at home, at school, at work, and at play.

The Water Princess

With its wide sky and warm earth, Princess Gie Gie’s kingdom is a beautiful land. But clean drinking water is scarce in her small African village. And try as she might, Gie Gie cannot bring the water closer; she cannot make it run clearer. Every morning, she rises before the sun to make the long journey to the well. Instead of a crown, she wears a heavy pot on her head to collect the water. After the voyage home, after boiling the water to drink and clean with, Gie Gie thinks of the trip that tomorrow will bring. And she dreams. She dreams of a day when her village will have cool, crystal-clear water of its own.

Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions (Picture Puffin Books)

Artists Leo and Diane Dillon won their second consecutive Caldecott Medal for this stunning ABC of African culture. "Another virtuoso performance. . . . Such an astute blend of aesthetics and information is admirable, the child's eye will be rewarded many times over."

When Stars Are Scattered

Omar and his brother Hassan, two Somali boys, have spent a long time in the Dadaab refugee camp. Separated from their mother, they are looked after by a friendly stranger. Life in the camp isn't always easy. The hunger is constant . . . but there's football to look forward to, and now there's a chance Omar will get to go to school . . .With a heart-wrenching fairytale ending, this incredible true story is brought to life by Victoria's stunning illustrations. This book perfectly depicts life in a refugee camp for 8-12 year olds.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Young Reader's Edition

When a terrible drought struck William Kamkwamba's tiny village in Malawi, his family lost all of the season's crops, leaving them with nothing to eat and nothing to sell. William began to explore science books in his village library, looking for a solution. There, he came up with the idea that would change his family's life forever: he could build a windmill. Made out of scrap metal and old bicycle parts, William's windmill brought electricity to his home and helped his family pump the water they needed to farm the land. Retold for a younger audience, this exciting memoir shows how, even in a desperate situation, one boy's brilliant idea can light up the world. Complete with photographs, illustrations, and an epilogue that will bring readers up to date on William's story, this is the perfect edition to read and share with the whole family.

Things Fall Apart

Things Fall Apart is the first of three novels in Chinua Achebe's critically acclaimed African Trilogy. It is a classic narrative about Africa's cataclysmic encounter with Europe as it establishes a colonial presence on the continent. Told through the fictional experiences of Okonkwo, a wealthy and fearless Igbo warrior of Umuofia in the late 1800s, Things Fall Apart explores one man's futile resistance to the devaluing of his Igbo traditions by British political andreligious forces and his despair as his community capitulates to the powerful new order. With more than 20 million copies sold and translated into fifty-seven languages, Things Fall Apart provides one of the most illuminating and permanent monuments to African experience. Achebe does not only capture life in a pre-colonial African village, he conveys the tragedy of the loss of that world while broadening our understanding of our contemporary realities.

Wildlife of East Africa (Princeton Pocket Guides, 3)

Those looking for a concise yet informative, visually breathtaking yet affordable East African safari need look no further than this spectacular field guide. Featuring full-color photos of 475 common species of bird, mammal, snake, lizard, insect, tree, and flower, Wildlife of East Africa takes us on an exquisite one-volume tour through the living splendor of the main national parks and game reserves of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Many of the species included--from pelicans to plovers, ostriches to elephants, from the daintiest of antelopes to cattlelike giants, from leopards to lions, baboons to gorillas, chameleons to crocodiles, acacias to aloes--also inhabit neighboring countries. The selection was based on the personal experiences of the authors, wildlife experts who have been leading safaris in the region for more than twenty years.

Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna

Heads up: this is a great book but there is a rite of passage and has a part about circumcision.

Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton gives American kids a firsthand look at growing up in Kenya as a member of a tribe of nomads whose livelihood centers on the raising and grazing of cattle. Readers share Lekuton's first encounter with a lion, the epitome of bravery in the warrior tradition. They follow his mischievous antics as a young Maasai cattle herder, coming-of-age initiation, boarding school escapades, soccer success, and journey to America for college. Lekuton's riveting text combines exotic details of nomadic life with the universal experience and emotions of a growing boy.

The Bitter Side of Sweet

Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years what has mattered are the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. The higher the number the safer they are. The higher the number the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home. Maybe. The problem is Amadou doesn’t know how much he and Seydou owe, and the bosses won’t tell him. The boys only wanted to make money to help their impoverished family, instead they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive—until Khadija comes into their lives. She’s the first girl who’s ever come to camp, and she’s a wild thing. She fights bravely every day, attempting escape again and again, reminding Amadou what it means to be free. But finally, the bosses break her, and what happens next to the brother he has always tried to protect almost breaks Amadou. The three band together as family and try just once more to escape.

Next, look at some of these ideas to learn about Africa.

HANDS-ON AFRICA IDEAS

  • How to Make a Kids’ Fun Ceremonial African Tribal Mask
  • How To Make A Mountain Volcano | Mighty Mount Kilimanjaro With Geronimo Stilton
  • Alphabet Letter G is for Gorilla Fun Paper Plate Preschool Mask
  • Interesting Facts For Kids About Africa | Cute Handprint Cheetah
  • 8 The Water Princess STEM Activity Ideas and African Clay Pot Craft
  • How to Make An Embroidered African Map Fun Geography Craft
  • Fun Wildlife Craft Mountain Gorilla Layered Art Project
  • 8 Facts about African Elephants and a Cute Paper Plate Elephant
  • Learn About African Art For Children And Make Fun Djembe Drums
  • 6 World Wildlife Day Activities to Learn About African Lions
Free Africa Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History

In addition, you can add any minibook to your lapbook.

However, look at the free minibooks I’ve included in this download.

FREE MINIBOOKS IN THE AFRICA LAPBOOK

  • Meet the animals of Africa
  • Life in Africa today
  • Fun Facts about Africa
  • Natural Wonders and Ancient Sites

Finally, look at how to grab the free Africa.

HOW TO GET THE FREE AFRICA LAPBOOK

Now, how to grab the freebie. 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 instantly.

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

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Lapbooks Tagged With: Africa, geography, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, highschoolgeography, homeschool geography, homeschoolgeography, lapbook, lapbooking, lapbookresources, lapbooks

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