history

Kids Art History Board Game Ideas

December 3, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you’re looking for fun kids art history board game ideas. you’ll love Professor Noggins. Also, look at the other History Games on my page.

Too, sometimes instead of an art history board game, you can substitute a card game and that is what we did.

I love the Professor Noggin games because they contain a wealth of information in an easy to play format and cover a huge variety of topics.

In addition, the games cover nature, science, animals, birds, reptiles, history, and geography.

Today we are going to look closer at Professor Noggin’s History of Art.

Games teach children, critical thinking, curiosity, accepting failure, creativity, innovation, and more.

9 Things to Love About Art History

However, look at these nine things I love about Professor Noggin’s History of Art.

Teach on a specific subject in a fun way.
Are easy to learn and play.
Build observation and memory skills.
Have a quick play time.
Are portable for road trips and waiting at doctors offices/restaurants.
Have a great price point- around $10- $15
Cover an excellent variety of topics- currently 39 titles on their website.
Have two levels of play for players of different skill levels.
Games have a variety of trivia, true or false, and multiple-choice questions.

The only drawback is that they are small games with limited questions.

I like to get as much value out of things as I can so I started thinking of other ways we could use the games beyond their intended use.

First, look at some of these other fun history games.

Fun History Games Resources

Look at them below.

Moreover, Professor Noggin’s History of Art is an easy way to introduce artists and their masterpieces to kids of any age and ability.

Even if you do not know a lot about art, you can learn art history through a game.

Too, when you use this game, you teach so much more than just a particular artist or style of art.

Through art history you learn geography, get a better understanding of various time periods throughout history, improve reading and research skills, and more.

About Professor Noggin’s History of Art Game

However, look first at a few facts about how the game is intended to be played.

Professor Noggin History of Art comes with 30 cards.

The cards contain a famous artwork on one side and 6 questions on the other.

In addition, there are three questions for the younger or newer student and three for older children or more knowledgeable players.

Also, it’s recommended for ages 8 and up.

From this game you will learn about.

Famous artists
Major art periods
Works of Art
Art techniques
World architecture

Next, look at these there creative and fun ways you can use the game to turn into a learning day.

8 Ways to Use a Art History Game

I have come up with 8 fun and educational additional activities to do with this art history game to extend the basic game,

1. Get Artsy Fartsy

If you are not using a formal art curriculum, games like this are a great choice.

First, you can choose cards and have your child attempt to recreate the art piece including using the same medium.

These little tubes of acrylic paints really help you feel like an artist.

Next, do an artist study.

However, I also want you to know about this wonderful Art History for Kids curriculum.

2. Do an Artist Study

Randomly choose a card and study that artist for the week.

Focus on their art, techniques, life story, what period or style they were.

Add in this fun book The Story of Paintings.

3. Focus on Art Period Definitions

Additionally, there are plenty of great vocabulary and spelling words to choose from in this game.

Flip through cards to list all the great art periods and list them. Have your child define each one.

4. Guess the Story

Further, have your child write a poem or a story about an art piece before they learn anything about it.

Then check out the real story or at least the name behind it and see how close they were.

5. Reverse Pictionary

Another one is to pull a random card or one of your choosing and describe the photo for your child and have them draw it from your description.

This can end up being funny and entertaining.

6. Teach Geography or World Culture

Also, pull a random card and locate the country on the map where the artist is from as well as the museum where their artwork is displayed.

This scrunch map gets a lot of use as a favorite resource for just about any theme we choose.

7. Place the Cards in Timeline Order

Give your child a stack of 5 random cards and have them lay them out in timeline order.

They either from memory if they can or allow them to research the time periods in a book or online.

8. Host a Fun Share and Tell

Finally, host a share and tell.

Go through the stack of cards with your child.

Each of you choose your favorite artwork, share it and tell why. And you can include extended family members.

Encourage your child to use descriptive words to help strengthen their vocabulary.

What do you think? Ready to turn a game into a fun and full day of learning?

Ancient Egypt DIY Simple and Fun Mummification Process Game

November 27, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have an Ancient Egypt diy mummification process game. You’ll love the other History Games I have on my page.

If you are studying Ancient Egypt and need a great hands-on activity to help teach your child you’ll love this mummification process game.

Yes, we made a game for that.

Games are an incredible way to learn something new.

Ancient Egypt DIY Simple and Fun Mummification Process Game

And games reinforce a topic that you are learning.

Now, I’ve bought all kinds of ready-made games.

However, creating your own game from the ground up and including your child in the process is the best way to learn.

I came up with this game that doesn’t require any special items and let’s your child be in charge of the game creation.

Creating the game will help the facts that they learn stick in their head better.

Benefits of Game Playing

Also, it will help teach your children research skills and give them a sense of pride in accomplishment.

I wanted to be sure it included more than just the history of this Ancient Egyptian ritual.

For younger children rolling and adding dice is a simple way to also incorporate math into your day.

They will learn or reinforce anatomy lessons through the anatomy drawings and labels.

I created a printable with the basic rules and values for the dice numbers rolled.

Creating the game requires reading, writing, and art skills

Before you begin use videos, resources, and books from your personal collection or borrow them from library to learn about the mummification process.

Fun Ancient Egypt Resources

This will make creating the cards much easier and give your child an understanding of the why.

Here are a few resources and activities that you might enjoy along with this diy mummification process game.

Inside Out Egyptian Mummy

These Toob Organs are a great teaching tool not only for anatomy but here in Ancient Egypt Studies. Also, they can be used for inspiration when drawing the organ cards. We have also used them in making large canopic jars as well.

There is also the Ancient Egypt Toob that can be used for art inspiration, sensory bins, dioramas, and so much more.

Let each child be responsible for creating their own set of cards for when you play

More Fun History Games Resources

Look at them below.

Depending on their age and ability level they may create the entire card on their own or may need some assistance.

They will be tickled with their own contributions to the game.

You don’t need anything other than the cards and dice but the props sure are fun to set the

How to Make a Mummification Process Game

Here is what you will need:

White cardstock
Colored cardstock
Paper slicer
Glue stick or double sided tape
Markers, colored pencils, or crayons
2 dice

First, cut white cardstock into 3 ½” x 4 ½” rectangles. You will need 9 for each player.

Then cut 9 of one colored cardstock for each child to 3 ¾ ” x 4 ¾”.

Write or instruct your child to write one of each of these phrases on the top of each of the 9 cards:

1-Wash body and remove organs
2-Remove brain through the nose
3-Place lungs in canopic jar
4-Place intestines in canopic jar
5-Place stomach in canopic jar
6-Place liver in canopic jar
7-Fill body and cover with salt for 40 days
8-Wrap body in linen bandages
9-Place body in sarcophagus

Next, encourage them to draw something to represent each of these steps.

I encourage a bit of silliness if it has something to do with what they are trying to accomplish for the step.

Use markers, crayons, colored pencils, or whatever they like to make it fun and colorful.

Here is a look at some more of the cards we created.

Glue the white completed cards to the colored cardstock to make it a bit sturdier.

Write the step numbers on the back of each card so they can easily be lined up for play face down.

Below is a printable with the rules and the assigned “value” for each dice combination.

You can choose to roll one or two dice depending on which numbers you need.

For instance, if all you are missing is a #1 you would want to roll only once die to attempt to get the number you need.

How to Get the Free Printable Rules

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1) Sign up on my list.
2) Grab the freebie instantly.
3) Glad to have you following me. Look for my emails in your inbox now.

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

November 25, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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

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

National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet

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

They were made to identify agreements and treaties between peoples.

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

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

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

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

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

Books About the Iroquois

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

5 Books About the Iroquois

Learn about how the Iroquois lived.

The Iroquois (A True Book: American Indians)

A True Book: American Indian series allows readers to experience what makes each American Indian people distinctive and exceptional. Readers will get to know each tribes culture, influence and history

Hiawatha: Founder of the Iroquois Confederacy (North American Indians of Achievement)

Examines the life and career of the fifteenth-century Iroquois Indian.

The Iroquois: The Six Nations Confederacy (American Indian Nations)

The Iroquois have lived in what is now upper New York State and Ontario, Canada, for more than 4,000 years. In the 12th century, a man of their tribe called the Peacemaker convinced the five other nearby tribes - the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca - to work together with the Iroquois in a peaceful confederacy.

Keepers of the Animals: Native American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children (Keepers of the Earth)

These traditional Native American stories along with related activities show parents and teachers how to teach children the importance of wildlife in Native American traditions. As the stories unfold and the activities come to life, the importance of our connections to animals became apparent.Features traditional Native American stories.Includes field-tested activities appropriate for all ages.Connects wildlife ecology and environmental issues.Fosters creative thinking and the synthesis of knowledge and experience.The stories in this book present some of the basic perspectives that Native North American parents, aunts and uncles use to teach the young. They are phrased in terms that modern youngsters can understand and appreciate, along with eye-catching illustrations and photographs throughout.

Children of the Longhouse

When Ohkwa'ri overhears a group of older boys planning a raid on a neighboring village, he immediately tells his Mohawk elders. He has done the right thing—but he has also made enemies.

Then look at some facts below.

Interesting Iroquois Facts

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

Also, I have these other resources.

Finally, look at these Iroquois resources below.

More Iroquois Resources

First, learn about the Confederacy here.
Then, grab my free Iroquois lapbook here.
Watch YouTube for Iroquois Haudenosaunee Long House Crafts for Kids
Iroquois Diorama

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

How to Make a Native American Wampum Bracelet

Next, you will need:

Colorful beads
Pipe cleaners/chenille stems
Graph paper
Markers in the same colors as the beads you use.
Small piece of cardboard
scissors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cut slits in one end ¼” apart.

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

Follow the pattern.

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

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

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

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

Entertaining Games in the Past How to Make an Easy Backgammon Game

November 20, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Games in the past can be a unit study or add to your history lessons. You’ll love the other history games I have too.

Do you ever wonder about people of the past spent their days?

Backgammon is one of the oldest games known right up there with chess.

It is thought to be about 5,000 years old or more and believed to have developed in Mesopotamia which is now known as Iraq.

Entertaining Games in the Past How to Make an Easy Backgammon Game

If you are going to study a period of history, one great way to do that is to study the way they lived, how they passed their days, and interacted with one another.

Also, you can do that through playing games.

It’s even better if you create your own version.

Today, I’m showing you how to make your own easy to create and store version of the game backgammon.

Games of the Past Ancient Mesopotamia

Nobody quite knows where the name actually came from.

However, historians believe that it came from Middle English: baec – back and gamen-game.

It possibly evolved from the Royal Game of Ur and is known as the game of kings.

There is a lot of historical literature and art that portrays people playing backgammon.

The boards that are very similar to today’s versions which we have developed and still play.

Next, add some historical facts.

And hands-on ideas to make studying about games in the past fun.

Facts about Ancient Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is the ancient Greek name for the region that is the modern day area that is now Iraq and parts of Iran.
It was considered part of the cradle of civilization because so much .
Mesopotamia means 0the land between two rivers( Tigris and Euphrates).
Many theologies and political systems developed out of Mesopotamia.
Here the earliest writing system, cuneiform, was created.
The Sumerians from this area are credited with inventing the wheel.
The first law codes like the code of Hammurabi and the Code of Urukagina were created here.
Mesopotamia is located in the area that archaeologists call The Fertile Crescent, called so because of the rich soil beds from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
There is very little of ancient Mesopotamia that still stands because they made their buildings out of sun-dried bricks that didn’t last as long.
A lot of what we do know today is found out from clay tablets that were found in the library in the city of Nineveh.

Too, I’ll list some hands-on ideas below.

In addition, you’ll love these other history game resources on my site.

Other Fun History Games Resources

Look at them below.

And look below here for hands-on activities.

DIY Backgammon Game

Here is what you will need:

Finally, look below at how to make this DIY backgammon.

File folder
2 colors or patterns of cardstock
Ruler
30 small items- blocks, buttons, coins, flat beads, etc…
2- six sided dice
Glue stick

To create the long narrow wedges (points) you want to first create a template so you only have to do the measurements once.

Then, cut cardstock down to a rectangle with the height being 5”.

This is a good length for your points on a file folder.

After measure 1” across the bottom from the left and make a small pencil mark to create your 1” width.

Next, on the top left corner mark ½” over and make a mark to create the point.

Use a ruler to draw the line from each mark at the bottom to the point at the top for the elongated triangle.

Cut your template out and use it to trace and cut 12 of each of your chosen color or patterned cardstock.

Open the file folder and glue down alternating color wedges.

Put 6 on either side of the fold. Repeat on the other side of the folder.

Allow the glue to dry completely before closing the folder.

You can use anything you have on hand for your checkers if two different colors or other identification for each player.

For example, buttons, small erasers, coins, tiny figures, checkers from another game, etc..

I found these tiny little unfinished squares and painted half (15) gold and left half unfinished.

Store them in a ziploc bag with your dice and tape to the back of your file folder if you like.

Grab several file folders and challenge your child to invent their own file folder game for today’s civilization.

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

November 15, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Geronimo Stilton Time Travel Series

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

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

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

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

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

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

History Middle Ages Hands-on Activities

Then, add a few more activities and fun items.

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

Make a Coat of Arms Activity
How to Make a Codex
Build a fun Medieval Catapult to work in some STEM
These Safari Toob Knights and Dragons add to any unit study to encourage dramatic small world play but also they can be used in dioramas and sensory bins.

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

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

Other Geronimo Stilton Chapter Book Activities

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

How to Create a Medieval Stained Glass Window Craft

Before you get started, know this.

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

List of supplies.

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

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

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

Slip your drawing inside a gallon sized ziploc bag.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel Stained Glass Craft

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

Repeat this for as many colors as you would like.

Fill in all the open spaces.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Apply your stained glass to the window.

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

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

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

history

9 Things to Love About Art History

Fun History Games Resources

About Professor Noggin’s History of Art Game

8 Ways to Use a Art History Game

1. Get Artsy Fartsy

2. Do an Artist Study

3. Focus on Art Period Definitions

4. Guess the Story

5. Reverse Pictionary

6. Teach Geography or World Culture

7. Place the Cards in Timeline Order

8. Host a Fun Share and Tell

Benefits of Game Playing

Fun Ancient Egypt Resources

More Fun History Games Resources

How to Make a Mummification Process Game

How to Get the Free Printable Rules

Books About the Iroquois

Interesting Iroquois Facts

More Iroquois Resources

How to Make a Native American Wampum Bracelet

Games of the Past Ancient Mesopotamia

Facts about Ancient Mesopotamia

Other Fun History Games Resources

DIY Backgammon Game

About the Geronimo Stilton Time Travel Series

History Middle Ages Hands-on Activities

Other Geronimo Stilton Chapter Book Activities

How to Create a Medieval Stained Glass Window Craft

Geronimo Stilton Time Travel Stained Glass Craft

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