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How To Teach Geography To Preschoolers: Around The World Bin

November 28, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

How to teach geography to preschoolers should be hands-on but it is not about teaching them continent names or capitals. Also, look at my pages How to Homeschool Preschool and Hands-On Simple And Best Homeschool Geography Ideas & Tips.

Preschoolers are naturally curious about the world around them. And teaching geography to preschoolers needs to begin with their immediate world and spark interests in other places.

For example, show your preschooler a picture with the house and your child in the picture. This also teaches spatial awareness.

How To Teach Geography To Preschoolers: Around The World Bin

Next, talk about where is the grocery store, the park or gas station. Places your preschoolers visits regularly helps associate location.

Even creating a me on the map activity give your child a starting point.

In addition, plenty of picture books gives your child an idea of other places.

ANIMAL GEOGRAPHY RESOURCES FOR KIDS

First, look at these fun books for preschoolers.

Use them for read aloud.

7 Animal Geography Resources

We refer to Wildlife Anatomy quite a bit for zoology, it is worth adding to your collection.

Image for Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Bestselling author/illustrator Julia Rothman shares a delightfully illustrated guide to all the beasts of the wild, from lions, tigers, and bears to musk oxen, monkeys, elephants, giraffes, foxes, badgers, bats, crocodiles, owls, flying squirrels and much, much more.

Image for Waypoint Geographic World ScrunchMap - Up-to-Date & Easy

Waypoint Geographic World ScrunchMap - Up-to-Date & Easy

Wall Maps: These world wall maps feature bright colors for easy identification of places of interest. This map of the world can be easily folded or "scrunched" Into the included storage pouch. Lasts longer than paper maps.

Image for The Big Book of Beasts (The Big Book Series)

The Big Book of Beasts (The Big Book Series)

In The Big Book of Beasts, Yuval Zommer’s wonderful illustrations bring to whimsical life some of the grizzliest, hairiest, bravest, wiliest, and most fearsome beasts in the animal kingdom. Brimming with interesting facts from beast consultant Barbara Taylor, this charming picture book is a beautiful way for parents to introduce young children to the animal world―and for older children to learn by themselves.

Image for Around the World with Picture Books Part II (Download) -
Photo Credit: www.bfbooks.com

Around the World with Picture Books Part II (Download) -

Each country visited features a selection of animals indigenous to those regions. These beautiful drawings will familiarize students with some remarkable creatures, their habitat and habits, cultivating respect and wonder for the natural world. Part Two covers Europe and South America. In Europe we cover France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and Great Britain! In South America we cover Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Brazil!

Image for Rand McNally Junior Classroom Atlas of the World

Rand McNally Junior Classroom Atlas of the World

Our colorful, engaging atlas is ideal for students in second through fourth grades and was developed from our award-winning Classroom Atlas, just simplified for younger students. Completely redesigned with a new layout,eye-catching pictures, informative graphics, and fully updated map content. Teaches map and globe skills to younger students. Features photos, graphs, interesting facts, and thought-provoking questions that reinforce map concepts.Includes 15 physical, political, and thematic maps.

Image for A Child's Introduction to the World: Geography, Cultures, and People--From the Grand Canyon to the Great Wall of China (A Child's Introduction Series)

A Child's Introduction to the World: Geography, Cultures, and People--From the Grand Canyon to the Great Wall of China (A Child's Introduction Series)

Explore all the fascinating things that make Planet Earth such an exciting place to live with this lively introduction to our world, its geography, culture, and people.  Get ready for an incredible journey, one in which you’ll visit far-off places, meet interesting people, and learn all about continents, countries, climates, and more. This book is also full of fun facts about animals, sports, foods, inventions, and holidays from all over the world.

Image for Animal Atlas

Animal Atlas

Lift the flaps in this quirky 3D atlas as illustrator Ingela P. Arrhenius takes the youngest of readers around the globe, introducing an enchanting selection of animals. Did you know that flamingos hide their heads while they sleep? That a Galápagos tortoise can live for a hundred years? That baboons have pink bottoms? Or that a peacock’s tail is used to impress potential mates? With interactive flaps and a central pop on each colorful spread, this is a stand-up gift for small children who love animals of all stripes.

Then, look at these other preschool activity resources.

MORE PRESCHOOL GEOGRAPHY RESOURCES

  • Learn About Indigenous Animal Geography Fun Activity for Preschool to Elementary
  • 5 Mexico Crafts For Preschoolers And Free Activity Pages
  • Sensory Play Made Easy: Crafting a Community Helpers Sensory Bin
  • How To Teach The 50 States To Preschoolers | 50 States Busy Book
  • K is for Kangaroo| Australia Theme
  • Fun Hands-on Coral Reef Activities and Play Dough Invitation to Play
How To Teach Geography To Preschoolers: Around The World Bin

In addition, look at these ways to teach geography to preschoolers.

5 WAYS TO TEACH GEOGRAPHY TO PRESCHOOLERS

Because kids this age need to move and explore, use their natural love for learning to teach geography through different sense.

1. USE MUSIC AND STORIES TO TEACH CULTURES

First, begin with music. Children love to dance and move to music.

Introduce stories and songs from a country you think would interests your child.

2. SIMPLE GLOBES & MAPS ARE BEST

Also, children can much more than we may think. Let the feel and spin simple globes to understand what is the world.

Besides, flat maps they can see introduces the shapes of continents. This early introduction can ignite a future love of maps.

3. GEOGRAPHY-THEMED SENSORY PLAY

Too, I will be doing a geography themed sensory bin.

Bins can have desert, ocean, or even snow themes to introduce a preschooler to different biomes.

4. CONNECT GEOGRAPHY TO ANIMALS AND NATURE

Additionally, my sensory bin will. be using something all preschoolers like which is animals.

Using nature and animals and where animals live fosters a love of science too.

5. CELEBRATE CULTURAL TRADITIONS

And because kids love to move, use traditions of countries to teach your kids about cultures. They can make crafts to celebrate different traditions.

Even go on a scavenger hunt teaches them directions.

Finally, look at how to make this around the world geography sensory bin.

AROUND THE WORLD GEOGRAPHY SENSORY BIN

Supply List

  • Uncooked rice
  • Blue food coloring
  • Zip-top bag or bowl for dyeing rice
  • Green felt sheets
  • Scissors
  • Toy animals

Dye the Rice: Add uncooked rice to a zip-top bag or bowl. Add a few drops of blue food coloring, seal or stir, and shake/mix until the rice is evenly coated. Spread it out to dry completely.

How To Teach Geography To Preschoolers: Around The World Bin

Prepare the Continents: Cut simple continent shapes out of green felt. Keep them recognizable but child-friendly and easy to handle.

How To Teach Geography To Preschoolers: Around The World Bin

Set Up the Bin: Pour the blue rice into the sensory bin to create the “ocean” base.

How To Teach Geography To Preschoolers: Around The World Bin

Add Continents: Lay the green felt continents on top of the rice to form a basic world map.

How To Teach Geography To Preschoolers: Around The World Bin

Add Animals: Place toy animals nearby or mix a few into the bin.

BENEFITS OF A GEOGRAPHY SENSORY BIN

Provides sensory input that keeps kids calm, engaged, and curious during play.

Encourages geography awareness by helping kids connect animals to different continents.

Builds fine motor skills while placing animals and exploring the rice base.

Strengthens critical thinking as kids match habitats to regions.

Supports language development through conversations about animals, climates, and continents.

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

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

November 25, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Australian wild animals sensory activities are a wonderful way to dig into the wild and crazy world of outback creatures. Also, see my page Free 4-Week Kid’s Australia Unit Study Who Love Hands-on Learning.

Australia is home to some of the world’s most fascinating (and sometimes scary) creatures. From hopping kangaroos to ferocious crocodiles, this continent’s wildlife is full of surprises.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Creating a sensory bin inspired by Australian animals is a fun and hands-on way for kids to learn about these amazing creatures while exploring textures, sounds, and colors that represent their natural habitats.

You can fill your sensory bin with sand or kinetic sand to represent the outback, small pebbles, toy trees, and plastic animal figures of Australian wildlife.

As your child digs, scoops, and plays, you can introduce fun animal facts to spark curiosity and conversation.

Books About Australia or Set in Australia for Kids

Next, look at some of these books we’ve used.

9 Australia Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Grab one or two of these books about Australia to add to your unit study or your home library.

Image for The Upside-down History of Down Under

The Upside-down History of Down Under

The true story of Australia starts with a piece of land that went for a swim. Millions of years ago it floated away from Africa. Very, very, slowly. It was home to dinosaurs and giant animals, until the first Australians showed up and got comfortable. This wild and wonderful land was a mystery to the rest of the world. Then the English decided to make it the biggest jail ever . . . Experience the story of Australia from prehistory to federation in 1901.

Image for Storm Boy & Other Stories

Storm Boy & Other Stories

Set along the rugged beauty of the South Australian coast, Storm Boy cares for an injured pelican and finds a friend that shows him the power of loyalty and love. This moving story is now a major motion-picture and one of the classics of Australian writing for children. This edition comes with five other stories by Colin Thiele that capture the unique voices of Australians across the natural and suburban landscape.

Image for Seven Little Australians

Seven Little Australians

A captain who has lost his wife remarries a much younger woman to provide his six children with a new mother. Together, the couple had another child, making seven. The captain tries to run the family with stern discipline, but he is no match for the fun-loving children.

Image for Warrigal the Warrior

Warrigal the Warrior

The story of a killer-dog. His owner had tried to train him to the domestic life, but the call of the wild and his hunting instincts were too powerful. As a killer he roamed abroad, hunted fiercely by farmers whose stock he wantonly destroyed. It is a story that is founded in fact.As for Warrigal -- he is as nature fashioned him.“I have not sought to glorify Warrigal, neither have I condemned him. I have just tried to present him as he really is, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”

Image for Audrey of the Outback

Audrey of the Outback

Meet Audrey Barlow - a girl with a lot on her mind. Her dad has gone away to work, her brother Price thinks he's too old for games, and little Dougie likes pretending to be a bird. So together with her best friend Stumpy, Audrey ponders some of life's big questions ... like whether being a swaggie is lonelier than being a girl, and whether it's better to be a sheep or a cow. Follow Audrey and Stumpy through this dazzler of a story and discover how friends are never far away ... even in the Outback. You'll soon wish you lived there too.

Image for A Little Bush Maid

A Little Bush Maid

Billabong, a large cattle and sheep property in the Australian countryside, is home to 12-year-old Norah Linton, her widowed father, David, and her older brother, Jim. Norah's prim and proper aunts, who live in the city, consider she is in danger of "growing up wild" - riding all over Billabong on her beloved pony, Bobs, helping with mustering, and joining in on all the holiday fun when Jim and his friends come home from boarding school.

A fishing trip results in unexpected drama when they discover a mysterious stranger camped in the bush. Who is this stranger and why is he there? Norah's resourcefulness is tested to the full!

Image for Rabbit-Proof Fence: 1000 Headwords

Rabbit-Proof Fence: 1000 Headwords

Fourteen-year-old Molly and her cousins Daisy and Gracie were mixed-race Aborigines. In 1931 they were taken away from their families and sent to a camp to be trained as good 'white' Australians. They were told to forget their mothers, their language, their home.But Molly would not forget. She and her cousins escaped and walked back to Jigalong, 1,600 kilometres away, following the rabbit-proof fence as their guide across the desert.This is the story of that walk, told by Molly's daughter, Doris. 

Image for Are We There Yet?

Are We There Yet?

Join Grace and her family as they hit the road camping, experiencing, and meeting all the people and places that make up Australia.

Image for Possum Magic

Possum Magic

Grandma Poss uses her best bush magic to make Hush invisible. But when Hush longs to be able to see herself again, the two possums must make their way across Australia to find the magic food that will make Hush visible once more. “Another treat from Mem Fox that is sure to be treasured. The whimsical illustrations are a wonderful complement.

Here are some incredible animals to include and what makes each one special.

AUSTRALIAN WILD ANIMALS

DINGO

The dingo is Australia’s wild dog. It looks a lot like a domestic dog but is a clever hunter that lives in deserts, forests, and grasslands.

Dingoes are known for their howls, which help them communicate across long distances. Unlike most dogs, they rarely bark.

They are skilled hunters and often hunt in small packs to catch rabbits, kangaroos, or birds.

KOALA

Koalas are often called “koala bears,” but they aren’t bears at all. They’re marsupials, which means they carry their babies, called joeys, in a pouch.

Koalas spend most of their lives in eucalyptus trees and eat almost nothing but eucalyptus leaves. Because their food provides little energy, they sleep up to 18–20 hours a day.

Fun fact: A koala’s fingerprints are almost identical to a human’s. Even scientists have a hard time telling them apart under a microscope.

KANGAROO

Kangaroos are one of Australia’s most recognizable animals. They are the largest marsupials and can leap more than 25 feet in a single bound.

Their powerful hind legs and large tails help them balance and move quickly. Female kangaroos carry their young, called joeys, in a pouch until they’re ready to hop out and explore.

PLATYPUS

The platypus is one of the strangest animals on Earth. It has the bill of a duck, the tail of a beaver, and webbed feet. It lays eggs even though it’s a mammal, and it spends much of its time swimming in rivers and streams. Male platypuses have venomous spurs on their back legs, which is rare among mammals.

TASMANIAN DEVIL

The Tasmanian devil is a small but fierce carnivore found only on the island of Tasmania. It’s famous for its loud screeches, powerful jaws, and strong teeth.

Despite their scary name, these animals are important scavengers that help keep the environment clean by eating dead animals.

FRILLED LIZARD

The frilled lizard is known for the dramatic frill of skin around its neck. When it feels threatened, it opens its mouth wide, and the frill pops out like a big circle around its head.

This display makes it look much larger to scare away predators. Frilled lizards live in northern Australia and are excellent climbers.

WOMBAT

Wombats are sturdy, burrowing marsupials with short legs and a love for digging tunnels underground. They have cube-shaped droppings that help mark their territory and don’t roll away.

Their backward-facing pouch prevents dirt from getting inside when they dig.

CROCODILE

Australia is home to two kinds of crocodiles — the freshwater crocodile and the larger, more dangerous saltwater crocodile. Saltwater crocodiles, sometimes called “salties,” can grow over 20 feet long and are powerful swimmers.

They live in rivers, swamps, and coastal areas of northern Australia.

Fun fact: Crocodiles can go months without eating, thanks to their slow metabolism, and can hold their breath underwater for over an hour.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Next, look at these activities.

AUSTRALIAN WILD ANIMALS CRAFTS AND RESOURCES

  • Free Printable Australian Animals Graphing Activity
  • 6 Australian Animal Craft Ideas | Easy Paper Bag Platypus
  • Cute Playdough Hedgehog Activity for Kids – Taming Little Monsters
  • Kookaburra Crafts & Song
  • How To Make A Kangaroo Pocket | Letter K Craft Preschool Australia Theme
  • Fun Koala Handprint Craft

Finally, look at this Australian wild animals sensory activities.

AUSTRALIAN WILD ANIMALS SENSORY ACTIVITIES

You will need:
● Large shallow tub
● Australian animals toob
● Craft sand or rice
● Red food coloring
● Sticks
● Rocks of different sizes
● Cardstock, craft foam, or felt

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Use a couple of drops of red food coloring to dye your base; you can then use sand, salt, or rice to represent the high iron content in the soil that gives it a red appearance.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Spread your base out and allow it to dry in the sun if possible.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Stir it a few times so everything dries evenly.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Pour the base into a shallow sensory tub.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Add a layer of sticks, leaves, rocks, and other foliage of different sizes to get your terrain.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Finally, hide your animals around the sensory bin.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

For letter recognition, you can also include letter tiles for the beginning letter of each animal.

Australian Wild Animals Sensory Activities To Celebrate Its Unique Wildlife

Be sure to add spoons, measuring cups, and other little tools so your child can scoop, pour, measure, and redo their sensory bin.

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

How to Make a Fizzy Snow Man Potion

November 24, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re making a fizzy snow man potion. It’s a bit of art, part science and the other part pure fun. Also, grab more ideas and a free lapbook for winter fun on my page Winter Season Unit Study.

Besides having many snowman ideas to keep your kids learning all winter long, this idea will also keep your kids from bouncing off the wall when the weather is bad outside.

This fizzy snow man potion brings a bit of winter wonder right into your kitchen.

How to Make a Fizzy Snow Man Potion

Think of it as a fun science experiment disguised as a winter craft.

Using just a few household ingredients like baking soda and vinegar, you and your little ones can create a “snowman” that bubbles and fizzes. Also, you can add a few drops of food coloring for massive ewws and awwws.

Without even realizing it, your kids are learning about chemical reactions.

BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT SNOW AND SNOWMEN

Next, look at a few books about snow and snowmen for kids.

I prefer living books and then we may add a reference book or two to our day.

13 Snow, Snowman, Animals, and Winter Books

Add one or more of these books to your learning day if you're learning about snow, snowflakes, winter or just for fun.

Image for Winter Cottage

Winter Cottage

Immerse Yourself in This Story of Love and Companionship Amidst Deprivation

It is the fall of 1930, and America has plunged into the Great Depression. On a remote dirt road deep in the snowy woods of northern Wisconsin, misfortune forces the impoverished Sparkes family to take desperate measures.

A wayfaring quartet consisting of thirteen-year-old Araminta (nicknamed Minty), her recently unemployed father-a poetry-quoting widower called Pops-and her younger sister, Eglantine (known as Eggs-a dreamer like Pops), and their dog, Buster, are on their way to Minneapolis to live with the curmudgeonly Aunt Amy. When their car breaks down and they are unable to fix it, the homeless four stumble upon a vacant summer cottage by a lake. In desperate straits, they decide to settle in.

Image for 1. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder

1. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder

How do snow crystals form? What shapes can they take? Are no two snow crystals alike? These questions and more are answered inside this exploration of the science of snow, featuring photos of real snow crystals in all their beautiful diversity. Perfect for reading on winter days, this book by a nature photographer and a snow scientist will inspire wonder and curiosity about the marvels of snow. 

Image for 2. Sneezy the Snowman

2. Sneezy the Snowman

B-R-R-R-R! AH-CHOO! Sneezy the Snowman is cold, cold, cold. To warm up, he drinks cocoa, sits in a hot tub, stands near a warm fire–and melts! But the children know just what to do to build him up again–and make him feel “just right”.

Image for 3. Snowmen at Night

3. Snowmen at Night

Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've wondered . . . what do snowmen do at night? This delightful wintertime tale reveals all!

Image for 4. The Biggest Snowman Ever

4. The Biggest Snowman Ever

When the mayor of Mouseville announces the town snowman contest, Clayton and Desmond claim that they will each make the biggest snowman ever. But building a huge snowman alone is hard! They work and work, but their snowmen just aren't big enough. Soon they have an idea. As the day of the contest approaches, Clayton and Desmond join forces to build the biggest snowman ever.

Image for 5. Over and Under the Snow

5. Over and Under the Snow

Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow lies a secret world of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals making their winter home under the snow. This beloved nonfiction picture book exploring the subnivean zone reveals the tunnels and caves formed beneath the snow but over the ground, where many kinds of animals live through the winter, safe and warm, awake and busy, but hidden beneath the snow.

Image for A Hat for Minerva Louise

A Hat for Minerva Louise

"Stoeke's second book about that intrepid screwball, Minerva Louise, is a rare find."—The Horn Book, starred review. The other chickens hate snowy mornings. But not Minerva Louise! To her a snowy day—like everything else—is an adventure. But this chilly, chipper hen needs something to keep her warm. What she finds—and how she finds it—will keep young readers cackling.

Image for 6. How to Catch a Snowman

6. How to Catch a Snowman

Our heroes' entry for the snowman contest has magically come to life―and ran away! Can YOU help catch it? Get ready for snow much fun as you travel through a winter wonderland with running, skating, and bouncing through trap after trap to catch the snowman and claim the winning prize. Will the snowman teach our heroes a lesson they'll never forget?

Image for The Big Snow

The Big Snow

When the geese begin to fly south, the leaves flutter down from the trees and the cold winds begin to blow from the north, the animals of the woods and meadows, big and small, prepare for the long, cold winter ahead when the countryside is hidden under a deep blanket of snow. They gather food and look for warm, snug places in the ground, trees, caves or thickets, where they can find protection against the icy winds.It might have been hard for the birds and animals of the hillside to survive when the Big Snow came if their good friends, who lived in the little stone house, had not remembered to put food out for them.Here, in many beautiful pictures, the Haders show how winter comes to the woodland as the busy animals make their preparations.

Image for 7. Curious About Snow (Smithsonian)

7. Curious About Snow (Smithsonian)

The Smithsonian does things right and this Curious About Snow book is a
great introduction for curious kiddos with real images and simple explanations.

Image for 8. Animals in Winter

8. Animals in Winter

This is a clear and appealing book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. Introduce kids to basic science ideas as part of discussions about the seasons and animals.

Image for 9. Arctic Figurines, Including A Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, And Polar Bear

9. Arctic Figurines, Including A Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, And Polar Bear

SET OF 10 FUN AND FRIGID FIGURES – It’s hard to stay warm at the North Pole, but you can discover its wonders in your home with these frigid friends. This TOOB includes a Harp Seal, Husky, Caribou, Arctic Rabbit, Killer Whale, Walrus, Arctic Fox, Beluga Whale, Igloo, and Polar Bear.

Image for 10. Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

10. Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

Next, look at more snow man activities.

MORE SNOW MAN ACTIVITIES

  • How To Build A Snowman Using Wooden Spools
  • How to Make an Easy Build a Snowman Kid’s Game (free printable cube)
  • W Is For Winter Craft Easy Snowman Oobleck Activity
  • Fun Paper Cup Snowman Game Matching Upper and Lowercase Alphabet Letters
  • Cute and Simple Snowman Story Stones Winter Art Activities For Preschoolers
  • How to Make an Adorable Q Tip Painting Snowman
  • 8 Cool Winter Crafts for Middle School | Craft a Snowman Bead Necklace
  • Fun Styrofoam Snowman Art Activity & 5 Facts About The Wonders of Winter
  • How to Make an Adorable Toilet Roll Snowman for Winter Crafts
  • Snow and Snowflake Facts for Kids and Fun Hands-on Exploding Snowman
How to Make a Fizzy Snow Man Potion

Finally, look at how to make a fizzy snowman potion.

FIZZY SNOWMAN POTIONS ACTIVITY

First, look at this list of supplies.

  • Small cup or dropper for pouring
  • Small clear potion bottle or jar
  • Black paper
  • Orange paper
  • Scissors
  • Clear tape
  • Baking soda
  • Glitter (white, silver, or blue)
  • Vinegar
How to Make a Fizzy Snow Man Potion

Start by decorating the potion bottle to look like a snowman. Cut small black circles from paper for the eyes and buttons.

Cut an orange triangle for the carrot nose.

How to Make a Fizzy Snow Man Potion

Stick the paper pieces onto the bottle and cover them with clear tape to protect your snowman’s face from getting wet.

Add a scoop of baking soda to the bottle.

How to Make a Fizzy Snow Man Potion

Sprinkle in a little glitter for a magical snowy sparkle.

How to Make a Fizzy Snow Man Potion

Slowly pour in vinegar (or use a dropper for extra fun). Watch as the potion fizzes and bubbles like a snowstorm inside the bottle

Kids can experiment by adding small amounts of vinegar at a time to see how the fizz changes.

They can mix in more glitter, pretend they’re “mixing up snow magic,” or try making potions for different snowmen with varied ingredients.

BENEFITS

This activity introduces kids to simple chemistry through a safe and exciting hands-on experiment.

It builds fine motor skills, encourages creativity, and helps children learn about reactions between baking soda and vinegar

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

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

November 22, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Let’s explore a few fascinating flowers in the Amazon rainforest and then create a beautiful paper orchid craft inspired by one of the rainforest’s most stunning plants. Also, look at my pages Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, Rain Forest – Amazon, and Rainforest Activities for Kids for more ideas.

The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most amazing places on Earth. It’s home to more plant species than anywhere else, including thousands of unique and colorful flowers. 

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Learning about these tropical blooms helps kids understand how plants survive in such a humid, wet, and shaded environment.

Rainforest flowers have special adaptations, such as bright colors, strong scents, and unique shapes that enable them to survive and attract pollinators in their damp, shaded environment.

Studying these adaptations is a fun way to combine botany and environmental science lessons

AMAZON RAINFOREST BOOKS & RESOURCES

First, look at these books and resources about the Amazon rain forest.

16 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books & Resources

Add these rain forest animal books, games, and toys to round out your study of the animals of the rain forest.

Image for All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest

All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest

This book explores the rainforest layer by layer and the creatures that make their home in each part of the rainforest.

Image for Rainforest Animals (Who Am I?)

Rainforest Animals (Who Am I?)

Which rainforest animal is a frog that uses its eyes to help it swallow its food? Which rainforest animal is a bird with a big, colorful bill? Let's learn more about rainforest animals such as sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and more! Read With You's Who Am I? series encourages children to be more curious about the world around them as they learn fun facts about animals from across the globe.

Image for Over and Under the Rainforest

Over and Under the Rainforest

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and Over and Under the Snow!Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world. Turn the pages of this beautiful and educational book to discover in words and mesmerizing illustration:

Animals like the slender parrot snake and the blue morpho butterfly.

The canopies where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call.

Capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms.

Image for In the Rainforest (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

In the Rainforest (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

The rainforest is home to millions of plant and animal species. Some animals live high up in the trees, some crawl across the forest floor, and some tunnel underground, but they all depend on one another and the rain to survive. With colorful illustrations and fascinating diagrams from author-illustrator Kate Duke, In the Rainforest is a lively look at the most vibrant ecosystem on our planet. 

Image for Anacondas (Rain Forest Animals)

Anacondas (Rain Forest Animals)

This book introduces readers to the largest snake in the world: the anaconda. Readers learn about the life cycle, behavior, physical characteristics, and habitat of anacondas

Image for Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals

Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals

Expanding the popular collection of animal books in the Learn to Draw Series, Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals will teach kids how easy it is to draw a variety of exciting and exotic creatures from around the world. Each project starts with a basic shape and progresses with simple-to-follow steps to a finished realistic final colored artwork. While they’re learning, kids will also discover fun facts about each featured animal.

Image for The Rainforest Grew All Around

The Rainforest Grew All Around

Imaginations will soar from the forest floor, up through the canopy and back down again, following the circle of life in this clever adaptation of the song “The Green Grass Grew All Around.” The jungle comes alive as children learn about a wide variety of the animals (jaguars, emerald tree boas, leafcutter ants, sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and bats) and plants (kapok trees, liana vines, and bromeliads) living in the lush Amazon rainforest. Delve even deeper into the jungle using sidebars and the three-page “For Creative Minds” educational section.

Image for Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

While it covers more than just the rainforest this is a fabulous resource to have on your shelves. You will find plenty of great pictures and information on many animals that live there- crocodiles, harpy eagles, monkeys, tapir , sloths,Jaguarundi, and the food web.

Image for The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

Tells a story of a man who came to cut down a kapok tree and encounters many of the beautiful and exotic native creatures who make their home in the Amazon Rainforest.

Image for Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?!  That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game.  Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!

Image for Hello, World! Rainforest Animals

Hello, World! Rainforest Animals

This bright and exciting Hello, World! board book teaches toddlers all about the amazing world of a rainforest—with easy-to-understand facts about the incredible animals who make their home there.

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Where Is the Amazon?

Human beings have inhabited the banks of the Amazon River since 13,000 BC and yet they make up just a small percentage of the "population" of this geographic wonderland. The Amazon River basin teems with life—animal and plant alike.

Image for Canopy, Card Game, Features 25 Unique Species of Rainforest Animals and Plants

Canopy, Card Game, Features 25 Unique Species of Rainforest Animals and Plants

Compete to grow the most bountiful rainforest! Carefully select what grows in your forest, and give rise to a thriving ecosystem.

Image for Afternoon on the Amazon

Afternoon on the Amazon

Vampire bats and killer ants? That's what Jack and Annie are about to run into when the Magic Tree House whisks them away to the Amazon River. It's not long before they get hopelessly lost. Will they be able to find their way back to the tree house? Or are Jack and Annie stuck forever in the rain forest?

Image for Red-eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic Bookshelf)

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic Bookshelf)

NatureI n a tropical rain forest in Central America, a red-eyed tree frog spends the night looking for food while avoiding potential predators. Award-winning photographer Nic Bishop's larger-than-life, gorgeous images document the hunt, which ends happily with the frog settling down in the leaves to spend his daylight hours sleeping! Joy Cowley's simple, readable text makes the frog's story fun, interesting, and accessible to young readers.

Image for Protecting the Amazon Rainforest (Saving Earth's Biomes)

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest (Saving Earth's Biomes)

Explores the richness of the Amazon rainforest, how humans have damaged it, and efforts being taken to protect it. Clear text, vibrant photos, and helpful infographics make this book an accessible and engaging read.

Then, look at these flowers of the rainforest.

FASCINATING FLOWERS OF THE AMAZON RAINFOREST

1. Orchids- There are more than 25,000 species of orchids worldwide,  and many live in the Amazon. Some orchids grow high on trees (these are called epiphytes) so they can get more sunlight. They collect water from the air and rain rather than from the soil. Amazon orchids come in dazzling colors- pink, purple, yellow, and white and some even have patterns that mimic insects to attract pollinators.

2. Bromeliads- These bright, spiky plants have colorful leaves and sometimes hold small pools of water in their centers where frogs and insects live. They can grow on tree branches or the forest floor and are perfectly adapted to life in the rainforest.

3. Heliconia (Lobster Claw Plant)- Known for their bright red, orange, and yellow “claws,” heliconias attract hummingbirds. Their unique shape protects the nectar from rain, making it easier for birds to find food.

4. Passion Flowers- These exotic purple and white flowers have amazing curly tendrils and a sweet scent. They attract bees, butterflies, and bats, which help pollinate them.

5. Rafflesia- This is one of the world’s largest flowers; it can grow up to 3 feet across! It has no leaves or stem and smells like rotting meat to attract flies that help it reproduce. Weird, but it plays an important role in the rainforest ecosystem.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

And look at more resources.

FLOWERS IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST CRAFTS AND RESOURCES

  • Rainforest Diorama- Create a cardboard rainforest scene with paper trees and animals, and add your orchids.
  • Find the Amazon Rainforest on a world map and mark where orchids are likely to grow.
  • Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium
  • The Great Kapok Tree is full of pages of incredible flora and fauna of the Amazon Rainforest.
  • Watch botany and Plant ecology of the Amazon rainforest.
  • 10 Plant Life in The Amazon Rainforest Facts and Make a Fun Rafflesia Arnoldii.
  • Consider taking a trip to your local nursery or home improvement store with a garden center. They often carry a wide variety of orchids so that you can see them in person.
  • Make another beautiful, exotic plant from the Amazon rainforest with this Heliconia tutorial.

HOW TO MAKE FUN PAPER ORCHIDS

Bring the beauty of the Amazon into your craft time with this simple paper orchid project. It’s great for fine motor skills, exploring colors, and fostering creativity.

You will need:

  • Colored paper (pink, yellow, white)
  • Long skinny sticks
  • Green paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick or tacky glue
  • Pencil
  • Small paintbrush or marker
Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Draw three petals connected at the center; they don’t have to be perfect. Remember, imperfections will make it look more natural.

Then draw two connected petals with a short connecting strip in the middle.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Cut these two sets of petals out and then use them as a template to cut out two or three more, each one slightly smaller than the last.

To do this, I just traced it and cut a little extra off the edges.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Use a marker or small brush to add dots, stripes, or patterns on the center of the petals for both layers. Orchids often have colorful spots or veins.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Use your fingers or a pencil to gently curl the ends of each petal all the way around, especially on the tops. Ruffle them slightly to give them a realistic 3D look.

PAPER ORCHID FLOWER CRAFT

Orchids often have curved petals that look delicate and slightly ruffled.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Cut two long leaves.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Curl the end of the leaves around a pencil  to give them a bit more of a natural appearance.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Depending on which type of orchid you were making, cut out the center, which is called the lips.

It reminds me of the outline of a bull’s head and horns. Make enough centerpieces for each flower on your orchid stem..

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Now begin layering, adding glue to the center of the three petals and stacking the two on top of

Press firmly into the glue and then add glue to the two petals and put your colorful piece in the center.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Cut a small piece of pipe cleaner or just colored paper to make the center for the stamen.

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Glue each completed flower to the stem (long skinny stick)

Flowers in the Amazon Rainforest & How To Make Fun Paper Orchids

Glue the leaves in place along the bottom of your stem.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, flowers, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, orchids, rainforest

Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

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

How cute are these egg carton farm animals made from egg cartons?

Get ready for a fun trip to the farm without ever leaving your kitchen table. In this creative, hands-on craft, kids will make their very own egg carton farm animals using recycled materials.

It’s an adorable and eco-friendly way to learn about farm life while practicing fine motor skills, creativity, and even a bit of animal science.

Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

Farm animals are one of the first themes that we introduce to our little ones. From what does the cow say to a fun field trip to a local farm to learn where milk comes from, it’s a great topic

I have gathered up some of the best books, games, facts, songs, and more activities for you to enjoy a mini or full farm unit with your little farmer.

Enjoy the simplicity of farm animals while going a little deeper into the topic, teaching animal roles, needs, life cycles, and more.

Here are some topics you can cover with your child related to the farm.

BOOKS ABOUT FARMING FOR KIDS

Next, look at these books about farming.

9 Farming Resources and Books

Add some of these fun books and resources to create your own curriculum about farming or for a homeschool unit study topic about farming.

Image for Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life

Learn the difference between a farrow and a barrow, and what distinguishes a weanling from a yearling. Country and city mice alike will delight in Julia Rothman’s charming illustrated guide to the curious parts and pieces of rural living. Dissecting everything from the shapes of squash varieties to how a barn is constructed and what makes up a beehive to crop rotation patterns, Rothman gives a richly entertaining tour of the quirky details of country life.

Image for Charlotte's Web: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Charlotte's Web: A Newbery Honor Award Winner

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.

Image for Farmer Boy (Little House, 2)

Farmer Boy (Little House, 2)

While Laura Ingalls grows up on the prairie, Almanzo Wilder is living on a big farm in New York State. Here Almanzo and his brother and sisters help with the summer planting and fall harvest. In winter there is wood to be chopped and great slabs of ice to be cut from the river and stored. Time for fun comes when the jolly tin peddler visits, or best of all, when the fair comes to town.

Almanzo wishes for just one thing—his very own horse—and he must prove that he is ready for such a big responsibility.

Image for Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

Twelve-year-old Sophie Brown feels like a fish out of water when she and her parents move from Los Angeles to the farm they’ve inherited from a great-uncle. But farm life gets more interesting when a cranky chicken appears and Sophie discovers the hen can move objects with the power of her little chicken brain: jam jars, the latch to her henhouse, the entire henhouse.... And then more of her great-uncle’s unusual chickens come home to roost. Determined, resourceful Sophie learns to care for her flock, earning money for chicken feed, collecting eggs. But when a respected local farmer tries to steal them, Sophie must find a way to keep them (and their superpowers) safe.

Image for Strawberry Girl

Strawberry Girl

Strawberries—big, ripe, and juicy. Ten-year-old Birdie Boyer can hardly wait to start picking them. But her family has just moved to the Florida backwoods, and they haven't even begun their planting. "Don't count your biddies 'fore they're hatched, gal young un!" her father tells her.

Making the new farm prosper is not easy. There is heat to suffer through, and droughts, and cold snaps. And, perhaps most worrisome of all for the Boyers, there are rowdy neighbors, just itching to start a feud. The land was theirs, but so were its hardships.

Image for The Farm That Feeds Us: A year in the life of an organic farm

The Farm That Feeds Us: A year in the life of an organic farm

Explore the workings of a small-scale, organic family farm and experience the rhythm of farm life. In the spring, visit the chicken coop, till the fields, and tour the farm machinery. When summer comes, plant corn, meet the pollinators, and head to the county fair. In the fall, make pies and preserves, harvest pumpkins, and put the fields to sleep. Winter activities include trimming and pruning the orchard, seed shopping, and baking bread.

Image for In Grandma's Attic

In Grandma's Attic

A young girl delights in her grandmother’s stories of days gone by, sparked by keepsakes and simple questions, Grandma shares marvelous stories of mischief , discovery, and laughter, such as the time she accidentally lost the family buggy. Part of the bestselling Grandma’s Attic series, these charming tales—updated with delightful new illustrations—will whisk you away to another time and place.

Image for Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn is a real adventurer. She'd rather hunt than sew and plow than bake, and tries to beat her brother's dares every chance she gets. Caddie is friends with Indians, who scare most of the neighbors—neighbors who, like her mother and sisters, don't understand her at all.

Image for Veggie Farm Sorting Set

Veggie Farm Sorting Set

Fill bushel baskets with figures representing veggies, from corn and broccoli to onions and pumpkins

Playmat with farm signs includes images of essential colors and shapes

Next, look at the role of animals on the farm.

ANIMAL ROLES ON THE FARM

Discuss how each animal helps people.

  • Cows give milk for cheese and butter.
  • Chickens provide eggs.
  • Sheep give us wool for warm clothes.
  • Pigs help with food scraps and are raised for meat.
  • Horses and goats help with work and transport in some places.

ANIMAL NEEDS AND CARE

 Talk about what every living thing needs to stay healthy: food, water, shelter, and kindness.
 You can ask questions like:

  • What do you think a cow eats?
  • Why do sheep need a barn in winter?
  • How does a farmer keep chickens safe from predators?

LIFE CYCLES AND BABY ANIMALS

 Learn the names of baby farm animals-calf, piglet, chick, and lamb- and how they grow.  You can even draw pictures or make mini versions of the baby animals from leftover egg carton pieces.

SOUNDS AND COMMUNICATION

 Kids love to make animal noises; teach them that animals communicate, too.

  • Horses neigh and whinny to greet each other or call out when they’re lonely. They also use ear movements and body language to “talk” without making a sound.
  • Cows moo to call their calves or let the farmer know it’s milking time.
  • Chickens cluck softly to their chicks and squawk loudly if danger is near.
  • Sheep bleat when they’re looking for their flock or calling for their lambs.
  • Pigs grunt and squeal to show excitement, hunger, or playfulness.
Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

Finally, look at how to make fun and easy egg carton farm animals.

HOW TO MAKE FUN AND EASY EGG CARTON FARM ANIMALS

You will need:

  • Egg carton cups
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Paint (white, black, pink, yellow, brown)
  • Pom poms
  • Googly eyes
  • Tacky glue or hot glue
Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

First, start by disassembling your egg cartons, and cut out each cup using scissors or a box cutter. A blade like a box cutter is easier to use, as it crushes the cups a little less.

Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

Paint each cup the base color of whatever you wish to create-white for a chicken, brown for a cow, a pink pig, etc.  Set aside to dry.

Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

While that is drying, cut small bits from the flat lid of your egg carton for a beak, ears, snouts, and wings.

Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

Paint these as well in your desired colors.

Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

Use pipe cleaners to fashion a pink curly tail for your pig by wrapping them around a pencil or paintbrush handle. Bend a fun little red comb for the chicken, and cut feet or add any other details you want.

Fun And Easy Egg Carton Farm Animals: A Crafting Adventure

Once all your paint is dry, begin attaching everything with a good tacky glue that holds well until dry or use hot glue for a faster set.

Add googly eyes to finish it off, and your barnyard pals are ready for play.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: elementary science, farm, farming, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschoolscience, life science, science

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