homeschool

Tick-Tock! How to Make a Hands-on Time Cool Paper Plate Clock

September 8, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This hands-on time activity is a creative and engaging way for kids of all ages to learn about telling time.

It’s also a great way to encourage their creativity and fine motor skills.

Let kids take the initiative to be part of the learning process right from the start.

Tick-Tock! How to Make a Hands-on Time Cool Paper Plate Clock

For example, they can paint, cut and write on their own learning manipulative.

This gives them ownership in it and helps them to better retain the lessons they learn.

Whether it is for preschool, kindergarten, or early elementary, this clock will work to teach time to the hour, minute, quarter, and half hours.

First, look at some of these fun books and manipulatives.

Books About Telling Time for Kids

I love to use living books when I can find them, then I like to add games or reference books when we study a topic like this.

9 Time Telling Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Add some of these resources to your day for telling time.Your kids will love hands-on games and ideas.

Clocks and How They Go

Describes the weight clock and the spring clock and how they work.

Educational Details: The clock face has large red numbers to match the hour hand, small blue numbers to match the minute hand, and a segmented color disk to help kids visualize "quarter
past" and "half past

The Secret Clocks: Time Senses of Living Things

Why do some plants blossom only during the day? How do certain birds know when and where to migrate? Why are some people "early birds" and others "night owls"? In this easy-to-read volume, Seymour Simon examines the inner biological clocks of people, animals, and plants and explains what makes them tick.

Perfect Timing Game

TIMES UP: Learn to tell time in this fast paced, fun and cooperative game. The goal of this Perfect Timing card game is to get the clock to the right place just in time.

Time Dice Pair

Jumbo 12-sided dice/manipulative to reinforce basic time-telling skills. Contains 2 dice: (1) yellow with blue numbers 1-12 to designate hours. (1) yellow with red numbers: 00 -: 55 to designate minutes.

The 13 Clocks

The hands of all thirteen clocks stand still in the gloomy castle on a lonely hill where a wicked Duke lives with his niece, the beautiful Princess Saralinda. The Duke fancies he has frozen time, for he is afraid that one day a Prince may come and win away the hand of the Princess—the only warm hand in the castle. To thwart that fate, he sets impossible tasks for Saralinda’s suitors. But when the bold Prince Zorn of Zorna arrives, disguised as a wandering minstrel, and helped by the enigmatic Golux, the cold Duke may at last have met his match.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.

Clocks Tell the Time

Man has always found a great need for measuring time. This book begins with very early time-keeping, and goes through water-clocks, sundials and early clocks to modern ones. At the end is the Atomichron, which may be the accurate time-keeper that will go with rockets into space.Early mechanical clocks were worked by heavy weights, and had only an hour hand, as seen in the old clockmaker's shop used on page 4. At that time people did not feel the need to know the exact time, nor had they made a clock accurate enough to tell it. In this age of science, time must be measured exactly. The Atomichron should lose only one second in three thousand years.

Clock Learning for Kids

Unlock the joy of learning time with our practical and functional Montessori toys for babies. Enhance kids' clock learning to tell time with our toy clock.

Then look at some of these teaching tips about telling time.

Tips for Teaching Telling Time

To teach young children to tell time you want to…

Start with the basics- Explain the concepts of hours, minutes, and seconds.

You can use a clock with movable hands to demonstrate how they work like our paper plate clock activity.

Introduce the clock face– Show your child how to find the numbers 1-12 on the clock face.

And explain that each number represents an hour.

Teach your child to tell the hour- Start by pointing to the hour hand and asking your child what number it is pointing to.

Then, say the time out loud, for example, “It is 1 o’clock.”

Move on to minutes- Once your child understands how to tell the hour, you can start teaching them about minutes.

Explain that there are 60 minutes in an hour and that the minute hand moves around the clock face once every hour.

Hands on time activities in particular are the best way for kids to learn to tell time so besides the cool paper plate clock I have to show you today I have seven more hands on time activities.

More Hands-on Time Activities

You have to check out these interactive Free Printable Time Telling Puzzles, be sure to laminate them to make them last.

Play this fun Rush Hour Game – How to TEACH Kids How to Tell Time! and your kids won’t even realize they are learning.

Here you will find 7 Time-Telling Fun Hands-On Time Activities and a Simple Watch Craft that your preschooler can wear all day as they learn.

Telling Time Activity With Free Playdough Mat s

For an activity that helps teach time and also the history of how early peoples kept time you can learn how to Make A Rock Sundial and 20 other fun activities to boot!

Time to Match ‘Em Up is a great matching activity using something that I am pretty sure most of us already have in our home.

How to Make a Paper Plate Clock

Make it colorful and child made, and it will be instantly more interesting to your little learner

You will need:

Paper plate
brad/paper fastener
Cardstock
markers
Craft paint
paintbrush

First, flip the plate upside down and have your child paint it whatever color or colors that they like.

Set the plate aside and let it dry completely.

While you are waiting, use cardstock to cut out two hands.

Cut one slightly shorter than the distance from the center of the plate to the numbers and the other about 1” shorter.

Make holes at one end of the clock hands and push the brad through.

When the plate is dry use a marker to draw on your numbers one through 1-12.

Then use a different color to mark lines to be the minutes in between.

Poke a hole in the center with scissors or a sharp knife and push the brad with the hands through the center of the plate and open the prongs.

Tips:

For younger children, start with a simpler clock face using only the numbers 12, 3, 6, and 9.

To make the activity more challenging, have kids create a clock face with both analog and digital time.

Let each child paint different colored paper plates to personalize their clocks.

Encourage kids to create their own clock designs and decorations, fostering their creativity and imagination.

If your child is old enough to write, pencil the numbers in lightly and let them write over the pencil with a marker to practice writing and help them better retain where the numbers go.

To Play:

Have your child hold the paper plate clock in front of them.

Tell them what time it is, and have them move the string so that the brad points to the correct time.

Move the hands yourself and ask them to give the time.

Call out a time of day and have your child move the hands to match.

Encourage them to practice telling time with their paper plate clock throughout the day.

Native American Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning

September 6, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a free Native American Unit Study. Look at these other Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more ideas and topics for hands-on learning.

First, there is no way in this one unit study I can go into the depth and breadth of each Native American tribe.

Each tribe not only hails from different parts of the U.S. but their past and present are vastly different.

Native American Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning

However, because our children need a starting point, I’ve attempted to give a simple overview in this free Native American unit study.

In addition, I have hands-on ideas as we study a tribe or region and will continue to add more as we study them.

Before European explorers came Native Americans were well established in North America.

They were the first inhabitants of North America. Until the mid-1800s when they made contact with settlers, traders, and explorers they lived peaceably on their land.

Also, at that time the American government started enforcing their policies.

First, I have a list of living books.

Native American Books for Kids

I prefer living books when I can find them, then I like to add reference books to our reading list.

16 Books About Native Americans

You’ll love these books about various Native American tribes and how they lived and their rich history.

The Winter People

Saxso is fourteen when the British attack his village. It’s 1759, and war is raging in the northeast between the British and the French, with the Abenaki people Saxso’s people by their side. Without enough warriors
to defend their homes, Saxso’s village is burned to the ground. Many people are killed, but some, including Saxso’s mother and two sisters, are taken hostage. Now it’s up to Saxso, on his own, to track the raiders and bring his family back home . . . before it’s too late.

In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull

In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull tells the exciting story of Sitting Bull's life using real drawings, letters, and speeches from him and from his friends and family.A warrior I have been. / Now, it is all over. / A hard time I have.With these words, Sitting Bull surrendered to the U.S. government on July 20, 1881. Sitting Bull spent most of his life trying to protect his people. A proud father and brave warrior, Sitting Bull wanted the Lakota Sioux to continue hunting buffalo and roaming the Plains. Although he lost this battle, Sitting Bull is remembered for his brave actions and notable accomplishments.

Blackfeet Indian Stories

Here are the great stories of the Blackfeet, recorded by the famous conservationist and ethnologist, George Bird Grinnell, who became a tribal member in 1885. The Nizitapi, or Real People, as they call each other, were people of the buffalo. They originated on the plains of today’s southern Alberta, western Saskatchewan, and central Montana. Famed frontier artist George Catlin called the Blackfeet “the most
powerful tribe of Indians on the continent.” Like many native people, the Blackfeet have stories and legends that originated centuries ago, perhaps thousands of years ago, and were passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition.

The Double Life of Pocahontas

In a story that is as gripping as it is historical, Newbery Honor-winning author Jean Fritz reveals the true life of Pocahontas. Though at first permitted to move freely between the Indian and the white worlds, Pocahontas was eventually torn between her new life and the culture that shaped her.

The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny

Countless herds of majestic buffalo once roamed across the plains and prairies of North America. For at least 10,000 years, the native people hunted the buffalo and depended upon its meat and hide for their survival. But to the Indians, the buffalo was also considered sacred. They saw this abundant, powerful animal as another tribe, one that was closely related to them, and they treated it with great respect and admiration.

Hidden Roots

"Hidden Roots" focuses on the greater impact that the generations of Abenaki that followed had to deal with. Readers will learn about the loss of identity, history and culture;lack ofself worth and fear that Abenaki people were feeling, and still feel today. Middle grade readers love to see life as "being fair", and will totally understand that life is not fair in this story. This is a book that should be read in every middle school class, so that this history will not be forgotten, and never be repeated.

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. Grabber and his friends will do anything they can to hurt him, especially during the village-wide game of Tekwaarathon (lacrosse). Ohkwa'ri believes in the path of peace, but can peaceful ways work against Grabber's wrath?

Thunder Rolling in the Mountains

Through the eyes of a brave and independent young woman, Scott O'Dell tells of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce, a classic tale of cruelty, betrayal, and heroism.

This powerful account of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce Indians in 1877 by the United States Army is narrated by Chief Joseph's strong and brave daughter.

When Sound of Running Feet first sees white settlers on Nez Perce land, she vows to fight them. She'll fight all the people trying to steal her people's land and to force them onto a reservation, including the soldiers with their guns.

But if to fight means only to die, never win, is the fight worth it? When will the killing stop?

Black Hawk

Before dying, Pyesa, Black Hawk’s father and chief of his people, commanded his son to defend their land from whites, who were trying to force the tribe off their land. Black Hawk, however, has no taste for killing and scalping and goes through great internal conflict. The story of this great-hearted leader shows how some whites and Native Americans were peaceful and kind, while others were not. Based on true events, this powerful book teaches about a difficult time period and shares profound, unique messages about love, faith, mercy, humility, friendship, forgiveness, and faith. Recommended for ages 13-18/Grade 7-12

Moccasin Trail (Puffin Newbery Library)

Jim Keath has lived for six years as a Crow Indian when he learns that his two younger brothers and a sister are journeying west to take up land. Although Jim finds it difficult to fit in with the family he hasn’t seen since childhood, and though they are wary and distrustful of him, Jim feels his duty is at their side. But slowly, as they survive the dangerous trek west, the perils of frontier life, and the kidnapping of their younger brother, Jim and his family realize that the only way to survive is to accept each other and truly reunite the family.

The Pueblo Indians,: Farmers of the Rio Grande

Young hawk lived over 400 years ago, but the civilization of the pueblo indians, already well advanced before any white settlers came into their land, has changed very little since his day.

Sacajawea

Captured by her enemies, married to a foreigner, and a mother at age sixteen, Sacajawea lived a life of turmoil and change. Then, in 1804, the mysterious young Shoshone woman met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Acting as interpreter, peacemaker, and guide, Sacajawea bravely embarked on an epic journey that altered history forever. Hear her extraordinary story, in the voices of Sacajawea and William Clark in alternating chapters, with selections from Clark’s original diaries.

The Birchbark House (Birchbark House, 1)

She was named Omakakiins, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop.

Omakakiins and her family live on an island in Lake Superior. Though there are growing numbers of white people encroaching on their land, life continues much as it always has.

But the satisfying rhythms of their life are shattered when a visitor comes to their lodge one winter night, bringing with him an invisible enemy that will change things forever—but that will eventually lead Omakakiins to discover her calling.

Naya Nuki: Shoshoni Girl Who Ran (Amazing Indian Children Series)

After being taken prisoner by an enemy tribe, a Shoshoni girl escapes and makes a thousand-mile journey through the wilderness to find her own people

Squanto, Friend Of The Pilgrims

Tells of the adventurous life of the Wampanoag Indian,Squanto.

Plains Indians (First Nations of North America)

This title teaches readers about the first people to live in the Plains region of North America. It discusses their culture, customs, ways of life, interactions with other settlers, and their lives today.

Next, there are many tribes of Native Americans.

Tribes of Native Americans

While they were similarities among tribes each tribe was different.

They varied in culture, belief and interaction with the settlers or Europeans.

Again, for the sake of simplicity tribes can be divided into 4 major regions.

However, with older children or if you want a deeper peer into the Native Americans, these general 4 major regions can be further subdivided.

For example, you can add the Southwest region to focus on less.

At this point 4 separations keeps it easy to give children an introduction into a massive study.

Also, this will help guide you as you learn about a region or a tribe and compare lifestyles and geographical areas. This greatly influenced how people lived.

Coastal Indians/ Pacific Northwest

The Coastal Indians lived in what is now Alaska to Northern California and from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains.

For example, in this area resources were bountiful like trees. Tribes could use long planks from the tall cedar trees for their homes.

In addition, this area had a temperate rain forest with an abundance of animals. So, this area had not only an abundance of trees but water.

To survive, they didn’t really need to move around since resources were abundant.

They were hunters, fisherman and gatherers.

The tribes of this area included the Tlingit, Chinook, Nez Perce, Coast Salish, Haida and Yakama.

Woodland Indians/Northeast

The Woodland Indians lived in the area that stretches from the border of Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. And from the Mississippi River to the east coast and the Atlantic Ocean.

In this area the Native Americans used the forests where trees were abundant. And used the bark and trees to make warm houses.

Winters were harsh and food scarce. They farmed and planted corn, squash and beans.

Too, they created dugout canoes to travel the waters. They were farmers, woodsmen and hunters.

In this area, groups can be separated into two larger groups. One was the mound builders like the Hopewell and the League of Five Nations.

Five tribes, the Mowhawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca, joined together to form the League. The League was the largest native group in the eastern United States.

Benjamin Franklin said that the U.S. idea of the federal government, in which certain powers are conferred
on a central government, and all other powers reserved to the states, was borrowed from the system of government of the Iroquoian League.

Examples of Native Americans in this area are Iroquois Indians of New York, the Wappani, The Wampanoag, Choctaw, Algonquin, Creek, and the Shawnee. Seminole were in Florida and the Chickasaw. The Cherokees were one of the largest in the area too.

Look at my HUGE unit study and free lapbook about the Iroquois Confederacy. Here is my first page Iroquois Confederacy and my Free Iroquois Lapbook.

Too, look at my hands on activities National Native American Heritage Day Make a Fun Kids Iroquois Bracelet and How to Make a 5 Arrows Craft | Iroquois Confederacy Facts.

More Northeast/Woodlands Native American Activities

Explore Native American Culture: How to Make a Cherokee Rattle Craft

Desert Indian/Southwest

Desert Indians lived in the southwestern part of the United States.

The area had limited water supply, but they learned how to farm with limited water.

This region had dry valleys and smaller rivers. The area was covered with cacti, sagebrush, and desert plants.

And they were nomads or wanderers. People who lived by hunting, villagers and farmers.

Some examples of tribes in the area are the Navajo, Anasazi, Hopi, Zuni, Apache, Mescalero Apache and Pueblo.

Plains Indians

Next are the Plains Indians.

The area they lived in was the region between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico.

This landscape could be harsh with limited resources, but they followed the resources.

Some tribes never settled; they were nomadic. They were gatherers, farmers, hunters and fishermen.

Cheyenne, Comanche, Crow, Mandan, Arapaho and Blackfoot are some tribes in that area.

Too, Sioux, Ponca, Omaha, Pawnee, Oto, Lakota, Kiowa, Osage, Wichita, Iowa, the Cheyenne, the Pawnee, Dakota, Wahpeton, Ojibwa and Teton to name a few more.

More The Plains Indian Activities

As you can see there are huge regions and many variations of tribes that lived within these 4 regions

Compare the Food, Homes, and Clothing of Native Americans

Additionally, comparing the food, homes, clothing and other cultural differences with give your children a bird’s view.

This will help you to dive into huge areas if you want to compare tribes or learn about a few.

Homes of the Native Americans

The Plains Indians lived in teepees or tents because they moved about.

And the tribes who lived along the northwest seacoast or Coastal Indians made homes of wood.

The Southwest Native Americans used dried brick or pueblos.

However, the Woodlands/northeast tribes built home of tree branches covered with bark. There were two main types of houses, longhouses and wigwams.

Food of the Native Americans

Next, learn about the animals that lived in the region.

Some animals were considered sacred to the Native Americans, and most were used for food and utilized for clothing.

Look at some of the animals of the following regions:

Plains – The buffalo provided the Plains Indians everything they needed. For example, the buffalo provided food, clothes, and teepees.

Desert Indian/Southwest -They were farmers too and utilized their small water supply to grow corn, beans and squash.

Sometimes they could find wild turkeys and rabbits. Women would sometimes ground corn for bread from cornmeal.

Woodland Indians/Northeast – They farmed beans, squash and corn when food was scarce. In the wintertime they would hunt deer and rabbits.

They fished using nets and traps.

Coastal Indians/ Pacific Northwest – Salmon was abundant in this area for a short time of the year. Some tribes hunted seals and whales.

Clothing of the Native Americans

Move on to learning about the clothing of the Native American in each region.

All of them made their clothing by hand and used local resources like animals hides, animal furs and plants.

Clothing of the Plains Indians varied as much as the region is diverse and large.

Decorations varied too. The Northern Plains clothing was elaborate. However, the clothing in the Southern Plains was almost void of decorations.

The principal body covering was a whole robe buffalo skin. Men wore tunics or fringed shirts but the clothes were made for traveling.

Some decorated their clothes with porcupine quills and bead work. And both men and women wore moccasins.

Next, the Woodland Indians/Northeast used beaver pelts or animal hides like deer were used to make clothing, blankets, parts of shelters and many other everyday household items.

Men wore long shirts and adapted their clothing to the weather. In the winter they would wear fur robes.

Women wore long dresses made from deerskin and would wear leggings and shawls in the winter for warmth.

Moreover, dress was fairly simple among the Coastal Indians/ Pacific Northwest.

Women wore skirts or gowns. Dress varied by tribe. Some used bark from cedar trees to make raincoats and hats. Men wore robes made from woven cedar bark. They often had detailed embroidery.

They would wear wooden or woven sandals to protect their feet from the elements.

Finally, the Desert Indians clothing was made entirely of natural materials like buckskin, cotton, yucca, and feathers.

Their clothes were designed to keep them comfortable and cool. Men wore loin cloths and women colorful dresses. All from cotton.

Finally, they would wear wide brimmed hats to protect themselves from the sun.

More Native American Unit Study Resources

How to Get the Free Native American Printables

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

Too, I have 2 printables which come two ways in this one download.

One printable is for your child to write the answers and the other page has the answers printed or your child draws the pictures.

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

1) Sign up on my email list.

2) Grab the freebie now.

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

5 Asia Activities For Kids & Free Color by Number Camel

September 4, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some fun Asia activities for kids today. Eventually we want to create a large Asia unit study.

Also, for fun, I have an easy and free color by number Bactrian camel or like our kids say a two hump camel.

One fun way to remember a Bactrian camel is that the two humps look like a “B”.

This easy camel color by number printable will keep the littles learning as you dive into a few facts about Asia.

5 Asia Activities For Kids & Free Color by Number Camel

For example, Asia is the largest continent and has many countries.

There are approximately 48 countries in Asia.

And the people are as diverse as the continent they live on.

There are the Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Asian Indian, and Southeast Asians like Vietnamese to name some cultures.

You’ll want to delve into several hands-on history activities to learn about each culture.

Additionally, Europe and Asia are sometimes considered as one continent, called Eurasia.

Kids Books About Asia

And there is no way this small collection of books can represent every country.

But I love to start with living books or stories as I come across them and reference books too.

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

Asia is a large continent but I try to list some of our favorites.

Prairie Lotus

Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America’s heartland, in 1880. Hanna’s adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople’s almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story.

A Single Shard

Tree-ear is fascinated by the celedon ware created in the village of Ch’ulp’o. He is determined to prove himself to the master potter, Min—even if it means making a solitary journey to present Min’s work in the hope of a royal commission . . . or arriving at the royal court with nothing but a single celadon shard.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

The star of her school’s running team, Sadako is lively and athletic…until the dizzy spells start. Then she must face the hardest race of her life—the race against time. Based on a true story, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes celebrates the courage that makes one young woman a heroine in Japan.

The Big Wave

Kino lives on a farm on the side of a mountain in Japan. His friend, Jiya, lives in a fishing village below. Everyone, including Kino and Jiya, has heard of the big wave. No one suspects it will wash over them, until the rushing water sweeps away the whole village—including Jiya's family.

One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale

Long ago in India, there lived a raja who believed that he was wise and fair. But every year he kept nearly all of the people's rice for himself. Then when famine came, the raja refused to share the rice, and the people went hungry. Then a village girl named Rani devises a clever plan. She does a good deed for the raja, and in return the raja lets her choose her reward. Rani asks for just one grain of rice, doubled every day for thirty days. Through the surprising power of doubling, one grain of rice grows into more than one billion grains of rice - and Rani teaches the raja a lesson about what it truly means to be wise and fair.Demi's exquisitely detailed art, inspired by traditional Indian miniature paintings, combine with her simple retelling to convey the heart and wisdom of this satisfying mathematical tale.

I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade

A moving and heartfelt story about the lengths one would go to help their family.

When Oyuna was a baby, a horse accidentally crushed her foot, cursing her family with bad luck. Oyuna vows to restore good fortune to her family…but how?

One fateful day, soldiers from the great Khan's army invade her village to steal horses and gather new soldiers. In hopes of bringing honor to her family, Oyuna courageously disguises herself as a boy and joins the soldiers on their quest. With only her horse and her cat to keep her company, Oyuna sets off on an amazing journey across deserts and mountains―a journey that will change her life forever.

The Golden Hawks of Genghis Khan

"You must not speak of the Golden Hawks! Word easily flies down the caravan trails to the ears of the Mongols in the land of Genghis Khan. And then, Jalair, the Mongols will come and slay you!"

The Story about Ping

Ping, the spirited little duck who lives on a boat on the Yangtze River. Ping's misadventures one night while exploring the world around his home form the basis of this timeless classic, which is brought to life by Kurt Wiese's warm and poignant illustrations.

The Littlest Yak

A little yak yearns for BIG things in this rollicking, rhyming picture book that celebrates individuality, unique talents, and the importance of not growing up too fast.Gertie is the littlest yak in her pack, feeling stuck in her smallness. She wants to grow up and have BIGNESS and TALLNESS, with the hugest of hooves and humongous horns too! Because there isn't anything a BIG yak can't do.So Gertie devises a growing-up plan. She eats her veggies, exercises every day, and reads lots of books. Still, she isn't any bigger. But when the other yaks come calling for Gertie to help them with a daring and dangerous task, could it be because it's something only a small yak can do?

Too, the Bering Strait separates Asia from North America. And it stretches from the western part of Turkey, northeast to northern Siberia.

However, the major countries in Asia are China, Japan, India, and part of Russia.

Features of Asia’s Geography

The tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest is in Asia. It is in the Himalayas mountains. The mountains stretch across numerous countries.

Two of the countries are India and Nepal.

Then the Dead Sea is below sea level.

Next the Gobi Desert is in Mongolia and China. It has unique wildlife like the snow leopard and Bactrian camel

And central Asia has deserts, mountains, and plateaus. Asia has every type of climate.

All rivers flow east to China. The main rivers include the Yellow (Hwang Ho), Yangtze and the Si Kian.

Deserts, mountains, jungles and rivers separate the continent.

A few animals of the animals that call Asia their home are: Asian Elephant, Komodo dragon, Asiatic Lion, Tiger, Giant Panda, Snow Leopard and of course the Bactrian camel I mentioned.

Go here to my post Learn About Indigenous Animal Geography Fun Activity for Preschool to Elementary to look at more animals in Asia and other continents.

Of course, adding hands-on activities about Asia helps learning stick.

Here are 4 Asia activities. You certainly want to add more, but this will get you started.

5 Asia Activities For Kids

Moreover, look at these 5 Asia activities for kids.

Finally, grab this free color by number camel.

How to Grab the Free Color by Number Camel

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

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

1) Sign up on my email list.

2) Grab the freebie now.

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

Create Easy Faux Pies: 8 Dollar Store Autumn Crafts

September 3, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Dollar Store autumn crafts are a fun, easy and inexpensive way to spice up your home with kid made crafts for the season. Also, look at my Free Fall Season Unit Study {Pumpkins, Leaves, Corn, & More} for lots of hands-on ideas.

Or use the easy faux pies as an activity to learn about different fall symbols

If you have not been to Dollar Tree lately, you have to run, not walk.

The craft supply has been amazing for the last year or so.

Create Easy Faux Pies: 8 Dollar Store Autumn Crafts

There is so much unfinished wood, craft foam, glass items, and all the basic arts supplies like pom-poms pipe, cleaners, glue paint, etc.

I created these two faux pies for less than four dollars in dollar tree supplies and still ended up with leftovers for other crafts.

I purchased a two pack of foam rounds, a pack of felt, and a pack of pompoms.

Paint is something we pretty much all have on hand, so I am not counting that in the cost.

These faux pies make an adorable decoration.

And not only can they be used for dramatic play.

Use them for math as you count and teach a few basic fractions.

If you use tacky glue instead of hot glue, your child can pretty much do the entire craft alone.

Even your little preschool or kindergarten can do these.

But I also want to show you just how much variety there is for dollar tree autumn crafts.

Books About Pies

First, add some of these pie books to your home library collection.

3 Fun Pie Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read to

Add some of these fun pie books for your kids to your home library.

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Dragonfly Books)

An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This picture book takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients for a delicious apple pie. First hop a steamboat to Italy for the finest semolina wheat. Then hitch a ride to England and hijack a cow for the freshest possible milk. And, oh yes! Don't forget to go apple picking in Vermont! A simple recipe for apple pie is included.

Peyton Picks the Perfect Pie:

Peyton is particular. But she's not picky. Grownups use that word a lot. Picky. Picky. Picky. It's never a good thing. And it's not fair. Peyton likes dogs and cats, scooters and bikes, pools and beaches. And Peyton likes to try new things. She recently mastered long division in math class and loves to practice the saxophone--as long as her adorable dog Mila doesn't howl! But Peyton is particular when it comes to food. Peyton doesn't like it when two foods touch on her plate. Peyton doesn't like green foods. Or orange foods. Or red foods. Peyton doesn't like foods that are gooey or gummy, sticky or slimy, frosted or flaky. And Peyton most definitely doesn't like chunky or lumpy foods.

I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie

And with that the feast begins! After the pie the old lady swallows a whole squash, all of the salad, and the entire turkey! As Mother and Father watch in shock, the two children are delighted to see the old lady growing fatter and fatter.

You will find a lot more than 8 on the list, several have a handful of ideas within the craft.

They’ll give you inspiration for the season.

8 Dollar Store Autumn Crafts

While they just used to be a summer staple I have noticed they now carry pool noodles year round in different colors because they are used for so many crafts like wreaths and these Pool Noodle Pumpkins.

Use more felt to create this adorable Felt Pie Garland to dress up your mantle

Make a Popsicle Stick Scarecrow using paint and sticks found at your local dollar store.

Grab some craft foam and paint while you learn about 10 Fall Apple Crafts and Make a Caramel Apple Craft on a Stick.

This Dollar Tree Foam Die Scarecrow is easy, inexpensive and adorable. What a cute kid made hostess gift it would be as well.

Find 8 Easy Fall Wood Crafts For Kids And A Dollar Tree Pumpkin Patch tutorial here.

If you haven’t seen it, Dollar Tree has a large section of both paperback and hardback books that are perfect for learning How to Make a 3-D Apple Book Craft.

I found the fabric and buttons at Dollar Tree for this Sunflower Canning Lid Craft. I feel like sunflowers are a lovely summer and fall theme.

How to Create Easy Faux Pies For Kids

You will need:

2 pack Dollar Tree foam rounds
1 piece craft felt
4 white pom poms
Craft paint
Paint brushes
scissors
Optional-cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice

First, determine which pie you will be making for fall.

I thought a pumpkin pie and an apple pie would be perfect for the season.

But you could do blueberry, or even a pecan pie and use bits of brown felt for the pecans.

Set out paints and paintbrush for each pie.

To give it a little bit more fall-ish feel and add a sensory touch I also added a little pumpkin pie spice to my orange paint and cinnamon to my cream paint for the apple pie.

Cinnamon for sure is available at dollar tree so I’m pretty sure this is not cheating.

However, I happened to have both in my pantry already.

If you are going to keep the pie whole, you can go ahead and paint the top and all around the sides.

If you want to cut it into slices for a little bit more interaction, then you will want to cut the styrofoam round into quarters first.

Paint the tops and all sides of the “slices”.

I sprinkled a little additional spice on top, tapped into the wet paint with my finger and then shook the extra off.

While you are waiting for the pie to dry you can go ahead and cut your felt to create the crust for these two pies.

I used just one piece, and I used every inch of it.

I recommend cutting your bottom round and then crust pieces that are slightly taller than the foam rounds.

And cut some really thin pieces to make a top for the apple pie.

Once the paint is dry, hot glue the tan felt to the bottom of each pie and trim it with scissors.

Then you can add a strip of crust just along the back.

Ir looks really cute and adds the finishing detail if you bunch it a bit as you go, much easier to accomplish with hot glue.

For the apple pie, we went one step further and created a lattice top crust on each piece.

We weaved the thin strips and glued them into place. Then cut off the excess with scissors.

The final step was to add whip cream to our pumpkin pie slices in the form of pom-poms.

You could also use scraps of white felt.

10 Exciting Forest Kindergarten Activities That Your Child Will Love

September 2, 2024 | Leave a Comment
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Forest kindergarten activities provide a unique and engaging learning experience for children. Look at my page Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum for more ideas.

It fosters their connection with nature and sparks their curiosity about the environment.

These activities offer endless opportunities for exploration, learning, and growth.

By immersing children in nature, we nurture their love for the environment and inspire them to become responsible stewards of our planet.

It is a wonderful way to get them outdoors, moving, inhaling fresh air, soaking up vitamin d, reducing stress, and building cognitive skills.

10 Exciting Forest Kindergarten Activities That Your Child Will Love

If you don’t already know what forest school is, let’s dig into that a little bit more.

Forest school is an educational approach that emphasizes hands-on learning in a natural setting.

Kids engage with their environment, and that nature provides an ideal context for learning and development.

Forest school programs typically take place in a woodland or forest setting.

Children are given the opportunity to explore and interact with their surroundings.

Forest school has many benefits for children.

Benefits include improved physical and mental health.

Too, it increased creativity and problem-solving skills, and children have a greater appreciation for nature.

Forest school programs also provide opportunities for children to develop social skills, learn how to work as part of a team, and build confidence.

It is flexible. Too, forest school can be done with a large or small group.

You can find local Forest School groups in your area by going here.

More Forest Kindergarten Activities

Finally, look at these roundup of fun forest activities for kids.

10 Forest Kindergarten Activities

Check out these exciting forest kindergarten activities that your child will love and you can get started with right away.

Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study

We used a mixture of hands-on activity, books, and more to create a fun and fact filled unit right out in the middle of the forest.

Photo Credit: intheplayroom.co.uk

How to Make a Journey Stick Outdoor Activity for Kids

This is a wonderful way to start off every walk and can be used to hold many of the treasures you find along the way as well as serve as a steadying tool on uneven ground.

Photo Credit: www.redtedart.com

Easy Nature Fairy Houses for Kids!

Transform a sheltered spot in the forest into a magical fairy house. Gather natural materials such as moss, lichen, fallen branches,and wildflowers. Guide your child in constructing a cozy abode for the fairies, complete with furniture and decorations made from leaves and twigs.

Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft

Collect an assortment of leaves, flowers, seeds, and other natural materials. Arrange them on a piece of paper or cardboard, creating a unique and colorful collage. Encourage your child's creativity and imagination as they design their nature-inspired artwork. You could also use contact paper and learn about a specific animal or insect by making a collage.

Photo Credit: nurturestore.co.uk

Easy forest school activity :: ten things in ten minutes

Invent a game that encourages exploration and discovery.Hide objects in the forest and have your child search for them. Play hide-and-seek among the trees or create a nature-themed obstacle course. These games make learning about the forest fun and interactive. Ten Things in Ten Minutes-I really love this idea that puts a spin on a basic scavenger hunt. You give your kids 10 minutes to find 10 interesting things In nature and then they have to make something out of it. It is such a wonderful way to increase their creativity and critical thinking skills.

Tell a Story - Over in the Forest: A woodland animal nature book

Find a cozy spot beneath a tree or by a stream and share a captivating story about nature or the forest. Engage your child's imagination by incorporating elements of the surrounding environment into the tale. Stories can spark curiosity and inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

10. Sing a Song - Songs for Nature's Playground: Forest School Songs

Choose a song about nature or the forest and sing it with your child. The melodies and lyrics will help them learn about the environment while fostering a sense of joy and connection. Encourage them to make up their own songs inspired by their experiences in the forest. Need some ideas? Look at Songs for Nature’s Playground

Photo Credit: www.pinkoatmeal.com

Woodland Yoga

Find a peaceful spot in the forest and practice yoga poses with your child. Incorporate movements that mimic animals, such as downward-facing dog, cat-cow pose, and eagle pose. Yoga enhances flexibility,balance, and body awareness while promoting mindfulness and relaxation.

15 Hands-On Nature Math Ideas

Grab just a few items from the house and then carry them along on your nature walk to enhance the found nature items or just simply use what you find, there are plenty of ideas.

A Year of Forest School: Outdoor Play and Skill-building Fun for Every Season

Another resource that you may find helpful for more explanation and ideas is A Year of Forest School: Outdoor Play and Skill-building Fun for Every Season.