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9 Free Major Organs Of The Human Body Printables

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Today I have 9 free dot to dot printables of some of the major organs of the human body. Also, look at my Human Body Lapbook and Fun Unit Study and Human Body Crafts for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning for more fun ideas.

Dot to dot printables are fun and engaging activities but also offer some awesome benefits for kids.

Children follow the numbers or letters, drawing lines between the dots to uncover fun images.

It’s like solving a puzzle with your pencil.

9 Free Major Organs Of The Human Body Printables

Dot to dot is an effective ways of introducing your littles to important unit studies like the human body.

First, you want to help your child identify some of the major organs of the human body.

For example, the free printables I have are the heart, kidney, stomach, liver, brain, small intestine, urinary bladder, large intestine and lungs.

Next add some books to your human body unit study.

Books for Kids About the Human Body

I prefer living books that tell stories when I can find them.

Then add reference books for my kids who just want the facts.

11 Books And Resources About The Human Body For Preschoolers

Your littles will love these resources and books to learn about the human body.

Anatomy Apron

The model by heart, large intestine, small intestine, lung, stomach, kidney, liver, esophagus and trachea, A total of 9 indication area, the plush stuffed organs apron is a wonderful body awareness kit, The organs are removable, pasted in Velcro

Busy Book for Kids, Human Body Anatomy Book

Great for keeping little ones busy while you teach older kids, for on the go, or even snuggled up on the couch.  It stands up on its own as a flip book with velcro pieces that keep kids engaged while they discover.

How it Works: Human Body

A first introduction to the human body for curious toddlers. With layered die-cuts throughout.The human body is an amazing machine! Take a look inside and learn all about how it works with this interactive layered die-cut board book. Simple callouts, such as "hair," "ear," "arm," and "bones," invite even the youngest reader to explore the workings of the human body. Topics covered include the movements of our body parts, the five senses, the way in which blood flows through the body, the internal organs that the human body contains, and the different types of bones that are found throughout the body. Packed with fun facts and accessible information, this first introduction to our bodies is perfect for the youngest children.

Scholastic Discover More: My Body

MY BODY answers children’s questions about their own bodies in an incredibly simple and appropriate way. Each spread is focused on a particular part of the body or movement a child understands. Body actions such as breathing, the food journey, and blood are touched on, as well as fun subjects such as hiccups, earwax, and goosebumps. The simple text is perfect for beginning readers. The photographs provide impact for children less interested in reading with big, bright pictures of the inside and outside of the body.

Inside Your Outside: All About the Human Body

Join the Cat in the Hat, Sally and Dick for a ride through the human body where they visit the right and left sides of the brain, meet the Feletons from far off Fadin (when they stand in the sun you can see through their skin), scuba dive through the blood system, follow food and water through the digestive tract, and a whole lot more! Perfect for readers who are curious about the body and for any kid who loves learning and science.Featuring beloved characters from Dr. Seuss's The Cat in the Hat, the Learning Library are unjacketed hardcover picture books that explore a range of nonfiction topics about the world we live in and include an index, glossary, and suggestions for further reading.

Human Organs TOOB - 8 Mini Figurines Including Brain, Heart, Lungs, Liver, Kidneys, Stomach, and Intestines

HUMAN ORGANS: The human body is a marvel of evolution, and now you can learn all about its many different and specialized organs with this Human Organs Toob!

National Geographic Kids Look and Learn: All About Me (Look & Learn)

Filled with gorgeous photographs inspired by National Geographic Little Kids magazine, this book introduces curious children to the parts of the human body.

Build the Human Body

The skeleton is the key to learning about the body, and Build the Human Body offers one of the coolest learning experiences around.The ancient Greeks had it right: “Know thyself.” One of the keys to knowing thyself is knowing how the body works. Build the Human Body will teach you about the body’s building blocks, help you build its framework, and show you how to map the organs. Have fun while learning, and see the human body like never before through colorful illustrations, fascinating facts, and by building your very own human skeleton.

Human Body Puzzle for Kids Toddlers

This magnetic puzzle has both a boy and a girl outline and can be used to teach the body, muscles, organs, and the skeleton. This resource will get a lot of use over several years.

Me and My Body

Amazing facts come together with fun, easy-to-do crafts in this STEAM-centric celebration of the human body.Learn amazing facts like how germs can make you sick, why you have a belly button, and how your senses work. Then create wonderful crafts, like a beautiful family tree, a homemade stethoscope, and gingerbread skeletons, combining reading skills, STEAM concepts, and hands-on family fun.Discover what a family tree is, then create one yourself. Explore your amazing fingerprints, then decorate a beautiful picture frame with them. Make a paper skeleton or play a game about digestion. This is a perfect package for a little learner who wants to know all about what's going on inside their body!

Gaming Classic Operation Game

How could I not include operation? While yes the objects are silly and unrealistic it just goes along with the theme too good to ignore. It is good for building fine motor skills and opens discussions about things like what it means to have a frog in one's throat.

Also, look at some facts to discuss with your child about each major human body organ.

Major Human Body Organ Facts

As your children are doing the dot to dots share some facts with them.

First, look at the human body heart.

Heart of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • Your heart pumps blood all around your body.
  • This powerful organ beats about 100,000 times a day, sending oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body.

Kidney of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • Your kidneys are bean-shaped and located in the lower part of your body.
  • And your kidneys are like filters. They clean your blood like removing waste.

Stomach of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • Your stomach breaks down the food with acids and enzymes, turning it into a soup-like mixture.
  • When you eat, food travels down a tube called the esophagus and lands in your stomach.

Liver of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • You liver helps your body get rid of toxins.
  • And it also helps with proteins that aid in digesting food.

Brain of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • The brain is made up of billions of tiny cells called neurons that communicate with each other to keep the body running smoothly.
  • Your brain tells your body how to move and even when to breathe.
  • Your brain has amazing storage capacity, more than any computer can store.

Small Intestine of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • The small intestine can be thought of as a long twisty tube. It’s only called small because it’s narrower than the large intestine.
  • When your stomach finishes with your food it travels to the small intestine.
  • It takes the nutrients from the food for your body and it also helps to digest food into smaller pieces.

Urinary Bladder of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • Your bladder is like a stretch balloon that stretches to hold urine.
  • When your kidneys finish filtering your blood, it turns waste into urine.
  • So when the bladder is full, you body says it’s time to go to the bathroom.

Large Intestine of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • The large intestine is long twisty tube too and it gets all the left over food that is not used.
  • One of the jobs is to absorb water so that the waste becomes thicker.
  • Doctors refer to it as stools. We call it poop. (ewwww gross ..cool. I know)

Lungs of the Human Body Fun Facts

  • Think of two balloons in your body when you think of the lungs.
  • When you take a breath, oxygen goes into your body and air fills up the lungs.
  • Then the lungs send oxygen into your body.

Also, look at some of these other human body hands-on activities and crafts.

I have crafts for all ages.

More Hands-on Human Body Activities

9 Free Major Organs Of The Human Body Printables

Finally, look at how to grab these free printables.

How to Grab the Free Dot to Dot Human Body Printables

Now, how to grab the freebies.

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!

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

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Set up an open invitation to play and encourage your child to create crafts with tree bark and a few other nature items. Also, look at my page Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study for more ideas.

As you have wandered on nature walks you have likely brought home plenty of finds like pieces of tree bark, unique shaped stones, and other bits.

These natural items make a wonderful free craft resource.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Tree bark animals are a fun and easy way to get kids interested in nature.

All you need is a few pieces of tree bark and a little imagination.

You can either leave the pieces as loose parts to build and rebuild or add glue to your supplies.

And let your child attach everything together permanently.

I really wanted to challenge kids’ creativity by using all found nature items for this craft.

But we couldn’t resist adding google eyes to the tray to finish off the animals.

We also decided a few pom poms could help define our animals a bit more as well.

As they create, use the time to talk about the characteristics of the animals, their habitats, if they are herbivore or carnivore?

Of if they’re nocturnal or diurnal? Did you see any of these creatures on your walk today?

Books About Trees for Kids

Next, look at some of these beautiful books about trees to add to your home library.

I prefer living books when I can find them.

Then I add reference books to our reading list.

9 Tree Books & Resources for Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

You'll love using one of these books as a science reference or to use for art to inspire life science lessons.

Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World

Some trees have lived many lifetimes, standing as silent witnesses to history. Some are remarkable for their age and stature; others for their usefulness. A bristlecone pine tree in California has outlived man by almost 4,000 years; a baobab tree in Australia served as a prison for Aboriginal prisoners at the turn of the twentieth century; and a major oak in England was used as a hiding place for Robin Hood and his men (or so the story goes…).

The fourteen trees in this book have earned the title "Celebritrees" for their global fame and significance. Both in fact and in legend, these fascinating trees remind us not only how much pleasure trees bring, but what they can tell us about history.

The Busy Tree

Spectacular illustrations rendered in oil paint, and a rhyming text that describes a tree’s activities from its roots to its branches, introduce young readers to the amazing activities that go on in a tree. Acorns nibbled by chipmunks, ants scurrying across a trunk, a spider spinning a web, leaves “breathing out air for all to breathe in”—everything adds up to a “busy tree” for all to “come and see.”

The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Ups

This is a fantastic reference book to have on hand for tree studies.

It has great illustrations and covers everything from how a tree “eats and drinks” to types of trees, seeds, how they change in the seasons, why we need them and more

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

Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world.

Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take Along Guides)

An introduction to the world of insects, caterpillars, and butterflies including identification information, educational activities, and fun facts.Invites young naturalists to spot wildlife. 

Tree Full of Wonder: An educational, rhyming book about magic of trees for children

Tree Full of Wonder is a vibrant, rhyming, educational and unique picture book showing the unbreakable bond between people and trees. For children ages 3-8. Kids will fall in love with nature and will become Protectors of the Trees.

The Magic and Mystery of Trees (The Magic and Mystery of Nature)

From the highest branch and leaf down to the complex “wood wide web” of roots, it’s no wonder every part of a tree plays an important role in its own growth and the habitat of the whole forest or woodland. The Magic & Mystery of Trees is a nature book that takes children on a fascinating journey of exploration, showing them just how special these mighty organisms are.

Figurines of Pine, Elm, Juniper, Monkey Puzzle, Topiary, Petticoat, Aspen, Two Maples

Learn and Play: These figurines provide a fun and educational way to learn about different tree species, promoting environmental awareness and appreciation.

Fandex Family Field Guides: Trees

Bringing the world of TREES to your fingertips, FANDEX presents a foolproof field guide. Four visual keys--die-cut leaf, bark pattern, flower, nut or seed, and photo of the full tree--plus descriptions of habitat and more combine to give a complete picture of North America's forest and backyard trees.

In addition, TREES is a cultural history--of the mighty White Oak, California Redwood, Aillanthus, the tree that grows in Brooklyn, and the stately White Ash, as important for the bows of early Native Americans as for the baseball bats of today.

If that is not enough bark crafting for you I found 8 more awesome crafts.

I have tree bark ideas for kids from preschoolers to highschoolers so not a bit of it goes to waste.

8 Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

This creative way to use nature items like leaves and bark –How to Make a DIY Nature Crown for Kids is absolutely photo worthy.

Did you know that you could learn How To Turn Birch Bark Into Paper to write on, much more interesting than plain old notebook paper.

Get creative and make DIY Tree Bark Flower Vases to hold wildflowers or flowers from your garden that they bring you.

You’ll love this fun Hands-On Literature Nature Study: Simple Tree Craft.

Preschoolers will enjoy learning How to Make a Tree Bark Rubbing and noticing the different textures of the bark from different trees along the way.

I love the look of these DIY Tree Bark Lanterns with their natural unique appearance highlighting the gentle glow and they are pretty easy and inexpensive to create.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Make Simple Tree Bark Boats to get creative and learn about buoyancy and other simple STEM topics or just for the sake of creating from found objects.

Learn How to Make an Appalachian Berry Bucket from Tree Bark for the adventurous older child who enjoys working with their hands.

Along the lines of today’s bark crafts is this tutorial for How to Make Bark Owls.

Now onto my bark craft idea.

Essentially what you are going to create is a very open-ended invitation for your child to use their found objects.

You want your child to imagine woodland (or any type) of creatures from moss, rocks, sticks, and of course bark. 

Encourage them to create raccoons, owls, bears, rabbits, foxes, birds, turtles, frogs, hedgehogs, or even made-up fantastical animals.

 The greater variety of natural objects you have the more elaborate their creations can be.

I highly recommend pairing this activity with a good book like Nature Anatomy for them to use for reference.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

It’s also a great way to give little bits of information as they create.

You will also find information on the bark as well.

Animal Crafts With Tree Bark

You will need:

  • Tree bark
  • Leaves, twigs, moss, etc.
  • Googly eyes
  • Large tray
  • Optional: glue

First, start by gathering different sizes and shapes of bark.

While you are at it fill your basket with small sticks, moss, green leaves, dried leaves, acorns, or any other interesting natural items you find on your nature walk.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Collect pieces of tree bark from the ground.

Make sure the bark is dry and free of bugs.

To sterilize the bark, you can put it on a cookie sheet and bake it at 350*F.

 The length of time will depend on how thick the wood is.

Lay all your nature finds out on a tray.

I keep a couple different types on hand for just such activities because it creates such an inviting area.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

I added google eyes because I just knew that they would be fun and really add some personality to the woodland creatures.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Lay out bark pieces and try to determine what animal each piece might be.

A piece of felt makes a great background and helps keep everything from moving around.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Start building creatures using twigs for legs, leaves for wings, ears, tails, whatever your child’s imagination sees.

Talk about different animals and their characteristics as they create them.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

See how the pom poms just helped this adorable bear come to life?

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Leaves make wonderful wings.

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Small sticks and twigs help define the antlers on this deer…or is it an elk?

From Forest to Fun: Unique Crafts With Tree Bark

Tree bark is like nature’s own art supply, and it’s perfect for all kinds of creative projects.

Crafting with tree bark is a fantastic way to connect with nature and let your creativity run wild.

How to Create a Minecraft-Like Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

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This is a more unique take on a Paul Bunyan craft that recreates that wildly popular Minecraft pixel art style.

Grab your crayons or colored pencils and some graph paper.

And let’s recreate this larger-than-life folk hero as if he were lurking about online in the Minecraft world.

How to Create a Minecraft-Like Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

Essentially, we are going to create our own color by number type craft to color in.

If you are somehow unfamiliar with Minecraft it is very simply a video game where players can explore, build, and create anything they can imagine.

The game is set in a world made up of blocks, and players can use these blocks to create structures, tools, and even entire worlds.

Minecraft has two main modes: Survival and Creative.

In Survival mode, players must gather resources, build shelters, and defend themselves from hostile mobs.

In Creative mode, players have unlimited resources and the ability to fly, which allows them to focus on building and creating without having to worry about survival.

What I like about Minecraft is its creativity, educational value, and the social aspects as kids can play together in each other’s worlds.

Fun Books for Kids About American Folk Tales

First, look at some of these fun books to grab when learning about American folk tales.

7 American Frontier Legends Books & Resources

Choose a favorite American frontier legends movie and book.

Bunyan & Babe

Travis falls through a magical portal which transports him to the world of American hero Paul Bunyan and his big, blue, talking ox, Babe

Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier

In 1826 an undersized sixteen-year-old apprentice ran away from a saddle maker in Franklin, Missouri, to join one of the first wagon trains crossing the prairie on the Santa Fe Trail. Kit Carson (1809–68) wanted to be a mountain man, and he spent his next sixteen years learning the paths of the West, the ways of its Native inhabitants, and the habits of the beaver, becoming the most successful and respected fur trapper of his time.

Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of Pecos Bill

A young boy's imagination summons cowboy legend Pecos Bill; who helps him save the family farm from a greedy land-grabber.

Who Was Annie Oakley?

You want girl power? Meet Annie Oakley! Born in 1860, she became one of the best-loved and most famous women of her generation. She amazed audiences all over the world with her sharpshooting, horse-riding, action-packed performances. In an age when most women stayed home, she traveled the world and forged a new image for American women.

Daniel Boone: Season 1

Fess Parker stars as one of the West's most iconic figures in Season One of Daniel Boone. 

Davy Crockett, King Of The Wild Frontier

Climb aboard for a rip-roaring adventure with Davy Crockett.

Buffalo Bill: Showman of the West: Host: Jack Perkins

The real-life adventures of William F. Cody, alias Buffalo Bill, whose exploits as a frontiersman were exaggerated and immortalized by writer Ned Buntline in his pulp stories.

Also, look at some facts about Paul Bunyan.

Paul Bunyan is a mythical American Folk Tale hero of epic proportions.

Who Was Paul Bunyan

Legend says that he was born in Maine in the 1830s.

He was the son of a logger and a giantess.

Paul grew up to be even bigger than his parents, and he soon became known for his strength and skill with an ax.

Paul Bunyan worked as a lumberjack in the forests of the Midwest.

It was said that he was so strong that he could fell an entire forest in a single day.

Additionally, he was so skilled with an ax that he could cut down a tree with just one swing.

Paul Bunyan was a kind and helpful giant.

Bunyan often used his strength to help others, such as building bridges and roads, and clearing land for farms. He was also a great friend to animals, and he often rescued them from danger.

He represents the American pioneer spirit of hard work, ingenuity, and helpfulness.

Also, he is also a reminder that even the biggest and strongest among us can be kind and gentle.

How to Create a Minecraft-Like Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

Paul Bunyan’s legend has been told and retold for generations. He has appeared in books, movies, and even video games.

He is a beloved figure who represents the best of what America has to offer.

In addition, look at these other Paul Bunyan crafts.

Paul Bunyan Craft Ideas and Resources

Finally, look at how to make this Paul Bunyan craft with graph paper.

Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

If you are doing this craft with younger children, you can go with 1×1” graph paper and keep it simpler.

Challenge older kids to put more detail in there and use a smaller grid like ½”.

The smaller grid you go with the more detail that you will be able to put in it.

You will need:

  • Graph paper
  • Crayons or colored pencils
How to Create a Minecraft-Like Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

First, figure out your design, will you do a full body portrait or just his face.

With this design you are going to keep it very simple.

We went with an almost full picture and included his cute ox friend blue peeking in as well.

To give it a real Paul Bunyan look you want to include some features like a beard and a flannel shirt of course- think the bounty paper towel guy.

After you have decided on a general design choose your colors and lightly mark with a letter or a dot where each should go.

How to Create a Minecraft-Like Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

We did a few half boxes from corner to corner to create a little shape, but you can stick with the squares if you like.

Start simply by creating the body shape first.

And work your way out from there.

Once you have all your boxes marked, color them in completely.

How to Create a Minecraft-Like Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

Once your basic figure has been colored in you can go back and add a few details like eyes.

How to Create a Minecraft-Like Paul Bunyan Craft With Graph Paper

Now don’t let this be just an art or history lesson.

Use your design to figure out the perimeter and area of the space used and work in some math as well.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

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I have some fun facts about crystals for kids for you to use. Also, look at my page Free Homeschool Geology Unit Study for more hands-on activities.

Then, we’re learning how to make crystals with a fun hands-on science activity.

Imagine a crystal as a kind of super cool, sparkling rock.

But not just any rock – crystals have a special structure that makes them unique.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Before we jump into the formation process, let’s quickly review what crystals are.

Crystals are solid materials where the atoms or molecules are arranged in a repeating pattern that extends in all directions.

This orderly arrangement gives crystals their unique shapes and their ability to sparkle in the light.

Think of crystals like tiny, perfect building blocks stacked together in a specific pattern.

Books About the Study of Geology for Kids

Crystals come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

Some are pointy and sharp, like a sparkling diamond.

Others might look like clusters of tiny, shiny pieces stuck together.

You can find them in all sorts of colors, too—bright reds, deep blues, and even sparkly clear ones!

5 Geology Unit Study Resources

Add these books and resources for a fun homeschool geology unit study for children of multiple ages.

Great STEM Science Kit - Geology

DISCOVER CRYSTAL TREASURE - Break open these rocks to reveal amazing crystals inside! Geology doesn’t get more exciting than breaking open rocks and finding crystal treasures. Ag great STEM activity that also makes an excellent gift for girls and boys!

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.

Basher: Rocks & Minerals: A Gem of a Book

Simon Basher is back with another zany primer to science! Following his 3 successful titles on the basics of chemistry, physics, and biology, BASHER SCIENCE: ROCKS AND MINERALS is an in-depth look at the ground beneath our feet. Like his other titles, Basher presents these topics through charming and adorable illustrations and pairs them with basic information told from a first person perspective. He develops a community of characters based on the things that form the foundations of our planet: rocks, gems, crystals, fossils and more. And what's more, he makes it understandable, interesting, and cute. It's not what you expect out of a science primer.

Advanced Professional Rock Tumbler Kit - Turn Rough Rocks into Beautiful Gems

Turn rough rocks into polished gems: Discover and learn the fun process of rock tumbling with the Advanced Rock Tumbler. Pour in the rough stones and grit and let the machine do its job!

Everybody Needs a Rock (An Aladdin Book)

Everybody needs a rock -- at least that's the way this particular rock hound feels about it in presenting her own highly individualistic rules for finding just the right rock for you.

Also, look at these other fun facts about crystals for kids.

Here are a few examples of different crystals:

Salt Crystals: Have you ever noticed how salt looks like tiny cubes?

That’s because salt crystals form in a cube shape.

Quartz: This crystal is super common and can be clear or come in different colors like purple (amethyst) or pink (rose quartz).

Diamond: Known for being one of the hardest materials, diamonds are clear and can shine with lots of colors.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Fun Facts About Crystals

Everyday Crystals: Crystals aren’t just found in rocks.

You’ll find them in everyday items like salt, sugar, and even in some of your favorite foods.

Variety of Shapes: As mentioned, crystals can have all kinds of shapes.

Each shape depends on the arrangement of the molecules inside the crystal.

Natural Wonders: Some crystals form stunningly beautiful natural structures.

Geodes are rocks filled with crystals that look like they have a glittering treasure inside.

More Crystal Activities for Kids

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Finally, look at how to do this fun crystal science activity.

How to Make Crystals with Kids

Materials

  • Pipe cleaners
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Borax
  • Hot Water
  • Glass jars
How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Combine two pipe cleaners to make a small ball.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Attach the third pipe cleaner but leave half of the pipe cleaner straight.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Add ½ cup borax to a glass jar.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Pour very hot water on top and stir until borax is mostly combined.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Attach the pipe cleaner ball to a popsicle stick and drop into your glass jar.

Make sure it is not touching the bottom of the jar.  

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Leave in your jars overnight.

Once your crystals are formed, take out of jar and pat dry with paper towel.

How To Make Crystals | Facts About Crystals For Kids

Cut off extra pipe cleaner and enjoy your crystals.

One of my jars did not ever work, and it was the first jar I poured boiling water into.

Try not to get your water too hot but not too cold either. I know but science can be exacting that way.

Note: You’ll want to use boiling water, some lemon juice, and vinegar to clean out the remaining borax in your glass jars when you are finished.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

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Today, I have some easy and fun prairie crafts. Also, look at my pages Little House on The Prairie Unit Study and BEST Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook for more activities.

When you think of the prairie you may immediately think of Laura Ingalls and her little house.

It was once a popular destination spot as people traveled west in search of more space and bountiful game.

But they are still a very important biome and are defined as extensive areas of flat or rolling grasslands.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Have you ever seen a vast, open field covered in tall grasses and wildflowers?

That’s a prairie biome.

Prairies are found in North America and other parts of the world.

They’re home to a variety of animals and plants, and they’re a beautiful place to explore.

One of the most impressive sights you will see on the prairie are the large shaggy buffalo, technically bison.

While the words are used interchangeably, buffalo actually refers to animals like the water buffalo.

They are found in Asia, and the version here is bison.

Today I want to show you how to unleash your creativity.

We’re creating a bison painting using not only paint and a canvas but a few other surprising items to create a mixed media art project.

What Does The Prairie Look Like

The prairie is a flat, grassy plain.

There are few trees, and the plants that grow there are mostly grasses and wildflowers.

The prairie is also very windy, and it can be hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

Also, look at these books about westward expansion.

10 Westward Expansion Resources

Add in a few books and resources to bring the study of the Oregon Trail to life during the United States expansion of the west.

Your Life as a Pioneer on the Oregon Trail (The Way It Was)

Your Life as a Pioneer on The Oregon Trail, has some funny illustrations and great information for this unit study.

Little House on the Prairie Series 7 Books Collection

Of course ALL the Little House Books are some of the best about pioneer life.

The Ingalls are the most famous pioneers and westward moving families.

Westward Expansion (A True Book: Westward Expansion)

A True Book: Westward Expansion takes readers on an amazing journey to a fascinating time in U.S. history when the country was experiencing dynamic change and expanding westward.

The Oregon Trail 4-Book Paperback Box Set Plus Poster Map

In this boxed set, choose your own trail and complete the journey to Oregon City with all four paperbacks in this exciting series! It's 1850 and your first goal is to get your family, covered wagon full of supplies, and oxen to Chimney Rock on time. 

The Oregon Trail: Journey to Willamette Valley Boardgame

  • It's a race to Willamette Valley as you join the wagon train and seek your fortune in the West!

Apples to Oregon:

Apples, ho! When Papa decides to pull up roots and move from Iowa to Oregon, he can’t bear to leave his precious apple trees behind. Or his peaches, plums, grapes, cherries, and pears. Oh, and he takes his family along too.

Locomotive

It is the summer of 1869, and trains, crews, and family are traveling together, riding America’s brand-new transcontinental railroad. These pages come alive with the details of the trip and the sounds, speed, and strength of the mighty locomotives; the work that keeps them moving; and the thrill of travel from plains to mountain to
ocean

The California Gold Rush and the '49ers

Try your luck, and search for your fortune in California! Follow the joy and heartbreak of the '49ers during the California Gold Rush.

Daily Life in a Covered Wagon

In 1853, the Larkin family loaded up their wagons and headed west in search of a new life. But how did they do it? What did they eat? How did they survive sickness, and attacks from cattle thieves? Drawing on diaries and letters, and illustrated with photographs of actual object from the past, Daily Life in a Covered Wagon explored what life was really like on the wagon trail.

Covered Wagons, Bumpy Trails

Illustrations and simple rhyming text follow Mother, Father, and Baby John as they make the difficult journey by wagon to a new home across the Rocky Mountains in the fertile Sacramento Valley of California. By the creators of Gold Fever.

What Kind Of Animals Live On The Prairie

The prairie is home to a variety of animals that make their home in the temperate grasslands.

  • Bison
  • Pronghorn antelope
  • Coyotes
  • Wolves
  • Prairie dogs
  • Badgers
  • Snakes
  • Lizards
  • Killdeer
  • Meadowlarks

What Kind Of Plants Grow On The Prairie

The prairie also holds a variety of grasses and wildflowers.

What you don’t see above ground is that there is a lot going on below.

Prairie plants have very deep and large roots that absorb all available water, often the roots themselves are much longer than the plants above ground.

Some of the most common grasses and wildflowers you will find among the grasses are:

  • Big bluestem
  • Little bluestem
  • Indiangrass
  • Black-eyed Susans
  • Coneflowers
  • Prairie roses

Why Are Prairies Important

Prairies are important for many reasons, including:

  • They provide food and shelter for animals.
  • They help to clean the air and water.
  • They store carbon dioxide, which helps to slow down climate change.
  • They’re a beautiful place to explore and enjoy nature.
Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Also, look at more prairie crafts and resources.

Prairie Crafts and Resources

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Finally, look at how to do a buffalo painting.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting

You will need:

  • Art canvas
  • Craft paints
  • Paintbrushes
  • Cardstock
  • Dry Coffee grounds
  • Glue
  • Black paint pen
Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

First, start by lightly sketching out a bison shape with a pencil onto the canvas, we looked on google for inspiration and in books.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

 Even if you are not an artist you can get a rough shape, big head, hump. 

This is a trust process kind of art project.

Next, you want to brush on a thin layer of light blue for your sky all the way around your outline (it’s easy to cover up a light color with dark but not so much the other way).

 Let it dry or speed it along by using a blow dryer on low.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Now, you want to paint in your basic shape with dark brown paint, making the head larger and kind of thick and “furry” by giving it wavy edges.

At this point I was doubting myself, but I was very pleased with the result.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

“Paint” just the big woolly head area with a thicker coat of paint and then while it is still wet sprinkle with a heavy layer of coffee grounds. 

Shake off the excess.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Use a clean paint brush, eraser, or other small end to scrape away paint to create a muzzle and eyes, you will start to see your buffalo really take shape here.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Allow the paint to dry completely then add in nostrils and eyes with a black paint marker.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Now cut horns out of cardstock and glue onto place on their heads.

Unleash Your Creativity with Buffalo Painting: Easy Prairie Crafts

Finally, add tall swaying yellow grasses, this also helps cover up any ‘mistakes’ and really finishes off your painting.

Buffalo are really important to their environment.

They help maintain the grasslands by grazing and spreading seeds around as they move.

This helps other plants grow and supports many other animals that live in the same area.

In the past, buffalo were also a key part of Native American cultures, providing food, clothing, and tools.

Buffalo are an important part of our wildlife heritage.