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homeschoolscience

Elevate Playtime with 15 Best Steam Gifts for Kids

January 19, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Take playtime to learning time with these 15 amazing steam gifts for kids.

They will never know that they are learning while they build, create, explore, and enjoy.

For the most part, I like to choose open-ended gifts for kids, allowing the recipient to stretch and reach and make it what they choose.

Elevate Playtime with 15 Best Steam Gifts for Kids

I also love to give things that last longer than just a very short season of a child’s life.

For example, Lego is something that is played with from preschool to adulthood and I always consider it a good investment.

Here are 15 of my favorite STEAM gift ideas for kids that are fantastic for a wide variety of ages, levels, interests, and will be enjoyed by everyone in the family.

Gift Guides for Families

  • 11 Unique Turtle Gift Ideas for Reptile Enthusiasts
  • Step Back in Time with These 12 Little House on the Prairie Gift Ideas
  • 12 Gifts For Medieval History Buffs
  • Navigating the Perfect Present: 22 Gifts for Geography Lovers
  • Ignite the Love for Learning: 10 Homeschool Gift Ideas That Spark Joy
  • How To Gift A True Crime Fan : 8 Best Gifts For True Crime Fans
  • 13 Amazing and Fun Gifts for Kids Who Love History
  • Unleash Your Inner Scientist: 12 Amazing Gifts for the Science Lovers
  • Ten Best Tech Gifts for Teen Boys
  • Gifts For Kids Who Are Wild About History
  • 5 Gift Ideas for the Homeschool Mom Who Needs a Cooking Reboot
  • Fungi Fun: 11 Unconventional Mushroom Gift Ideas for the Adventurous Spirit
Elevate Playtime with 15 Best Steam Gifts for Kids

Next, look at these steam gifts for kids.

Steam Gifts for Kids

You'll love these amazing gift ideas for science.

MAGNA-TILES Classic 32-Piece Magnetic Construction Set

I just love the versatility and how open ended magna tiles are. Children can build a bridge, a castle, animal enclosures, create roads, or pretend they are building a pirate ship to sail the high seas. There are no limitations on the imagination, just simple fun that teaches so much through problem-solving, planning, fine motor skills, and executive functioning.

LEGO Chain Reactions

Design and build 10 amazing moving machines - teach your bricks new tricks. Comes with 80 page instructions, 33 LEGO pieces, Instructions for 10 modules, 6 plastic balls, string, paper ramps and other components

STEM Explorations: Roller Coaster Building Set

This K’NEX Education set includes 546 parts, plus a battery-powered motor, for a single child or a team of two to three children building a working roller coaster. Two additional models are also included in this set — a ramp and a half-pipe — which can be built one at a time. The set requires two AA batteries, which are not included.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Rocket Launcher for Kids – Patent

If your gift recipient is into space then they will love this power rocket this National Geographic set comes with everything they need to get their rocket off the ground and into the great blue Beyond ( at least 200 feet of it) like launch pad, charging cable and decals to customize their rocket.

100 Easy STEAM Activities: Awesome Hands-On Projects

This book is a wonderful reference full of fun games and creative projects to learn about Science Technology, Engineering, Art and Math

260+ Science Experiments - Over 120 pcs Science Kits for Kids

Do you want to give your child the freedom to experiment with a bit of independence? This massive box is full of all the chemicals, kits, instruments, and supplies they need to perform the experiments.

Snap Circuits Classic SC-300 Electronics Exploration Kit | Over 300 Projects |

Snap circuits are a fun stem activity for preschool on up, you can start with a base unit and then add on to be able to create more and more circuits. The classic alone can create over 300 electronic projects

Carson Dellosa Stem Challenges Learning Cards Kit, 30 Science Projects

If your child just needs a little encouragement and structure to get them going look at this box of cards. The cards cover every category of STEAM with simple to put together and complete challenges for middle to upper elementary age children. They also have simple pictures that help you pull together the few supplies needed

Ada Twist, Scientist (The Questioneers)

Inspired by real-life makers Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, this beloved #1 bestseller champions STEM, girl power and women scientists in a rollicking celebration of curiosity, the power perseverance, and the importance of asking “Why?” Don't miss Ada’s further adventures—with her friends Iggy Peck and Rosie Revere—in the instant New York Times bestseller Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters, the first all-new chapter book starring The Questioneers! Ada Twist’s head is full of questions. Like her classmates Iggy and Rosie—stars of their own New York Times bestselling picture books Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer—Ada has always been endlessly curious. Even when her fact-finding missions and elaborate scientific experiments don’t go as planned, Ada learns the value of thinking her way through problems and continuing to stay curious.

Pottery Wheel For Beginners

If your child's interests are towards the ‘art’  portion of STEAM try out a new creative outlet like a pottery wheel. This is a great way to build fine motor skills as well as give them a place to focus their art.

Gridopolis - A 3D Tabletop Strategy Game : Family-Friendly 1-4

For up to 4 players this tabletop strategy game is a great activity for families to challenge one another with downloadable lesson plans to make the most of this STEM activity and you can even build your own game with the game design guide.

Scientific Explorer Disgusting Science Kit

  • Educate your child on what actually grows on their own body
  • Learn fun facts about body parts, byproducts and become completely grossed out as you take science to a whole new level
  • Math for Love Prime Climb

  • Perfect STEM gift for pre-teens and teens to inspire deeper math learning
  • Ideal for family board game night or for classroom/homeschool/after school clubs! Best for 2-4 players
  • NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Rock Tumbler Kit

    Encourage a love of geology with a rock tumbler to learn about gemstones taking them from rough to polished

    ANYCUBIC 4K + Resin 3D Printer, Photon Mono X2 3D Printer

    For middle and high schoolers a resin printer unlocks some big doors for them. Besides the obvious benefit of giving them knowledge of technology it is great for creativity as well. They can be used to create figurines for tabletop games, tools and gadgets, jewelry, decorative pieces, and so much more

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Gift Guides, Gift Ideas for Homeschoolers Tagged With: gift, gift list, homeschoolgiftideas, homeschoolscience, science

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    January 16, 2024 | 1 Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    We’re making an egg carton bobblehead penguin preschool craft to go along with a penguin unit or just for fun. Also, grab more preschool ideas on my page How to Homeschool Preschool and Winter Season Unit Study Free Lapbook & Hands-On Ideas.

    Beyond that you can use little penguin figurines to help teach your child about the different climates penguins live in.

    Turning a fun little craft into a science and geography lesson at the same time with an activity that feels more like play.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    I also have a few more suggestions for hands on activities that your preschooler will enjoy.

    From snacks to science lessons there are plenty of ideas to keep them interested in learning about penguins.

    Penguins are adorable and can be found in both hot and cold climates.

    This is a great time to introduce the concept that not all penguins are found belly-sliding on the ice.

    Some even enjoy the hot deserts of South America.

    Books About Penguins

    Next look at some of the books about penguins.

    I lean toward living books first then like to add reference type books when teaching my children.

    11 Penguin Books & Resources for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

    Add some of these books and resources about penguins to your learning day.

    Penguin's Way

    With a new children’s book imprint, the Bodleian Library brings beloved classics back into print, beginning with a beautiful storybook about the life of a fascinating Antarctic species. Originally published in 1962, Penguin’s Way by Johanna Johnston tells the surprising story of these creatures, complete with colorful artwork by award-winning illustrator Leonard Weisgard. In Penguin’s Way, a playful colony of emperor penguins lives on the edge of a faraway secret sea. During the summers, the penguins are content to fish and swim in the icy waters. But, when the seasons change, they must travel more than one hundred miles to the snowy lands surrounding the South Pole. All across the snow plain, the penguins sing songs to welcome newly hatched chicks into the world, but how will the fluffy newborns survive the freezing winter? Few things pique children’s curiosity about the world around them better than a good book. Brought back for a new generation of young readers, Penguin’s Way offers a fun and creative introduction to these fascinating animals.

    Mr. Popper's Penguins: All-Time Popular Children Book

    Charming Characters: Meet the endearing Mr. Popper and his comical penguins, each with their distinct personalities and quirks, creating a delightful and memorable cast of characters.

    Whimsical Adventures: Follow Mr. Popper and his penguins on a series of whimsical escapades, as they navigate unexpected challenges and create joyous chaos in their small town.

    Heartwarming Message: Experience the heartwarming message of friendship, family, and the importance of embracing the unexpected, as Mr. Popper's life is transformed by the presence of his unusual feathered companions.

    Whiteblack the Penguin Sees the World

    Whiteblack the Penguin is worried. He has run out of stories for his radio show, a dire situation for the Chief Storyteller of Penguinland. So Whiteblack decides to travel in search of new tales to share. The result is a journey that spans the globe and not only introduces the precocious penguin to a host of colorful characters but teaches him about the power of friendship and what it means to be a hero. Originally created in 1937, while the Reys lived in Paris, this delightful story is being published for the first time, and is sure to enchant readers young and old. From the creators of Curious George, Whiteblack the Penguin Sees The World is a timeless tale with all the hilarity and childlike sense of adventure characteristic of the Reys’ previous work.

    The Emperor's Egg: Read and Wonder

    Can you imagine spending the winter outdoors in Antarctica without anything to eat? That’s just what the male Emperor penguin does. While his mate is off swimming and catching loads of fish, he stands around in the freezing cold with an egg on his feet for two whole months, keeping it warm and waiting for it to hatch. Welcome to the story of the world’s most devoted dad!

    Penguins!: Strange and Wonderful

    A new edition to the acclaimed Strange and Wonderful series. The seventeen species of penguins come in all sizes and are fascinating in many other ways. The little blue penguin, the smallest, stands about sixteen inches high, and the emperor penguin, the largest, stands almost four feet tall. Some penguins are named for how they look, such as the black-footed penguin, while others are named for where they live, such as the Galapagos penguin. Laurence Pringle's informative book, with stunning illustrations by Meryl Henderson, introduces young readers to the life and behavior of one of nature's most remarkable birds.

    12PCS Realistic Penguin Figurines

    This penguin figures set was made by hand painted with high realistically detailed appearance, cute face and childish eyes. Their uniquely molded textures and richly painted details make the animals vivid. And all the animal figures stands up very well, they do not fall over. Children would like to spend more time to observe and play with them.

    The Great Penguin Rescue: Saving the African Penguins

    African penguins waddle around nesting colonies in lower numbers than ever before. Despite South African government efforts to protect the penguin colonies and their ocean fish supply, young penguins still struggle to survive. Fuzzy chicks waiting for food in open nests may overheat in the sun or become prey. Others simply may not get enough food to survive on their own once their parents leave. But new conservation methods, including rescuing and hand-feeding vulnerable chicks, are giving experts hope. Can volunteers and scientists help save Africa's only penguins before it's too late?

    March of the Penguins

    This documentary chronicles the heroic and harrowing journey that emperor penguins make amid subfreezing temperatures and violent snowstorms at the South Pole in order to mate.

    365 Penguins (Reissue)

    A family finds a penguin mysteriously delivered to their door every day for a year. At first they’re cute, but with every passing day, the penguins pile up—along with the family’s problems. Feeding, cleaning, and housing the penguins becomes a monumental task. They’re noisy and smelly, and they always hog the bathroom! And who on earth is sending these kwak-ing critters? Bright, striking illustrations with lots of opportunity for counting (and lots of laughs), 365 Penguins has become a perennial wintertime favorite.

    Penguin: A Season in the Life of the Adélie Penguin

    Beautiful, full-color photographs and an engaging first-person narrative introduce young readers to an Adelie penguin family's first view of the harsh, wild Antarctic environment.

    Penguins!

    An illustrated introduction to those wonderful waddling water birds!Living only in the southern hemisphere, there are seventeen different kinds of penguins.  With bright watercolor illustrations and kid-friendly language, Gail Gibbons introduces these black and white birds, describing where and how they live, what they eat, and how they hatch their young.   An exploration of the egg-laying and chick-raising habits of the emperor penguin is also included, describing how these large penguins take care of their babies in extremely cold temperatures, working together to look after one large egg at a time. Readers will also learn about threats to penguin populations, and what conservation efforts have been made to help preserve them.  A collection of penguin facts is also included.

    Where Do Penguins Live

    Grab a set of these plastic penguins and a map and see how many penguin climates you can find with your child.

    Help your child locate where each penguin lives on the map.

    To take the lesson even deeper run a red string across the equator to help them understand the difference between the Northern and Southern Hemisphere as they place the penguins in their spots.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    Here are the 18 recognized species of penguins and where you can find them.

    1. Galápagos – Galapagos Islands
    2. Humboldt- Coasts of Chili and Peru
    3. Southern Rockhopper  -Southern Chili and Southern Argentina
    4. Northern Rockhopper-Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island – South Atlantic Ocean
    5. Emperor -Antarctica
    6. Adélie-Antarctica
    7. Chinstrap-Antarctic Peninsula
    8. Fiordland-Southwest coasts of the South Island in New Zealand.
    9. Snares- Snares Islands south of New Zealand
    10. Macaroni-Antarctic Peninsula
    11. Gentoo  -Antarctic Peninsula
    12. Erect-Crested-New Zealand sub-antarctic- mostly Antipodes and Bounty Islands
    13. Royal-Macquarie Island, near Bishop and Clerk Islands in Australia
    14. African-Southwest coast of Africa- Namibia to Port Elizabeth
    15. Little- Australia and New Zealand
    16. Yellow-Eyed-New Zealand
    17. King- Antarctic Peninsula
    18. Magellanic- Southern coasts-Argentina, Chile, and Falkland Islands.

    Even if you don’t have replicas of all the different types of penguins you can still enjoy placing them around the map to find their locations.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    5 More Hands-on Penguin Activities

    If you want to continue the fun here are a few more great ideas for hands-on penguin-related projects that will help your child learn more about these unique creatures while feeling like they are just playing.

    1. Follow these steps for How to Make an Easy Antarctica Diorama With Your Kids and highlight the two species that make their home in the Antarctica mainland.
    2. These Quick and Easy Frozen Banana Penguins are just too cute and make a healthy delicious snack to partner with your mini unit.
    3. How fun is this SALT AND ICE EXPERIMENT FOR KIDS: SAVE THE FROZEN PENGUINS for a simple STEM activity.
    4. Create this Easy Penguin Sensory Bin and switch it up from ice to warm climate penguins by using different base materials.
    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    Grab this free Printable for the Life Cycle of a Penguin to learn about how an egg turns into a fuzzy chick and then becomes one of the adult penguins we know and recognize.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    You will need:

    • Cardboard egg carton
    • Black craft paint
    • White craft paint
    • Pipe cleaner
    • Scissors
    • Google eyes
    • yellow craft foam
    • Hot glue.
    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    The first thing you want to do is cut out 2 cups from a cardboard egg carton, preserving as much of the material as you can.

    You can use scissors or a small straight-edged knife.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    From the flat or slightly curved portion of the box cut out two small wings.

    Paint both cups as well as your small wings black, leaving a small area in the front of both for white. Set aside to dry.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    When you’re waiting for your paint to dry, you can cut out a beak and two little feet shapes from craft foam or use another scrap of cardboard from the egg carton.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    Coil ½ of a pipe cleaner around a pen or paintbrush to create a spring.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    When the paint is dry hot glue the “spring” inside the penguin’s head.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    Hot glue the other end of the spring onto the top of the other egg carton cup. And press down holding in place until the glue sets.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    Glue the feet so they are peeking out from the bottom.

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    Then add Googly eyes, beak, and wings to finish off your little penguin.

    How fun is that little wobbly head?

    How to Make an Egg Carton Bobblehead Penguin Preschool Craft

    1 CommentFiled Under: Teach Homeschool Preschool Tagged With: elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool preschool, homeschoolscience, life science, penguin, preschool, preschool skills, science

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    December 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    I have a cute but simple tutorial to show you how to make a pipe cleaner monkey with just a couple of basic craft items. Also, look at my page Rainforest Activities for Kids for more animal crafts and activities.

    You will only need a few pipe cleaners, a couple of wooden beads, and some paint to make your own.

    Besides, you can make any kind of monkey you like using this tutorial, changing up paint colors and features.

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    We made a howler monkey to go along with the rest of the themed ideas here.

    Howler Monkeys are a tropical species of monkeys that live in both lowland and mountain habitats.

    For example, they live in the rainforests of Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Columbia, as well as throughout South and Central America.

    Their loud howls can be heard up to 3 miles away, so it’s no wonder where they got that name from.

    But our little pipe cleaner monkey is quiet and well-behaved.

    Howler Monkey Books

    Add some of these books and resources to your reading day.

    6 Books & Resources for Kids Who love Howler Monkeys

    Your kids will love some of these fun resources about howler monkeys.

    Howler Monkeys (Monkey Business)

    Howler monkeys are named for their distinctive calls, which they let loose at dawn and at dusk. This informative resource doesn’t monkey around in describing what howlers like to eat and where they live. The volume includes an explanation of howler monkey group behavior as well as an examination of efforts being made to preserve their endangered populations.

    Howler Monkey Figurine

    Our Howler Monkey figurine is designed with remarkable accuracy, showcasing the creature's distinctive features and vibrant coloring.

    Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

    World's Loudest Animals: Howler Monkeys |

    Don't tell these howler monkeys to pipe down — they're considered to be among the loudest animals on Earth. They won't quiet down unless they're sleeping, which they do about 15 hours a day.

    Howlers and Other New World Monkeys

    Questions and answers explore the world of New World monkeys, with an emphasis on howler monkeys.

    Meet the Howlers!

    Playful, poetic text and vibrant art introduce young readers to howler monkeys. Extra facts within the text give readers the low-down on these loud, sloppy, and rude rain forest dwellers.

    Photo Credit: learncreatelove.com

    Howler Monkey Printable Craft

    How about this Howler Monkey Craft?

    Next, add some of these facts.

    Zoology of The Howler Monkey

    Next, have your child write out the classifications of the howler monkey, look below.

    • Kingdom: Animalia
    • Phylum: Chordata
    • Class: Mammalia
    • Order: Primates
    • Family: Atelidae
    • Genus: Alouatta
    • Scientific Name: Alouatta

    Howler monkeys are made up of 15 different species.

    • Colombian red howler
    • Black howler
    • Yucatán black howler
    • Mantled howler monkey
    • Brown howler
    • Red-handed howler
    • Maranhão red-handed howler
    • Bolivian red howler
    • Guyana red howler
    • Ursine howler
    • Coiba Island howler
    • Amazon black howler
    • Spix’s red-handed howler
    • Purus red howler
    • Juruá red howler
    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    Also, here are some facts about howler monkeys.

    6 Facts About Howler Monkeys

    1. Howler Monkeys are both the largest and the most abundant monkeys in the world with the Guatemalan Howler Monkey being the biggest of all the New World monkeys.
    2. They get their name from the howling sound that they make and are known as one of the loudest land mammals due to the special bone, the hyoid, in their throat that helps them make louder calls. Only the males make these sounds, never females. You can listen to those loud sounders here in the World’s Loudest Animals: Howler Monkeys.
    3. Their long, strong prehensile tales can be up to five times the length of their body, anywhere from 20”- to 30” long.
    4. 9 out of 15 species of the Howler Monkey make their home in the Amazon.
    5. Howler monkeys usually live in troupes of up to 15 males and females with a dominant member of each sex.
    6. An unusual thing about them is that both male and female juveniles will leave the group they were born in and join up with a new group, so most spend the adult portion of their life in a group they are not related to. 
    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    This little Howler Monkey Figurine is a great addition to blocks, and sensory bins, and can be used to create a tropical diorama as well.

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey

    What You Will Need:

    • 4 brown pipe cleaners
    • 2 wood beads
    • 2 smaller wooden beads
    • 2 googly eyes
    • Brown craft paint
    • Small paint brushes or fine-tip paint pens
    • Hot glue gun/sticks.
    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    First slip beads over a skewer and paint them brown or whatever color you like). You will probably need a second coat before letting it dry completely.

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    Lay one pipe cleaner vertically and twist another one across it horizontally about 2” from the top to give your monkey arms.

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    Slide one painted bead from the bottom.

    Twist another pipe cleaner horizontally across just below the bead to hold it in place and make back legs.

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    Now, double over the tail, arms, and legs, twisting together, and bend the ends into hands and feet.

    Cut off all but 1” of the neck, bend it over, then twist.

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    Cut 4 1” lengths from the 4th pipe cleaner and bend into a v, then twist around the feet and hands. 

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    Slip the head onto the neck you cut and hold it in place with a dab of hot glue inside.

    Once dry, take a tiny brush or paint marker and add features like eyes, a nose and a howling mouth.

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

    Use a tiny bit of hot glue to add google eyes as well.

    Finally, your monkey is ready to shape and bend, he can even hang from pretty much anything you want to hang him from with his little prehensile pipe cleaner tail.

    Have fun creating a whole troupe of monkeys to hang all around, thankfully these monkeys stay quiet!

    How To Make A Pipe Cleaner Monkey | Howler Monkey Fun Facts

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

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    December 19, 2023 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    We’re making a fun stretchy batch of seed slime as we learn all about the colorful blue jay and his winter food. Also, look at my Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

    But we won’t just make seed slime, we are going to provide our preschool- elementary learners with an entire themed but still open-ended tray to explore.

    This slime is wonderfully stretchy, not too sticky and is a great base for adding seeds and more.

    If you live in most of eastern and central North America to the Northwest, chances are you see these colorful birds plentifully in your backyard.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    They are a very loud bunch, making a loud jeering sound but you will also hear clear whistled notes and gurgling sounds.

    Throughout the warm spring and summer months blue jays live and feed their young on a diet of mostly insects but in the cold of winter, they forage for seeds, nuts, fruit, berries, and grain to give them their much-needed energy.

    We are using some of the seeds to create our slime and the rest can be put out to help feed backyard birds throughout the winter.

    I have some tips for setting up a welcoming yard for Jays and other birds.

    You will also find some fun facts and more hands-on ideas to build a lovely winter unit for the Blue Jay.

    Books and Activities About Blue Jays

    I lean toward living books for independent reading and to read aloud, then I look for reference books.

    5 Books & Resources For Kids Who Love to Learn About Blue Jays

    Blue Jays are a fun bird to learn about anytime of the year and turn it into a full unit study with toms of these resources.

    The Adventures of Sammy Jay

    Sammy Jay thinks he's a very fine gentleman and is proud of his handsome blue coat and high cap. But Sammy often does things he shouldn't do — like stealing. Nobody likes to be told he's a thief — especially Sammy Jay! Much of the time, he just struts around, trying to look important when he thinks someone is looking at him. Filled with pranks and rivalries, this delightful tale — enhanced with Harrison Cady's charming illustrations — combines humorous animal escapades with gentle lessons about wildlife and nature.

    The Tale of Jasper Jay

    Some of the feathered folk in Pleasant Valley said that old Mr. Crow was the noisiest person in the neighborhood. But they must have forgotten all about Mr. Crow's knavish cousin, Jasper Jay. And it was not only in summer, either, that Jasper's shrieks and laughter woke the echoes. Since it was his habit to spend his winters right there in Farmer Green's young pines, near the foot of Blue Mountain, on many a cold morning Jasper's ear-splitting "Jay! jay!" rang out on the frosty air.

    Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck Jay

    When Jemima, a young orphaned blue jay, is brought to wildlife rehabilitator Julie Zickefoose, she is a virtually tailless, palm-sized bundle of gray-blue fluff. But she is starved and very sick. Julie’s constant care brings her around, and as Jemima is raised for eventual release, she takes over the house and the rest of the author's summer.  Shortly after release, Jemima turns up with a deadly disease. But medicating a free-flying wild bird is a challenge. When the PBS show Nature expresses interest in filming Jemima, Julie must train her to behave on camera, as the bird gets ever wilder. Jemima bonds with a wild jay, stretching her ties with the family. Throughout, Julie grapples with the fallout of Jemima’s illness, studies molt and migration, and does her best to keep Jemima strong and wild. She falls hard for this engaging, feisty and funny bird, a creative muse and source of strength through the author’s own heartbreaking changes. Emotional and honest, Saving Jemima is a universal story of the communion between a wild creature and the human chosen to raise it.

    The Blue Jay–120 Piece Puzzle Fun

    THE HARDEST CHALLENGE - With hints on the back that won't take away from the fun of the game by making it too difficult, the Fruit And Birds series will provide hours of screen-free entertainment and mental relaxation for the whole family, and is sure to become a permanent decoration in your home.

    Birds Blue Jay Plush with Authentic Bird Sound

    With one squeeze, Audubon birds produce beautifully authentic bird calls provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s bird recording archives.

    Next, look at some facts about blue jays.

    5 Fun Facts about the Colorful Blue Jay

    1. Blue Jays are large songbirds with blue, black, and white feathers.
    1. The pigment that is in Blue Jay feathers is melanin and brown. The blue color is caused by light scattering through the cells on the surface of the feather barbs.
    1. Blue jays are omnivores, which means they consume plants, animals, nuts, and seeds. They eat corn, seeds, fruits, insects, frogs, mice, and sometimes eggs and nestlings of other birds.
    1. The Blue Jay frequently mimics the calls of hawks and does this sometimes when approaching a feeder to scare the other birds away.
    1. Unlike some other species of bird both the male and female Blue Jay look identical so you cannot identify the sex by color. Males are just slightly larger than females.
    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Also, look how to attract blue jays to your yard.

    How to Attract Blue Jays and Other Birds To Your Backyard

    Blue Jays mostly do well foraging on their own. If you want to enjoy these beauties and other birds in your backyard here is what you can do to bring them in and keep them happy, so they return again and again.

    Provide shade and shelter- If you already have bushes and trees, you have a natural attractant for birds. Birds need trees for shade, to rest in, for protection, and to build their nests. Trees can also be a great source of food for birds, providing insects, fruits, nuts, and berries.

    Provide food- Add a bird feeder or a few to your yard to provide a variety of seeds. The more variety the more bird species you will attract. Blue Jays in particular prefer open-platform feeders. Suet blocks are a great option in the winter as well for seeds as they offer healthy easy-to-digest fat that hungry birds need for energy.

    Provide clean water- Add a bird bath to your yard, in the shade where they are protected, and watch how many feathered friends show up to drink and bathe.  Be sure to keep the water clean by adding fresh daily and scrubbing out the bowl often to prevent them from getting sick from bacteria.

    The more you can offer to birds that they need the more frequently they will return and give you a colorful show.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Additionally, here are more slime seed ideas.

    More Slime and Seed Slime Ideas

    • How to Make Fun Watermelon Seed Slime For Summer Learning
    • Bird Seed Slime
    • Chia Seed Slime

    More Backyard Birds Activities

    • Beautiful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Fun Unit Study
    • How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts
    • How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing
    • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
    • Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
    • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
    • Free North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
    • How to Make an Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids

    Finally, look how to make fun seed slime.

    Fun Seed Slime

    You will need:

    • Bird seed
    • 1 cup white or clear school glue
    • 1 Tablespoon baking soda
    • 2-3 Tablespoons contact lens solution
    • Tray for set up
    • Bird figurines
    • Brown pipe cleaners
    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    First, in a large bowl combine white or clear glue and baking soda, and mix well before moving on to the next step.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Slowly add in the contact lens solution ½ a teaspoon at a time, stirring to mix well between every addition.

    As you mix it will become less sticky, if you add too much too fast once mixed it will be too hard and lose its stretch.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    You will know it is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and does not stick to your hands.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Mix in your seeds, as much or as little as you like.

    I wound up using about ¾ of a cup.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Now, to create a fun invitation to play with your slime.

    You can use a divided round tray from Dollar Tree or just grab whatever tray and bowls you have on hand.

    Place the slime in a larger bowl and fill smaller bowls with additional seeds so they can mix them in themself, bird figurines, and small pieces of brown pipe cleaner.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Look at this fantastic stretch!

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Little pieces of pipe cleaners can be poked into the slime to create little nests for the birds.

    The Colorful Blue Jays Winter Food | Make Fun Seed Slime

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, blue jay, crafts, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, science

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    December 14, 2023 | Leave a Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

    We are creating a bird craft that is so easy, inexpensive, and adorable that you might find the kids and you wanting to create different species to fill up your house. Also, you’ll love this Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

    Too, be sure you look at my South America Unit Study and Lapbook.

    All we needed was a quick trip to Dollar Tree for a fresh pair of socks.

    The other simple items you will most likely have on hand to create this craft which is a fantastic supplement to a bird unit.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    One of the most unusual and recognizable birds is the blue-footed booby.

    With their bright aquamarine blue feet and legs and rather funny-looking faces.

    Blue-footed boobies are one of the three different booby species found on the Galapagos Islands.

    There are also red and Nazca boobies.

    Books about the Galapagos

    Next, add some of these books about the blue-footed booby and other animals of the Galapagos to your unit study.

    11 Books & Resources About the Animals of the Galapagos

    Add one or two of these fun resources about the animals of the Galapagos Islands in South America.

    Where Are the Galapagos Islands? (Where Is?)

    The Galapagos Islands are a chain of volcanic islands located on either side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean. The isolated location of the islands has allowed a vast number of species to develop that are original to each island, such as the marine iguana, the blue-footed booby, the magnificent frigatebird and of course the giant Galapagos tortoise, which may live to be over one hundred years old. 

    Galapagos Wildlife TOOB

    This Galapagos Island Toob is a must have item for sensory bins and dioramas, but they really give your child a better understanding of what creatures they may never get to see in person. They make great models for art projects as well from sketching to painting.

    Galapagos (Earth's Extraordinary Places)

    This is the ultimate book about the Galápagos for kids, covering the formation of the islands, the fascinating animals that live there, the evolutionary traits of the flora, the diverse climates, the brilliant conservation efforts and much more!This beautifully illustrated and photographic book provides a fascinating tour of the flora, fauna, and geology of the Galapágos islands. Children can learn about the unique and incredible wildlife, volcanoes, climate and Darwin’s theory of evolution from his visit to the Galápagos.  

    Karl, Get Out of the Garden!: Carolus Linnaeus and the Naming of Everything

    Carolus (Karl) Linnaeus started off as a curious child who loved exploring the garden. Despite his intelligence—and his mother's scoldings—he was a poor student, preferring to be outdoors with his beloved plants and bugs. As he grew up, Karl's love of nature led him to take on a seemingly impossible task: to give a scientific name to every living thing on earth. 

    Exotic Birds TOOB

    11 EXOTIC BIRDS: This Toob brings you some of the most amazing exotic winged friends from around the world. It includes a Parakeet, Quetzal, Yellow Macaw, Humming Bird, Hibiscus Flower, Keel-Billed Toucan, Cockatoo, Flamingo, White Ibis, Snowy Owl, and a Greet Parrot.

    My Father's Island (Guinness World Records Little Books)

    A true story that incorporates biography, adventure and the elements of armchair travel. Angermeyer, who grew up in Nebraska, embarks on a search to discover what happened to her father, a refugee from Hitler, on the Galapagos Islands where he and her mother had lived before his death.

    Marcel McDuby the Blue-Footed Booby

    For ages 3-9... The strange little bird with turquoise blue feet spent all his time imagining being someone else. Follow him on a journey that leads to self-acceptance and a life-changing discovery: It's our differences that make us special and set us apart. What's really important comes from our heart.

    Galapagos Wildlife (Bradt Wildlife Guides)

    This new, thoroughly updated and lavishly illustrated fourth edition of Bradt's Galápagos Wildlife is packed with information and magnificent pictures to aid in identifying key species, all in an easy-to-carry format that covers everything from the wildlife that you're likely to encounter, whether flying in the air, running along the ground or swimming underwater, to a succinct history of the islands, their habitats and volcanic origins. 

    Galapagos animal adventure with 26 coloring pages for all ages

    Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Galapagos Islands with this endemic animal coloring book. With 26 pages filled with detailed and realistic drawings, this coloring book will take you on a journey through the unique landscapes of the islands as you immerse yourself in the wild nature of the región.

    Take Your Time: A Tale of Harriet, the Galapagos Tortoise

    Harriet the tortoise likes to do things slowly. She explores her home on the Galápagos Islands―slowly. She eats―slowly. And when the sun goes down, she slumbers deeply all night long.

    When Harriet’s friends tell her to pick up the pace, Harriet decides to journey to a neighboring island to see what there is to see. She parades with penguins and rides with dolphins, encountering adventure at every turn. But is life in the fast lane right for a tortoise who loves to take her time?

    Marine Iguanas - Tails of the Galapagos Islands Series

    Marine Iguanas. Discover the unique Galapagos Island critter called the Marine Iguana. Designed for Young Readers (Ages 5-7) in mind, your little adventurist can immerse themselves within the colorful pages that take them on a journey to better understand the Life of the Marine Iguana. Fun facts and vibrant photos make this book an enjoyable read now and for years to come.

    Facts About Blue-Footed Booby

    The boobies got their name from the Spanish word bobo.

    Bobo means “fool” or “clown” because they seemed so silly and foolish to explorers with their colorful feet, funny walk, and what they felt was an unnatural fear of man.

    Just like how flamingos are pink due to their eating habits, the color of their webbed feet comes from the collagens in the skin that are changed because of their diet of fresh fish.

    The brighter blue feet that a male has the more interesting he is to females.

    While boobies seem to move clumsily on land, their almost 5-foot wingspan lets them fly powerfully.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Also, they can fly for a long time, long distances, and are amazing plunge divers on the hunt for food, maneuvering well even in shallow water.

    Blue-footed boobies as marine birds only need land to lay eggs and raise their young.

    And they keep those eggs warm with their feet which are well supplied with blood and make a great little heater for the eggs to keep them toasty.

    More Bird Crafts

    • How to Make DIY Hummingbird Nectar And Favorite Amazon Rainforest Hummingbirds Facts
    • How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing
    • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
    • Free Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas
    • Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
    • How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock
    • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
    • Free North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Finally, look at how to make a blue-footed booby sock bird craft.

    How to Make A Blue-Footed Booby Sock Bird Craft

    You will need:

    • White tube sock
    • Black felt
    • Blue felt
    • Blue pipe cleaner
    • Google eyes
    • Brown paint
    • paintbrush
    • Uncooked white rice/beans
    • Hot glue gun/glue
    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    First, decide what size you would like to make your bird craft and fill that size halfway with either the other sock in the pack or some cotton stuffing. I made mine about ⅓ of the sock length.

    Place rice in a cup and dump it into the sock by wrapping the sock opening around the cup and flipping it over until the other half is full.

    This will give your blue-footed booby some weight and help him sit upright nicely.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Cut off the excess from the open end, leaving just enough to fold over.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Fold the end in and glue it like you would gift wrap on the end of a box and secure it with glue.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    On the same end attach two halves of blue pipe cleaner sticking out for legs.

    Once the glue is dry it ends downward and uses brown paint to speckle the head like a blue-footed booby.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Then, paint on wing shapes on either side. Allow paint to dry completely, you can save this step for last if you prefer.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Cut a long black triangle twice as wide as you would like the beak to be.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Fold it over with a piece of pipe cleaner in the middle to give the felt some stiffness and glue the sides together. Trim off the excess pipe cleaner sticking out.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Hot glue the beak into place on the front and arrange two googly eyes close on either side.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Cut two webbed feet out of the blue felt.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Hot glue to the end of the blue pipe cleaners.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Finally, attach a small piece of the sock scrap to the back for a tail.

    How To Make A Blue-Footed Booby Bird Craft

    Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, south america

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