• Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

Activity, Change, Progress

  • HOME
  • How to
    • Preschool
    • Kindergarten
    • Middle School
    • High School
  • Planner
  • Lapbooks
    • Trioramas
    • History Games
  • Shop
  • GET STARTED NOW!
    • Learning Styles
  • 7 Step Planner
    • DIY Best Student Planner
    • Free & Easy DIY Home Management Binder
  • Unit Studies
    • Creation to Ancients
    • Middle Ages to Reform
    • Exploring to Revolution
    • World Wars to Today
    • Science
    • Free Art Curriculum Grades 1 – 8
  • Curriculum
    • More Unit Studies
    • Geography
    • Writing PreK to 12th
    • Geronimo Stilton
  • BootCamp
    • Resources
      • Dynamic Subscriber Freebies
      • Exclusive Subscribers Library
      • Ultimate Unit Study Planner

preschool

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

December 24, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I can’t wait to share some easy Northern Lights crafts for preschoolers including my own tutorial for a Northern Lights night light. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more ideas.

Preschoolers will enjoy designing their own night light.

Then they will love being able to turn it on every night to brighten up their nightstand or any little corner of their room

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

If you have more than one child you will be amazed at how the same craft supplies can turn into such unique final results.

I will also share a few other northern lights crafts for preschoolers.

Ad as always I have lots of great information for you to use in your study.

If you are in upper Michigan, Idaho, Minnesota, or another northern state,

I have a list of tips and where to see the Northern Lights in North America.

What an experience that will be.

The Northern Lights are like a magical light show in the night sky.

Imagine colorful ribbons of light dancing and twirling high above, painting the darkness with shades of green, red, blue, and purple.

BOOKS ABOUT AWESOME THINGS IN THE SKIES

First, look at a few of these books to add to your home library.

5 Books About Awesome Things in the Skies

Whether it’s the Northern Lights or shooting stars these books bring the wonder of the skies to life!

Arctic Lights, Arctic Nights

Imagine a land where the sun rises at 1:58 a.m. in the summer and shines for less than four hours on a winter's day. The animals in the wilderness near Fairbanks, Alaska, witness some of the world's greatest temperature extremes and light variations ever year. At an average low of -16 degrees Fahrenheit, the winters may be unpleasantly frigid, but the light shows are always glorious!

The Lights That Dance in the Night

The northern lights bring wonder and joy to all the creatures who bask under their mysterious glow in this gorgeous picture book from the creator of the holiday hit The Tree That's Meant to Be.From tiny specks of dust to gleaming rays in the dark, the northern lights travel across the Arctic, uniting every creature in a celebration over land and sea.In this wonderfully wintery picture book, Yuval Zommer imagines the northern lights' fleeting journey from space to Earth and how they weave a special magic for the animals and people living in the frozen lands below.

Shooting Stars

Explains what shooting stars are, what they are made of, and what happens to them when they land on Earth.

The Mysteries of the Universe: Discover the best-kept secrets of space

Space is so much bigger than young minds can fathom and there is always more to learn. The Mysteries of the Universe is a stunning space encyclopedia for young readers to explore, with reference pages packed with fascinating information, little learners will be captivated as they journey through the vastness of the Universe. From planets and asteroids to black holes and galaxies, every page of this enthralling space book reveals the secrets behind more than 100 celestial objects, and will inspire  youngsters as they journey through the vastness of the Universe. Each celestial body is shown both photographically and illustrated, and children will love poring over the detailed close-up images.Get ready to explore fun facts and exciting new scientific discoveries as this best-selling picture book will illuminate imaginations and spark curious minds to explore the vastness of space. The engaging storybook-style descriptions and simple text shed a light on facts, myths, and key discoveries about the universe, perfect for children aged 6-8 to explore the wonders of our solar system and beyond.

Northern Lights:the award-winning, internationally bestselling, now full-colour illustrated edition

A stunning full-colour illustrated gift hardback to celebrate the 25th anniversary of NORTHERN LIGHTS, with breathtaking art throughout by Chris Wormell.

First published in 1995, and acclaimed as a modern masterpiece, this first book in the series won the UK's top awards for children's literature.

“Without this child, we shall all die.”

Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford.

The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic

Where does this amazing light come from?

Well, it all starts with our sun.

FACTS ABOUT THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

The Sun sends out tiny particles called solar wind.

These particles travel through space and sometimes reach Earth. When they bump into Earth’s atmosphere, they create a beautiful display of light – the Northern Lights!

The Northern Lights can take on many shapes and forms.

Sometimes they look like shimmering curtains, other times they ripple like waves, and sometimes they even swirl like spirals!

They can be bright or faint, and their colors can change quickly, making them even more mesmerizing to watch.

The Lights are most visible during the winter months when the nights are long and dark.

 They’re also more common in places close to the North Pole, like Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and even parts of Scotland and Russia.

They’re called the Northern Lights because they’re most often seen in the northern part of the world.

But they can also be seen in the southern part of the world, where they’re called the Southern Lights or Aurora Australis

They also have a scientific name- Aurora Borealis! Aurora means “dawn” and Borealis means “north” in Latin.

Some people believe that the Northern Lights make sounds, like crackling or whistling, but scientists are still studying this.

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and we can’t control when or where they appear. That’s part of what makes them so special.

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

Before you get into the craft projects watch The Northern Lights| Science for kids gives a simple but thorough explanation into the how and why.

NORTHERN LIGHTS CRAFTS FOR PRESCHOOLERS

  • Preschoolers will love exploring this bonus activity Make the Northern Lights! Sensory Tray + Science Experiment.
  • Try making the Northern Lights With Watercolors for another fun but simple craft.
  • Learn about Exploring Northern Lights With Kids Through Art And Music .
  • Northern Lights Art For Kids
  • How cute would these Northern Lights Sugar Cookies be to bake and enjoy with your preschooler for this unit?
  • This Paint Splat Northern Lights project is simple but amazes kids in the way that it creates mirrored images on both sides of the paper by pressing it.
Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

Finally, look at how to make this fun nightlight to lean about the Northern Lights.

NORTHERN LIGHTS CRAFT FOR PRESCHOOLERS – NIGHTLIGHT

You will need:

  • Mason or other jar
  • Tissue paper
  • School glue
  • Foam brush
  • Small battery operated light
Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

First, you want to do is make a mixture of half school glue and half water, stir It up well.

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

Your child rip thin long strips of a multitude of colors.

The most seen in the northern lights are green, blue, purple, and pink.

You can also shred up some black tissue paper if you like in order to create a shadow of the mountains, hillsides, or trees.

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

Turn your jar on its side and spread a thin layer of the glue mixture on a small portion of the jar. We started at the bottom with our black silhouette shapes.

 After you’ve pressed the tissue paper onto the glue tap over top of it with the brush to add glue.

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

Continue covering the remainder of the jar, adding a little glue at a time, pressing tissue paper into it and then covering with another layer of glue.

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

Set aside and allow to dry completely.

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

Add a small battery-operated light to your jar like a tealight or a tap light.

I linked one above that we really like, it comes with a remote control as well.

Explore the Magic: Easy Northern Lights Crafts for Preschoolers

If you are using a mason jar you can replace the lid and ring or just the ring to let more light out, or place whatever cap you have back on it.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, preschool, science, winter crafts

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

September 12, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, we’re making a letter Y handprint craft. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more handprint crafts and preschool ideas.

And we’re featuring a yak, a fun new animal to introduce to your preschooler or kindergartener.

There is just something so precious about those first little handprint crafts with tiny fingers that won’t stay that way for long.

Too, they are so proud of the finished product.

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

My main focus during the preschool years is reading good quality books.

Reading aloud develops imagination, vocabulary, language development, listening skills, comprehension, and helps grow their focus and attention.

I found the absolute cutest story that went right along with our activity and of course “we” had to model our yak after the little hero of the story Gertie.

The book is The Littlest Yak. A cute must read with your littles.

While Gertie is adorable, yaks really are amazing animals that live in the high mountains of the Himalayas. Yaks are very important to the people of the Himalayas

Known for their long, shaggy fur and their big horns, yaks are found in the high mountains of Asia.

What makes them so amazing is that yaks are very strong and can carry incredibly heavy loads.

They are also very gentle and friendly animals.

People in the Himalayas use yaks for many things.

For example, they are used to transport goods, to pull plows, and to provide milk and meat.

Books about the Continent of Asia for Kids

Also, grab some of these books to read about Asia to your child.

I love to use living books when I can find them.

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?

Then look at some fun facts about yaks to share with your children.

5 Yak Fun Facts 

  1. Yak poop doesn’t stink-when they have water and are able to forage to eat, their dung has little to no odor. The Tibetan plateaus don’t have trees, so yak dung is the only easily obtainable fuel.
  2. Yaks have two layers of fur to keep them warm in the high altitude cold mountain air of places like China, Nepal, Mongolia, and Tibet. See if you can find these places on a map or globe.
  3. They have a long social life in the wild and can live for up to 20 years with their herds.
  4. Yaks are herbivores, which means that they eat plants like low lying grasses and shrubs.
  5. Yak butter is big in Tibet, their milk is  white or pink and very nutritious. It is also used to make a unique popular cheese.

Also, add a few more letter y handprint crafts to your day.

More Letter Y Handprint And Y Crafts

  • Y is for Yo Yo, Here you will find some Letter Y craft ideas including a cute little hand that has been traced, cut out, and holding a yo yo.
  • For a unique take on the letter, check out –Y is For Yacht and take a boating turn on letter learning.
  • I thought that Y is for Yellow was a clever practice for Y, bright and colorful it catches a child’s attention and is a good representation of the sound.
  • Loads of activity ideas to supplement and a Y is For Yawn craft that might make you a bit sleepy too ( I recommend this one before nap time).
  • Make a mess with squiggly piles of yarn to create this Y is for Yarn craft.
How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

More Handprint Crafts

  • Quick And Inexpensive Letter C Handprint Craft – Crafty Crab Fun
  • H Horse Handprint | Horse Study
  • N Is For Nest Handprint | Nests Study
  • How To Create A Sweet Strawberry Letter S Handprint Craft
  • How to Make A Letter V For Volcano Handprint Craft
  • P Is For Pineapple Craft | How To Make A Fun Handprint Pineapple

Additionally, here are more activities about Asia if you want to include you older children.

Asia Activities For Kids

  1. Quick and Easy Ancient Chinese Paper making for Kids
  2. Free Ancient China Lapbook for Kids Who Love Hands-on History
  3. Marco Polo Unit Study and Lapbook
  4. Medieval Japan Unit Study and Lapbook
  5. How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Finally, look at how to make this letter Y handprint craft.

Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

We are going to make a handprint craft from two handprints that make an adorable little yak.

We made ours black and white, but you can choose from the wide variety of yak colors to create yours.

Their fur comes in black, brown, white, and yellow.

You will need:

  • Construction paper
  • Craft paint
  • Google eyes
  • A little hand
  • paintbrushes
How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

First, gather all your supplies and have them close at hand so you don’t have to leave little painted hands unattended while you run to grab something.

Paint the entire hand white.

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

Now quickly go over the white with black paint on the 4 fingers only, excluding the thumb.

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

Then press the hand firmly onto the paper, making sure to press gently but firmly all over your palm and fingers.

Wash the hand clean.

Paint the palm black and the pinky and thumb white and press onto the paper slightly overlapping the body hand print you made.

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

Again, press the entire hand down firmly to transfer as much paint as you can.

Use a paintbrush to extend the horns or fill in gaps of missing paint if you need to.

To create their cold snowy climate, use the back and of a paintbrush dipped in white paint for snowflakes.

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

The final step is to draw a large Y in pencil.

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

Now, let or help your child paint over it with a small paintbrush to become more familiar with the letter.

How To Make A Letter Y Handprint Craft Featuring A Yak

Once everything is dry, glue googly eyes to the face to finish it off.

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: handprint, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool, homeschool preschool, life science, preschool, preschool skills, science, yak

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

September 9, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Are you looking for fun and easy ways to teach preschool hibernation science activities and resources that really nurture learning? Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more ideas.

Keep on reading for a host of wonderful ideas.

You know that hands-on activities are always my go-to for teaching.

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

But especially with younger children they need play learning.

Play learning incorporates sensory experiences, builds problem solving, and creates positive learning experiences.

When many animals disappear in winter, where do they go?

This is a great nature topic for preschoolers, to learn about hibernation.

Also, add some fun books.

HIBERNATION AND MIGRATION BOOKS FOR KIDS

We love living books so I add them to our reading list when I can find them.

Then some of my kids love reference books too.

6 Hibernation and Migration Books for Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

Add these fun books to your home library about animals that hibernate or migrate.

Traveling with the birds. A book on bird migration.

Bird migration.

Wild Voyageur

Story of a goose family.

Hibernation Station

Everybody at the station! It’s time for winter hibernation! The sweet rhyming text of this book will calm even the most rambunctious kids and have them dreaming about what it’s like to hibernate. Young readers will be soothed and delighted as this story introduces them to different types of hibernating animals. The creatures on the train are preparing to snuggle into sleep, although with a passenger list that includes chipmunks, bears, snakes, hedgehogs, groundhogs, frogs, turtles, mice, bats, and more, there’s a lot of noise! Will the hibernating critters ever get to sleep? Take a trip to Hibernation Station to find out!

Time to Sleep

A chill is in the air and Bear knows it is time for her winter nap. But first, she must tell Snail. And Snail must tell Skunk. And Skunk must tell Turtle. Each animal who tries to put off going to sleep just a little longer sees, smells, hears, or tastes the signs of the impending season. Finally, Ladybug rushes off to tell Bear--already asleep in her cave--the exciting news.

Animals in Winter

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

Have you ever seen a butterfly in the snow? Probably not. Butterflies can't survive cold weather, so when winter comes, many butterflies fly to warmer places. They migrate. Woodchucks don't like cold weather either, but they don't migrate; they hibernate. Woodchucks sleep in their dens all winter long. How do these and other animals handle the cold and snow of winter?

Over and Under the Snow

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

WHAT IS HIBERNATION

Hibernation is a special kind of deep sleep that certain animals do to survive the cold winter months.

When animals hibernate, their body temperature drops way down, their breathing slows way down, and they go into a deep sleep.

This helps them save energy and make it through the winter without having to find food.

These creatures usually start preparing for hibernation in the fall by eating tons of food to build up their fat stores.

They also find a safe and cozy place to sleep, like a cave or a burrow.

Once they’re all settled in, they will sleep for most of the winter.

They might wake up every once in a while, for a quick snack or drink, but they’ll mostly just be snoozing until spring arrives.

When spring finally comes around, hibernating animals will wake up and start eating and moving around again.

They’ll be hungry after their long sleep, so they’ll often start looking for food right away.

Hibernation is an incredible way for animals to survive the winter.

It’s like they have their own built-in sleeping bags and fat stores that act as fully stocked refrigerators to live off.

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

Animals that Hibernate

  • Snakes
  • Bats
  • Deer Mice
  • Groundhogs
  • Hedgehogs
  • Box Turtles
  • Bumblebees
  • Fat Tailed Dwarf Lemur
  • Chipmunks
  • Ground Squirrels
  • Ladybugs
  • Marmots
  • Skunks
  • Raccoons
  • Woodchucks

Next, look at more preschool hibernation science activities. 

MORE PRESCHOOL HIBERNATION SCIENCE ACTIVITIES 

  1. Make A Paper Bag Bear Den for Small World Play and you not only have an art project but also a really cute cave to add to blocks or sensory bins.
  2. Young preschoolers will love this Animals In Winter Hibernation Sensory Activity.
  3. Paper plate crafts are very inexpensive and can be so cute like the Hibernating Bear Paper Plate Craft And Free Template.
  4. Hibernation Habitat Process Art.
  5. Some bats migrate and some hibernate, make this cute Fun Bat Anatomy Toilet Paper Roll Craft | 8 Bat Science Activities Preschool.
  6. Check out this Over and Under The Snow Activities for a Free Literature Unit Study while they are also learning basic nature science concepts.
Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

An invitation to play is a wonderful activity that encourages a child to expand their thinking and creativity.

Children play in a new way, allowing for open-ended play with little to no direction.

HIBERNATION SCIENCE INVITATION TO PLAY

After reading a book on hibernation, watching a video, or completing another activity your child will love diving into creating hibernation habitats for their little animals.

Or they might build a bridge for them to cross, sort the materials, or create a maze- all wonderful exploration ideas!

Grab a divided tray and let’s get started.

If you don’t have one on hand you can find several sizes and styles at Dollar Tree.

If you want something a little more organic and durable these wooden options are beautiful.

You will need:

  • A divided tray
  • Fiber fill
  • Toilet paper roll
  • Small plastic animals that hibernate
  • Clay or playdough
  • Natural items-moss, twigs, bark, small rocks
Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

First, gather as many natural materials as you can from the yard.

For example, sticks, twigs, rocks, large chunks of bark, leaves, and moss all make lovely natural habitat pieces.

 I like to also include some small rocks or pebbles to use for building caves.

You will probably want to also include a few toys and household items like small plastic animals, cotton batting makes a wonderful layer of snow.

Also, an empty toilet paper tube can be colored like this to create a hollowed out log (you are not likely to find a miniature version in your yard).

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

I like to also include some clay whenever it is any kind of building invitation to play because it helps adhere things together in a non-permanent way.

PRESCHOOL INVITATION TO PLAY

You can use Play-Doh but I find that this Crayola air-dry clay is much stickier.

Lay out your items separated into your divided tray and don’t forget to include an on-theme book for them to reference IF they wish.

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

Start building the base of your cave and use clay as mortar to hold the rocks together.

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

Continue building up and around until you have it completed.

Don’t forget to make sure it is large enough for your animal to fit inside.

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

We used our colored toilet paper roll as a hollow log for our squirrel to curl up in for the winter and covered it in a layer of “snow”.

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

While platypuses do not hibernate for the winter they do go into a state called ‘torpor’ ( which has only been witnessed in captivity)for up to 6 days.

This is a great opportunity to discuss animals that do and do not hibernate and those that partially hibernate.

We tucked ours among some logs.

Fun and Easy Preschool Hibernation Science Activities to Nurture Learning

Let your child play as long as they like exploring, creating, and enjoying.

You may find that if you put it away a few days later and bring it back out with a few new pieces added into it it’ll be like a fresh activity all over again.

Can you spot our hibernating snake?

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

How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers

September 5, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some fun fall leaves crafts for preschoolers. Of course, this is a great activity for kindergarten too. Also, you’ll love my Fall Season Unit Study and Free Lapbook. Too, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool.

There are many fun ways to develop fine motor skills.

Especially with preschoolers, you want to keep the emphasis on fun and not push them into formal learning.

Too, using a theme like fall leaves crafts for preschoolers you can squeeze in fun learning.

How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers

And nurturing fine motor skills are important to fostering self-care.

For example, children should have plenty of time develop fine motor skills to help them with things like tying their shoes and buttoning their clothes.

However, writing is another essential skill.

Children have to learn the physical part of writing before they compose sentences.

But the mistake made by most parents is to stick a pencil in a toddler’s hands. They are not ready to write.

Again, preschool fine motor skills need to be developed first.

With that being said, the best way to develop fine motor skills is for a young child to play and learn.

Books about Fall for Kids

Our theme today is about fall leaves.

And you read aloud a book to your preschooler while they make fun fall leaves confetti.

15 Fall Books For Kids Who Love to Read and Be Read To

With a chill in the air and leaves falling, grab one or two of these fun books for your home library.

Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic

A compilation of Native American speeches affirming the desire to live in spiritual and ecological harmony includes the words of Geronimo, Sitting Bull, and Cochise, covering such topics as fishing rights, peace treaties, and the devastation of their land.

Autumn Harvest

"Mr. Tresselt writes quiet, factual prose about katydids, reapers and threshing, falling leaves, apple-gathering, and the first frost."--New York Herald Tribune.

Autumn Leaves

A concise text and crisp, close-up, color photographs of thirteen different leaves from North American trees teach very young children how to look at and compare the leaves of autumn, and are accompanied by an explanation of why they turn color.

The Apple Pie That Papa Baked

These are the apples, juicy and red,that went in the pie,warm and sweet,that Papa baked...for guess who!

Sophie's Squash

Kids will love this playful story of of a unique fall friendship between a girl . . . and her squash!On a trip to the farmers' market with her parents, Sophie chooses a squash, but instead of letting her mom cook it, she names it Bernice. From then on, Sophie brings Bernice everywhere, despite her parents' gentle warnings that Bernice will begin to rot. As winter nears, Sophie does start to notice changes.... What's a girl to do when the squash she loves is in trouble?

Autumn Story: Introduce children to the seasons in the gorgeously illustrated classics of Brambly Hedge!

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the miniature world of the mice of Brambly Hedge!

Bad weather is on the way and the autumn stores are still not gathered in!

Quickly, all the mice of Brambly Hedge set to work to finish the harvesting before the rain begins. Primrose, Lord Woodmouse's daughter, meant to help, but somehow she daydreamed her way over the cornfield and into the Chestnut Woods, and before she knew it, she was lost. The sun went down, the wind rose and it began to rain. Primrose was all alone in the dark and she was frightened.

Poor Primrose, would she find her way home again?

Mr. Hermit Miser and the Neighborly Pumpkin: the green edition |

Mr. Hermit Miser doesn’t like his neighbors, and they don’t like him. But when a pumpkin vine sprouts in Mr. Hermit Miser’s yard and makes its way into the neighbors’ yards, but he wants all those pumpkins for pies … well, what is he to do?

With adventures in pumpkin-snatching, failed attempts at baking pies, and pumpkin goo everywhere, this tale about being neighborly in a not-so-perfect way will be an endearing autumn story for all the readers in your circle.

This reprint of a 1949 classic adds some recipes, a poem, and a bit of pie-history as well.

Dance Like a Leaf

As her grandmother's health declines, a young girl begins to lovingly take the lead in their cozy shared autumn traditions. Poetic prose paired with evocative illustrations by Mexican illustrator Claudia Navarro make for a beautiful celebration of life and a gentle introduction to the death of a loved one.

The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night

"[Spier's] finely detailed, action-packed New England autumn vistas are almost startlingly beautiful."—The New York Times  Over fifty years after he won a Caldecott Honor for The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night, legendary illustrator Peter Spier went back to this time-honored favorite in 2014 to paint the half of the book that was originally printed in black and white. In this glowing, restored vision of Spier’s beloved classic, follow the wily fox as he roams a sleepy New England town in search of a meal, with tones and textures so vivid you can almost hear the crackle of crisp fall leaves and the ripples of the river in the moonlight.

Down Buttermilk Lane

An Amish family, traveling by buggy, spends a day doing errands in the village, visiting, and returning home in time for supper

Fall Leaves

Autumn is in the air: days grow shorter and nights are long. Birds leave, flowers, too. Apples and temperatures fall—then snow!Part poem, part silent stage, this luminous picture book puts autumn on display and captures the spirit of change that stays with us long after fall leaves. Unlock the secrets of this busy and beautiful time of year as the natural world makes way for winter.

Hooray for Fall!

Mama has a surprise for her three little squirrels: three bright red sweaters to keep them warm throughout the fall. Imagine the siblings’ surprise when they find that everything in the autumn woods—the leaves, the berries, even the setting sun—is red too, just like their sweaters.This celebration of a perfect fall day will have young and old alike looking for signs of autumn in their own neighborhoods. Kazuo Iwamura’s books celebrating the seasons (Hooray for Spring!, Hooray for Summer!, Hooray for Fall!, and Hooray for Snow!) are perennial favorites—introducing children to the beauty and joy of each season. Iwamura masterfully captures the small wonders of nature in his illustrations and his stories with their gentle humor warm the heart.

Hopefully the Scarecrow

The perfect Fall book for kids! A poignant picture book about a scarecrow who befriends the young girl who reads to him day after day until one day he's left wondering where she is.A scarecrow stood in the garden. Tall, proud, and smiling. Every day a girl brought her favorite books to the garden and she read to him. He heard tales of courage and of hope. And when she said, "The End," the scarecrow always felt a little bit taller and braver. Year after year, she came and she read to him.Until one spring, two different hands picked him up from the garden shed and placed him in the garden. He waited, but she didn't come to read to him.With poignant words from award-winning author Michelle Houts and lush illustrations by Pura Belpré Honor winner Sara Palacios, Hopefully the Scarecrow is a tender distillation of the enduring power of friendship and a heartwarming look at the ways stories connect us.

Maple & Willow Apart

Funny, relatable sibling dynamics make this story a wonderful way to address navigating big changes. Lori Nichols’s expressive artwork beautifully portrays Maple and Willow’s strong bond, and children will love the creative, kid-powered solution. Maple and Willow have always been inseparable. So what happens when Maple starts big-girl school and Willow stays behind? Well, of course, both girls have marvelous adventures of their own, but the truth is, they miss each other. And when they see that the missing is mutual, they find a unique way to feel connected even when they have to be apart.

Now It's Fall (Lois Lenski Books)

School bells and apples and big ripe pumpkins-all the pleasures of fall come alive in this newly reissued classic by award winner Lois Lenski. First published in 1948, Now It's Fall is a timeless celebration of autumn that will enchant a whole new generation of young readers with its gently recolored illustrations.

Also, there are other ways to develop your child’s motor skills with an autumn twist.

More Fall Leaves Crafts for Preschoolers

  • Make Cute Felt Leaf Sachets For Fall Leaf Crafts for Preschoolers
  • Leaf Activities for 2 to 5 Year Olds
  • Fall Tree Craft
  • Leaf Rubbing Activity: Art & Science Project
  • EASY Fall Leaf Craft for Preschoolers
How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers

Ways for a Preschooler to Use Confetti

Next look at a few ways to use the fall leaf confetti.

  • Use it in a fall sensory bin. Add some pompoms, scoops and animals or toys to sort.
  • Have your preschooler create a collage greeting card. Such a fun independent activity they’ll love.
  • Have your child use tweezers to sort the confetti by color.
  • Match the confetti with the leaves and talk about the leaves

3 Trees in North America

Additionally, we have many trees whose leaves put on a beautiful autumn scene.

Look at facts about 3 trees.

  • Oak trees. Their leaves are large and oval, and the leaves turn shades of brown and red.
  • Maple trees. Maple trees put on of the most beautiful shows in the fall. The leaves are vibrant read and orange and the leaves with their pointed shape are easily identifiable.
  • Hickory trees. The leaves are long and narrow and have shades of yellow-brown.
How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers

Next, look at how to make fun hole punched leaf confetti.

How to Make Easy Hole Punched Confetti Using Leaves

Supplies:

  • Variety of fall leaves
  • Hole punch
  • Paper plate
  • Small bowl

Directions:

Go out on a nature walk and collect a variety of fall leaves.

How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers

Bring them in and set aside to dry. (The hole punching works better when the leaves are dry.)

Use the hole punch to punch holes into the leaves.

How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers

Empty the hole punch into the small bowl.

You’ll want to empty the hole punch regularly so that it doesn’t get too full or jammed up.

How To Make Confetti Fall Leaves Crafts For Preschoolers

Continue punching holes in leaves until you get the desired amount of confetti.

Leaf Confetti can be used for a variety of crafts and activities during the fall season.

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

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

August 20, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This preschool beaver craft provides an opportunity for your preschooler to learn about beavers. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more ideas.

And they learn about beaver’s habitats but encourages creativity and fine motor skills development.

This time we sewed up our craft on the sewing machine.

So, this is a great basic shape to introduce a child to the basics of sewing on a machine.

It introduces a very simple pattern.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

It allows them to learn how to move the material carefully through the machine as it sews, enjoy filling it, and the reward of the finished product!

However, if you would like to sew this by hand or glue it instead.

I tried to keep the instructions very simple.

So that it is easily adaptable to any method you would like to use. 

We are bringing these fascinating semi-aquatic animals to life through our craft to deepen a child’s understanding of the natural world.

Besides, the best way to learn is enjoying a fun and engaging hands-on experience.

I think that they make a wonderful subject for a unit study.

To help you put one together. I have facts and plenty more craft and activity ideas to make it full and interesting.

5 Preschool Beaver Facts

  1. Beaver teeth are actually orange not white; their long incisors get their orange color from an iron-rich protective coating of enamel.
  2. Beavers are amazing animals that live in North America and Europe. They are known for their big, flat tails and their ability to build dams.
  3. And they use their tails to help them swim, to slap the water when they are in danger, and store fat for winter.
  4. They work together to build dams and lodges out of sticks and mud. Dams help to create ponds, which provide beavers with a safe place to live and raise their young- they make great nurseries.
  5. Beavers also use their dams to store food for the winter, smaller logs and twigs.
Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Next, look at more hands-on activities to learn about beavers.

Preschool Beaver Craft and Activity Ideas

We love a fun puppet and paper bags make a great inexpensive craft supply give this Easy Paper Bag Beaver Craft  a try.

A really hands-on activity for younger children this Pond Life for Kindergarten Activity Build a Fun Beaver Dam teaches early engineering skills, exploring senses, animal science, and more.

Make a Beaver Paper Plate Craft for Kids {Booking Across the USA}, a quick inexpensive and easy craft while you learn about beavers.

I think that these No-Bake Beaver Dam Cookies are a must for any beaver unit, a tasty way to demonstrate how and why they build them.

This is a really gross but fun idea I had that includes beaver scat-10 Gross Scat Facts and How to Make Edible Scat.

Watch this cute and informative 3 minute video on All ABout Beavers for Children.

Finally, look at how to make this stuffed beaver craft.

Stuffed Preschool Beaver Craft

You can either sew this by hand, use a sewing machine, or even put it together with hot glue or fabric glue as well.

You will need:

  • Medium brown felt
  • Dark brown felt
  • Needle/thread or sewing machine
  • 2 googly eyes
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun
Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

First, fold your light brown felt in half.

Cut an oval shape out of both pieces at the same time making one end more narrow for the head.

Use another piece of brown felt to cut out four webbed feet or use the scraps that are left from cutting out your oval shape.

Be sure to leave them a little long so you have excess to attach inside the

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Fold your dark brown felt in half and cut a tail and two small ear shapes.

Cut out two large teeth from white felt.

Make them a little longer than you want them.

You will be tucking some inside.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Lay out one of your cut light brown pieces.

Use hot glue, fabric glue or some other type of glue to quickly tack the feet and tail pieces into place.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Lay the second tail piece on top and then the second body piece to line up your edges.

Flip it up and attach the tail to the other piece of body, keeping everything aligned.

You can use pins to line up your edges if you like.

For quick projects like this I thought it would be a simpler first time preschooler project to avoid them.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Start just outside the tail and sew a quarter of an inch from the edge all the way around stopping on the other side right at the tail.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Stuff the body as full as you would like with cotton batting through the tail opening.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Now sew the tail.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Sew all the way around the tail, securing across where it comes out from the body.

Leave a couple inches for stuffing.

Fill the tail with cotton batting.

Since beavers have a large flat tail, we didn’t add as much stuffing to the tail.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

Attach the eyes and ears with a little bit of hot glue.

Fun Preschool Beaver Craft: Simple Projects for Little Hands

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

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Page 3
  • Page 4
  • Page 5
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Page 13
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Footer

Privacy Policy | About Me | Reviews | Contact | Advertise

Categories

Archives

Tina Robertson is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · 5 TNT LLC · Log in · Privacy Policy