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Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

April 24, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This activity for preschoolers about Make Way For Ducklings is fun to do for a spring theme. Also, you’ll love my Free Bird Unit Study.

Are you looking for an easy but engaging spring lesson to enjoy with your preschooler?

This is a fun way to work on learning without sitting down and “doing school”.

And you can read aloud while your child’s hands are busy.

Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

Grab a copy of Make Way for Ducklings and check out the sweet duck pond activity I have for you.

Make Way For Ducklings is a classic storybook that still holds up today even though it was written over 80 years ago.

It is a fun and simple story about two mallard ducks searching for the perfect place to raise their babies and their adventures once their 8 precious babies are hatched. 

To go along with it I have a 2-ingredient playdough recipe that is so fluffy and smooth to the touch.

It is a fun and unique sensory experience for small hands to mold, flatten, shape, and squeeze,

Add a few pond-themed items and some other little trinkets to it while you read from the story, and you have a wonderful activity for preschoolers up to lower elementary aged children.

Facts About Ducks

But first, here are some facts about ducks that either your preschoolers or older child may enjoy.

  • It takes about 28 days for duck eggs to hatch.
  • In the wild ducks will usually eat fish eggs, aquatic plants, small fish, worms, and insects.
  • Ducklings can fly within 5-8 weeks of hatching.
  • Did you know that ducks have 3 eyelids and can see in color?
  • There are over 100 types of ducks and all of them have waterproof feathers.
  • You can find ducks all over where there are small bodies of water-wetlands, marshes, ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans. 
  • To protect themselves ducks can close one eye and put half their brain to sleep while the other half keeps watch. 
  • Waterfowl is the term used to describe the group of birds which includes ducks, geese, and swans.
  • Also, some ducks eat aquatic plants, seeds from grasses and other plants, snails and other insects and invertebrates.
  • Bread doesn’t have good nutritional value for ducks. It can cause health issues if they eat too much.
  • A male duck is called a drake.
  • A female duck is called a hen.

Then add some hands-on activities.

More Duck Hands-on Activities and Resources

  • Head on over and check out this Make Way For Ducklings Unit Study and Lapbook to extend the lessons even further.
  • You may like the style of a Make Way For Ducklings FIAR Study.
  • Head out to a local pond if you have one and see if you can spot some ducks, take a long a little food if it’s allowed in your area to toss for them. Here is also a recipe for a lovely DIY Duck Food that is duck-safe and nutritious for them.
  • Make a paper plate duck, it becomes a great puppet for play.
  • Build LEGO ducks with just a few basic LEGO bricks.
  • Counting Ducks is a solid early math activity for toddlers.
  • How cute are these Rice Cake Duck snacks?
  • This big lot of rubber ducks would make fantastic counters for a math activity.
  • Make a pond-themed slime in addition to the playdough for an alternative sensory experience.
Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

Too, add more bird unit study resources.

More Bird Craft Ideas and Resources

Also, here are some more fun bird crafts and activities.

  • 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
  • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
  • Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
  • Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
  • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft
  • How to Make a Kid’s Fun and Easy Bird Nest Activity
  • How to Make an Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids
  • Hands-On Nature Study: Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity
  • Hands-On Nature Study: Make a Fun Bird Nesting Bag
  • Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study
  • Winter Nature Craft: How to Make Easy DIY Bird Feeders

Make Way for Ducklings 2 Ingredient Playdough Invitation to Play

You will need:

  • ½ cup hair conditioner
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • Blue food coloring
  • Essential oil-optional
Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

Other fun things to add:

  • Pond themed toys
  • Sticks and pebbles
  • Duck-shaped cookie cutter
  • Letter beads or tiles
  • Small blue glass beads

In a medium-sized bowl stir together hair conditioner and cornstarch.

You will need to get in it with your hands after the initial mixing to make sure everything is combined well.

The texture should be like a very soft marshmallow, if it’s too crumbly add more conditioner, if it’s too wet add a bit more cornstarch.

Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

Once the texture is good, mix in blue food coloring to get to the color you want.

Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

If you have a light or unscented conditioner you might want to add a few drops of essential oil to give it a calming scent, lavender is perfect for this making it a relaxing activity.

Remove from the bowl and knead for a few minutes to work food coloring through and improve texture further, I highly recommend gloves at this point.

Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

To create a duck pond invitation to play, gather pond-themed toys such as these cute little ducks and fun things right from the yard like pebbles and small sticks.

Put them in a small, divided container such as a muffin tin and set them out with your 2 ingredient playdough for a fun sensory and imaginative playtime.

Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

Your child can recreate the story, make up a new one, or just enjoy the simple playtime with this soft dough and add-ons.

Depending on the age of your child you can also add letter beads or tiles to practice beginning letters for things like duck, pond, hatch, egg, etc. or to spell out the words for older children.

Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play

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

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

April 23, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This easy bird craft paper plate peacock is fun to do to celebrate Bird Day. Also, you’ll love my Free Bird Unit Study.

Peacocks are beautiful and easily identifiable.

They make the perfect model for a fun bird craft to include in your studies or just as a stand-alone activity.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

From their long, beautiful train to their unusual cry peacocks are exotic indeed.

Peacocks are also known as peafowls and peahens. The peafowl is a member of the pheasant family.

Facts About Peacocks

Look at some peacock facts.

  • The beautiful brightly colored birds with elegant tails are all males. Further, females (peahens) are a dull brown color, so they blend in with the nest to protect it.
  • The peahen has a weakness for the magnificent display of the males wide fanned train.
  • Peafowl lives between 10 and 25 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity.
  • In 1963 peacocks were declared the national bird of India.
  • Peafowls can fly, even with tails that stretch out to 5’ long, but not very far distances.
  • A group of peafowls is called a harem. A male can have up to 5 hens and father as many as 25 chicks.
  • Peacock feathers have microscopic structures that appear like crystals, this is what gives the bright almost fluorescent colors and shimmer.
  • There are only three species of peafowl: Indian, Green, and Congo.
How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Also, look at these resources about peacocks.

Books and Resources to Learn About Peacocks

Add one or two of these resources to your study about peacocks.

Unbelievable Pictures and Facts About Peacocks

On average how many years do peacocks live
for? Are peacocks animals which can be kept as pets?

In this book you will explore the wonderful world of peacocks, finding the answers to these questions and so many more. Complete with incredible pictures to keep even the youngest of children captivated, you will all embark on a little journey into the great unknown.

Big Book of Birds (The Big Book Series)

The next Big Book in the series introduces young children to some of the most colorful, magnificent, silly, and surprising feathered creatures from around the world.

Following up the hugely successful The Big Book of Bugs, The Big Book of Beasts, and The Big Book of the Blue, The Big Book of Birds is a fact-filled tour of the world’s most wonderful winged creatures. Yuval Zommer’s distinctive illustrations show off some of the most colorful, flamboyant, impressive, and wacky birds of the sky. Picture-book charm pairs with informative nonfiction to make a beautiful, large-format title for parents to share with young children and for older children to read by themselves.

Natural Peacock Feathers 10"-12" with Eye Peacock Tail Feather

100% Genuine natural peacock feathers.

Approximate Size :10-12 inch

Peafowl

An interesting and informative look into the life and behavior of peafowl for young readers.This book covers the physical characteristics, habitat, family life, behavior, and conservation of peafowl.

Next, look at some facts about peacocks in history.

Peacocks in History

Moreover, the Peacock Throne was a famous jeweled throne that was the seat of the emperors of the Mughal Empire in India.

Too, it was commissioned in the early 17th century by Emperor Shah Jahan and was located in the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences, or Ministers’ Room) in the Red Fort of Delhi.

It was named after a peacock as two peacocks are shown dancing at its rear.

According to Britannica: “It was ascended by silver steps and stood on golden feet set with jewels, and it was backed by representations of two open peacocks’ tails, gilded, enamelled, and inset with diamonds, rubies, and other stones.”

Additionally, in the gardens of India, Rome, and Ancient Greece live peacocks were kept.

According to the Greek Reporter: “The peacock plays a role in ancient Greek mythology as the symbol of the goddess Hera, the consort of Zeus.“

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Peacocks were featured in the royal courts of India for thousands of years.

Peacock and Bird Craft Ideas

  • Need more peacock art? Here is an Easy How to Draw a Peacock Tutorial Video and Peacock Coloring Page.
  • This little Cute Bird Made of Leftover Yarn is going on my to-make-it list.
  • A simple Yarn Wrapped Cardinal Craft not only makes a pretty craft but a great exercise for fine motor skills.
  • Watch What is it? Peacock to learn a little more about this brilliant bird.
  • Make a Tropical Birds Mobile with brightly colored parrots.
  • Little ones will appreciate the simplicity of the Paper & Sidewalk Chalk Baby Bird craft.
  • Listen to these peafowl sounds to get an idea of what this exotic bird sounds like.
  • Try making this Handprint Bald Eagle.
  • These Peacock Montessori Cards are the perfect companion to today’s peacock bird craft, helping your child label the different parts of the bird.

More Easy Bird Craft Ideas and Resources

Also, here are some more fun bird crafts and activities.

  • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
  • Free North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
  • Beautiful Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
  • Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
  • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft
  • How to Make a Kid’s Fun and Easy Bird Nest Activity
  • How to Make an Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids
  • Hands-On Nature Study: Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity
  • Hands-On Nature Study: Make a Fun Bird Nesting Bag
  • Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study
  • Winter Nature Craft: How to Make Easy DIY Bird Feeders
How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

You can make your paper plate peacock bird craft as simple or as elaborate as you like.

Add glitter, vibrant paints, and even sequins to dress up your fancy bird.

How to Make a Toilet Roll and Paper Plate Peacock

You will need:

  • Paper plate
  • Empty toilet paper roll
  • Bright craft paints-teal, purple, blue, yellow/gold
  • Paintbrushes
  • Craft feathers
  • Yellow construction paper
  • Black permanent marker
  • Hot glue gun/glue sticks
  • Glitter or sequins-optional

Directions:

Cut the bottom 1” of your paper plate off straight across.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Paint the entire plate a vibrant teal and set it aside to dry completely.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Pinch together one end of an empty toilet paper roll and secure with hot glue, and hold in place until cooled and hardened.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Paint the entire outside of the toilet paper roll with a deep blue for contrast.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Cut feet and a beak shape from yellow cardstock or construction paper.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Once the body is dry, glue the beak and feet in place and draw on little black eyes.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Add a small piece of feather to the top of the back of the head to give him a little crest.

Draw 6-8 lines from the bottom center of the dry plate up to the top to create the quill of the tail feathers.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Add small little lines up and down either side to represent the loose barbs.

To create the beautiful little eyes on the feathers, press your finger into a shallow puddle of yellow paint and make fingerprints across the top of the barbs.

Add smaller prints of purple and blue on top to form the eye, you can either do it carefully while it’s wet or allow each color to dry in between.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

If you want to add a little sparkle to your peacock, sprinkle a bit of glitter on the paint while it is still wet.

Let everything dry completely.

Finally, hot glue the body to the tail feathers, lining up the bottom so it sits nicely.

How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: birds, crafts, elementary science, life science, peacock, science, spring, spring crafts

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

April 22, 2023 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m sharing some fun science garden ideas and a fun pizza container garden. You’ll love more ideas on my page Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids (Middle – Upper Elementary)

Turn a simple interest in gardening into a fun lesson with a great hands-on activity by picking up a couple of fresh herb plants, some soil, and whatever planter you have on hand.

This is a fun garden idea for preschoolers through high schoolers to get involved in, making it the perfect activity for the whole family.

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

I have more science garden ideas for homeschooling that you can choose from.

Most families love pizza, so making a from-scratch pizza together, and adding fresh herbs that you grew with your hands makes it that much better.

Besides putting together a fabulous small herb garden you can also let the kids get creative juices flowing by creating their own plant labels to add to the garden as well.

Use this simply as a fun family activity or turn it into a unit study with books, additional gardening activities, cooking, and more.

In Farm Anatomy I found a treasure trove of information like how to grow tomatoes in various ways, tomato varieties, and even how to can tomatoes.

There are plenty of tips like bugs that are good vs. bad bugs for your garden.

And great herb illustrations as well as recipes.

More Science Garden Ideas

Next, look at more ideas to bring gardening, cooking, and science together.

  • How to Make Easy Herb and Olive Oil Garden Bread With Kids
  • How to Plan And Start an Easy Gardening Unit Study for Kids
  • George Washington Carver Fun Peanut Quick Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
  • Gardening Projects For Homeschool Easy Composting With the Amazing Dr. George Carver (Free Printable About Compost)
  • LEGO is good for everything. Check out How to Easily Garden Plan With Kids Using LEGO.
  • This simple activity is great for younger learners- Growing a Seed Activity For Kindergarten Science Kids Activity.
  • Kinder Gardening to Celebrate Nature and Science
  • Keep birds out of your garden with Painted Garden Rocks.
  • Cherokee Garden Pan Bread
  • This dinosaur garden is a fun activity reminiscent of fairy gardens, perfect for little hands.

Additionally, here are some fun books about gardening and ideas.

11 Gardening With Kids Books & Fun Resources

As a true bibliophile no unit study would be complete without a strong list of books to support a topic. Here is a great list for everyone in the family.

Farm Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of Country Life

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

The Garden Classroom: Hands-On Activities in Math, Science, Literacy, and Art

Packed with garden-based activities that promote science, math, reading, writing, imaginative play, and arts and crafts, The Garden Classroom offers a whole year of outdoor play and learning ideas—however big or small your garden.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt:

Explore the secret realm beneath the dirt that brings the world of nature to life: Follow a young girl and her grandmother on a journey through the year planning, planting, and harvesting their garden—and learn about what's happening in the dirt to help make it all happen.Up in the garden, the world is full of green—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt exists a busy world—earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow—populated by all the creatures that make a garden their home

Gardening Lab for Kids: 52 Fun Experiments to Learn, Grow, Harvest, Make, Play, and Enjoy Your Garden

A refreshing source of ideas to help your children learn to grow their own patch of earth, Gardening Lab for Kids encourages children to get outside and enjoy nature. This fun and creative book features 52 plant-related activities set into weekly lessons, beginning with learning to read maps to find your heat zone, moving through seeds, soil, composting, and then creating garden art and appreciating your natural surroundings.

The Ultimate Guide to Gardening: Grow Your Own Indoor, Vegetable, Fairy, and Other Great Gardens

Whether inside or outside, decorative or edible, this book is full of gardening projects large and small. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions are accompanied by photographs that guide the aspiring gardening through planting all kinds of gardens.

Kids Gardening Set

MONTESSORI FOR TODDLERS: Our gardening tool set encourages kids to play outside & learn about plants, nature & sustainability. Perfect for the yard and sand box.

OUTDOOR LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Our Kids Garden Set is great for Occupational Therapy & Developing Fine Motor Skills. Suitable for Boys and girls.

Do-It-Yourself Garden Research Handbook - The Thinking Tree: How to Design, Plant, & Care for Your Own Garden! Homeschooling Science, Nature & Home Economics

A Gardening Research Workbook & Planning Guide for Teens, Kids and Families! Perfect for Homeschooling Science, Nature Study, Botany and Home Economics!

Designed for teens, but perfect for Ages 9+ (Younger students will need some extra help).

Raised Garden Bed Wood Planter Boxes Outdoor for Kids with Legs

{Raised Garden Bed for Kids} We designed the children raised garden bed carefully, so that your children can feel the happiness of plant growth and the magic of natural life. Our raised garden bed deep enough to provide your plants and vegetables with ample room to breathe and grow healthy.

From Seed to Plant

Flowers, trees, fruits—plants are all around us, but where do they come from?  With simple language and bright illustrations, non-fiction master Gail Gibbons introduces young readers to the processes of pollination, seed formation, and germination.  Important vocabulary is reinforced with accessible explanation and colorful, clear diagrams showing the parts of plants, the wide variety of seeds, and how they grow.  The book includes instructions for a seed-growing project, and a page of interesting facts about plants, seeds, and flowers.   A nonfiction classic, and a perfect companion for early science lessons and curious young gardeners.

National Geographic Readers: Seed to Plant

Kids see plants, flowers, and trees around them every day. In this lively and educational reader, they'll learn how those plants grow. Kids will take this magical journey from seed pollination to plant growth, learning about what plants need to thrive and grow with the same careful text, brilliant photographs, and the fun approach National Geographic Readers are known for.

Oh Say Can You Seed? All About Flowering Plants

An easy and fun introduction to plant biology! With the able assistance of Thing 1 and Thing 2 - the Cat in the Hat explores the world of plants. Kids will learn about the various parts of plants, seeds, and flowers; basic photosynthesis and pollination; and seed dispersal.

Next, look at this fun gardening idea of doing a pizza container garden.

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

Now, you can absolutely start your herb and vegetable garden from seeds but for new gardeners, I highly suggest that you start with plants.

How to Make Pizza Herb Garden

This helps keep the kids excited about the project as it speeds up the time from planting to harvest quite a bit.

You will need the following:

  • Basil Plant
  • Oregano Plant
  • Pepper Plant
  • Tomato Plant
  • Potting Soil
  • Large or multiple containers for planting
  • Wood craft sticks
  • Sharpie markers

Directions:

Start with a good-sized container with drainage holes.

Fill the container ¾ of the way with potting soil.

Press the tomato cage down into the soil so that it is secure.

Since I used a container that wouldn’t allow enough of the supports to go in, I bent the ends up about 5” and pressed it in the soil nearly to the bottom.

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

Carefully remove each plant from the pot and spread it out around your container.

You don’t want to overcrowd your pot. They may be small now, but plants will grow quickly with proper care.

For the tomato plant, you want to put it inside the cage, laying on its side up to the first set of leaves.

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

Add your other herbs, spacing them as far apart as you can.

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

Looking good already, right?

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

Water until the soil is soaked.

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

Paint each craft stick a fun color to help them last a little longer outdoors, allowing them to dry completely.

Write out the names of your plants onto the craft stick with permanent markers or paint pens, let them get creative, and draw pictures or simple doodles on them if they want.

Add your labels to the plants in the pots to keep track.

For the first week or two you will want to make sure that your water well every day.

After that several times a week, keep an eye out for weeds.

Even in a container, weeds will make their way through draining holes or some spread seeds by floating.

7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: earthscience, garden, gardening, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, life science, science

Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

April 16, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, I have some fun outdoor activities for middle schoolers today. Also, look at my page homeschool middle school for more fun tips. Too, look at my page Homeschool Geography for hands-on and simple ideas and tips.

Besides, National Trails Day is April 22nd and that is a great time to start hiking the trails if you have never been or find a new one in your area if you have.

Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

I also want to introduce or reacquaint you with another couple of fabulous outdoor activities for middle schoolers that go hand in hand with hiking trails which are geocaching and nature study.

In addition, I have another idea for outdoor activities for middle schoolers which is to teach them what to pack in your hiking pack list.

Too, I highly recommend a good quality comfy pair of shoes for everyone before you head out.

Hiking for Middle Schoolers

Hiking is a wonderful way to get exercise, fresh air, and get in a nature study.

Also, you also don’t usually have to go far to get some hiking in.

Check out this list of state parks by U.S. state that you can visit to get a hike in on the trails.

Or use it to find different trails near you. You can see the links location mark off the trail when you’ve completed it.

  • Check out local state and national parks in your state here for trails.
  • The National Parks Service also has an extensive listing of parks for each state.
  • You can use the All Trails APP to find different trails near you, get reviews for the trail, details like if it’s dog or stroller friendly, and mark off as you complete a trail.

What is Geocaching

Additionally, one fantastic addition to hiking is geocaching. It can also be done on its own.

If you don’t know, geocaching is simply a GPS-based activity.

People create and hide small trinkets or even just a logbook just off trails at parks and other public places for you to find.

They can be official containers or camouflage DIY containers like coffee cans.

Look at this one we found on our last hike.

Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

The app gives you directions to follow and the distance to get you pretty close to the hidden cache.

In addition, we have found them hanging in trees, in hollowed-out logs or stumps, inside a hole cut in a telephone pole, covered by limbs or palm fronds.

Geocaching Container Ideas

There were large caches that contained toys, keychains, and other little things.

And there are small ones like this one where you unscrewed the behind part and there was a little rolled-up paper for you to log the date and a name for the cache owner.

Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

Geocaching etiquette is that if you take something you leave something of equal value.

Then sign the logbook and replace the container just as you found it.

It can become quite addicting as you find small, camouflaged caches with little trinkets, you can’t wait to find the next one.

Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

Moreover, here are some great small items to carry with you to leave behind.

  • small plastic animals
  • a yo-yo
  • fast food toys
  • keychains
  • change
  • iron-on patches
  • pretty stones or shells
  • rain poncho
  • tiny rubber duckies
  • beads or handmade bead jewelry
  • and hot wheels.

Nature Study for Homeschool Science

While you are hiking trails and geocaching it is a natural step to do some nature study.

You honestly can’t avoid it.

Surrounded by trees, flowers, birds, and small and large woodland creatures you will be taking in so much of the local flora and fauna you may as well turn it into a lesson.

  • You can create a fun scavenger hunt ahead of time or simply call out an object, for instance, poison ivy or a woodpecker and see who spots it first.
  • Observe how many different flower species you can find on your hike.
  • One of my favorite apps for identifying plants and animals is iNaturalist, it is a good resource for crowdsourcing to identify what you may be unsure of.
  • Use a camera or a sketchbook for your child to capture and identify what they see as they explore the trail.

5 Peterson First Guides for Nature and Hiking Studies

Add one or two of these nature and hiking resources to your field trip. Getting outdoors is the best way to learn about nature, change of pace, and savor the moments of learning which come naturally.

Peterson First Guide To Trees

Now there is a guidebook to trees--one of the most popular subjects in the Peterson Field Guide series--for the beginning naturalist. The 243 trees are grouped into six categories by leaf type and arrangement, making it easier for the beginner to identify unknown species. 200 color illustrations.

Peterson First Guide To Urban Wildlife

Peterson First Guides are the first books the beginning naturalist needs. Condensed versions of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the First Guides focus on the animals, plants, and other natural things you are most likely to see. They make it fun to get into the field and easy to progress to the full-fledged Peterson Guides.

Peterson First Guide To Reptiles And Amphibians

From mudpuppies to rattlesnakes, this fascinating guide for young nature lovers describes the habits and habitats of these secretive and sometimes bizarre animals, and includes tips on how to catch and care for frogs, snakes, turtles, lizards, salamanders, and toads.

Peterson First Guide To Butterflies And Moths

Peterson First Guides are the first books the beginning naturalist needs. Condensed versions of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the First Guides focus on the animals, plants, and other natural things you are most likely to see. They make it fun to get into the field and easy to progress to the full-fledged Peterson Guides.

Peterson First Guide To Insects Of North America

A simplified version of the full-sized field guides makes it easy and fun to get started in the field. Peterson First Guides are the first books the beginning naturalist needs. Condensed versions of the famous Peterson Field Guides, the First Guides focus on the animals, plants, and other natural things you are most likely to see. They make it fun to get into the field and easy to progress to the full-fledged Peterson Guides.

More Activities for Middle Schoolers

Also, here are some more activities for middle schoolers.

  • Science Fiction for Middle School Fun Jurassic Park Quick Unit Study (DIY Insect in Amber)
  • How to Teach Science Through A Story – Middle & High School
  • Middle School Hands-on Science : Extreme Winds + Free Minibook
  • How to Create Easy Back to School Basket Ideas for Middle School (Anatomy)
  • Human Body Books for Middle and High School Homeschooled Kids
  • Free Middle School Science Curriculum and Magazines
Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

Furthermore, here are more ideas for nature study.

Nature Study Activities

What’s more is that nature studies are good to do for multiple ages. You’ll love these other nature study activities.

  • 26 Free Nature Unit Studies for Multiple Ages
  • Famous and Historic Trees Fun Nature and History Homeschool Unit Study
  • Homeschool Kindergarten Life Science – Hands-on Fun Nature Tree Study
  • How to Make an Easy Nature Paint Brush With Kids
  • 20 Nature-Inspired Kids’ Novels to Nurture Interest In the Outdoors
  • Facts About Wildflowers And a Fun Felt Texas Bluebonnet Craft
  • How to Easily Make a Simple and Fun Kids DIY Flower Press
  • Fun Kids Activity How to Make Wildflower Seed Bombs

How to Make a Hiking Bag

Finally, look at these items to prepare you middle schooler for a day outdoors.

  • Bug spray-Dark and often damp woods are magnets for mosquitos, ticks, and more.
  • Chapstick- Sun and wind can be hard on your lips, especially if you aren’t staying hydrated enough.
  • Sunscreen- Even if it is overcast it’s a good idea to protect your skin.
  • Field guides- depending on where you were going and what’s in your area you might want to pack a long, one or two light field guides. You can grab field guides for common birds, trees, or wildflowers in your area.
  • First aid kit-You don’t need a large one unless you’re going on a multi-day hike. A few hours or a day-long hike would require a few Band-Aids, an alcohol wipe or two, and some kind of travel-sized antibiotic ointment.
  • Epi-Pen- If this is something you generally need to keep on hand anyway you do not want to get stuck out on a trail without it.
  • Water- Take plenty of bottled water along to stay hydrated or rinse off small scrapes, etc.
  • High-protein snacks- Seeds, nuts, protein bars, and beef jerky are all good high-energy snacks to replenish energy.
  • Camera-You would hate to miss an amazing shot of a deer crossing the trail or a bird rare to your area.
  • Cell Phone- I don’t think you will have to tell your teen twice to pack their phone, another great option for photos, and emergencies, and as a GPS for trail apps and geocaching.
  • Extra battery pack – If you will be out hiking for a long day you will want to grab some kind of backup battery pack.

Optional Hiking Items For Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers

  • Waterproof Binoculars
  • Flower Press- In many states it is illegal to remove flowers, animals, and any other park property but for fields and other locations that are not protected you may want to have one with you.
  • Pocket microscope
  • Notebook/Pen
  • Hat/Sunglasses

Ready to take your learning outdoors?

Fun Outdoor Activities For Middle Schoolers Geocaching and Nature Study

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Middle School Homeschool Tagged With: hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, middle school, middleschool, nature, nature study, science

Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)

April 11, 2023 | 20 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Last year when spring rolled around, I shared a free Bird Journal along with a Bird Identification page. Also, grab more information about birds on my page Hands-on Bird Unit Study and Lapbook.

Tiny had been coloring birds for a few years before I shared it last year. 

Also, I wanted something that could be used both as a coloring journal AND to print a page over and over when we identified birds.

Free Bird Journal - Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)

So this free printable bird journal includes the following pages.

  • Colorful front page for your journal
  • owl coloring page
  • raptor or hawk coloring page
  • cardinals coloring page
  • heron coloring page
  • emeral toucan coloring page
  • spoonbill coloring page
  • sulphur crested cockatoo coloring page
  • cross bill coloring page
  • bob white coloring page
  • quetzal coloring page
  • vulture coloring page
  • song sparrow coloring page
  • catbird coloring page and
  • a beautiful Bird Identification Page which you can print over and over as your children discover new birds

Grab this free and fun Bird Journal which includes high quality coloring pages and bird identification page which allows plenty of room for sketching and noting birding details. CLICK HERE to grab it!

So this year and as all kids do, he has grown up a bit more and wanted the Bird Identification page changed around to allow room for a larger sketch and less coloring.

Free Bird Journal - Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)

Moreover, in the download I included a “field guide” page.

Just add the field page into a page protector and add to your notebook.

Using a 3 ring notebook worked best for us so could keep adding to it each year.

Free Bird Journal - Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages). Last year when spring rolled around, I shared a free Bird Journal along with a Bird Identification page. Also, grab more information about birds on my page Hands-on Bird Unit Study and Lapbook. Also, I wanted something that could be used both as a coloring journal AND to print a page over and over when we identified birds. Free front page for your bird journal and coloring pages with bird identification key. Free 16 pages,

Additionally, if you want to delve into more spring learning look at the NaturExplorers.

Our Journey Westward

However because I know you still may have younger sweeties and kids who probably like to color, I have added a few more bird coloring pages to the Bird Journal.

Free Bird Journal

I also updated the Bird Identification page to allow room for a larger sketch and to use for an older child.

Free Bird Journal - Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages). Last year when spring rolled around, I shared a free Bird Journal along with a Bird Identification page. Also, grab more information about birds on my page Hands-on Bird Unit Study and Lapbook. Also, I wanted something that could be used both as a coloring journal AND to print a page over and over when we identified birds. Free front page for your bird journal and coloring pages with bird identification key. Free 16 pages,

We want to get in the habit of bird watching year around so I created this page so that the season could be easily marked when we’re bird watching. 

Free Bird Journal - Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)

More Fun Learning About Birds Activities

Also, I have so many fun activities for your kids to learn about birds.

  • Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
  • North American Robin Bird Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
  • Bird Craft For Kindergarten Make an Adorable Fun American Robin Foot Print
  • Bald Eagle Fun Facts And Torn Paper Bird Craft
  • Cardinal Birds in Winter and Birch Trees Easy Watercolor Kids Activity
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
  • How to Make a Fun Paper Mache American Robin Bird Craft
  • Kid’s Fun and Easy Bird Nest Activity
  • Easy Jumbo Stick Bird Feeder with Kids
  • Bird Color Bar Graphing Activity
  • Make a Fun Bird Nesting Bag
  • Colorful Winter Bird: Northern Cardinal Lapbook & Unit Study
  • Easy and Fun Nature Study: Beautiful Birds
  • Winter Nature Craft: How to Make Easy DIY Bird Feeders

But we only seem to do it when we have spring fever.

Grab this free and fun Bird Journal which includes high quality coloring pages and bird identification page which allows plenty of room for sketching and noting birding details. CLICK HERE to grab it!

More Coloring Pages

  • 20 Fun Home School Education Coloring Books to Pair With Unit Studies

In addition, add some fun bird books to use as referenced for the bird journal.

11 Fun Resources and Books to Learn About North American Robin Birds

Studying about North American Robin birds is fun to do anytime of the year with all ages. You'll love adding one ore more of these resources to your study.

1. All About Robins

A robin is one of the most familiar and beloved of all birds that are found throughout North America. You may see robins running across lawns or going after earthworms in your yard or a park. You can also find robins by listening for their clear, melodic singing.There are many facts about robins that most people don’t know. If your children have ever wondered about robins and how they grow from chicks to adult birds, this book is for them. The book contains dozens of beautiful photos of robins from the time they first hatch, to when their mother feeds them, until they take their first flight. It also includes many little-known facts that are sure to captivate young naturalists.

2. Model Backyard Birds Toys

Set of bird figurine toys, which contains 7 different small plastic birds. The weight of bird figure toy is 96G / 0.2LB. The set of small plastic bird contains 7 pieces of toy birds, such as robin, bluebird, oriole, woodpecker, etc. Please refer to the picture for the actual size and color.

3. Big Book of Birds

The book draws in children and parents alike with captivating information about and charming illustrations of hummingbirds, peacocks, flamingos, bald eagles, secretary birds, puffins, red-crowned cranes, and more. The book also invites young bird-watchers to protect birds where they live and make their gardens bird-friendly. The text is chatty, funny, and full of remarkable facts.

4. A Nest Full of Eggs (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)

Named a Best Children's Science Book of the Year by Science Books & Films, this picture book shows how the birds develop inside their eggs during the spring; how they mature into fledglings in the summer; how they learn to fly in the fall; and how they leave for warmer climates in winter—only to return when spring comes around again.

5. BACKYARD BIRDSONG GUIDE EASTERN AND CENT (cl) (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Suitable for beginning bird watchers, Backyard Birdsongs is an interactive handbook of birds and their songs. With a touch-button electronic module that contains common vocalizations of seventy-five species from across eastern and central North America, this volume offers a truly sensory way to identify and get to know local birds. Crisply detailed, scientifically accurate illustrations accompany each entry, and up-to-date range maps provide clear geographical reference points. With an introduction that will inspire readers to look out their windows and venture into the field, this unique book gives people of all ages an exciting entryway into the subtle art of using birdsong to identify birds.

6. A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home (Nest for Celeste, 1)

Beautifully illustrated with hundreds of black-and-white drawings, A Nest for Celeste is a short novel that tells the story a mouse living in the 1800s and his friendship with John James Audubon’s young apprentice. While enjoying this sweet amd appealing story, young readers will also learn about nineteenth-century plantation life and the famous naturalist who was known for his paintings of birds and American wildlife.

7. An Egg Is Quiet: (Picture Book, Kids Book about Eggs)

This stunningly beautiful and wonderfully informative book from award-winning artist Sylvia Long and author Dianna Hutts Aston makes for a fascinating introduction to the vast and amazing world of eggs. Featuring poetic text and an elegant design, this acclaimed book teaches children countless interesting facts about eggs. Full of wit and charm, An Egg Is Quiet will at once spark the imagination and cultivate a love of science.

8. Robins!: How They Grow Up

Robins are the most familiar and beloved of all birds, found throughout North America and celebrated as one of the first signs of spring. But there's a lot about them that most people don’t know! In this visually stunning picture book that features comic-book panels combined with painterly illustrations, Eileen Christelow tells the story of two young robins’ first year, and reveals plenty of little-known facts that are sure to captivate young naturalists. Narrated with humor and filled with kid-pleasing details, this fascinating account of how robins grow up includes an Author’s Note, Glossary, More About Robins, and Sources.

9. Rob the Robin: A Tale of a Feathered Friend

Join Rob the Robin on his adventure as he discovers first the difficulty of surviving a long winter and then the wonders of spring. Written as an early reader, this tale is sure to delight children with captivating photography and pictures that visually tell the story in such a way that will interest both readers and non-readers alike.

10. The American Robin

In this book, Roland Wauer offers a complete natural history of the American Robin for a popular audience. Combining his own observations as a field naturalist with data gleaned from the scientific literature, he described the American Robin from every angle - appearance and biology, distribution, behavior, life cycle, and enemies and threats. In addition, he explores the legends and lore surrounding robins ("Whoever kills a robin redbreast will never have good luck were they to live a thousand years") and offers suggestions for attracting robins to your yard with favorite food, water, landscape plantings, and nesting places.

11. American Robin Plush Authentic Bird Sound

Kids and adults love this bird stuffed animal and are captivated by its realistic sound. They are also great baby toys and used as sensory toys. With one squeeze, Audubon birds produce beautifully authentic bird calls provided by the Cornell lab of Ornithology’s bird recording archives.

Are y’all planning any special project for spring?

How to Get the Free Bird Journal

Now, how to grab the free bird journal. This is a subscriber freebie.

 1) Sign up on my list.
 2) Download your freebie NOW!
 3) Last, look for all my emails in your inbox. Glad to have you following me!

20 CommentsFiled Under: 1. My FREE Learning Printables {Any Topic}, Free Homeschool Resources Tagged With: birdjournal, freeprintables, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, middleschool, nature study, science, sciencecurriculum, spring

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