spring crafts

How To Make An Adorable Rocking Chick Easy Chicken Craft

March 8, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have an easy chicken craft. It is an adorable rocking chick made from paper. Also, look at my post Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet for more ideas.

It’s the perfect craft to welcome spring, and a great way to add a playful element to your chicken unit study.

And besides baby chicks are adorable, fluffy and full of energy.

How To Make An Adorable Rocking Chick Easy Chicken Craft

When a chick is born, it’s called a hatchling because it just hatched from an egg. It’s the cutest thing on the farm.

And baby chicks have a little bit of food left inside their eggs that helps them survive for the first couple of days. So, they don’t need to be fed by their moms.

A female chicken called a hen lays eggs. She’ll usually lay one egg a day until she has a bunch of them.

CHICKEN BOOKS FOR KIDS

Next, look at some books and fun resources to go along with this craft.

Just make it a whole day of fun learning.

9 Books and Resources for a Fun Chicken Unit Study

Whether you’re wanting to do a chicken unit study or study chickens for the day, you’ll love these books and resources to add to your collection.

Chicks & Chickens

Cheep . . . cheep . . . cluck! Everything you ever wanted to know about chickens and eggs—except which came first. With bright watercolor illustrations and simple, clear language, nonfiction master Gail Gibbons shows young readers everything there is to know about chickens. See what different breeds of chickens look like, discover how eggs are laid and hatched, and learn how big and little farms take care of their birds. Key vocabulary words about chicken behavior and anatomy are introduced throughout Chicks and Chickens, and new words are reinforced in accessible language for young readers.

4 PCS Chicken Farm Animal Life Cycle Growth Model

Children can see how animals change and grow. Realistic detail showing a different stage in the development of animals.

Uniquely molded textures and richly painted details bring them to life and help inspire creativity for kids.

It is a great way to expand the growth with children through physical science.

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.

Where Do Chicks Come From?

Read and find out about eggs—and how baby chicks grow inside of them—in this colorfully illustrated nonfiction picture book.

Learn how chicks develop, how they get the food they need to grow, and how a mother hen helps keep them safe in this introduction to the life cycle of a baby chick.

This is a clear and appealing science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom. It's a Level 1 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out, which means the book explores introductory concepts perfect for children in the primary grades. The 100+ titles in this leading nonfiction series are:

Chickenology: The Ultimate Encyclopedia

A great educational book, covering:• Different breeds of chickens, like Padovana and Silkie• The difference between roosters and hens• How chicks are formed in the egg• Chickens sounds and noises• Chicken anatomy and feather anatomy and colors• Chickens and eggs around the world• Chicken history and folklore• Raising chickens at home• Chickens as pets

LEGO Creator Easter Chickens 30643

These LEGO Chickens are a fun and easy add on for little ones joining in the fun.

Farm Animal for Kids, Chicken Coop

DETAILED & REALISTIC. Crafted with precision and authentic detail to create a lifelike toy that teaches and inspires toddlers and kids of every age; helps introduce children to animals. From the first sketch to the intricate finishing touches, we see value in every detail.

Farm Animal Chicken Coop Building Blocks

Chicken Coop Building Blocks. It contains a coop, twenty chicken and ten eggs.

Compatible with LEGO: It's made of LEGO-compatible bricks. It will enrich your MOC blocks. It can be put together with a lot of block scenes, such as farm, house, castle, village, animal and so on.

Farm Animals Figurines Simulated Farm Life

These little chicken figurines would also make a great addition to a chicken study, put them in a sensory bin with a little birdseed or cracked corn for hours of fun.

And then here are more facts about chicks.

Hens sit on their eggs to keep them warm. This is called incubation.
When it’s time for the chick to hatch, it starts pecking at the inside of the egg using a special little “egg tooth” on its beak.
Baby chicks are often yellow, but they can also be black, brown, or even a mix of colors, depending on the breed of chicken.
When they’re just born, they might nibble on some tiny grains of food or special chick starter feed.
As chicks get older, they start eating bigger pieces of food like bugs, worms, and seeds.
After just a few weeks, they start growing feathers.

Also, look at more easy chicken crafts.

Just in time for spring.

MORE EASY CHICKEN CRAFTS

Finally, look at how to make this adorable paper rocking chick.

HOW TO MAKE A PAPER ROCKING CHICK WITH A FREE TEMPLATE

First, look at this easy list of materials.

Construction papers
Glue
White marker
Scissor
free chick template (enter your email in the form at the end of this post to get the freebie instantly)

Cut a circle from a white paper. We used a paper bowl turned upside down to make a perfect circle.

After cutting out the circle, then fold it in half.

Cut triangles on the folded part to make a “breaking egg” illusion.

Cut the chick out of the yellow paper following the template and assemble them just as shown.

Make the eyes by cutting two small circles then shade the inner part using a marker.

Too, you can use googly eyes but we used the white paper and a black marker.

Once you have assembled them, attach it at the back of the white paper cracked eggshell. Let it dry.

Then rock it back and forth as your chick hatches. How fun!

HOW TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE CHICK TEMPLATE FOR AN EASY CHICKEN CRAFT

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

When you sign up to follow me, you get access to this freebie.

1) Sign up on my email list to follow me and get this freebie and many others.
2) Grab the printable.
3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you following me!

Easy Spring Activities For Preschoolers Science And Fun Busy Book

February 5, 2025 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some spring activities for preschoolers science and a fun spring busy book. Also, look at my page How to Homeschool Preschool for more ideas

Spring is an ideal season to ignite your preschooler’s curiosity about the natural world.

Flowers are blooming, rain is coming and insects are in abundance.

Easy Spring Activities For Preschoolers Science And Fun Busy Book

It is a perfect time to discover the wonders of nature.

And hands-on activities and through play is how preschoolers learn best.

Take advantage of their natural curiosity to make spring activities for preschoolers science a fun topic.

First, look at some of these books.

BOOKS ABOUT SPRING FOR KIDS

You can read them aloud while they are doing hands-on activities or just sit down and read together for science.

10 Books About Spring for Young Learners

Grab some of these fun books about the spring season for kids.

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms: A Springtime Book For Kids

Fletcher enjoys the sunny weather and the warmth of spring. But when he stumbles across snowy flakes gently floating to the ground, he spreads the news of winter’s return to all his friends. But spring is full of wonderful surprises for Fletcher and his friends.

Miss Rumphius

Barbara Cooney's story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went. Miss Rumphius received the American Book Award in the year of publication.

Blue on Blue

Join a farming family as they experience the full range of a thrilling seaside thunderstorm—from the wild wind and the very first drops; to the pouring, pouring rain; to the wonderful messy mud after the sun returns! With gentle, rhyming text and vivid artwork from a Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator, this sublime depiction of nature’s patterns turns a storm into a celebration.

Yucky Worms: Read and Wonder

Who would want to be friends with a wiggly, slimy worm? You can’t even tell which end is which! But there’s more to these lowly creatures than meets the eye. Kids are invited to find out where worms live, see how they move, and understand why gardeners consider them friends with the help of this humorous and informative look at an unappreciated — and fascinating — creature.Back matter includes further information about worms and an index

Make Way for Ducklings

Mrs. Mallard was sure that the pond in the Boston Public Gardens would be a perfect place for her and her eight ducklings to live. The problem was how to get them there through the busy streets of Boston. But with a little help from the Boston police, Mrs. Mallard and Jack, Kack, Lack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack arive safely at their new home.

Plant the Tiny Seed Board Book: A Springtime Book For Kids

Beautiful collage-and-watercolor art follows the seed through its entire life cycle, as it grows into a zinnia in a garden full of buzzing bees, curious hummingbirds, and colorful butterflies. Children engage with the book as they wiggle their fingers to water the seeds, clap to make the sun shine after rain, and shoo away a hungry snail. Appropriate for even the youngest child, Plant the Tiny Seed is never the same book twice—no matter how many times you read it!

And for curious young nature lovers, a page of facts about seeds, flowers, and the insects and animals featured in the book is included at the end. Fans of Eric Carle, Lois Ehlert, and Press Herewill find their next favorite book in Plant the Tiny Seed.

A Butterfly Is Patient:

Part of the incredible six-book Nature Books series from the award-winning duo of Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long, A Butterfly Is Patient celebrates a dazzling variety of butterflies in all their beauty and wonder.Turn each page to explore the amazing world of these beautiful winged insects through watercolor illustrations that bring to life garden landscapes filled with flowers, vines, leaves, and sunshine.

An Egg Is Quiet:

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.

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring

As days stretch longer, animals creep out from their warm dens, and green begins to grow again, everyone knows―spring is on its way!Join a boy and his dog as they explore nature and take a stroll through the countryside, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the melting brook to chirping birds, they say goodbye to winter and welcome the lushness of spring.

Flowers Are Calling

In this rhyming poetic picture book, explore the wonders of natural cooperation between plants, animals and insects. Flowers Are Calling by Rita Gray and illustrated by Kenard Pak is "a sophisticated blend of scientific information and artistry" (Publishers Weekly).

Flowers are calling to all the animals of the forest, "Drink me!"—but it’s the pollinators who feast on their nectar.

In rhyming poetic form and with luminous artwork, this book shows us the marvel of natural cooperation between plants, animals, and insects as they each play their part in the forest's cycle of life.

Next, look at this fun list of ideas for spring activities for preschoolers science.

SPRING ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS SCIENCE

Also, look at this spring busy book for preschool.

SPRING BUSY BOOK FOR PRESCHOOL

Then, I have this fun interactive spring busy book for preschool to nurture learning.

It is a 66 .pdf download.

It covers the following skills.

Spring spell
Season months
Umbrella color matching
Rainbow color matching
Shapes sorting
Let’s stack the cake
Count and match
Match the bird with house
Counting puzzle
Color matching
Butterfly wing match
Spring weather match
Alphabet matching
Sort objects by color
Match the numbers
Count the dots
More, Less or Equal
Photo Match
Fill in the missing number
Let’s dress for the rain
Let’s dress for the sun
Spring shadow matching
Insect sorting
Butterfly life cycle
Emotion matching
Sort by size
Spring animals matching
Fun in spring
Find and count
What comes next
Which is different

The busy book has pages of activities and pages of cut-out.

For example, print the pages and place them in a small binder.

Then print the cut out pages.

Have your child cut and glue the cut-out on the correct activity.

HOW TO GET THE SPRING BUSY BOOK

You can get it now!

All my products are digital. You will not receive a physical product for anything in my store.

Downloads are INSTANT. When you pay, you will receive an email with a download link INSTANTLY. Depending on your internet connection, the email could be just 30 seconds or so, or a bit longer. The point is it will be soon, not a week later,etc.

The email with the download link will go to the email you used for paypal. If you used your husband’s paypal, your downloads will go to that email. Please check that email and your spam before emailing me telling me you can’t find it.

Please put my email tina @ tinasdynamichomeschoolplus dot com (take out the space and substitute the right symbol for dot) in your address/contact list so that your product does not go to spam.

MY GUARANTEE: To treat you like I want to be treated which means I know at times technical problems may cause glitches, so I will do everything possible to make your experience here pleasant. Also, you can email me at my personal email tinahomeschools at gmail dot com.

Dynamic Simple Spring Busy Book For Kids Who Love Learning
$3.75 Add to cart

8 Peter Rabbit Garden Ideas | How To Make A Preschool Garden Box

March 18, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Grab one or more of these 8 Peter Rabbit garden ideas to add some fun hands-on learning to your unit but don’t forget to hop on down to my DIY for how to make a preschool garden box. Also, look at The Tale of Peter Rabbit Printables for a Fun Spring Unit Study.

I don’t need to tell you how wonderful it is to get your children outside in the fresh air.

Digging in the dirt, and getting healthy microbes to help build immunity, absorbing sunshine, and enjoying nature is fun this time of year.

8 Peter Rabbit Garden Ideas | How To Make A Preschool Garden Box

Nature walks, pond studies, and of course, starting a garden are wonderful spring activities.

But sometimes you just have to get stuff done inside or the weather is not participating in your plans.

Peter Rabbit to the rescue indoors!

You have a wonderful variety of choices from the list below from sensory bins to science and art projects.

And then I have a wonderful activity that will keep everyone from toddlers to preschoolers busy for a while with their dramatic play in a felt preschool garden box.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit Book

First, add some of these living books to your library.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Other Books by Beatrix Potter

Your kids will love the whole series of books by Beatrix Potter to add to a unit study or fun learning for the day.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

The Tale of Peter Rabbit is the original classic by Beatrix Potter. The Tale of Peter Rabbit was first published by Frederick Warne in 1902 and endures as Beatrix Potter's most popular and well-loved tale. It tells the story of a very mischievous rabbit and the trouble he encounters in Mr McGregor's vegetable garden! Re-originated in 2002 to mark the centenary of publication bringing it closer to the original edition, six illustrations were restored, four that were removed in 1903 to make room for endpapers and two that have never been used before, Beatrix having initially prepared more illustrations than could be accommodated in the original format. Beatrix Potter is regarded as one of the world's best-loved children's authors of all time. From her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, published by Frederick Warne in 1902, she went on to create a series of stories based around animal characters including Mrs. Tiggy-winkle, Benjamin Bunny, Jemima Puddle-duck, Mr. Jeremy Fisher and Tom Kitten. Her humorous, lively tales and beautiful illustrations have become a natural part of childhood. With revenue from the sales of her books, Beatrix Potter bought a farm - Hill Top - in the English Lake District, where she later became a farmer and prize-winning sheep breeder.

The Tailor of Gloucester (Beatrix Potter Read & Play)

"In the time of swords and periwigs and full-skirted coats with flowered lappets—when gentlemen wore ruffles, and gold-laced waistcoats of paduasoy and taffeta—there lived a tailor in Gloucester..."Potter described 'The Tailor of Gloucester' as her own favorite among her books. It was based on the true story of a tailor who left the unsewn pieces of a coat in his shop and found that the garment had been mysteriously finished for him in the night. It turned out that the real tailor's assistants were his apprentices, but in Beatrix Potter's version of the story the secret helpers are skillful little brown mice.(1866–1943) loved the countryside and spent much of her childhood drawing and studying animals. The landscape that Peter Rabbit first introduced to us in 1902 is still today one of most popular and well-loved worlds. What started as an endearing story about a bunny rabbit would soon become the first ember for the illustrious series that is , & a story which has endured retelling after retelling at bedtimes all over the world.

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (Peter Rabbit)

The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle is an original classic by Beatrix Potter. The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle was first published in 1905, and is as charming today as it was then. It tells the tale of a hidden home high in the hills. It is discovered one day by a little girl called Lucie, who is in search of her missing pocket handkerchiefs. She knocks on the tiny door, and meets Mrs Tiggy-winkle who does all the washing and ironing for the neighbouring animals. Lucie spends a lovely day helping her, and it's only right at the end of the day that she realises Mrs Tiggy-winkle is a hedgehog! Beatrix Potter is regarded as one of the world's best-loved children's authors of all time. From her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, published by Frederick Warne in 1902, she went on to create a series of stories based around animal characters including Mrs. Tiggy-winkle, Benjamin Bunny, Jemima Puddle-duck, Mr. Jeremy Fisher and Tom Kitten. Her humorous, lively tales and beautiful illustrations have become a natural part of childhood. With revenue from the sales of her books, Beatrix Potter bought a farm - Hill Top - in the English Lake District, where she later became a farmer and prize-winning sheep breeder.

The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher (Peter Rabbit)

The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher endures as one of Beatrix Potter's most popular and well-loved tales. It tells of an optimistic and slightly accident-prone frog, who sets off on a fishing expedition across the pond, only to find himself bitten on the toe by a water-beetle, fighting with a stickleback, and eventually nearly eaten by a trout! The Tale of Jeremy Fisher is number seven in Beatrix Potter's series of 23 little books, the titles of which are as follows: 1 The Tale of Peter Rabbit 2 The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin 3 The Tailor of Gloucester 4 The Tale of Benjamin Bunny 5 The Tale of Two Bad Mice 6 The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle 7 The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher 8 The Tale of Tom Kitten 9 The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck 10 The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies 11 The Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse 12 The Tale of Timmy Tiptoes 13 The Tale of Johnny Town-Mouse 14 The Tale of Mr. Tod 15 The Tale of Pigling Bland 16 The Tale of Samuel Whiskers 17 The Tale of The Pie and the Patty-Pan 18 The Tale of Ginger and Pickles 19 The Tale of Little Pig Robinson 20 The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit 21 The Story of Miss Moppet 22 Appley Dapply's Nursery Rhymes 23 Cecily Parsley's Nursery Rhymes

The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck (Peter Rabbit)

The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck is an original classic by Beatrix Potter. Poor Jemima. All she wants to do is lay her eggs in peace, and be allowed to hatch them herself. At last she flies off and finds the perfect place. Little does the silly duck realise that the charming gentleman who has lent her his woodshed is busily planning a delicious meal of . . . roast duck! Jemima was a real duck belonging to Beatrix Potter, who lived at her farm, Hill Top. The story also features Beatrix's own sheepdog, Kep, who thankfully manages to save Jemima from a nasty fate! Beatrix Potter is regarded as one of the world's best-loved children's authors of all time. From her first book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, published by Frederick Warne in 1902, she went on to create a series of stories based around animal characters including Mrs. Tiggy-winkle, Benjamin Bunny, Jemima Puddle-duck, Mr. Jeremy Fisher and Tom Kitten

Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit Knit Plush

SOFT & HUGGABLE: This Easter stuffed animal is made from soft, huggable materials and features surface-washable construction for easy cleaning. Each Peter Rabbit stuffed animal is appropriate for ages 1 and up and ships in a protective poly bag.

You just need two items from Dollar Tree and some felt to recreate this adorable little traveling garden to keep small hands occupied and little imaginations growing big.

You can use the garden box and the little felt veggies in lots of ways like finding out about different veggies.

Use Farm Anatomy as a great reference along with it.

Next, look at these Peter Rabbit garden ideas.

8 Peter Rabbit Garden Ideas

Here is another activity I created for the theme with felt to practice some basic math skills, Fun Mr. McGregor’s Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity.
Let your little one’s imagination take over with Peter Rabbit Small World Sensory Play, a sweet little mini garden at their fingertips.
Take some of your harvest (even if it’s from the grocery store) and learn How to Make DIY Fruit & Veggie Stamped Tea Towels for a precious garden-themed art project.
Cooking with littles is always a great idea, it teaches them so much, stay on theme with this Rabbit Food Lettuce Wrap- Cooking with Kids.
I created these 7 Science Garden Ideas and Make a Pizza Container Garden with older kids in mind but most activities are very easily adapted to preschoolers as well. Preschoolers love pizza too!
Learn about growing Your own Vegetable Soup Unit Study as you talk about gardens and what grows in them.
Need a little bit more for your garden theme? Check out my Easy Seeds and Gardening Unit Study for Kids with plenty of ideas to create a unique and fun unit.
Playdough and a precious, precocious preschooler go perfectly together for this Peter Rabbit Invitation to Play.

Before you begin your garden box find a container.

They have several small boxes and bins at Dollar Tree, but I wanted something a little larger.

After searching up and down the aisle for a while I found this cat litter box in the pet aisle that worked perfectly and was the most generous in size, but you can use whatever you like.

How To Make A Preschool Garden Box

Supplies Needed:

Shallow plastic box
Pool noodle(s)
Brown Felt
Colored felt
Hot glue
Scissors
Stuffing or scraps of felt.

First, use a kitchen knife to cut down the pool noodle to the width of the litter box.

Because the litter box has angled sides you will also need to cut the ends at a slight angle, you want it to fit tightly down into the box.

Repeat until you fill up the box, leaving a little space between each noodle.

Cut brown felt for each piece the exact length and either just big enough to wrap around or not quite touch.

Cover in hot glue making sure to get the edges.

Wrap around the noodle and smooth it down.

Put hot glue on each end of the cut noodle and press quickly into place, hold until the glue cools and hardens.

Repeat until each one is in place and the box is filled.

Now, the fun part, creating the little stuffed felt veggies to put in your garden.

Cut simple shapes out of the felt, you want to choose things that grow out of or under the ground so that you are also teaching your child correctly at the same time.

How To Make A Preschool Garden Box

Some ideas are carrots, parsnips, lettuce, radishes, and potatoes.

Cut two pieces out at the same time for each vegetable.

Remember to also cut out greenery at the same time for your tops of items like the carrots.

Run a bead of glue all the way around one piece of your felt veggies leaving just enough open to add stuffing.

Quickly press the matching opposite side into the hot glue and allow to cool.

Once glue is set and cooled, stuff the inside, using a pencil to get it all the way in.

Add the greenery to the top between the two layers and glue the rest of the way closed.

For lettuce/cabbage cut wavy strips and/or small leafy pieces

Roll the strips, bunching and gluing randomly as you go until your head of lettuce is as big as you’d like it.

Push your vegetables into the spaces between each “row”.

Add a basket for gathering and enjoy their imagination taking over.

Fun Mr Mcgregor’s Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

February 26, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

We’re creating a sweet and fun Mr Mcgregor’s vegetable garden math activity with felt that will have your littles counting, matching, making patterns, and using their imaginations. Also, look at my post The Tale of Peter Rabbit Printables for a Fun Spring Unit Study.

Do you remember the flannel boards that teachers used to use to tell a story, moving the pieces on and off the board?

If you do, this is an adorable throwback.

A sweet classic, like Peter Rabbit, deserves a darling activity with a great shelf life.

This vegetable garden math activity is probably only about $3 worth of felt, less if you source a great bundle price.

Fun Mr Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

Peter Rabbit is a story about a mischievous and downright naughty little rabbit.

He learned things the hard way like when he doesn’t heed his mother’s advice to stay out of Mr. Mcgregor’s vegetable garden and narrowly escapes losing his coat and shoes in the process.

This felt math activity is as much fun to make as it is for your child to learn simple math using a fun little mat.

It can also be used for dramatic play, takes up little space, and is very inexpensive as well as easy to assemble.

Books for Kids By Beatrix Potter

The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Other Books by Beatrix Potter

Your kids will love the whole series of books by Beatrix Potter to add to a unit study or fun learning for the day.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

The Tailor of Gloucester (Beatrix Potter Read & Play)

The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle (Peter Rabbit)

The Tale of Mr. Jeremy Fisher (Peter Rabbit)

The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck (Peter Rabbit)

Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit Knit Plush

Next, look at these fun activities to learn go along with the Tale of Peter Rabbit.

5 More Hands-On Peter Rabbit Activities

Make this adorable Peter Rabbit Toilet Paper Roll Craft that your child can use as a puppet while you read the story out loud.
This is a great time to begin a real small garden with an adorable little scarecrow like the one in the story made from Peter’s jacket with How to Make Mr. McGregor’s Garden: A Simple Peter Rabbit Craft.
Get your child up and moving with a Peter Rabbit Movement Game to wake them up and get brain cells firing.
Here is another great math activity that you can put together quickly and easily: Carrot Number Matching Activity.
A Peter Rabbit Playdough Invitation to play is not only a fun activity for your child but is a wonderful way to build fine motor skills and develop your child’s imagination within the theme.

This is also a great excuse for a field trip to a farmers market or at least the grocery store to learn about new fruits and vegetables and you may even pick up some inspiration ideas for the ones you want to recreate.

Mr. Mcgregor’s Vegetable Garden Math Ideas

There are several ways to use the felt vegetable garden for math depending on what skills your preschooler is working on.

Matching-Have your child match two of each vegetable as they pull it from the basket.
Counting- Lay out multiple felt vegetables in the background and have your child point and count each one (one to one correspondence).

Simple addition and subtraction- Use a pair of dice to determine your two numbers and practice adding and subtracting basic numbers using the felt vegetables as manipulatives.
Patterns- Make simple AB and ABC patterns for your child to continue repeating.

Sorting- Mix all the pieces up in a basket and encourage your child to sort them by type.

Number Recognition- Make small cards with 1-5 or 1-10. Then your child matches numbers with the correct number of felt vegetables.

Serration- This is arranging objects in order by size. If you make your felt vegetables with enough size variation children can place them in order. For example, largest to smallest and vice versa.

Beyond math you could also us these felt vegetables to practice beginning letter sounds as well, c-c-c-carrot.

Fun Mr Mcgregor’s Vegetable Garden Math Activity

You will need:

Brown felt
Colorful felt
Scissors
Hot glue gun
A basket to store everything

All you need for your garden plot is a sheet of brown felt with no cutting.

You can even purchase larger pieces at the craft store if you want a bigger workspace.

Next, decide which vegetables you’d like to include and cut out very simple shapes.

Glue all your pieces together and allow them to cool.

For lettuce or is it cabbages?

I just cut a green oval and then two to three smaller “leaves” to glue to either side.

You can make whatever vegetables you like and that you know your child will identify.

Add details if you like with a marker.

I suggest starting with five of each vegetable for very young math learners.

Too, you can make 10 for adding and subtracting within 10.

Once you’ve cut out all your pieces, including the greenery, hot glue them together.

That’s it, that’s all it takes.

A little simple cutting and gluing.

And now your child has a darling play mat that can be used for math, science, and dramatic play.

Add everything to a cute little basket to store it in.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

December 7, 2023 | Leave a Comment
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Do geckos live in the rainforest? Asking questions and discovering the answers are wonderful ways for kids to learn about the world around them. Too, you’ll love my Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon page.

What is the largest reptile? Let’s answer some of those questions for them.

Reptiles are fascinating and can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

So, wherever you are there are amazing reptiles to observe and learn about. Most kids are fascinated with this topic.

I have learned that kids get so much more out of a lesson when they do rather than just listen.

For example, today we’re creating a replica of a real lizard like the Turnip Tailed Gecko from the Amazon Rainforest.

I can tell you that years from now they will remember facts they learned about it, like how their mouth is black inside, or that they sacrifice their tail to escape predators and the funny-looking way it regenerates.

Questions and Answers About Reptiles

First, look at some facts about reptiles.

What defines a reptile? Reptiles are air-breathing, cold-blooded vertebrates that have scaly bodies rather than hair or feathers; most reptile species are egg-laying (but not all).
What kinds of animals are reptiles? Lizards, snakes, turtles, alligators, and crocodiles.
Do Geckos live in the rainforest? Yes! You will find geckos like the Turnip Tailed Gecko, Bridled Forest Geckos, and the Amazon Lava Lizard to name a few. In fact, geckos live on all the continents except Antarctica.
What is the world’s largest reptile? That title goes to the saltwater crocodile, one was even recorded at over 20’ long.
How many different types of reptiles are there? There are more than 8,200 different species of reptiles, most of these are snakes and lizards.

5 More Questions and Answers About Reptiles

Do all snakes lay eggs? No only about 70% do, but snakes in colder climates have live births because the eggs would not survive the cold.
What is the biggest species of lizard in the world? That would be the Komodo dragon, it can grow as big as 10 feet long.
What are turtle shells made of? A turtle’s shell is made of bone and is a part of the turtle’s spine. It is made out of two pieces, the carapace (top) and the plastron (bottom), and covered in scoots that are made of keratin.
How fast can alligators run? Alligators can run up to 35 mph for very brief periods, which is faster than Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world.
Do chameleons really change colors to blend in? Blending in is not the main purpose. Their natural appearance allows them to blend in well with their habitat and evade predation. Another reason is that chameleons can’t regulate their own body temperatures, they change their skin color to reflect or absorb sunlight and thereby deflect or absorb different amounts of heat. Yet another reason for the color change is that changes in the chameleon color may also signify a chameleon’s mood.

Also, add one of these books to your lists.

Note I prefer living books more than textbooks. So, I know you’ll find some of them helpful.

Reptile Books and Resources

Add some of these books and resources about reptiles to your library.

Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles

A fascinating picture book biography of a pioneering female scientist who loved reptiles!While other girls played with dolls, Joan preferred the company of reptiles. She carried her favorite lizard with her everywhere--she even brought a crocodile to school!When Joan grew older, she became the Curator of Reptiles at the British Museum. She went on to design the Reptile House at the London Zoo, including a home for the rumored-to-be-vicious komodo dragons. There, just like when she was a little girl, Joan hosted children's tea parties--with her komodo dragon as the guest of honor.

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

See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.Nature Anatomy is the second book in Rothman's Anatomy series – you'll love Nature Anatomy Notebook, Ocean Anatomy, Food Anatomy, and Farm Anatomy, too!

The Ultimate Book of Reptiles: Your guide to the secret lives of these scaly, slithery, and spectacular creatures!

Sink your fangs into the hidden worlds of these scaly and sensational creatures with leading reptile scientist and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Ruchira Somaweera as your guide.Meet the coolest cold-blooded animals ever. From lizards to snakes, turtles to crocodiles, something called a tuatara, and even enormous prehistoric reptiles (think real-life sea monsters!), you’ll discover what makes a reptile a reptile; how these creatures live, hunt, hide, and raise their young, and the wild adaptations that make them so unique. Learn which snake is the most venomous on the planet and which are surprisingly gentle creatures, which reptile is born with a highly developed third eye in its forehead, and which one is so tiny it could balance on the tip of your finger—plus loads of super important conservation information and impactful ways to join the fight to save endangered reptile species right from home!

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

PLAY & LEARN: Professor Noggin’s series of educational card games encourages kids to learn interesting facts about their favorite subjects.
FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?! That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game. Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!