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spring crafts

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 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.

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

5 More Hands-On Peter Rabbit Activities

  1. Make this adorable Peter Rabbit Toilet Paper Roll Craft that your child can use as a puppet while you read the story out loud.
  2. 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.
  3. Get your child up and moving with a Peter Rabbit Movement Game to wake them up and get brain cells firing.
  4. Here is another great math activity that you can put together quickly and easily: Carrot Number Matching Activity.
  5. 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.
Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

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).
Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity
  • 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.
Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity
  • Sorting- Mix all the pieces up in a basket and encourage your child to sort them by type.
Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity
  • Number Recognition- Make small cards with 1-5 or 1-10. Then your child matches numbers with the correct number of felt vegetables.
Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity
  • 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.
Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity
  • 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
Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

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.

Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

Glue all your pieces together and allow them to cool.

Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

For lettuce or is it cabbages?

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

Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

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

Add details if you like with a marker.

Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

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.

Fun Mr. Mcgregor's Vegetable Garden Simple Frugal Math Activity

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: felt, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, rabbit, spring, spring crafts

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

December 7, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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.

  1. 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).
  2. What kinds of animals are reptiles? Lizards, snakes, turtles, alligators, and crocodiles.
  3. 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.
  4. What is the world’s largest reptile? That title goes to the saltwater crocodile, one was even recorded at over 20’ long.
  5. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

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!

Reptiles do the Strangest Things

A great book that parents could read for kids and also includes fun trivia!!

Album of Reptiles

Dramatic incidents preface descriptions of reptiles ranging from crocodiles and cobras to turtles and tuataras

Additionally, I have more hands-on ideas for learning about reptiles.

Hands-On Reptile Activities

Besides our Turnip Tailed Gecko craft, grab a few more of these hands-on reptile activities to supplement your study.

  • Gila Monster Craft
  • Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda
  • Paper Roll Frilled Neck Lizard
  • Popsicle Stick Crocodile
  • 10 Amazon Rainforest Lizards Facts and How to Make A Fun Iguana
  • A Color of His Own: Chameleon Watercolor Project
Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Finally, look how to make this foam turnip tailed gecko.

Make a Turnip Tailed Gecko Craft from The Amazon Rainforest

You can copy my directions or use the general idea and choose a different lizard, adding its own unique features to your steps.

You will need:

  • Craft foam-green, pink
  • Google eyes
  • Black paint/marker
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • Tacky glue
Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

First, we found an image of the gecko we wanted to recreate on Google.

Draw your lizard onto craft foam with a pencil.

I found it easiest to draw the abdomen, head, and tail, leaving space for the legs that were a little more difficult.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Then I drew in the legs and toes, erasing and redoing them quite a bit.

Those little feet and toes are tricky to get right.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Cut out your outline once you are happy with your lizard shape.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Trace and cut out the head onto another small scrap of craft foam.

Then your child can create an open mouth showing off the turnip-tailed geckos’ important feature of a black mouth interior and pink tongue.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Color with a permanent marker or paint one side of this piece as well as the underside of the head on the main lizard shape black.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Cut a small pink tongue from craft foam.

Once dried completely glue the mouth and tongue into place, only at the back so it can open.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Draw slits over the googly eyes to give them a bit more of a lizard look and glue them into place.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Finally, add the skin coloration details with markers or paint.

To give it a more subtle look I painted random squiggles and dots on a scrap of foam and stamped it on the lizard.

Do Geckos Live in the Rainforest and 10 Facts About Reptiles

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, crafts, elementary science, geckos, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, homeschoolscience, life science, science, spring crafts

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

November 6, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have ten crafts with styrofoam egg cartons and some adorable chicken crafts. Also, you’ll my page Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet.

If you’re looking for simple crafts, especially with young children, you’ll love these egg carton crafts.

Besides, I like to reuse something that otherwise might get tossed.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

There are so many creative ideas using different parts and pieces of egg cartons and sometimes the whole thing.

Then I also have a tutorial for how to make an easy chicken craft from egg cartons.

It will be a great accompaniment to a farm unit study and your little one can create an entire flock of unique chickens.

Resources to Learn About Chickens

First, look at some of these fun resources to learn about chickens.

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.

Also, here are some chicken facts to talk about with your children as they do these fun chicken crafts.

Chicken Facts

  1. One purpose of a chicken comb is to keep the hen cool in hot weather, their combs are filled with capillaries and veins. Heated blood flows through and is air-cooled which reduces the chicken’s temperature.
  2. Chickens usually only lay one egg per day but the record for eggs laid by a chicken in one day is 7. 
  3. The color of the egg depends on the chicken’s earlobes, chickens with red earlobes lay brown eggs, while chickens with white earlobes lay white eggs. (There are plenty of exceptions to this rule but this is the case in most instances).
  4. Chickens can run up to 9 miles an hour, talk about fast food!
  5. There is no shortage of chickens, if all of the chickens on earth were spread out among all the people on earth, each person would have at least 3 chickens.
10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

If you need a great reference book you can use Farm Anatomy for just about every farm topic there is but I am focusing on the chicken and especially learning about their different combs.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

But now let’s take a look at some other crafts with styrofoam egg carton ideas from ocean creatures to ice cream cones.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons

Grab those egg cartons out of the recycling bin and create a few of these fantastically creative crafts using different parts of egg cartons.

  1. Dive deep into the ocean for these Egg Carton Jellyfish Puppet’s, they are simply adorable.
  2. What a fantastic idea to use the part of the carton that is usually discarded when doing egg carton crafts. Egg Carton Sharks
  3. Egg Carton Whale Craft for Kids is cute and easy, great for a preschool ocean study.
  4. Maybe this Recycled Egg Carton Toadstool Craft will be the start of a fairy garden but they are fabulous even on their own.
  5. Look at my fun craft for the littles with 10 Egg Carton Crafts For 2 Year Olds and Fun Nature Color Match Activity.
  6. I just love the creativity of these Egg Carton Faces and can see them being used for so many things.
  7. Make these Egg Carton Mice and a block of cheese out of a simple egg carton.
  8. And grab my unit study with this Cutest Ever Egg Carton Sea Turtle Craft and Learning Activities for Kids.
  9. The Recycled Ants Craft is too cute to spoil a picnic but makes a great hands-on activity while learning all about ants.
  10. Not only are these Egg Carton Ice Cream Cones the sweetest thing but they would make a great item for a dramatic play area or sensory bin.
10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons

Set up a chicken crafting station for preschoolers through early elementary to enjoy when you are teaching about farm life and chickens or just when you need a rainy day idea.

You will need:

  • Styrofoam egg cartons
  • Red, orange, and yellow craft foam
  • Orange and yellow pipe cleaners
  • Hole punch
  • Craft feathers
  • Tacky Glue
  • Googly eyes 
  • Scissors
10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

First, cut out the individual cups from your egg cartons for as many chickens as you want, and keep as much of each cup as you can.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

Use a hole punch to punch two holes on one side at the bottom of the cup.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

Poke a pipe cleaner through one hole through the inside of the cup and out the other side trim to any length you like for legs.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

Now, cut small triangles out of yellow and or orange craft foam for beaks and feet.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

Then, cut irregular raindrop shapes for the chicken’s wattle (the little dangly thing under the beak. As well as wavy-topped pieces for combs.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

Use a paintbrush dipped in tacky glue to make spots of glue where you want to stick eyes.

Also use the paintbrush glue for the combs, wattles, and beaks.

You can use regular school glue but it tends to run and items will slide down the slippery egg carton.

Tacky glue holds things into place nicely while drying.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

Dab glue on the back and sides as well to add wings and tail feathers.

You will also want to add a generous dollop of glue to the ends of your pipe cleaner feet.

Then press them into the little triangles.

Once dry you can pose your chicken legs in different ways.

10 Crafts With Styrofoam Egg Cartons | How to Make Easy Chicken Crafts

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: chicken, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, life science, science, spring crafts

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

November 4, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I’m excited to make this fun animal soap carving and a quick study on a swan. Also, look at this Free Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

Carving with soft soap bars is a great way to practice fine motor skills, safe knife skills, and is fantastic for relaxation.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

I chose to make this carving of a swan because they are such beautiful and graceful creatures and worked beautifully with the white soap.

Swans are birds found in wetlands, ponds, rivers, and lakes around the United States,

I am not going to just leave it there though, you will have tons of facts, resources, and more to help you with your own swan study before I am through.

First, look at these quick facts about swans.

8 Swan Facts

There is much to learn about swans whether they are a topic on their own or part of a larger study on lakes or ponds.

  1. There are both black and white species of swans. Black swans are found in southeast and southwest Australia as well as Tasmania, but white swans can be found throughout Canada, Northern United States, and Alaska.
  2. Male swans are called cobs, females are pens, and young are called cygnets.
  3. Swans choose a partner and stay together for their whole life. If their mate dies they will mourn for a while just like people and may or may not find a new mate.
  4. Swans can eat as much as eight pounds of food per day, they have big appetites and need to consume 20% to 25% of their bodyweight each day.
  5. While most mammals only have 7 neck vertebrae, swans have 24 or 25.
  6. Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl native to North America and they are also the heaviest flying birds in North America. Their wingspans can reach up to 10 feet wide and can weigh up to 30 pounds.
  7. Swans have a long lifespan, In the wild swans can live for over 20 years.
  8. Amazingly swans can sleep on land on one leg or while floating in the water.
How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Then, look at some bird resources or ideas for animal soap carvings.

More Bird Resources for a Fun Animal Soap Carving

  • How to Make a Chalk Pastel Bird Nest Easy Drawing
  • Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
  • Peregrine Falcon Lapbook And Fun Unit Study Ideas
  • Free Homeschool Chicken Unit Study and Anatomy of an Egg Felt Activity & Worksheet
  • Make Way For Ducklings Fun Duck Pond Playdough Invitation to Play
  • How to Make an Easy Bird Craft Fun Paper Plate Peacock
  • Free Bird Journal – Hands-on Nature (Coloring & Identification Pages)
  • 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
  • Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests
  • 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

Your kids will love my Bird Unit Study and Lapbook And Fun Edible Bird Nests.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan
  • Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    Dynamic Delightful Bird Lapbook for Multiple Ages

    $4.00
    Add to cart

Also, here are more activities to learn about swan.

Swan Unit Study Activities

  • 7 Fun Facts About Swan | How to Create a Handprint Swan

Next, look at these resources for a study of a swan.

Resources for a Quick Study of Swans

7 Swan Quick Unit Study Resources

Read The Trumpet of The Swan as your read aloud during your study, it is a wonderful classic by E.B. White..

The Trumpet of the Swan

Like the rest of his family, Louis is a trumpeter swan. But unlike his four brothers and sisters, Louis can't trumpet joyfully. In fact, he can't even make a sound. And since he can't trumpet his love, the beautiful swan Serena pays absolutely no attention to him.

Louis tries everything he can think of to win Serena's affection—he even goes to school to learn to read and write. But nothing seems to work. Then his father steals him a real brass trumpet. Is a musical instrument the key to winning Louis his love?

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

Needle Felting: The Swan

Challenge yourself to make this needlefelted swan next, a beautiful handiwork craft.

Photo Credit: www.thecrafttrain.com

Paper roll swan craft

These swans are particularly simple to create, the first time we made them was back when the girls were princess-obsessed preschoolers.

Photo Credit: backyardsummercamp.com

Origami Swan Step-by-Step Craft Tutorial

Create a paper wonder by following this Origami Swan Step-by-Step Craft Tutorial.

Photo Credit: www.youtube.com

Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake - The Kirov Ballet

Take in some of the beautiful music and dance of Tchaikovsky’s  SwanLake

White Swan Figurine Animals Figures Project Diorama Model

4PCS farm animals figures. Kid can use these plastic animals farm toys to build their own farm up. Farm sets for kids can bring happy.

Farm Animal figurines farm toys set made of environment friendly materials.Good quality and durable to deal with lots of play.

Swan Lake

A prince's love for a swan queen overcomes an evil sorcerer's spell in this fairy tale adaptation of the classic ballet

Finally, look how to make this fun animal soap carving.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving

A soft soap like Ivory carves nicely with simple tools like plastic knives and toothpicks.

It is a great size for small hands and makes a good new medium for an art project.

You will need:

  • Ivory soap bars
  • Toothpicks
  • Wooden Skewers
  • Carving tools-Dollar Tree (optional)
How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

First, open soap a few days ahead of when you are ready to use it and allow it to dry out for 2-5 days, the longer the better.

It makes a little less mess and is easier to work with than if you carve it straight out of the package.

Scratch off the name of the soap with your tools.

Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to lightly outline the shape of the swan on both sides of the soap.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Continue scraping away at the edges of the soap, removing the bulk of the soap that is not part of the design, going all the way from one side of soap to the other.

Going slow and easy will allow you to get more details and less mistakes.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Once you have removed the bulk of the excess material scratch details like feathers deeper into the wings and tail to create some texture by going in different depths and avoid using perfectly straight lines.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Be sure to do all sides of your swan with all the feathering.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Add details like eyes and the beak with a toothpick, do both sides.

Use a smooth rounded tool to rub the edges smooth and flat.

If your child wants to keep their soap, you can seal it with a good lacquer sealer to preserve it.

How To Make A Fun Animal Soap Carving & A Quick Study on A Swan

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: animals, birdjournal, birds, crafts, elementary science, homeschoolscience, life science, science, spring, spring crafts, swan

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

May 31, 2023 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have a fun hands-on life cycle butterfly activity. Also, look at my page Free Insect Unit Study for more ideas.

Life cycles are often one of the first science lessons that younger children get to learn about.

Instead of putting a preprinted worksheet in front of your child to teach them, why not give them an art project that turns into science with this life cycle butterfly activity?

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

We are taking some basic craft supplies that most of us have in our art supplies and turn them into a lesson on the 4 stages of a butterfly’s life.

Let your child be a part of it from the creation of each piece to laying out the cycle so they get the most out of the lesson.

As your child builds each stage in the life cycle, talk to them about the changes taking place.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

10 Fascinating Butterfly Facts

First, look at these butterfly facts.

  1. There are almost 20,000 different butterfly species.
  2. A group of butterflies is known as a flutter.
  3. Butterflies taste their food with their feet.
  4. The most common butterfly in the US is the Cabbage White. It is a simple small mostly white butterfly with 1 or 2 black dots on each wing (1 for males, 2 for females).
  5. One of the largest butterflies is the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly, reaching a wingspan of 4 to 7 inches.
  6. While you might think butterflies have 2 wings, they have 4, 2 forewings and 2 hindwings.
  7. The North American Monarch travels an average of 2,500 miles to migrate to warmer weather.
  8. Butterflies have their skeletons on the outside of their bodies, called the exoskeleton. The exoskeleton protects the insect and keeps water inside their bodies, so they don’t dry out.
  9. The only continent where butterflies have not been found is Antarctica.
  10. Butterflies can fly as fast as 12 mph while their cousin, the moth, can reach speeds of up to 25 mph.

Books About Butterflies

Next, look at some of these beautiful books and resources for studying butterflies.

10 Butterfly Resources and Book

Fun books and resources to learn about butterflies.

It's a Butterfly's Life

What is a butterfly s life? Its full of twists and turns as butterfly glide on air currents. Its full of dips and dives as they show off for their mates. There are more than 17,000 kinds of butterflies in the world. Some of them will only live for a few days. Others will migrate thousands of miles to winter in a warmer climate. Still others will hibernate through the cold months. For all butterflies, life begins with metamorphosis. In one of nature s most amazing feats, caterpillars become creatures of beauty and grace.

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science

One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. 

Richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, The Grew Who Drew Butterflies will enthrall young scientists.

UANDME 4pcs Butterfly Life Cycle Kit Lifestyle Stages of Monarch Butterfly Teaching Tools for Kids, Students

This is a wonderful, realistic set of the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly, which contains the 4 stages, eggs, caterpillars (larva) with a leaf, a chrysalis (pupa), and a butterfly. It is a good learning toy for homeschoolers teaching.

Handle with Care: An Unusual Butterfly Journey

Some farms grow vegetables or grains, and some raise cows, sheep, chickens, or pigs. But have you ever heard of a butterfly farm? How do you raise a butterfly?On a farm in Costa Rica, workers care for these delicate, winged creatures as they change from eggs to caterpillars to pupae. Like any other crop, the butterflies will eventually leave the farm. But where will they go? And just how do you ship a butterfly?

Insect Lore - Butterfly Growing Kit - Butterfly Habitat Kit

Pop-up, reusable 11.5-inch tall mesh habitat perfect for butterfly viewing; includes feeding dropper and complete instructions

Witness one of nature's most spectacular transformations up close

Caterpillars ship separately via included Voucher (additional $8.95 for processing); packaging may vary

Monarch Butterfly (New & Updated)

Introduce young readers to the fascinating process of how caterpillars become butterflies.Follow the transformation from a tiny white egg laid on a leaf to a brilliantly colored butterfly in this kid-friendly introduction to metamorphosis.  With detailed, bright watercolors, Gail Gibbons illustrates the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, stage by stage, as it grows, changes, and takes flight.

Big Book of Bugs (The Big Book Series)

A beautifully illustrated, informative book for children introducing them to bugs that creep, crawl, bite, fly, and more

From moths and beetles to worms and spiders, the world is crawling with fascinating bugs. The Big Book of Bugs is the first fact-filled book for children to explore the vast array of creepy-crawlies that share our Earth.

A Butterfly Is Patient: Nature Books for Kids, Children's Books

From the creators of the award-winning An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, and A Rock Is Lively comes this gorgeous and informative introduction to the world of butterflies.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. A BUTTERFLY BOOK TO TREASURE: From the tiny Western Pygmy blue butterfly to the grand Queen Alexandra’s birdwing, from the iridescent blue swallowtail to the brilliant orange monarch, curious kids will find a wealth of information and inspiration in this fascinating picture book.

National Geographic Readers: Caterpillar to Butterfly

Butterflies are all around us. It's hard to believe these majestic insects with impressive wingspans and beautifully colored and patterned wings were once creepy crawly caterpillars. How in the world does this transformation happen? This Level 1 Reader gives kids an up-close look at exactly how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. With bonus information including different types of butterflies and poisonous caterpillars, this reader is one of a kind.

Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Butterflies and Moths

Crinkleroot introduces the amazing world of butterflies and moths as he tours the natural world, exposing the facts and behaviors of this fascinating insect group known as Lepidoptera.

Also, look at hands-on fun butterfly activites.

Butterfly Activity Hands-on Ideas

If you are looking for another butterfly activity or two, here are some great ideas that the whole family might enjoy.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids
  • Butterfly Identification Cards
  • 12 Free Printable Butterfly Symmetry Puzzles
  • Nature Butterfly Sticky Wall
  • Butterfly Balloon Stem Challenge
  • Butterfly Life Cycle Game
  • Easy Butterfly Sensory Bin
  • Flying Butterfly Experiment
  • A butterfly life cycle set can be used to illustrate it. They make a great addition to sensory bins or trays, and also for dramatic play as you read.
  • I found this really fun and kinda gross Dissect It kit that comes with a jelly chrysalis and a tool to dissect and remove the butterfly from the center.
  • 8 Facts About Moths and a Fun Nature Elephant Hawk Moth Craft
Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

Finally, look at how to make this easy life cycle of a butterfly activity.

Life Cycle of a Butterfly Activity

You will need:

  • 2 coffee filters
  • 3 clothespins
  • Colorful pom poms
  • 4 paper plates
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Paint or markers
  • glue
Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

Use markers to color or paint 3 clothespins to create the body. Set aside to dry.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

Spritz 2 coffee filters until soaked then use watercolors to paint one green for the chrysalis.

Then paint the other colors for butterfly wings. To make it symmetrical you can fold one in half and just paint one side allowing it to soak through.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

Hang outside to dry with an extra clothespin.

For the eggs, you will just need to set aside a couple of pompoms.

To create a caterpillar, draw on its eyes and glue pom poms along the length of its body.

Cut a small piece of pipe cleaner and bend it into an antenna, secure it in the pincher part of the clothespin.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

Take the plain clothespin caterpillar and wrap it up in the green-painted coffee filter and twist the top to create the cremaster (or stem) portion.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

Take the final painted clothespin and draw on the eyes, glue pom poms on for the body.

This time we are going to accordion fold the colorfully painted coffee filter and slip it inside the opened clip of the clothespin.

Spread out the wings and add another small piece of pipe cleaner to the clip to make the butterfly antennae.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

Write each of the stages on your paper plates-egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly.

Have your child put them in order on the floor and then match each of the pieces they made to the correct spot.

Explain how the cycle continues to repeat itself over and over.

Fun and Easy Hands-on Life Cycle Butterfly Activity for Kids

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: butterfly, crafts, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, life cycle, life science, science, spring, spring crafts

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