This week we’ve shared a fun fossil finding activity at a creek and five tips for exploring nature with kids, but we don’t want the sharing to end there! We’ve gathered 10 inspiring posts from around the web that are sure to get your kids playing and learning outside. 1. Make a nature study kit […]
5 Tips for Exploring Nature with Kids
July 6, 2013 by
It’s important for children to be encouraged to connect with nature, but what if you are a little timid when it comes to exploring the outdoors? Whether you identify yourself as an “indoors” person or you just don’t know where to start, here are a few things you can do to make the transition a […]
Fossil Hunting at the Creek
July 5, 2013 by
Summer is hot and the water in the creek is cold! We had fun cooling our toes while hunting for fossils! The rocks in the creek we visited were predominantly shale and limestone. Mixed into the bunch were some incredible fossils! I explained to the boys that fossils were impressions of the remains of creatures […]
5 Must Follow Pinterest Boards for Summer Learning
July 2, 2013 by
Are you on Pinterest? Looking for some inspiring boards to follow for plenty of Summer learning activity ideas? Here are five of our all-time favorite Pinterest boards you’ll want to add to your “must follow” list to help foster your child’s love of learning throughout the Summer months and beyond! 1. Inner Child Learning — Educational crafts […]
Bubble Printing
June 28, 2013 by
It’s summer and that means lots of fun time spent outside playing with bubbles. Want to extend your bubble play? Try these bubble experiments and discover new ways to play with bubbles. When you’re done experimenting, how about trying an art project with bubbles? Bubble printing is so easy and you get beautiful, unique results with […]
Bubble Science
June 26, 2013 by
Every kid has a fascination with bubbles. There’s just something enticing about them. We recently spent an afternoon playing with a bottle of bubbles, which led to lots of discovery about the science behind bubbles. Here’s a few of the fun concepts we learned as we explored bubbles. Does wand shape effect the bubble? […]
Salt and Watercolors Art
June 24, 2013 by
Process-based art is exactly as it sounds. It’s all about the process- the fun, creativity, and exploration that comes with creating art. And your kids will surely love the process behind this crowd-pleasing art project. In fact, chances are that they’ll want to do this again and again! You can watch the tutorial here: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56cZQZXXJCk] […]
Around the Web: Sidewalk Chalk
June 23, 2013 by
There are so many ways to learn and play with sidewalk chalk. It’s great for play prompts, open-ended play, and educational activities. This makes it a must-have in the summer, and we know you’ve been stocking up! Are you looking for creative ways to use your stash? If so, you’ll want to stockpile these 10 […]
Learning in an Instant- Letter Sounds Hopscotch
June 22, 2013 by
We’ve been talking about fun ways to play and learn with sidewalk chalk, and today we have another playful idea to share. Letter Sounds Hopscotch! Encourage your kids to practice letter sounds and their gross motor skills with this simple game. Instead of drawing numbers in your hopscotch grid, draw objects beginning with the letter […]
Sponge Bombs for Summer Fun and Learning
June 17, 2013 by
The days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer, and that can mean even more time spent outdoors. Wouldn’t it be great if you could find a way to sneak in some learning and beat the heat? I think so too! So I’m excited to share this simple craft that can accomplish both of those […]
Exploring Nature with Books
June 12, 2013 by
The best part about summer for me is getting outside with my children! I love watching their eyes light up when they pop a wild berry into their mouths or find a snail along a forest trail. We spend hours and hours outside each day, sometimes doing more formal learning such as species identification and […]
Summer Reading Resource Share
June 10, 2013 by
Last week, I shared a video with tips for making summer reading fun for your kids, and this week we’ll explore the topic even further. Recently, Amy from Teach Mama and the community managers from the We Teach forum got together and hosted a Google+ hangout all about summer reading. But don’t worry if you […]
How to Make Summer Reading Fun for Your Kids
June 4, 2013 by
Summer is right around the corner and even though the days are longer, you might start feeling like you have less time. Summer usually brings an array of fun activities, busy schedules, and traveling, so things like daily reading might slowly begin to dwindle. But reading can be a fun and memorable part of the […]
Around the Web: Homemade Learning Manipulatives
June 3, 2013 by
There’s a lot of learning potential in the simple items you can either find around your home or make yourself with a little creativity. There are many benefits to making your own learning manipulatives. It can be a fun, rewarding experience that allows you to save some money and perfectly tailor the end product to […]
Learning in an Instant: Simple Letter Writing Activity
May 31, 2013 by
For a super quick and mess-free letter writing activity for the kids, remove the label stamp from a zipper freezer bag using a paper towel and a bit of rubbing alcohol. The label will wipe right off leaving you with a completely clear bag! Next, fill the bag with some clear hair gel (from the […]
Learning with Ordinary Household Items
May 28, 2013 by
Learning manipulatives (items that are used to engage a child in hands-on learning) are used for problem solving and to help increase understanding of a concept, such as counting. There are literally thousands of incredible learning manipulatives available for purchase through education websites and catalogs; making a choice can be very overwhelming! But did you […]
Patriotic Crafts for Kids- Easy Note Cards
May 27, 2013 by
Today is Memorial Day and the Fourth of July is right around the corner, so I thought it would be a great day to share this super simple patriotic craft from Inner Child Fun. But you don’t have to wait for a special holiday! This is a great craft for any day you’d like to […]
How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard
May 23, 2013 by
Kids love to look at and examine animals. But we don’t always have a backyard that encourages animals to come to us. So, how can you promote animals in your backyard? First you have to know what kind of animals you are wanting to attract. Are you wanting a variety of birds? What about insects? […]
