Fall Bucket List

Fall may not be officially here yet, but it’s just around the corner. We’ve put together a Fall bucket list. These are great activities that celebrate the season that are perfect for families, classrooms, or field trips.

1.      Go apple picking. This allows students to get fresh produce and helps to show them where their food comes from.

2.      Go through a corn maze. This classic activity is a great way to build problem-solving skills.

3.      Hike through a forest. It’s a great way to teach about different types of trees and plants.

4.      Bake a traditional fall desert, such as pumpkin pie. This shows students the work that goes into a baked good.

5.      Head to a pumpkin patch to get a pumpkin. It’s much more personal than grabbing one from a grocery store, and there’s often other education activities.

6.      Get crafty with fall items such as fallen leaves, pinecones, sweater material, and more.

7.      Take a ghost tour. This may be a bit much for younger students, but it’s great for older ones. A ghost tour gives a lot of history about local buildings in your town!

8.      Go leaf peeping. It’s a great way to take in the beauty of fall, and teach about leaves at the same time.

9.      Decorate pumpkins with the class. To avoid the dangers of pumpkin carving, instead do pumpkin painting. It’s a great way to let your student’s creativity shine.

10.   Take students to a family farm. This may just be to visit, it may be to volunteer. It’s another way to teach students about where their food comes from and animals. At these farms students can often pet animals, get samples, and sometimes even help harvest.

This is only ten ideas of many. We focused on fun fall activities that also have some educational or creative benefit, making these things easy to tie into your lessons.

Happy Fall! 

Indoor and Outdoor Winter Activities

The temperatures are dropping all across the country. In some places it is downright frigid, and it is much too cold to go inside. In other parts of the country it is merely chilly out. Whether you have snow on the ground or not, we’ve come up with a great list of winter activities you can do with students.

Outdoors:

~ Build snow sculptures outside. Remind children that they can build beyond the simple snowman. Build a snow family. Try your hand at a snow animal. The possibilities are endless.

~ Make snow ice cream with freshly fallen snow. There’s tons of recipes out there on the internet, and you and your children will both be surprised by how tasty this frozen treat is.

~ Reinvent your favorite outdoor summer games for winter! Play dodge ball with snow balls, try a round of snow capture the flag, or play football in the snow like some sport teams have to and see what it’s like!

~ Take children out to experience winter sports. These include sledding, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and ice skating.

~ Take students out to track animals. Where you are located will play a big part in what type of animal tracks you may see, but common ones include squirrels, birds, rabbits, foxes, dogs, and deer.

Indoors:

~ Make winter themed crafts. There’s tons of crafts our there centered around winter, including snow, penguins, and so much more. A simple Google search will bring up tons of options for you.

~ Create an indoor obstacle course. This will keep kids active even during the cold months. Here’s some examples of tasks you can have them do: crawl under a row of chairs, do a somersault, do jumping jacks, climb under the table, and much more!

~ Go “fireplace camping.” If you have a fireplace in your home grab sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, and set up in front of the fireplace. Bring games, books, and music with you. And of course, don’t forget about the smores.

~ Have a board game night. As fun as video games are, they aren’t always a very social activity. There are tons of options when it comes to board games, and the industry has actually been on the rise lately!

~ Create an obstacle course made from yarn. This “laser maze” is sure to delight kids!

Many people become discouraged during winter because of the temperature. Don’t let this happen to you! There’s plenty to do outdoors in winter if you use your time carefully, and being trapped inside can lead to many fun activities! 

Fall Fun

Fall will officially be here next week, but for all intensive purposes the season is already underway. As temperatures start to drop and leaves begin to change, students will grow more and more excited about the new season. This presents you with a great opportunity. Take the new season that students are excited about and use it to teach. This can include everything from lessons plans to fun activities. Below we’ve listed ten great ideas for using fall to your advantage as an educator.

1.       Track the leaves as they change color. There are multiple ways you can implement this in your classroom. You could make this an individual activity, and have students record the color of the leaves they see at school or at home. You can also make it a classroom activity, and take students out every day to observe a tree outside of the school, then record the color in your class. While you do this, you can focus on topics such as what makes leaves change color, different types of trees, and more.

2.       Do some fall crafts with your students. There’s tons of fall crafts out there for you to make with students. Do a simple Google search, or invest in a craft book for some fun, creative ideas. You can create these crafts in one of two ways. First, you could make a craft based off the theme of fall. This means make some sort of fall craft using traditional arts and crafts materials, such as paint, construction paper, etc. Another way you can handle that is to use actual fall items, such as leaves, pumpkin seeds, etc, to make the craft. Students will have a blast.

3.       Another great way to celebrate fall with your students is to take them on a field trip. Field trips have great educational value, and are very exciting for students. One very fun and educational trip you can do is to go to a pumpkin patch, or go apple picking. Students can pick a pumpkin to take home or pick a batch of apples. It gives them a chance to see where these items come from. Plus, these areas often have other activities such as apple cider, corn mazes, and more! If you’re looking for a different idea, maybe try a local farm. This will show students in greater detail where their food comes from and meet the people who produce this food on a daily basis.

4.       Since the weather will be changing, fall is a great time to start tracking weather changes. Every day you can have students come in to a set up “weather station” to record different aspects of the weather. This will give them a hands on experience with weather while giving you an opportunity to teach them about different types of weather, and why different types of weather happen. Focus on something easier, such as temperature and rain VS sunshine for younger students, while for older you can focus on items such as humidity, wind speed, rainfall amount, and more. Some of this can be manually done, and some may require you to check official sources.

5.       A great lesson you can do could be on autumn fruits and vegetables. You can explain what it means for an item to be in season, and give a lesson on the specifics of each piece of produce. Some common produce it could be good to focus on includes apples, broccoli, carrots, celery, cranberries, mushrooms, onions, pears, potatoes, and pumpkins. You can use activities to drive the point home as well. Have a food festival, where each student brings in samples of foods using fall produce. You can also make a cookbook, with each student bringing in a fall recipe!

6.       Since pumpkins are so common for fall, why not have a lesson about the pumpkin life cycle? While students are likely to know what a pumpkin is and how to decorate it, they aren’t as likely to know other things about a pumpkin, such as how it grows, what it weighs, how big it can get, and how to cook with it besides a pumpkin pie.

7.       A good nature walk isn’t just for spring! There’s tons of different things to discover during a nature walk in the fall. Good items to have students hunt for include different types of leaves, nuts, animals such as squirrels, birds, etc, pinecones, mushrooms, and much more!

8.       You can have themed writing activities for any occasion, including fall. You can approach this in multiple ways. First, you can have students write about fall specifically, such as what they like to do during fall, popular fall activities, and more. Another option is to have fall be the central point of a creative writing activity. Students can create a fictional story based around the season and season activities. This will get them to stop and think a bit more critically about the season!

9.       One easy way to celebrate fall is of course, to decorate your classroom! You can do this by hanging student crafts, making fall bulletin boards, hanging other fall decorations, and more.

10.   The last example we have for you is to plan themed subject lessons around fall. For language arts, have writing and reading activities focused on fall. For science, do experiments using items such as leaves and apples. For math, make problems using fall items, such as counting pumpkin seeds. For history, focus on fall in different cultures and in different time periods. There’s tons you can do with this tip!

Those are our tips for using fall in your lesson plans. We hope you use a couple of them with your students! 

Creative Summer Activities

We’re right in the middle of summer, and some kids might be getting a bit bored. Or are you just looking for something more creative to do that your kids will be talking about for ages? We’ve compiled a list of ten creative activities you can do this summer that kids will love.  

1.       Put some time and energy into creating a box house with your kids. You can make all different sizes, and this house can be as easy or complex as you want. For the youngest kids, all you need is a large appliance box and a box cutter to make some windows and a door. If you want something bigger, you can make the frame and roof of the house with multiple boxes. Kids can help make it too! Let them draw where they want windows and doors, color on details such as window sills and curtains, and more!

2.       Be prepared for summer storms with a rainy day box. It’s really simple! Just fill a box with indoor things for rainy days. This way kids won’t default to watching TV shows and movies for the whole day. Great items to go into this box are board games, coloring books, craft kits, books, and more. Update the box after every rainy day with new items.

3.       Plenty of kids run a lemonade stand in summer. Why not try something different, such as a bake stand? Kids can bake a small variety of treats such as cupcakes and cookies, then set up a stand. They can even offer lemonade as well! This makes the stand a multiple day activity, with all of the baking.

4.       Another fun idea that really utilizes kid’s creativity is to have them roleplay. Most kids engage in roleplay activities with items such as play kitchens, but push it further. Make the roleplay fresh. Have kids do a super hero plot, with someone as the hero, villain, and victim! Kids can dress up, use household items as props, or even make props for the occasion. Some other creative options include witches/wizards, western, and medieval times!

5.       Make a nature scavenger hunt for your kids. All you have to do is type up some items then take your kids outside or to the park to find everything. Need some examples of things to have kids hunt for? Send them searching for items such as sticks, multiple types of leaves, something green, different sized rocks, and more!

6.       Help your kids create something magical by working on a fairy garden together. This project will likely take you a few days and requires some planning. First you’ll need to find the right section of yard or container for your garden. Next you will have to get ideas for the garden so you can gather supplies. What does your kid want? A pond? A cave? Once you gather the materials, all that’s left to do is put it all together. If you want a detailed tutorial there’s tons of them online.

7.       Create a water park in your backyard! Put together different water activities. Set up the sprinkler, fill the baby pool, lay out the slip n’ slide, as well as any additional things you can think of! You could set up a water balloon and water gun stand, or make it like a real water park with a section of lawn chairs for resting in the sun. If you want to get very creative, you could even set up a snack station outside to serve as the food court!  

8.       Another great indoor activity is a themed movie night. Choose one or two movies, both centered around a similar topic, and make an event of it! For example, what if you choose two movies about magic? Make some snacks such as wizard hat cupcakes, and have everyone make their own wands to bring for the evening. What about a movie about animals? Have everyone wear something with an animal on it, such as a T-shirt. Have a big container of animal crackers for snacks. There’s tons of options with this one!

9.       Have fun with chalk in a new way! Are your kids bored of chalk? Try to challenge them! Have them pick out an art piece they like and print a picture of it. Your child can then try to re-create it in chalk. This will be more difficult and will likely occupy kids for a while.

10.   Celebrate cooking in a new way with a mud kitchen outside. Give your child several pots and pans, as well as some dishes to play with. We recommend old ones you no longer plan to use. Then have kids mix up their own “meals” using items from outside. Fill jars with dirt and sand. If you have any empty spice containers, fill them with pebbles, small sticks, and torn up leaves. Now kids can mix up “food” without using any actual ingredients.

There you have it! These great ideas are sure to keep young ones entertained. Give them a try next time your kids are looking for something new to do.

Summer Activities for Kids!

We’re right in the middle of summer, and while some kids might still be having a blast, some might be bored. Everyone hates to hear that word. Sometimes it might be tempting to just let them sit inside and watch TV, but do something different! 

Constantly taking children to theme parks, the movies, the zoo, and more can eventually get fairly pricey. Instead, we’ve compiled a list of 10 cheap summer activities that will stop boredom in its tracks!

1.       Lemonade stand

This traditional summer activity is seen more and more rarely. Not only will it give your children something to do, but it will help them learn the value of earning money! A lemonade stand is easy to construct with a small, fold out table, or if you feel ambitious, build a proper one yourself! If children set up the stand out front, simply keep an eye on them. If they wish to venture to a busier street make sure to go with or send an older sibling or babysitter with them. This activity can last them all day.

2.       Make a fort

What kid doesn’t love forts? This activity is great for both inside and outside. Forts can be built from all sorts of materials such as blankets, pillows, sheets, cardboard boxes, plywood, and more! Building the fort itself will occupy young ones for a while. Next encourage them to decorate the inside. Children can have snacks, play games, or nap inside their forts. This is another activity that could keep them occupied all day!

3.       Have a themed picnic

Picnics are a common summer activity, but have you ever tried a themed picnic? Themed picnics are a great way to make a day out even more special. Themes can be food based, or can extend to the activities and dress code as well! Need some examples? How about food from around the world? Or sports, with tons of games to play? Maybe try circus, with fun circus foods like cotton candy, popcorn, and more. There is tons of room for creativity, so this event can be repeated simply by choosing a new theme!

4.       Sprinkler

If you don’t have a pool and don’t feel like dragging yourselves to one across town, then a sprinkler is a great option. Simply set it out in the yard on a hot day, have kids change into swimsuits, and let them at it! Suggest games such as water Simon says or “fill the cup”. Take occasional breaks for the kids to snack and dry off.

5.       Library

If your kids are readers you’ve probably already made stops to the library this summer. If not, now is the time to encourage children to go! Reading is a very important skill and with so much free time in summer children should be encouraged to read. Let them pick out a couple books they like. This is a great way to spend a rainy day instead of watching TV.

6.       Free concert in the park

A lot of community parks, cafes, and more offer free concerts during the summer months. The best way to find out about these is to check your community calendar. Music can range from classical, to jazz, to rock, and much more. A fun event for the whole family!

7.       Camp in the backyard

Camping at a campsite can get expensive and chaotic, but camping in your own backyard is free and close to home! Set up a tent and sleeping bags, have a campfire, and let the evening begin! Before dark play games in the yard. If you can have a fire, roast hotdogs and Smores. If not, grill and eat outside! After dark it’s time to sing some campfire songs and tell ghost stories. Keep the technology inside and forget you’re not in the woods! 

8.       Make your own at home movie theater

Sometimes, kids just need a break from the heat, or there’s a string of rainy days. If you want to involve technology make it unique! Pick a day along with a selection of movies and turn your living room into a movie theater. Set up a concession stand with candy, popcorn, and soda. If you’re aiming to be healthier, opt for some fruit and juice, with maybe just one unhealthy snack for the day. Then close the blinds, turn off the lights, and enjoy a movie experience without the high cost!

9.       Write and illustrate a book

This is another great indoor activity for summer. Staple some pages together and let your child write and illustrate their own book! Older children might not need illustrations, but younger children will enjoy making their project a picture book. If kids are stuck there are tons of writing prompts online! Encourage them to use their imagination, whether they’re making their own fantasy story or re-telling a family vacation. Then share the stories with the rest of the family! 

10.   Make an obstacle course in the yard

An obstacle course is a great way to keep kids active in a fun way! Create an obstacle course for your kids or encourage them to design their own. Obstacle courses can easily be made from items you have around your house. Some examples? Use a piece of wood as a balance beam.  Toss beanbags into a laundry basket or box. Crawl under tables or benches. You are limited only by your imagination! 

And there you have it! Ten ways to entertain your kids this summer! Make sure to keep an eye on this blog for more tips like this, product features, and free printables!