Learn & Play Ideas
Children learn best while playing – or doing what interests them most.
Having decided to homeschool our children, we wanted to give them the opportunity to learn what they want, when they want and how they want. Since they are still quite young, a lot of learning happens just as we go about our life – cooking, gardening, or fixing things around the house. Other times, when the interest seems to persist, we take time and invent more involved projects to explore the topic in depth. Then all of us, including adults, often discover something new.
Some of our favourite ways to learn:
- THROUGH CRAFTS: We craft to visualize things and understand how they work. We also do a lot of art projects because whenever our son sees something that impresses him, he looks for a sketchbook to make a drawing of it. That works best for him.
- THROUGH BOOKS: We read. A lot. We also listen to audiobooks and make our own books for fun.
- THROUGH GAMES: We play games, and we make some of our own.
- and through PLAYING OUTDOORS: For all that summer is short in our part of the world, we love spending time outdoors.
On this page, we would like to share some of the projects and materials we created with other enthusiasts for playful learning.
Literacy
A category of activities related to our love of reading and writing.
- LEARNING TO READ. Teaching alphabet to junior engineers with Magna-Tiles alphabet cards and wooden block cards.
- STORYTELLING. Lots of shadow puppet play!
- WRITING. Since my son loves making books, we have a series of free printable journals.
Ice Breaker Questions for Kids at the Autumn Table
Do you want a lively conversation going at the family table? Try ice breaker questions for kids. They are made in the form of printable coasters, especially for autumn gatherings! Both my husband and I work from home, and our children are homeschooled. We don't spend...
Fun & Free Printable Writing Worksheets for Kindergarten and Grade 1
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ticonderoga. All opinions are 100% mine. Is copying words in worksheets not engaging enough for your beginning writer? Try these fun and free printable writing worksheets - they prompt children to write while making...
Magna Tile Ideas to Print and Build!
Looking for Magna Tile ideas for kids to build? Choose one of 120 printable Magna Tile designs and build away! There are letters, numbers, geometric shapes and 2D art designs. No matter how exciting and engaging at first, most toys eventually fall out of favour....
Social Studies
Geography and history can be a TON of fun when studying in a playful manner.
- HISTORY: Learning about vikings? Build a viking tent in the backyard. Interested in knights? Construct a castle from cardboard tubes.
- GEOGRAPHY: When going on adventures around the world, either imaginary or real, learn flags while playing Flag Bingo or draw national costumes for paper dolls.
- OTHER SOCIAL STUDIES: Learn about emotions with paper dolls or discuss recycling while playing a recycling game.
Christmas Around the World for Kids with Printable Paper Dolls
Learn about Christmas traditions around the world with fourteen gift-bringing characters from different cultures! From the famed Santa Claus to the mysterious Olentzero, from the sweet Christkind to the horrifying Krampus—the world is full of interesting and unique...
School Uniforms Around the World: Printable Dress-Up Paper Dolls
Explore cultural diversity with kids by getting our printable paper dolls ready for school and dressing them up in a variety of school uniforms around the world! It is always fascinating to learn what is different about life in other parts of the world. Ever since I...
Map Study Watercolour Painting with Children
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Prang. All opinions are 100% mine. Are you doing a map unit study with kids this year? Make your own map with different types of landscapes, using a simple watercolour technique! I love maps. Actually, everyone in...
STEM
- SCIENCE: Focusing on nature study at the moment, we love to study animals and plants. Draw the missing half of an insect and sea animals matching game are two of our most popular activities.
- TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING: Many of the engineering activities were actually invented and implemented by my son. Ever since he was a baby, building was his passion, and so he learns by building: foam airplanes, tall towers with wooden blocks and robots with magnets.
- MATH: Board games and Magna-tiles are our best friends when it comes to math right now.
Life-Size Printable Skeleton for Kids
Make a life-size paper skeleton for kids to study anatomy the hands-on way with life-size printable organs! Skeletons are fascinating! Especially when you are seven or eight... First of all, kids at that age have some insatiable curiosity about how their bodies work,...
Human Body Anatomy Play-Dough Mats for Kids
The human body anatomy printable play-dough mats let children combine science with art while building 3D versions of body systems. Play-dough is fun! Both my kids started playing with it when they were barely toddlers, and they don't seem to plan on stopping any time...
How to Make Simple Articulated Robots with Kids
Build a simple articulated wooden robot! It is a great engineering project to teach kids how articulation works and a perfect woodworking project for beginners. My kids have a lot of toys. When I've just tripped over one, I tend to think they have too many. Still,...
Printable Life-Size Organs for Studying Human Body Anatomy with Kids
Make a quick anatomy model for kids to study the human body with these free printable life-size organs! What is a good age for learning about the human body anatomy? The truth is, most children get their first anatomy lessons before they turn one. "This is your mouth....
Anatomy Printable Paper Doll for Kids
Study the human body anatomy with kids by making a set of printable anatomy paper dolls, with each layer showcasing a different body system! What is inside of me? How does my body work? What is this part of me doing? Most kids are genuinely fascinated with their...
Pumpkin House: Autumn Engineering Project for Kids
Looking for autumn STEM activities to do with elementary school kids? Work together on a pumpkin house engineering project! If I learned something from my son, who loves building, it would be this - anything can be used for engineering constructions! I still remember...
Outdoors
Everything is just a little more fun when it happens outdoors.
Backyard Railroad Engineering: Outdoor STEM Challenge for Kids
Like many kids, my son likes everything on wheels. Cars, construction machinery, emergency vehicles, trains. Especially trains. He also loves playing in the backyard, and for several summer now, I've been thinking how much fun it would be to build a railroad outside....
How to Make a Bean Teepee for Backyard Play
If you're looking for a kids' gardening project this summer, try building a bean teepee. This natural play tent is a fun addition to the backyard and a perfect hideout for little explorers. Last summer was our first as home owners, and we were as excited about our big...
Flower Canning Pretend Play
The end of summer, and it's time for canning. Can my son stay away? Of course not! And while we're still washing fruits and vegetables, he has already canned twenty jars! A lot of the posts in my blog are ideas of what parents can do for kids. This one is not. From...
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