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.
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....
End of School Year: Printable Journal of Questions for Kids
Another school year is coming to an end. Encourage kids to answer the questions in this free printable end-of-school journal to capture the year's memories forever! When school comes to an end, it is a perfect time to create a little time capsule with children's...
Aesop’s Fables Shadow Puppets: Hare and Tortoise, Fox and Crow + Fox and Crane
Based on Aesop's fables, these printable shadow puppets will let your kids make their version of three fables (Hare and Tortoise, Fox and Crow, and Fox and Crane) and stage a shadow play at home or in the classroom! Aesop's Fables is a fascinating topic to study with...
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.
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...
Countries & Capitals of the World: Memory Matching Game
Countries & Capitals of the World is a printable memory game designed to help children and adults with learning the countries of the world, their capitals and their flags. Every country in the world has a flag as a symbol of their nation, and every country also has a...
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.
Free Printable Weather Wheel for Kids
For preschools and kindergartens, supplement a weather study unit with this cute and free printable weather wheel for kids! Weather observation is one scientific interaction we all have with nature on a daily basis. We wake up, we look out of the window, and we...
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....
Math in Nature Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Math in Nature scavenger hunt for kids sends the players on an outdoor chase for nature treasures. While looking for items to check off their lists, the players learn interesting facts about nature, while practising basic math. In a scavenger hunt game, each player...
Animal Houses: Engineering Game for Kids
Using this nature-inspired engineering game for kids, you will learn about ten animals and the houses they build, then complete the engineering challenges and build your own versions of these amazing dwellings! Architecture has played a significant role in human...
Printable Nature Journal with Creative Prompts for Kids
Learn how to start a nature journal with kids using a free printable template that offers ten creative prompts. It is a perfect nature STEM activity for kids as it encourages them to go outside, explore nature scientifically, then record their nature finds...
Cloud Wheel with Cloud Identification Guide for Kids
This cloud wheel with a cloud identification guide will help children to observe weather and learn to identify ten of the most common types of clouds. Cirrus. Cumulus. Nimbostratus. I have always found the names of clouds fascinating. Why, they sound almost magical. I...
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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