Homeschooling My Kinetic Kids

Few things capture kids imaginations like space exploration.  From classic moments like the moon landing to tales of robots and aliens, there's lots of fun things to learn about as part of a space unit.  While there is a lot of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in space, you can easily tie in history, social justice issues, geography, reading, and writing.  Here are some great learning toys I've found to add to your space homeschooling lessons, too! Apollo 11 (2019)   ♢  Hidden Figures DVD   ♢  Astronaut Ice Cream Safari Ltd Space Toob (and free printable matching cards) Solar System   ♢  Pullback Space Shuttle Lego Women of NASA   ♢  Moon in my Room Solar System Scratch and Sketch   ♢  Outer Space Card Game Space Explorer Play Set   ♢  Barbie Astronaut Doll Katherine Johnson Barbie   ♢  Astronaut Helmet Planetarium Projector   ♢  Space Shuttle Play Set KidKraft Rocket Ship...

/> It's springtime!  Even thought it won't stop snowing and raining and hasn't gotten about 40 degrees, we're starting to see birds!  The kids are getting pretty restless getting stuck inside all the time, but they're enjoying all the variety of birds in our yard.  They have big plans for birdseed sensory bins, water fun, and other warm weather games.  Spring is also a great time for a bird, egg, or nest themed homeschool unit. Originally published on August 12, 2015 and updated on April 30, 2021. The Little Book of Backyard Bird Songs Backpack Explorer: Bird Watch book Safari Ltd Backyard Bird toob Build a Bird Bungalow Kit Bird Sound Stuffed Animals Collection Backyard Explorer Dress Up Kit Birds, Nests, and Eggs book Western USA Backyard Birds Flashcards Hanging Bird Feeder   <>   Warbler Bird Whistle Toy Robin Stuffed Animal Puppet Safari Ltd Incredible Creatures Cardinal This is a Member's Only Printable! Sign Up for the Newslett...

My family loves Safari Ltd toobs for homeschooling, which is why this printable is one of the first things I put onto my blog.  Over six years later and it's time for a quick update on an old favorite.  These Montessori-inspired 3-part cards match the Safari Ltd Insects* toob and can be used in numerous ways for learning about bugs.  Scroll down to grab the printable for free! *Insects seems to be more of a suggestion than a scientific term for the manufacturer of these toys, but that can be a great lesson in itself.  What is an insect and what is not?  Finding names for all of the generic creatures in the tube was much more challenging than it usually is for me.  I did a lot of research and made my best guess to find names that match the look of the bugs. Originally published on May 13, 2015 and updated on April 17, 2021. This is a Member's Only Printable! Sign Up for the Newsletter to Get It! (If you're already a subscriber, add your email agai...

Every country is known for its national monuments.  Italy has the Colosseum.  China has the Great Wall.  Easter Island has the big heads.  All of these places can be found in the Safari World Landmarks toobs (matching cards coming soon). Today, though, we're not talking about the world.  We're talking about the USA.  Just in time for the 4th of July, I redid the printable matching cards for the  Safari Ltd. US Symbols toob .  It was a big challenge for me, as I have only been to Mount Rushmore.  Yikes!  As a homeschool family, we have to fix that! Originally published on April 14, 2016 and updated on June 18, 2021. This is a Member's Only Printable! Sign Up for the Newsletter to Get It! (If you're already a subscriber, add your email again to get the special newsletter with this printable) After you've put in your email address into the box, check your inbox for the confirmation email.  Open the email and click on the but...

The regions of the USA have a great variety of wildlife.  Whether you're studying the geography of the entire nation for homeschooling or you want to familiarize your kids with the animals in your own area, the Safari Ltd Great Lakes Toob  would be a great addition to your collection.  The set includes 10 plastic figurines of common regional animals including Canada Geese, Sturgeon, and Mudpuppies. I have a personal goal of creating Montessori-inspired 3-part cards to match every Safari Ltd toob.  I have several of them, which can be found by clicking on the colored text here.   I am pleased to add the Great Lakes toob to my collection.  Scroll down to get the printables for free! If I was studying this region with my kids, I would also add many of the animals from the River toob and the North American toob.   For this reason, I also added a few extra cards to the printables pack, so you can make an even more robust unit study.  Here are a few ...

I live in North America, and most of these animals are native to my neighborhood.  Back in 2015, my kids (then 2, 1, and 6 months) loved the Safari Ltd North America toob, because they recognized almost every creature.  As you may have noticed, I've been on a campaign to rework my old Safari toob printables.  Since the North America toob was one of the first I ever made, I'm excited to present the latest version for you. Originally published on June 10, 2015 and updated on March 3, 2021. This is a Member's Only Printable! Sign Up for the Newsletter to Get the Password! After you've put in your email address into the box, check your inbox for the confirmation email.  Open the email and click on the button to confirm your subscription.  You'll get a second email with a link to download the printable.  Download the PDF from the protected page.  Print the first two pages twice and laminate them for long-term use.  Then, cut out all the cards a...