Naturally Educational » 5-6 (Kindergartners)
Hoo Do You Love?
My daughter loves birds, owls especially. And Valentine’s Day is a time for sharing the love so we were very inspired by these Valentine’s Day Owls from Molly at Mommy Coddle. Owls are a perfect animal for Valentine’s Day because while most owls have round facial discs, the barn owls (sometimes called “monkey-faced”) have heart-shaped facial discs. We modified the design two years ago to create this owl, which is mainly my cutting and my then-two-year-old-daughter’s … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Art, Featured, Mathematics, Winter
Chinese New Year Dragon
Happy New Year! What? I’m late for the New Year? Not if it is Chinese New Year we’re celebrating! If you’ve ever had the chance to enjoy a Chinese New Year celebration, you know how rich the tradition is! In anticipation of the start of the Year of the Rabbit on February 3, we made paper chain dragons: Materials construction paper googly eyes feathers tape glue Directions: 1. Cut paper into 1 inch wide strips. 2. Tape two ends of a strip together to form a loop. … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, History and Culture, Winter
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day for Young Children
I don’t shy away from discussing controversial issues, even with very young children. I do, however, worry about intruding on their open minds with our adult hang-ups. My children do not need to be told that someone should be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. To them, in their innocence, skin color is no more of a defining characteristic than height, eye color, hair color, or even … Read entire article »
Filed under: 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, History and Culture, Interpersonal
Playful Penguins
At a recent trip to the local aquarium, my daughter was captivated by a waddle of African penguins. (A group of penguins on land is called a waddle, nesting in a group they are rookeries, in the water they are part of a raft. A large group of penguin chicks is a creche.) So, we borrowed a few penguin-themed books from the library and made these penguins out of cardboard toilet paper tubes and construction paper. Materials: cardboard … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Ecology, Featured, Winter
New Year’s Traditions: Gold Bracelet Craft from Chile
We went to the library looking for New Year’s picture books for kids and found this is definitely an unfilled niche. We did discover, however, Happy New Year Everywhere!, by Arlene Erlbach. The book details New Year’s traditions throughout the world, including New Years celebrated at other times of the year, like Chinese New Year and Rosh Hashana. Each tradition has an accompanying craft or recipe. The book seems to be out … Read entire article »
Filed under: 1-2 (Toddler), 1-2 (Toddlers), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, History and Culture, Winter
8 Favorite Christmas Picture Books
Last minute trip to the library? Check out some of our favorite Christmas picture books including classics and new favorites! A Christmas Carol: The original is, of course, by Charles Dickens. This version, illustrated by Brett Helquist, is short enough for reading in a single night with my four year old and retains the fascination of the original. The illustrations are perfect for capturing a young child’s imagination. As most adult readers know, Scrooge’s … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Winter
3 Picture Books That Inspire Children to Give
‘Tis the season for thinking of others and I hope that volunteering and charitable giving become a year-round habit for my children. I’ve posted 9 Expert Tips for Teaching Children About Giving and Volunteering and shared some of the Holiday volunteering I do with my young children. Children usually learn best by doing. Reading age-appropriate stories is a great way to inspire and reflect on your activities. So, here are four picture books that inspire … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), Featured, Volunteering
Beaded Snowflake Ornaments
My children handmake gifts for friends, family, and teachers and ornaments are often part of that. One of our favorites is these beautiful snowflakes. My daughter loves to sit and make these and delights in knowing that, just like real snowflakes, they are all unique. There are plenty of kits available for making these but the materials are also fairly simple to find. My son has a little less patience and focus than my daughter did at … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Featured, Science, Weather, Winter
Christmas Tree Ornament – On Pins and Needles!
Every year, my daughter makes homemade ornaments for our tree and for family and friends. This year, my toddler joined the tradition with the simple glass globes. I’ll be sharing last year’s beaded snowflakes later this week. This year, we made a whole Christmas Tree! We used a kit purchased from Oriental Trading but these are materials you can easily find nearby if you are short of time or prefer not to order. I just find … Read entire article »
Filed under: 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 6-8 (Early Elementary), 9-11 (Elementary), Ecology, Featured, History and Culture, Home Arts, Winter
Pilgrim Bonnet and Hat
For your little pilgrims on Thanksgiving Day, a simple hat and bonnet they can make and wear during the feast: Pilgrim Hat Materials: black construction paper white construction paper yellow construction paper glue stick stapler scissors Directions: 1. Fold the black construction paper in half and cut the shape of a pilgrim hat from the black construction paper so that you have two matching shapes. 2. Draw a buckle shape on yellow construction paper and cut it out. (Note: The buckle is most likely anachronistic, having … Read entire article »
Filed under: 0-3 (Babies and Toddlers), 1-2 (Toddler), 3-5 (Preschool), 3-5 (Preschool), 5-6 (Kindergarten), 5-6 (Kindergartners), 6-8 (Early Elementary), All Ages, Featured, History and Culture
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About the Author
Candace Lindemann is a published children’s writer and educational consultant. She holds a B.A. from Yale University and an M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Working with school districts around the country and some of the most well-known companies in the education industry, Candace creates custom strategies, textbooks, and lesson plans. Her articles have appeared in print and online.
While Candace’s degrees prepared her for a career in education, she’s found that the best preparation for parenting is on the job training.
Contact Candace via e-mail, read her full biography, or connect with her using the social media icons below or on Google.
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