Native American Teepee Activities for Kids

March 23, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing kids printables on Native American Tepee Activities for kids.  So, there are over 5.6 million Native Americans in the United States with 574 tribes.  Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota and Montana have the largest number of Native Americans.  The Navaho is the largest tribe in the United States.

Some of the most popular Native American housing included wigwams, adobes, long houses, grass houses and the teepee.  Today, we’re going to look at Native American teepees.  The teepee was used by the Native American Indians of the Great Plains. The tribes included Crow, Sioux, Cheyenne, Blackfoot, Arapaho, Comanche, Osage, and Shawnee.  

 

 

teepee activities for kids

 

 

Teepee Activities for Kids: 

 

  • First, each Native American tribes selected the type of housing that was suitable for their lifestyle.  
  • The teepee was the most suitable housing for Native Americans of the Great Plains because of its mobility.  
  • The Great Plains Native American tribes followed and hunted buffalo. 
  • When it was time to move on to the next herd of buffalo, tribes dismantled the teepees. Tribes could dismantle a teepee in 1 hour.  
  • Furthermore, the Lakota (Sioux) invented the teepee. 
  • Teepees were made of buffalo hides and long poles.

 

 

teepee activities for kids

 

 

  • Next, women from each family built the teepees.  
  • Teepees were shaped like cones because it made it difficult for the teepees to blow over. 
  • The men of the tribe provided the buffalo hides to the women and the poles used to hold it together.  
  • Additionally, grass helped keep teepees warm in the winter.
  • Furthermore, fires heated teepees. 
  • A hole at the top of the teepee was used to let out smoke. 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Tribes used buffalo hides as blankets too. 
  • Additionally, thick buffalo hides insulated teepees.    
  • Tribes closed teepees at the top when it rained.   
  • Each teepee had an entrance for entering and to help with airflow.    
  • Also, tribes built tepees in circles to represent the circle of life. 
  • If the flap of the tepee is open it is an invitation to enter.  Otherwise, the person must make an announcement and wait for an invitation.  
  • Tribes decorated their teepees with tribal symbols, animals, and Gods. Symbols included the sun, moon, deer, antelope, buffalo, lightning and more. 
  • Finally, men painted the symbols on the teepees to showcase their accomplishments. 

 

 

 

Native American Teepees

 

 

 

 

Teepee Craft Ideas for Kids: 

Also, check out I Heart Crafty Things Faux Teepee Craft .  

Fantastic Fun and Learning Teepee Crafts.  

Make and Takes Paper Teepee Decorations

 

 

 

teepee activities for kids

 

 

Finally, I hoped you enjoyed these teepee activities for kids. This unit includes a teepee crafts, teepee word search, coloring pages, and a fill in the blank work sheet. Use them as a part of your homeschool unit on Native Americans or extra homework activities.  You can download the printables here:  

 

 

Filed Under: Education, Printables Tagged With: , , , ,

Acts of Kindness for Kids to Build Character

March 12, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on acts of kindness for kids.  First, demonstrating acts of kindness helps build character for kids.  Furthermore, engaging in kindness activities does the heart good as well as helps a neighbor, family member or friend feel good too.  

 

 

acts of kindness for kids

 

 

 

Acts of Kindness for Kids: 

 

  1. Participate in Food Drives
  2. Read to the Elderly at a Nursing Home
  3. Help at a Food Kitchen
  4. Become a Pen Pal with our Troops
  5. Donate Clothing and Toys to a Women’s Shelter or Children’s Home 
  6. Grow Sunflowers for the Birds
  7. Build a Bird Bath for Backyard Birds
  8. Make a Flower Bouquet for Your Neighbor
  9. Mow an Elderly Neighbor’s Grass 
  10. Send a Care Package to Our Troops
  11. Invite a Classmate to Sit With You at Lunch 
  12. Make a Bird Feeder for Backyard Friends
  13. Have a Free Car Wash in Your Neighborhood
  14. Bake Cookies for Our Soldiers
  15. Volunteer to Help at a Community Garden
  16. Volunteer to Help Pick up Trash in the Community
  17. Donate Old Books to a Used Book Store
  18. Offer to Pull Weeds From Your Neighbors Flower Beds
  19. Fix Lunch or Dinner for an Elderly Neighbor
  20. Call Your Grandparents Just to Say Hello and I love You.  

 

acts of kindness for kids

 

 

Also, acts of money don’t have to require tons of money.  Devoting time and a little energy goes a long way.  Most importantly, small tokens of kindness, love and care can brighten someone’s day and impact their life in a positive way.  So, remember being kind and showing kindness costs very little.

Furthermore, kids can participate in a food drive, grow a pot of flowers for a neighbor, wash a neighbor’s car, bake brownies and cookies for our soldiers.  Soldiers who are far away from home service our country would welcome a homemade goodie box.  Also, volunteering at a food kitchen can show children how blessed they are to have a warm, comfortable home with a bed and lots of food.

 

 

acts of kindness for kids

 

 

Next, pick an easy flower to grow if you child decides to grow flowers.  For example, Marigolds and Impatients are great flowers to grow in containers for the summer.  However, the Marigolds love sun and the Impatients love shade.  

Last, print my acts of kindness for kids list and have your children pick a few acts that they would like to perform.  

 

 

 

Filed Under: Character Building

Teaching Children Kindness Through Gardening

March 11, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on unique ways on teaching children kindness. Teaching children kindness is a character trait that every parent will need to nurture in their children. Furthermore, there are many ways to instill and discuss kindness.  However, today we’re going to focus on teaching children kindness through gardening. 

So, gardening is a unique concept, but there are many lessons to be learned through gardening. It has additional benefits including exposing your child to nature, leaning self-sufficiency by growing your own food, and enjoying nature’s beauty by growing beautiful flowers.  Flowers are also beneficial to growing fruit, vegetables and flowers.      

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

Teaching Children Kindness: 

 

Teaching Children Kindness Through Gardening Videos

 

Videos:  If You Plant a Seed
              Wanda’s Roses

 

Snacks:

Vegetable Dip and Veggies
Peanut Butter Celery

 

 

Kindness Coloring Pages and Activities

 

Worksheets: 

If You Plant a Seed
Wanda’s Roses
Vegetable Coloring Pages
Kindness Coloring Pages

 

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

Children’s Kindness Activities: 

Bake Zucchinni bread for our troops
Make cards with flowers for a local nursing home
Visit a Community Garden
Make a flower pot gift for grandma or a neighbor
Grow a pot of carrots or strawberries 

 

First, lets start with the book If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson.  This book is an excellent way to teach young children about kindness and sharing.  Additionally, the book is appropriate for preschoolers to 3rd grade, and is read by Story Time With Michele Lepe. Set aside approximately 10 minutes to watch the video. 

Next, prepare a vegetable snack of carrots, cucumbers and dip or celery and peanut butter pieces for the kids.  Discuss the book with them to ensure they understand what took place.

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

 

Teaching Children Kindness Through Gardening

 

Additionally, here’s a few questions that you can ask from the stories.  I’ve created a worksheet on the stories for the older kids to answer questions.  Interacting verbally with the younger kids will suffice: 

 

  • What vegetables did the rabbit and mouse plant? Tomatoes, carrots, and cabbage? 
  • Who showed up to enjoy the treats the rabbit and mouse planted?  Birds.
  • So, what happened when the rabbit and the mouse refused to share with the birds.  They fought and ruined all the vegetables. (Seeds of selfishness were planted).
  • When the rabbit and mouse shared their treats, what happened? Seeds of kindness were planted. The birds were thankful for the food.  So, they helped plant more vegetables and they had a bigger garden and harvest for everyone.
  • What was the sweetest fruit? The fruit of kindness.
  • Finally, the bigger garden was filled with what vegetables and flowers? (Garden of Kindness)?  Corn, carrots, tomatoes, cabbage and sunflowers.  

 

Additionally, while you’re having your snacks discuss the fact that the vegetables they are eating were grown in a garden just like the tomatoes, carrots and cabbage, corn and sunflowers in the story. 

Have the kids complete the Fruit of Kindness Garden Assignment. What would they would plant in their Fruit of Kindness Garden.  

 

 

teaching kids kindness

 

 

 

 

Kindness Books for Children:

 

In addition to If you Plant a Seed,  Wanda’s Roses by Pat Brisson teaches kindness too. The story is read by Story Time with Ms. Loewen.  It is appropriate for ages 5 – 8. Here are a few questions to ask the kids after listening to the story:  

 

  • Where did Wanda find the rosebush?  In an empty lot. 
  • Why did Wanda think it was a rosebush?  The thorns. 
  • What did Wanda do to give the rosebush more sun and air?  She started to clean up the lot by removing the trash. 
  • How did all of the neighbors help Wanda with the lot? They all helped to clean it up.   
  • Sadly, the rosebush did not bloom. What did Wanda do when her bush did not bloom? She made roses from paper and invited the neighbors to have a tea party.
  • What did the neighbors bring to the tea party? Rosebushes. 
  • What did Ms. Jones bring to the party? Muffins
  • Ask the students to talk about a kind act they did for a friend, neighbor or family member or one that a friend, neighbor or family member did for them.    

 

So, teaching kindness should start early and done in a manner that kids can understand and relate.  The best way is to lead by example.  Download the Kindness Activities for kids.   

 

 

Filed Under: Character Building, Suggested Reading List Tagged With: , , ,

Letter D Activities – D Is For Duck

March 5, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Welcome to my Letter D activities in my preschool/kindergarten activities. This week’s word is Duck. My Letter D activities will familiarize children with the capital and lower case D.  If you missed the Letter A and Letter B activities you can download them the Letter A activities here and the Letter B activities here. 

 

So, my Letter D activities are fun, colorful and educational.  Additionally, the printables will help preschoolers and/or kindergarteners work on both the capital letter and lower case D, tracing, coloring, letter recognition, understanding the more versus less concept, Do a Dot worksheet and more.    

 

 

Letter D Activities

 

 

Have your preschooler trace the Capital Letter D and the Lower Case d.  Practice will make perfect.

 

 

Letter D Activiteis

 

 

Additionally, practice sentences with the word duck.  The sentences will help your preschooler learn that ducks have feathers, bills, they swim, quack and are soft.  You can also have your preschooler or kindergartener watch The Run Away Duck.  It’s about 7 minutes, and a really cute short story.  

 

 

Letter D Activites

 

 

Have your students repeat the sentences to learn about ducks. They will learn that ducks are yellow, have a bill, like water etc. 

Next, finding the letters in the worksheet will help your student learn letter recognition of the Capital Letter D and Lower Case D.  

 

 

 

Also, fix a snack that starts with the Letter D.  For example, kids snacks that start with the Letter D: Dannon yogurt, drumsticks, dip, deviled eggs or doughnuts. You can serve Ranch Dip or this Caramel Dipping Sauce with pretzels or apples.  Make the snacks a part of your daily Letter D activities for the week.  Here’s a Caramel Dipping Sauce Recipe that is kid approved.  

 

Letter D Coloring Page

 

Letter D Activities

 

After your student enjoys a delicious snack, let them have a little fun with letter d coloring.  Staying within the lines doesn’t have to be an option, just let them go for it. You can download the Letter D Activities here.  Print them and enjoy!  

 

You may also like my carrot Kindergarten Matching Activities.

Filed Under: Education, Kid's Printables Tagged With: , , ,

Pileated Woodpecker Facts for Kids

March 1, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing Pileated Woodpecker facts for kids.  The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest member of the woodpecker family.  Its name comes from the Latin word Pileatus, meaning capped.  The Pileated Woodpecker prefers wooded areas with large, mature trees.  These woodpeckers create large holes in dead trees for nests. The holes are so large, they would snap a small tree. 

I have created a Pileated Woodpecker fact sheet, word search puzzle, fill in the blank, and added a few coloring pages and connect the dot worksheet for a little for the younger kids. Also, the worksheets make a great homeschool unit or an extra educational activity for kids to learn about the Pileated Woodpecker.  

 

 

pileated woodpecker facts for kids

 

 

Pileated Woodpecker Facts for Kids: 

  • Males have a red cheek stripe, females have black stripes. 
  • Pileated Woodpeckers eat carpenter ants, beetles, fruits, nuts and will visit suet feeders.
  • They pull bark off trees to find ants.
  • Nests are large holes bored into large tree trunks. 
  • Females lay  2 – 5 white eggs.  Both the male and female keep the eggs warm.  However, the male keeps them warm at night.
  • Eggs hatch in 2 weeks. 
  • Babies stay with parents for 30 days. 

 

 

Pileated Woodpecker facts for kids

 

 

 

  • Pileated Woodpeckers drum to help establish boundaries and to scare away rivals.  They also drum when digging for food and building their nest. 
  • They stay in their territory year round. 
  • Their claws a large so they can grip trees. 
  • Nesting areas have several entrances so it can be large enough to house up to five off-spring. 
  • Females pick their mates based on the best nesting area.  
  • Pileated Woodpeckers only use wood chips for nesting material.
  • Nests are not reused the next breeding season.

 

 

Pileated Woodpecker Facts for Kids

 

Finally, you can attract the Pileated Woodpecker to your backyard with a Pileated Woodpecker suet feeder.  Since the Pileated Woodpecker is a large bird, they need a large feeder.  They love suet.  So, make my homemade Crunchy Apple Raisin Suet Cake to keep this beauty coming back. Download the Pileated Woodpecker Worksheets and enjoy.  

 

Check out my other bird facts for kids before you: 

Bald Eagle Facts

Interesting Facts About Blue Jay for Kids 

Kids Bird Identification Tips

Facts About Baby Blue Jays

 

Filed Under: Education, Printables Tagged With: , , ,

Monarch Butterfly Facts for Kids

February 27, 2021 by 2 Comments

Today, I’m sharing educational activities on Monarch Butterfly facts for kids.  So, the Monarch Butterfly is the most studied butterfly on the planet. It could be because millions of Monarchs migrate from the United States and Canada to California and Mexico yearly.  Another reason could be their brilliant orange, black, and white color that makes you wonder what kind of butterfly is it. Or, it makes you wonder where it came from or how beautiful it is enjoying the nectar from the flowers.    

 

 

monarch butterfly facts

 

 

Monarch Butterfly Facts for Kids: 

 

The fact sheet on the Monarch Butterfly is a great science resource.  It discusses how long the Monarch Butterfly lives, what it eats and other interesting facts.  There’s also a word search puzzle, coloring pages and butterfly math sheets.

 

 

monarch butterfly facts

 

 

Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle:

 

Furthermore, the Monarch Butterfly life cycle goes through 4 stages, laying the eggs, hatching into a caterpillar or larvae, spinning a chrysalis, and the metamorphosis into an adult butterfly.

Stage1 – (Eggs – The female Monarch lays between 300 and 500 eggs on milkweed.

Stage2 – (Caterpillar or Larvae) – The Monarch hatching will grow into a full size caterpillar and feed on milkweed for approximately 2 weeks.  

Stage3 –  (Chrysalis or Pupa) – During this stage, the caterpillar with hang in a J from a wad of silk and spin a jade and yellow colored chrysalis around itself.  

Stage4 – (Adult Butterfly) – The adult Monarch emerges from the chrysalis into the new world.  

 

 

Butterfly life cycle

 

 

Additionally, use the above printable to discuss the 4 stages of a Monarch Butterfly’s life, and what happens in each stage. Have students review the Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle videos below.  

 

Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly – YouTube – This video is thorough.  It goes through each of the 4 stages in detail.  It’s a great resource for older kids.  

Monarch caterpillar forming chrysalis (real time) – YouTube  – Kids will be intrigued watching the caterpillar hanging in a J shape and spinning the beautiful jade and yellow chrysalis.  This video is interesting and will hold the attention of younger children as well as older kids.  It’s a perfect addition to the Circle of Life discussion of Stage 3, the Monarch Chrysalis. 

Adult Monarch Butterfly Emerges from its Chrysalis – YouTube –  If the kids thought watching the caterpillar spinning his Chrysalis was amazing, they will love watching the butterfly emerge and get ready to take flight.  Mother nature truly is amazing.  This video is a great addition to Stage 4, the adult Monarch Butterfly. 

 

monarch butterfly coloring page

 

 

Don’t forget the complete the sentences activity.  It’s a great reading comprehension activity.  Finally, you can download the Monarch Butterfly activity sheets here.

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: , , ,

Duke Ellington Black History

February 25, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing kids educational resources on Duke Ellington Black History.  Ellington was born, Edward Kennedy Ellington.  Duke Ellington became known as one of the greatest jazz pianist, composers, and bandleaders of all times.  I’ve put together a fact sheet, multiply choice worksheet, matching worksheet, word search puzzle, and coloring sheet for a Black History unit.  

 

So, Duke Ellington was born in Washington, DC on April 29, 1899.  Both his mother and father, James Edward Ellington and Daisy Kennedy Ellington, were pianists.  Furthermore, they stayed with his material grandparents at 2129 Ida Place. Duke’s father, James Edward Ellington created blue prints for the United States Navy.  He also worked as a butler, driver, caretaker and handyman for a prominent Washington, D.C. doctor.  He worked as a part time butler during the Warren G. Harding era.

Elegant, well-mannered and a dapper dresser earned Ellington the nick name “Duke” by a childhood friend. The nickname stuck for the remainder of his life.  

 

Duke Ellington Black History
Duke Ellington Black History:  
  • Duke began playing the piano at age 7. Ragtime, church and classical music were influencers in Duke’s love of music. 
  • Also, he also loved baseball and sold peanuts at the Washington Senators baseball games.
  • In 1914, Ellington worked as a soda jerk at the Poodle Dog Cafe.  During that time, he wrote a composition called Soda Fountain Rag.  Soda Fountain Rag is also known as the Poodle Dog Rag.  
  • Also, being a musician was a great way to get dates.  So, Duke started listening and imitating ragtime pianists.  A music teacher from Dunbar High School gave Ellington private harmony lessons. Additionally, he learned to read music and worked to improve his technique.
  • Duke formed the group, The Duke Serenaders.  He earned 75 cents from his first performance.  The band thrived, and as a result he performed throughout Washington, DC and Virginia.  He preferred playing for embassy and private parties.  
  • At age 19, Duke married his high school sweetheart Edna Thompson.  They had a son named Mercer Kennedy Ellington. 
  • Ellington moved to New York in 1923.  In 1924, he became the leader of his big band and began recording. 

 

 

Duke Ellington Black History

 

 

 

  • Duke Ellington played regularly at the Cotton Club in Harlem, NY in 1927.  He performed there for 5 years.  All Cotton Club performances were broadcast almost nightly.  By 1930, Duke Ellington and his band were famous. 
  • President Richard Nixon invited Duke Ellington to the White House for his 70th birthday.  He was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
  • One of Duke Ellington’s favorite places to eat was Ben’s Chili Bowl when he was in the Washington, DC area. 
  • Duke Ellington was a genius of instrument combinations.  His music made him stand out among other composers of his time.  Ellington ranked with composers such as a George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin. 
  • The piano was Duke’s favorite instrument. 
  • Duke wrote more than one thousand compositions.  His work became a standard in jazz music.
  • Duke Ellington won 12 Grammy Awards.  Additionally, he received the Life Time Achievement Award in 1966.
  • Additionally, Duke Ellington was a Freemason.  He was a member of the Masonic Lodge. 
  • In 1976, Stevie Wonder wrote the song “Sir Duke” as a tribute to Duke Ellington. 
  • Duke Ellington led his band from 1923 – 1974, 50 years. The Duke Ellington Orchestra is still in existence today.
  • The Duke Ellington School of the Arts was established in Washington, DC in 1974. 
  • In 1986, a Commemorative stamp was issued with Duke Ellington’s image. 
  • Duke Ellington’s son, Mercer Kennedy Ellington, managed the Duke Ellington Orchestra after his dad’s death.  
  • New York City May, Michael Bloomberg, declared April 29, 2009 Duke Ellington Day. 
  • Finally, Duke Ellington’s granddaughter, Mercedes Ellington, is carrying on his name.  

 

 

 

Duke Ellington Black History

Sadly, Duke Ellington died on May 24, 1974 as a result of pneumonia and lung cancer.  He is entombed in the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY.  Ellington’s last words were, “Music is how I live, why I live and how I will be remembered.”  More than 12,000 people attended his memorial service.  I hope you enjoyed my Duke Ellington Black History.  You can download the worksheets here. 

Check out Duke Ellington’s song It Don’t Mean a Thing, one of greatest hits.  

Filed Under: Education, Printables Tagged With: , , , , ,

Caramel Dipping Sauce Recipe

February 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing parenting meal tips on a caramel dipping sauce recipe.  This sauce is sure to please everyone from toddlers to teens.  Moms can never have too many go-to snack ideas. So, when your little ones come in from playing outside, finishes a day of school, or is just asking for a snack, pull out this caramel dipping sauce.

Homemade recipes are always better than store brought products.  Making your own homemade caramel dipping sauce creates the perfect addition to an ordinary afternoon snack. Even better, it’s a food that invites interaction.  Kids love dipping their fruit or crackers into a warm dish of caramel sauce. So, make them a plate of edibles that are ready to dip with some caramel sauce on the side, and let enjoy. 

Caramel dipping sauce invites a host of snack-time possibilities too.  You can dip whole apples in caramel and coat them with nuts to create homemade caramel apples. Slice them and serve.  Furthermore, arrange a large tray of apple slices, bananas, strawberries, pineapple chunks, or any other favorite fruits your kids enjoy, and drizzle caramel sauce all over the top. Caramel sauce works well with popcorn, pretzels, graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or cookies. 

Don’t leave yourself out. It’s perfect for swirling into yogurt or cottage cheese too. You could even mix some into a favorite baked good, such as brownies, pie, or tarts. The ooey-gooey, sweet flavor of the caramel is sure to be an easy sell with kids and adults alike.

Getting the texture of homemade caramel sauce can be tricky. The key to making truly creamy, dippable caramel sauce is using sweetened condensed milk. This component creates soft, spreadable caramel instead of hard, crunchy candy. By combining sweetened condensed milk with melted butter, corn syrup, and sugar on the stove, and then adding whipping cream, salt, and vanilla, you can create a caramel apple dipping sauce that your kids will love.  

 

caramel dipping sauce recipe

 

 

 

Homemade Caramel Dipping Sauce Recipe

 

Ingredients

  • 7 tbsp. Salted Butter
  • ¾ c. Light Corn Syrup
  • 2 c. Granulated Sugar
  • ½ c. Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 1 ¼ c. Whipping Cream
  • ½ tsp. Salt or To Taste (optional)
  • 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

 

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium heat.
  2. Add the sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk, stirring to combine.
  3. Stir constantly until mixture turns a golden-brown color.
  4. Once mixture is golden-brown, turn off heat and slowly add the whipping cream and salt (if desired) stirring to combine. 
  5. Turn heat back up to medium/medium-high and stir until caramel bubbles. 
  6. Once caramel is bubbling, continue to heat and stir for 5 minutes to allow the caramel to thicken. 
  7. Remove caramel from heat and add vanilla extract. Stir to incorporate. 

 

 

caramel dipping sauce recipe

 

Notes

  1. You must constantly stir the caramel to prevent scorching the bottom. If you do scorch the bottom do not scrape it, just continue to stir the top of the caramel.
  2. Warm up whipping cream in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute prior to adding to caramel to make combining with caramel easier.
  3. Right after cooking, the caramel will be thinner. At this temperature, the caramel is great as an ice cream topping, or to add to coffee or hot cocoa! Once it cools for about 30 minutes it will be the perfect dipping consistency!
  4. For a more exotic dipping sauce for the adults, you can add a couple dashes of dark rum or bourbon with the vanilla extract, or even a pinch of chili powder.

 

AUTHOR BIO: Samantha Kowalczyk is Director of Product Development and Key Accounts for Mrs Prindables. She leads a team responsible for the creation of new product concepts, such as Caramel Apple flavors, gifts, and confections. Kowalczyk joined Mrs Prindables in 2013 after completing her education in marketing. Her dedication to Mrs Prindables enabled her to progress to her current role.

Filed Under: Meal Time Tagged With: , ,

Unique Bald Eagle Facts for Kids

February 20, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing educational resources on bald eagles facts for kids.  The Bald Eagle is the national bird and symbol for the United States.  It represents freedom. 

So, Bald Eagles are not really bald.  The name “balde,” means white not without hair.  If you liked those facts, check out my list of other Unique Bald Eagle Facts for Kids below.  Use them as a part of a science unit or interesting birding facts for kids.  

 

 

bald eagle facts for kids

 

Bald Eagle Facts for Kids:

Bald Eagles are large; they have a wing span of 5 – 8 feet.  The female is noticeably larger than the male, and weighs in around 13 pounds.  The male weighs around 9 pounds.  However, Alaska has the biggest eagles. These majestic birds prefer to live around large bodies of water like rivers and oceans.  The Bald Eagle likes to dive for fish, but they are known to take fish from other birds.  As a result,  Benjamin Franklin did not want the Bald Eagle as the United States symbol.  He believed the species was a thieve, and didn’t earn his keep honestly. Fortunately, the Bald Eagle would remain the iconic symbol of freedom.  

Native Americans have revered the Bald Eagle long before it became a symbol for the United States.  Native Americans believe eagles have magical powers. Many tribes use them in religious ceremonies and consider them medicinal. 

The oldest Bald Eagle was 38 years old.  Unfortunately, a car killed it in 2015. St. Petersburg, FL holds the record on the largest eagle’s nest.  However, a nest was found in Vermilion, OH.  It was  shaped like a wine glass, and weighed 2 tons. The tree holding the nest was blown over, sadly. 

So, here are a few other interesting Bald Eagle facts for kids.  Print a copy and discuss them with your student/children.   

 

bald eagle facts for kids

 


Also, take some time to view the Bald Eagles on the live EagleCam sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.  The nest is located about 75 miles from Washington, DC along the Potomac River.

Furthermore, it’s a great way for students/kids to learn about these beautiful birds from the comfort of home. They can can watch the female eagle, Bella, incubate her clutch around mid-February.  Hopefully, at the end of March or early April there will be babies.  Her mate is Smitty.  They work together to build the nest and keep the eggs warm.  The camera is on the nest 24/7, so you can schedule time regularly to observe their behavior and happenings.

Eagle’s eggs must be kept warm at all times. So, they are only off the eggs for short periods of time.  The baby eaglets will be ready to fledge, leave the nest, in 10 – 12 weeks.  So, the Eagle Cam will give the students an opportunity to watch the Bald Eagles parent their babies. Have your student write an essay on their observations of the Bald Eagles. Another day have them write an essay on what they learned from the Bald Eagle fact sheet.  

 

Bald Eagle Activities for Kids:  

 

 

bald eagle facts

 

 

Next, give them a challenge with my math activity.  The activity includes a combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division for older students. There is an addition sheet for younger students as well.

 

 

bald eagle facts

 

 

Last, have a little fun with my Bald Eagle Coloring pages.  They can watch the cam and than color the pictures.  For additional fun, make these Bald Eagle Treats:  

Patriotic Regal Eagle Cookies

Patriotic Edible Eagles

 

Finally, you can download the Bald Eagle activities here.  

Filed Under: Education Tagged With: , , ,

How to Adopt Children Facts and Tips

February 14, 2021 by 2 Comments

Adopting children is a wonderful way of creating a family. So, today I’m sharing parenting tips on how to adopt children. There are over 400,000 children in foster care so you will be giving a child a loving home. There are some things you need to know before you make the very important decision to adopt a child.  First, the adoption process is long and it can get complicated.  Second, it will play with your emotions.

Furthermore, the process can be costly too. However, becoming a parent is a wonderful thing. There are several ways to go through the adoption process.  So, you can work with an adoption agency that will take you through the foster care system or you can opt for adoption through an attorney. Going through an attorney you have two choices, either through the foster care system or you can adopt internationally. Before deciding on which option to choose let’s go through what you need to know before deciding to adopt.

 

how to adopt children

 

How to Adopt Children:

 

Understand Why You Are Adopting

Choosing to adopt a child is a decision that will steer the rest of your life. It is an important decision and one that should be thought through in detail. Being honest about your reasons, the impact a child will have on you and your current family should be discussed. Things to consider also include whether you wish to adopt a new-born or whether you are open to adopting an older child. What about a sibling group? What changes do you need to consider for your home or your career? Knowing the reasons for adopting and working through these questions will help you come to a decision. At the end of the day you want to be happy and you want to be able to raise happy kids. 

 

Preparation

Each respective adoptive parent will be required to complete what is known as a home study. This means a caseworker will visit, and decide whether you will be suitable for adopting a child. Your caseworker will go over the process in detail and discuss how it works. This can be lengthy, and take up to six months to complete.  Also, they will want to check out your medical records, your income, and whether you have a criminal record. 

 

 

how to adopt children

 

 

Costs

Research the costs involved in adoption. While adopting through the foster care system is free, there are associated costs. Using an attorney if you are considering adopting internationally would more than likely be the most expensive option. It is best to find inquire about costs for all avenues so you can plan what you can afford and what route you wish to go down. 

 

Open or Closed Adoption

The decision on whether to have contact with the birth family is a matter you also consider. The adoption can be closed where there is no contact or open where there is contact with the birth family. This can be a negotiation if this is the way you wish to go. It can also be anything from exchanging letters a few times a year or just receiving a birthday card. Knowing you have different options will be helpful as you go through the adoption process. 

 

Filed Under: Adoption, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , , ,