The Chaos and the Clutter

Homeschooling

Easy At Home Science for Kids

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If your kids are like mine, they prefer hands-on science experiments over staring at a textbook. I used to be leery of messy experiments because of all the cleanup we had to do afterward, but after giving some a try, we all fell in love with this way of learning. I wish we had tried them sooner! You’ll be amazed at how fun at home science for kids can be. I’ve compiled an amazing list of science experiments that you can make in your own home. They are fun, hands on, safe for kids and many of them use materials you probably already have!

I think that you’re going to really enjoy setting up a schedule for science experiments with your children. They all focus on different topics in science and you will be amazed at how much they are going to learn. Chances are, you’ll learn a thing or two along the way too.

And both you and your kids will have fun along the way. That is learning at its best!

Easy At Home Science for Kids

If you’re new to teaching your child at home, it is easier (especially if you have more than one child) to do things in unit studies. That way, you can explore through books, sensory play, printable activity sheets, hands-on science experiments, and watching videos online.

Science Kits for Learning at Home:

Human Organ ApronHuman Organ ApronHuman Organ ApronPrimary Science Lab Activity SetPrimary Science Lab Activity SetPrimary Science Lab Activity SetDino Egg Fossil Dig KitDino Egg Fossil Dig KitDino Egg Fossil Dig KitSteve Spangler Science Geyser Tube ExperimentSteve Spangler Science Geyser Tube ExperimentSteve Spangler Science Geyser Tube ExperimentCrystal Mining Kit Gem ExcavationCrystal Mining Kit Gem ExcavationCrystal Mining Kit Gem ExcavationSmithsonian Crystal Growing KitSmithsonian Crystal Growing KitSmithsonian Crystal Growing KitNational Geographic Break Open 10 Premium Geodes Geology KitNational Geographic Break Open 10 Premium Geodes Geology KitNational Geographic Break Open 10 Premium Geodes Geology KitLego Chain Reactions Science & Building KitLego Chain Reactions Science & Building KitLego Chain Reactions Science & Building KitSnap Circuits LIGHT Electronics Exploration KitSnap Circuits LIGHT Electronics Exploration KitSnap Circuits LIGHT Electronics Exploration KitToysmith Mineral Science KitToysmith Mineral Science KitToysmith Mineral Science KitDIY Solar Power RoverDIY Solar Power RoverDIY Solar Power RoverAnatomy Models Bundle Set, Brain, Body, Heart, SkeletonAnatomy Models Bundle Set, Brain, Body, Heart, SkeletonAnatomy Models Bundle Set, Brain, Body, Heart, Skeleton

 

 

You may also be interested in reading:

Your Complete Guide to School at Home

Indoor Sensory Activities for Home

Where to Find Free Homeschool Printablesmother sits at table teaching a boy in a green shirt and girl in a purple shirt. Text reads "Mega List Free Homeschool Printables"

School at Home Sample Schedules

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Kids need the security of routine. Right now with everything in their world a little off kilter, they need it more than ever. I know that some of you suddenly find yourself teaching school at home unexpectedly. That may feel overwhelming and scary, but I’m telling you. You can do this. 
 
You were your child’s first teacher. You cheered them on as they took their first steps. You helped them learn their colours and shapes. You know your child best. I’m telling you. You can do this.Sample School at Home Schedules
 
I homeschooled for 19 years. Ironically, this year, most of my kids were in school and I now find myself with them all home again!
 
One of the things the most common questions I’m getting about schooling at home is how to set a schedule. This is obviously something that will vary by family due to circumstances, age of kids, and other factors. But I wanted to give you some general sample schedules to help you plan and find something that’s right for your family.
 
While it’s okay to relax and not keep a perfect schedule, right now, kids are needing some kind of a routine. With all the changes happening, one thing you can do to create a feeling of security for your child is to give them a routine they can count on. 
 
When school were first cancelled, I just assumed we would settle into some kind of natural routine because of all our years spent homeschooling. The first few days were chaos! There were lots of big emotions and little squabbles. It soon became obvious that we were not going to just naturally slip into anything positive. 
 
At the end of day three, we sat down and had a family meeting. We talked about the current situation and its challenges, acknowledged and validated everyone’s feelings, and laid out the new plan. We allowed the kids to have some input into the schedule and I wrote it up on the white board.
 
The next day went much more smoothly as the kids knew what was expected of them, what was coming up when, and they had the security of some structure. 
 
I’ve kept the time slots blanks on these sample schedules so that you can fill in what works for you. Some families are early risers and others, not so much. This is only meant to be a guide and jumping off point to help you create the best routine for your unique family.
 
It’s important to note that depending on their age, grade, and ability, kids only need between 1 and 3 hours of actual sit down schoolwork per day. You are not attempting to recreate a school in your home. Play and connection are still the most essential things you can provide your child with.
 
If you’re looking for information on how to help your kids learn during this time, check out Your Complete Guide to School at Home.

School at Home Sample Schedule:

Wake Up
Breakfast
 
Mindfulness          
Movement            
Reading              
Snack & Water
 
Schoolwork
 
Sensory Break      
Lunch
 
Chores                
  • include heavy work for mood and anxiety
Schoolwork
     
Play                    
Snack & Water
 
Art or Craft          
  • drawing, painting, paper crafts, art tutorial online
Movement
 
Dinner
 
Free Time            
Bedtime

School at Home Sample Schedule (religious):

Wake Up              
Breakfast
 
Devotions & Prayer
 
Movement            
Reading              
Snack & Water
 
Schoolwork
 
Sensory Break      
Lunch
 
Chores                
  • include heavy work for mood and anxiety
Schoolwork
     
Play                    
Snack & Water
 
Art or Craft          
  • drawing, painting, paper crafts, art tutorial online
Movement
           
Dinner
 
Free Time            
Prayer
 
Bedtime

Preschool at Home Sample Schedule:

Wake Up              
Breakfast
 
Mindfulness          
Music & Movement  
 
Snack & Water
 
Fine Motor       
Lunch
 
Chores                
  • include heavy work for mood and anxiety
Gross Motor        
Play                    
Snack & Water
 
Art or Craft          
  • drawing, painting, paper crafts, collage
Movement            
Dinner 
 
Free Time            
Bedtime

Preschool at Home Sample Schedule (religious):

Wake Up              
Breakfast
 
Prayer & Scripture
 
Music & Movement  
 
Snack & Water
 
Fine Motor       
Lunch
 
Chores                
  • include heavy work for mood and anxiety
Gross Motor        
Play                    
Snack & Water
 
Art or Craft          
  • drawing, painting, paper crafts, collage
Movement            
Dinner 
 
Free Time            
Prayer
 
Bedtime
To get printable versions of these sample School at Home Schedules, simply enter your email below. You’ll also receive our Parenting in the Pandemic email series designed to help you through these strange times.
 
 
You may also be interested in reading:
 

Huge List of Free Homeschool Printables

Huge List of Free Homeschool Deals

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Whether you are looking for free homeschool printables to supplement what your child is learning in school or to create an entire curriculum, I’ve got you covered. I’m sharing a reference list for finding the best online printables for free or almost free.

mother sits at table teaching a boy in a green shirt and girl in a purple shirt. Text reads "Mega List Free Homeschool Printables"Please note that if you are new to having your kids learn at home, you can find everything you need in Your Complete Guide to School at Home.

Free Printable Websites:

The Chaos and The Clutter – Right here on this site, you can find free printables. You’ll find unique printables such as relaxation cards for kids, emotion games, calm down tools, copywork, notebooking pages, and more.

Get your free printable alphabet playdough mats by entering your email address below. You’ll also be signed up to receive our email series Sensory Activities and Solutions.

Teaching Mama – Angela is the author of the very popular preschool curriculum Home Preschool Made Easy but she also offers free preschool printables on her site (as well as great craft and activity ideas!).

STEAM Powered Family – Find free STEM activities for your child or students. Whether it’s science, technology, engineering, or math that you’re looking for, you’ll find the coolest project here.

Productive Homeschooling – Productive Homeschooling has an awesome membership feature that I use, but they also offer some free notebooking pages as well. Notebooking is such a great tool for learning and especially good if you’re new to homeschooling. My kids love it!

Math Geek Mama – As someone who is math challenged, I appreciate this resource SOOOOO much! Bethany has incredible math activities that kids actually like to do and help moms like me who aren’t confident in their own math teaching abilities.

Left Brain Craft Brain – This is the perfect place to go for budding engineers. Find easy craft ideas, educational projects, and printables.

Growing Hands-on Kids – Heather offers printables related to sensory, homeschooling, fine motor and preschool.

Donna Young – Donna Young is often thought of as the original site when it comes to homeschool printables. It is best known for planners and home and school organization sheets but there are homeschool printables there as well.

Free Homeschool Deals – Free Homeschool Deals is one of my favourite homeschool sites (and not just because I’m a contributing writer over there!). I like that they share about free printables that you can find elsewhere on the web as well as their own free printables. I appreciate that they look at homeschooling families as a whole and realize that providing articles about saving money on household items also allows you to have more to put towards homeschooling and that providing encouragement for homeschool parents trickles down into the schoolwork too.

Frugal Homeschool Family – Frugal Homeschool Family also provides both their own free printables and shares printables from others as well as deals for homeschoolers.

Confessions of a Homeschooler – This is the original place I discovered free printables! I have used her Letter of the Week printables as well as many of her others, including lapbooks.

1+1+1=1 – This site has really good quality printables and printable packs, especially for Preschool and Kindergarten.

123Homeschool4Me – This site offers free printables in all homeschool subjects and even includes some in Spanish.

Blessed Beyond a Doubt – There are a lot of free printables here and Jill seems to add more almost every day!

3 Dinosaurs – Cassie creates some of my favourite printable packs and I am very thankful that she keeps them free. Many of them are huge packs and they work well for us for unit studies especially and for seasonal times.

This Reading Mama – Spend a few minutes poking around Becky’s site. She does have a few resources and printables that she charges a fee for and she also has a ton of free printables. Her focus is on literacy and her printables are extremely good quality ones that will enhance your homeschooling.

Homeschool Share – Ami from Walking by the Way runs this site and it is a great place to search for any topic of printable you can think of. It has notebooking pages, educational printables, mini books, and more. I’ve used this site to find sheets to go along with topics we are studying because of its easy search feature.

Picklebums – Some of my favourite printables are from Picklebums. They are cheerful and fun.

Homegrown Learners – Homegrown Learners is best known for their free Lego printables. I am especially a fan of the minifig writing prompts.

Kids Activities Blog – I love this site for so much more than the printables but thought it is known more for the activities, they do have free printables and good ones at that!

Homeschool Creations – Perhaps best known for its great Homeschool Planner which is available for purchase, Homeschool Creations also offers free printables. There are a LOT but it takes a bit of navigating to find them all.

Living Montessori Now – There is a very large list of places here to find free printables Montessori materials.

Every Star is Different – Renae is regularly adding free printables for Montessori style unit studies.

Montessori Print Shop – While many of the printables here need to be purchased, there is a section for free Montessori printables.

Teach Beside Me – There are a wide range of printables here and I like that there are some that can be used for older kids which are generally harder to find.

Simply Vicki – Vicki has some nice out-of-the-ordinary free printables.

Education.com – Education.com has a large variety of free worksheets for all age levels. The selection is huge but you do have to put up with there being a fair amount of ads and many are only available through membership.

Handwriting Worksheets.com – Make your own handwriting printables.

Royal Baloo – Royal Baloo has free printables that focus mainly on preschool, kindergarten and the lower grades.

File Folder Fun – If file folder games is what you’re looking for, this is where you’ll want to visit.

In All You Do – This site has a selection of free homeschool printables, particularly for holidays, even the more obscure holidays.

Free Printable.com – While not expressly homeschool focused, there are printables here that can be used.

Homeschool Encouragement – Many printables available including some Lego printables.

Gift of Curiosity

The Crafty Classroom

Making Learning Fun

Of course Pinterest is a huge resource all on its own and a good source for finding printables.

Membership Sites:

Membership sites can still be a frugal choice because many have a one time fee so once the cost is recovered, everything else after that can be considered as free.

Productive Homeschooling – We have a lifetime membership to NotebookingPages and use them often for all kinds of learning opportunities. They have a huge selection and what’s even better is that you can even use their creator to make your own.

Enchanted Learning – I haven’t used this membership site myself but it looks to have a lot available.

Education.com – Education.com has a membership option.

Teacher Share Sites:

Many of the products on teacher share sites such as these are paid but there are also free unit studies and printable worksheets that can be found. Some of them allow you to search by cost so it’s easy to find the free resources.

Teachers Pay Teachers

This list is by no means exhaustive, but by using the links on this list, you can create curriculum, organize and plan entire homeschool years, and best of all, save a lot of money doing so.

You may also want to read Your Complete Guide to School at Home.

Transportation Alphabet Playdough Mats

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Alphabet playdough mats are a wonderful teaching tool to use with children. Whether you are using them with toddlers or preschoolers to introduce letters or with students in kindergarten or early elementary to help reinforce the letters and their sound, learning through play is the most effective way.

balls of different colours of playdough sitting on a paper that says "Transportation Alphabet Playdough Mats" with a picture of a red tractorWhen we first brought home two of our kids from Ethiopia, not only were they trying to learn a new language, they were trying to learn a new alphabet. I tried all of the usual methods to no avail. My kids weren’t making any progress.

It was then that I decided to try a more sensory rich approach. A big part of that was using playdough mats. We also used salt trays and sensory bins. That made all the difference!

When using playdough mats, kids can shape the dough into the desired letter which provides a sensory experience and reinforces what they are learning. In addition, they are receiving visual cues. They can also use their finger to trace the letter or can draw the shape with a dry erase marker.

How to use alphabet playdough mats:

  1. Print off the Transportation Alphabet Playdough Mats.
  2. Laminate the pages or place them into a plastic sheet protector.
  3. Have the child trace the letter with their finger as they say the name of the letter.
  4. Set out some playdough. You can find our favourite homemade playdough recipe here.
  5. They can then shape the playdough to form each letter of the alphabet and place it on the corresponding playdough mat.
  6. Have the child say the name of the transportation example that begins with that letter so that they can practise the sound each letter makes.

Ways to expand on this activity:

  • Use dry erase markers to trace inside the letter or colour the letter in.
  • Name words that start with that letter.
  • Set out cookie cutters in the shape of the letters. The child can then use that to press into the dough and reinforce learning of each letter.
  • Put out alphabet stamps which can be used to stamp impressions into the playdough.
  • Use slime instead of playdough to shape the letters.
  • Fill the letters with stickers.
  • Use bingo dabbers.
  • Make a collage of things that start with each letter and glue them on the plastic sleeve around the letter.

The benefits of using these playdough mats printable worksheets:

  • reinforcing the ABCs.
  • practise fine motor skills.
  • get visual, tactile, and proprioceptive sensory input (olfactory too if you use scented playdough!).

Get your free printable alphabet playdough mats by entering your email address below. You’ll also be signed up to receive our email series Sensory Activities and Solutions.

Check out some of our other free playdough mats for kids:

Pirate Emotions Playdough Mats

Birthday Party Emotions Playdough Mats

Sea Turtle Life Cycle Sensory Bin

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This Sea Turtle Life Cycle Sensory Bin is an easy hands-on way to study these remarkable creatures. Kids can explore science with their senses while they learn how sea turtles are born and live. small hands explore in sand with plastic figures and rocks and text that reads "Sea Turtle Life Cycle Sensory Bin"

My friend Jamie who lives in Florida volunteers to check on nests and make protected trenches for the baby sea turtles in her area. It’s been so interesting to see her pictures and videos and hear about her experiences. While we may not live anywhere near the ocean, that doesn’t mean that we can’t learn about this amazing phenomenon ourselves.

A few facts to get you started:

The mother turtles dig holes in the sand or mud to create a nest which they lay their eggs in. They then bury the eggs to protect them.

Less than 1% of the eggs survive and make it to the sea. Some do not fully develop, but most fall victim to predators. Once the hatchlings emerge from their shell, they must dig their way out of the hole and make it to the ocean.

Racoons, crabs, birds, fish, fire ants, dogs, lizards, and coyotes are among the main predators of the eggs and young offspring.

Sea Turtle Life Cycle Sensory Bin:

We saw sea turtles at the Monterey Bay Aquarium on a road trip and our kids were fascinated. We also had the opportunity to see protected areas of sea turtle nests on the beach in Florida on another trip. There, we attended an information evening teaching us about conservation efforts. Education is always the first step towards conservation so the more you teach your kids, the better.

This sensory bin may spark the beginning of an interest for them in learning more.

Supplies needed:

Directions:

  1. Fill a small container with sand or kinetic sand.
  2. Add some rocks.
  3. Place the figures from the Sea Turtle Life Cycle pack in the sand.
  4. Encourage play.

This sensory bin is great for use at home or in the classroom while doing a unit study. It enables kids to reenact what they are learning. Using more of their senses and learning through play allows for better retention. What may seem like a simple activity can allow kids to cement their knowledge and make it more real.

This sensory play activity includes small parts. As with any children’s activity, adult supervision is required.

Resources for Learning about Sea Turtles:

If you want to further your study, here are some resources to delve deeper and expand your knowledge about sea turtles.

Life Cycle of a Green Sea TurtleLife Cycle of a Green Sea TurtleLife Cycle of a Green Sea TurtleSea Life Green Sea TurtleSea Life Green Sea TurtleSea Life Green Sea TurtleKinetic SandKinetic SandKinetic SandRealistic Sea Turtle Plastic FigurinesRealistic Sea Turtle Plastic FigurinesRealistic Sea Turtle Plastic FigurinesSea Turtle with Babies Building SetSea Turtle with Babies Building SetSea Turtle with Babies Building SetSea Turtle Life Cycle Guide Laminated CardSea Turtle Life Cycle Guide Laminated CardSea Turtle Life Cycle Guide Laminated CardThe Life Cycle of a Sea TurtleThe Life Cycle of a Sea TurtleThe Life Cycle of a Sea TurtleFrom Egg to Sea TurtleFrom Egg to Sea TurtleFrom Egg to Sea TurtleThe Life of a Sea TurtleThe Life of a Sea TurtleThe Life of a Sea Turtle

Looking for more easy sensory play ideas to inspire learning? Join for a five day email series on Sensory Activities and Solutions and get a free sample of our Sensory Play Recipes eBook.

Check out some of our other life cycle sensory bins that can be used for science unit studies:

Bee Life Cycle Sensory Bin

Chicken Life Cycle Sensory Bin

Human Body Sensory Bin

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I know this one is a bit gross at first glance, but bear with me. Kids are able to retain more information when they incorporate their senses and learn through play. That’s how I came up with the idea for this Human Body Sensory Bin.

red water beads with toy body parts and organs and a book of the skeletal system with text that reads "Human Body Sensory Bin"As kids learn about the human body, they can explore through sensory play. This can lead them to asking more questions and finding new discoveries.

What I love about this sensory play activity is that there are so many ways you can use it to expand learning. Suggestions for how to use this as part of a human body unit study:

  • set out books on the human body, handouts, diagrams, and worksheets near the bin.
  • kids can match the organs and body parts in the bin to the ones in the books.
  • print out cards with the names of the organs and ask kids to place the cards in the sensory bin next to the corresponding organ.
  • invite students to talk about what each of the organs does in the body.

Human Body Sensory Bin:

Supplies needed:

Directions:

  1. Place the water beads in a plastic tub and add water. Wait for them to expand.
  2. Toss in the plastic human organs and stretchy body parts. (Even typing that makes me laugh because it sounds so gross!)
  3. Set the bin out in your home or classroom for students to explore.

Body Parts Stretchy Fidgets - Ear, Hand, Foot Nose - AnatomyBody Parts Stretchy Fidgets – Ear, Hand, Foot Nose – AnatomyBody Parts Stretchy Fidgets - Ear, Hand, Foot Nose - AnatomyHuman Organs TOOBHuman Organs TOOBHuman Organs TOOBRed Water BeadsRed Water BeadsRed Water Beads

Some other resources to accompany your human body unit study:

Human Body! (Knowledge Encyclopedias)Human Body! (Knowledge Encyclopedias)Human Body! (Knowledge Encyclopedias)The Human Body: A Pop-Up Guide to AnatomyThe Human Body: A Pop-Up Guide to AnatomyThe Human Body: A Pop-Up Guide to AnatomyHuman Body Activity Book for KidsHuman Body Activity Book for KidsHuman Body Activity Book for KidsMy First Human Body BookMy First Human Body BookMy First Human Body BookThe Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick & How You Get SickThe Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick & How You Get SickThe Fantastic Body: What Makes You Tick & How You Get SickLook Inside: Your BodyLook Inside: Your BodyLook Inside: Your BodyLearning Resources Human Body ModelLearning Resources Human Body ModelLearning Resources Human Body Model3D Organ Apron3D Organ Apron3D Organ Apron

Expand your study further with these free printable human body worksheets:

Setting out corresponding worksheets near the sensory bin station encourages learning.

More hands-on learning activities for the human body:

Check out some of our other sensory science ideas:

Colour Mixing Sensory Bag

Sensory Smell Bottles

Melting Ice Experiment