* = Affiliate Link: This does not affect the price of any item listed, it just means I will receive a percentage if you choose to purchase.

Don’t miss the giveaway below so you can purchase some of these amazing gifts for your kids!

Holiday Gift Guide for Kids

Gift giving to kids is all about balance, a gift must be fun but also add value to their life. Right now, I am going to share with you 5 holiday gift ideas that wont leave your wallet empty & will leave the child happy as can be.  

GIFT ONE: For the builder (*Amazon)

cossy Kids Magnet Toys Magnet Building Tiles, 120 Pcs 3D Magnetic Building Blocks Set, Educational Toys for Kids Children

With endless build opportunities, these magnet building tiles will make any master builders dream come true! (My son spends endless hours creating all different types of structures for his dinosaurs to roam in & destroy!)

GIFT TWO: For the sculptor (*Amazon)

Sago Brothers Modeling Clay Air Dry Ultra Light Molding Magic Clay 24 Colors, Best Kids Gifts Ever

So many kids love to create, smash, & create again. Modeling clay is the best way for a creative mind to flow; but the best part is once they feel their creation is just right, they can have it air dry and show it to the world. 

GIFT THREE: For the energetic (*Amazon)

Champion Sports Standard Scooter Board with Handles

The best gift you can give an energetic child, and their parents, is something they can use with siblings and friends. I remember LOVING these as a kid, didn’t you? This is a gift you know will not be a was of money on your end nor a bore on theirs! 

GIFT FIVE: For the scientist (*Kiwi Co)

KiwiCo

30% off with code Share30

The Innovation Factory.

KiwiCo is monthly hands-on science, art, & technology projects that inspire kids to learn and explore. Gift this monthly STEM box for your friends child, do one month or multiple, they will love the ability to try something new and see if their child truly loves it and would want to keep getting it. 

GIFT SIX: For the Techie (*Amazon)

Which ever you choose the kids will be over the moon & the parents ecstatic about it growing their child’s mind.  Purchased any of these gifts for your kids before? Share your experience with our holiday gift guide for kids in the comments below! 

Christmas Blessings Giveaway!

I’m teaming up with an amazing group of bloggers to bless several families this year!! With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, we know a little extra something can go a long way.That’s why we’re giving away FOUR $200 gift cards to four winners—and you get to choose where you’d like to spend it.Whether you’re dreaming of a shopping spree, treating yourself to a fancy meal, or checking off your gift list, this is your chance to make it happen. 

Each winner will get a $200 gift card to wherever they choose – a restaurant, clothing store, grocery store, online retailer – any place that offers gift cards!

There are lots of entry options in the Rafflecopter form below – the more you enter, the better your chance of winning!  I know it can seem tedious and time consuming to go through all the entries, but isn’t a chance at $200 worth it? I think it is!  Plus, all of these amazing bloggers donated their own money towards the prizes, so this giveaway wouldn’t be possible without them.  I hope you’ll take the time to check out each one. Who knows, maybe you will find some new blogs to follow.

The giveaway will run from Monday, November 18th through Wednesday, November 27th (ends at 11:59pm EST). Winner will be notified by email shortly after the giveaway ends and will have 48 hours to respond to claim the prize or another winner will be drawn. By entering this giveaway, you agree to be added to the email lists of the participating bloggers.  Please be sure to read the Rafflecopter terms and conditions upon entering.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Holiday Gift Guide For Kids first appeared on True Aim.

When to Find North Using the Sun

Of course, if you are lost and need to find your way without a compass, you can use this method to find north. However, the smartest use for this is to find north before you head out on an adventure. That way you know which direction you are headed and can then find north and make sure you head back in the right direction. If you don’t know where you came from, knowing which way is north might not be of any use.

To find north on a sunny day, you’ll need a straight, medium sized stick and two rocks. Find a clear sunny area and push the stick into the ground or have a partner hold it. Mark the end of the stick’s shadow with a rock.

Take a break and wait 15-20 minutes making sure you keep the stick in the same spot. So if you are just holding it, you’ll need to mark where you placed it if you want to put it down.

Then do the same thing and mark the end of the stick’s shadow. Put your left foot on the first rock and your right foot on the second rock. The way you are facing is north. Now you can mark each direction, north; east; south; west, with your stick.

The Science Behind Finding North with the Sun

Make sure to remind your children that the sun always rises in the east and sets in the west. That means that the sun’s shadow points in the opposite direction. If the sun is in the eastern part of the sky (before noon) then it’s shadow is pointing west. Your first rock stands for west and your second rock stands for east. So, if you make a point directly in the middle of your east and west rocks you can find north.

This is a great review of directions and map reading. If you want to go further you can look up how your area of the world is affected by where the sun is in the sky. Some great questions to ask: How does the direction of the sun affect plants? How does the sun’s rising and setting pattern affect animal habitats? What does the pattern of the rising and setting of the sun look like throughout the year; how does it change?

You might also like Outdoor STEM with Balloons

Want more STEAM ideas for kids? Check out this 28 day series!

The post Nature STEAM for Kids: Find North Using the Sun first appeared on True Aim.

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see our full disclosure.

20 Awesome Science Gifts for Science Lovers

Science Gifts for Preschoolers

Preschoolers are always asking why. Why is the sky blue? Why does it rain? Why is the sun warm? Encourage your kids’ questions by giving science gifts so your kids can discover the answers for themselves!

Telescope
My First Telescope designed for kids 4-6 gives your kids a chance to take a close look at the stars! You can set it up on the porch, in the back yard, or at a window. It’s a focus free telescope with 10X magnification, perfect for small curious tots.

Microscope
My First Microscope is designed for ages 3-6, making it perfect for preschoolers. It has two extra large eye pieces to make it easy for your kids to examine various objects with the 8X magnification. Take a look at hair, leaves, and onion skins to explore a microscopic world.

Binoculars
These Kidnoculars were made for youngsters from ages 3-11. They’re focus free to keep life simple for little fingers. Your kids can take a close look at birds flying in the sky or trees on a distant hill with these comfortable large lenses. With 2X magnification, they’ll see more than they’ve ever seen before!

Science Lab Set

Pick up the Science Lab Set for ages 3-9. After all there’s nothing like actual hands-on experience to develop a love of science. Kids get to use durable plastic beakers, test tubes, magnifying glass, funnel, activity guide, experiment cards, and more!

Bugnoculars

Send your kids into the backyard to examine bugs close up with these bugnoculars designed for kids 3-6. The bug collection water-tight container has a snap-lock lid with air holes. You can collect ants, beetles, and spiders to examine. There’s also the opportunity to collect underwater life like tadpoles and fry to examine. Once you’re done, just release the critters back into the wilderness of your backyard.

Backyard Exploration Kit

There’s no reason to settle for the Bugnoculars. Also pick up the backyard exploration kit to explore the world in your backyard. This 18 piece kit is designed for ages 3 and up. It comes with nets, tweezers, compass watch, magnifying glasses, clip board, and more. Your kids will be ready for adventure and exploration with this kit.

The Big Red Dog Rainbow Science Set

The Big Red Dog Rainbow Science Set was designed with kids ages 3-10 in mind. There’s a lab tray, measuring cup, and test tubes. Kids get to join Clifford on an adventure while they learn all about rainbows.

Kids First Science Laboratory Kit

The First Science Laboratory Kit is aimed at kids ages 3-5. Preschoolers get the tools they need to explore the world around them. It even comes with a set of 10 experiment cards to get them started.

Elementary Age

Curiosity isn’t limited to just preschoolers. Your elementary age kids are just as fascinated with the world around them, so encourage them with one of these awesome science kits for kids.

Ingenious Machines

What could be better than a robotic building set for kids 6 and up? Your children can construct all sorts of different machines. The instructions begin with 4 different toys, but from there your kids’ imagination is the limit!

My First Mindblowing Science Kit

My first Mindblowing Science Kit is a 20 piece set created to let your kids explore basic scientific principles. You’ll be amazed at how much they learn as they discover the joys of science. It’s aimed at 6 and up with adult supervision.

Snap Circuits

Snap Circuits are one of my kids’ favorite toys, designed for ages 7 and up. It’s literally a blast to play with when you create a siren. In addition you can you can put together a fan, flashlight, and more! Kids explore circuitry without needing special equipment.

Glow in the Dark Terrarium

Build your own terrarium in your bedroom! The mason style jar comes with air vents and glow-in-the-dark stickers, resin figures, and a plant mister. Simply assemble the terranium together, mist it daily, and watch the mini ecosystem develop.

Magic School Bus Chemistry Lab

Go for a ride on the magic school bus as you learn explore the Magic School Bus Chemistry Lab! Make sticky ice, a milk rainbow, and bubble sculptures. Learn about density, acids, bases, and chromatography. Your kids will have hours of fun with the Magic School Bus Chemistry Lab designed for kids from 5 to 12.

Glow in the Dark Slime Science Kit

Let me ask you, what could be better than making your own slime? If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll adore learning the science behind making glow in the dark slime to gross out siblings and friends. It’s a wonderful gift for kids from 6 to 15.

Scientific Explorer Soda Pop Science

Let your kids learn all about making soda pop. How is it made, what is used and why! Aimed at children 6 and up, these kits develop a love and fascination with science.

Science Gifts for Older Children

Let’s face it, our older children are just as fascinated with the world around them as their younger siblings. Use these science gifts to ignite their interests into lifelong passions!

Microscope

A Microscope for older kids ages 8-11! Unlike the one for preschoolers which only magnifies 8X, this microscope magnifies up to 400X. There’s even a 26 piece scientific tool set and an activity guide to get you started.

Microscope Slides

Microscopes are a lot more fun when you have a set of slides to go with it. So don’t forget to get the basic prepared microscope slides! You’ll get a set of 25 slides which show insects, animal, and plant tissues for a biological education.

Disgusting Science Kit

Nothing is like a disgusting science kit to gross out your siblings. Aimed at children 8 and up with adult supervision, your kids will find out exactly what is growing on their body. Create a stinky intestine, slimy snot, and fake blog. Grow mold and bacteria. You’ll have hours of fun discovering new facts about the human body.

Insectoid Robot Science Kit

If the disgusting side of biology isn’t your thing, try building a robotic insect with this insectoid robot science kit! It’s easy to build and designed for ages 8 and up. Your kids will discover exactly how robotic movement works. They’ll have hours of fun building then playing with a robot insect.

Chemistry Set
This ultimate Thames & Kosmos Chem C300 chemistry set is for older kids, 12 and up. There’s a total of over 333 experiments for your children to complete. After using this chemistry set, your kids will be ready for high school chemistry!

Science kits make wonderful science gifts. Your kids explore and develop a lifelong interest in science while they concoct, explore, and construct.

It’s hard to believe that the Christmas season is here once again!  And with it comes the season of giving!  It is such a blessing to give to others and I, along with 25 other bloggers, can’t wait to bless one of you with $500 Paypal cash with the Christmas Blessings Giveaway! Whether you decide to use this money for fulfilling your kids’ Christmas lists, paying off a bill, or just saving for a rainy day, we hope to lessen the financial burden and/or brighten the day of one of our readers with $500 Paypal cash to use for whatever their family needs.

You can earn a lot of entries in the Rafflecopter form below.  I know it can seem tedious and time consuming to go through all the entries, but isn’t a chance at $500 worth it?  I think it is!  Plus, if all of these generous bloggers didn’t participate, we wouldn’t have been able to have such a big prize!  So I hope you will take the time to go through each entry.  Who knows, maybe you will find some new blogs to follow!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway will run from Thursday, December 1st through Saturday, December 10th (ends at 11:59pm EST).  Winner will be notified by email shortly after the giveaway ends and will have 48 hours to respond to claim the prize or another winner will be drawn.  You must have a Paypal account to win.

The post 20 Awesome Gifts for Science Lovers + Enter to win $500 Cash Giveaway! first appeared on True Aim.

Fun Nature Activities

Catch Butterflies

Catching butterflies and moths with a net is a wonderful way to learn more about both types of insects. You and your children can study the wings, the antennae, the body, and the legs. Take a magnifying glass and study the pollen on the butterfly’s legs. Use a butterfly book to discover what type of insect you captured.

Keep a journal to draw and write about the butterflies and moths you see. What types of flowers are they attracted to and what shape and coloring do their wings have? Journal about the fascinating creatures. It will be fun to read and remember a summer chasing butterflies in a couple of years.

Study Flowers

Summer is blooming with flowers. There are wildflowers, cultivated flowers, dandelions, and daisies just to list a few. Make a point of learning the various flowers in your area one plant at a time. Kids love being able to identify the various plants they see. Knowing this is a rose, this is a dandelion, and this one is a marigold encourages children to want to learn more about the flowers they see.

Learn about the different wildflowers in your area. Wildflowers may be simple and delicate flowers, but they are just as pretty as the cultured flowers. Don’t try to memorize them all at once, simply choose one and look for it where ever you go this summer. Once you’ve learned it, choose another one. Eventually you will know most, if not all, the wild flowers in your region.

Hikes

Head outside and spend as much of the summer hiking and exploring the outdoors. Look for the butterflies and moths you’ve studied. See if you can identify the wildflowers the butterflies most enjoy.

Also keep an eye out towards interests your children may be showing in nature. One child may develop a fascination about ants and spend hours tracking the ants to their anthills. Another child may be curious about snails and slugs.

Encourage your kids to watch the various creatures and to study the plants.You’ll find your children will gradually grow into small naturalists.

What is your favorite summer nature activity?

The post 3 Fun Nature Activities for Summer first appeared on True Aim.

Solar Oven S’mores – What Do We Do All Day

Instead of frying an egg on the cement on a hot day, try making s’mores with this solar oven!

Learn about Dirt with Sediment Jars – Read Science

Learn about dirt, soil, and how plants grow with sediment jars!

Watermelon Volcano Activity – Little Bins For Little Hands

Try this twist on an exploding volcano; this time with a watermelon! Plus, it only requires three basic household ingredients!

Chalk Rockets – Growing A Jeweled Rose

With homemade sidewalk chalk, create rockets that can explode!

Mentos and Diet Coke – Keeping It Simple

Mentos and Diet Coke is a simple and fun exploding science experiment! There is almost no prep involved, and it’s great for kids with a short attention span.

Dirt Battery Experiment – Teach Beside Me

Grab a copper wire and create a battery to light up an LED light..out of dirt! You can also try this lemon battery experiment.

Color Changing Flowers Experiment – Go Science Girls

Grab some food coloring to change the color of flowers, with this fun experiment. This experiment takes a few days of mostly waiting, but the results are so pretty!

Balloon Rocket Experiment – What Do We Do All Day?

With a balloon and some basic household experiments, create a balloon rocket! This experiment is for younger children, but has some easy variations for older kids.

Human Sundial Shadow Science Experiment – Rhythms Of Play

Before clocks were invented, people could tell the time from the sun. On a sunny day, go outside and create a human sundial! All you’ll need is some sidewalk chalk and a tape measure

Leak Proof Bag Experiment – Paging Fun Mums!

For a hot day, try this fun leak proof bag experiment, with pencils!

Earth Day Science: How to Make a Butterfly Feeder – True Aim Education

With a simple plastic container, create a butterfly feeder!

Ice Volcanoes – Reading Confetti

Create ice volcanoes with only four simple ingredients for a bright and colorful outdoor science experiment!

Rocks & Minerals: A Fun Testing Experiment For Kids – EDventures With Kids

Test rocks to see if they are limestone with this fun experiment! Limestone rocks are typically found around creek beds, beaches, or other wet areas.

Landscaping With A Green Thumb: Composting – Family Education

Combine science with homemaking, and learn how to compost with this guide, that walks you through why certain things can be composted, and why certain things can not be.

Baking Soda & Vinegar Powered Boat – Sugar Aunts

Baking soda and vinegar can be used for just about everything. Now, power a boat with baking soda and vinegar! As an extra bonus, it doesn’t cost much to make.

Pop Rock Science Experiment For Kids – 123 Homeschool 4 Me

Combine Pop Rocks and soda in this fun science experiment for kids! Kids will love their bright colors!

How To Make Bubble Snakes – One Little Project

Bubbles are a no fail experiment for all ages. Try these bubble snakes, made with a sock and a water bottle!

The post Top Outdoor Science Activities first appeared on True Aim.

5 Fun Ways to Study Flowers with Your Kids

1. Grow Flowers Together

Pick up some seeds at a local store and plant the seeds in a pot. Watch the seeds sprout with your children, and measure the plants as they grow and bloom. Once the flowers are blooming, put them outside, and add a butterfly feeder above them. You can also plant sunflower seeds outside and plan a sunflower unit study. Sunflowers are a lovely flower to enjoy in the fall and kids are fascinated by eating the seeds.

2. Find Flowers on Nature Walks

As you head outside on walks or to the local parks, look for flowers. What types of flowers can you find? Don’t just look for dandelions, keep an eye out for blooming trees. See how many flowers you and your children can name. Can you find roses, lilies, clover, cherry blossoms, and marigolds?

3. Press Flowers

Pressing flowers is an fun and easy way to study flowers with kids. Find clean, dry flowers with no spots or blemishes which mar their beauty. Early in the morning after the dew has dried is the best time to pick them. Put the flowers between two sheets of paper and press them with large, heavy books such as the telephone directory. Don’t use wax paper, as it’s not absorbent enough to draw the moisture out of the flowers. Parchment or another absorbent paper works best.

4. Label Flowers

As you find and press various flowers, take the time to label them. What types of flowers have you found, what are the different parts, and how do you classify flowers? A young child may do well just labeling the various types of flowers. Older children can label the parts and classify the flowers into the two major groups of monocots and dicots.

5. Flower Crafts

Flower crafts are another wonderful way to augment your study of flowers. Try your hand at making a daisy, a watering seed can, or a flower painting with berries. See if you can color using different types of flowers. Check out these marvelous crafts for more flower activities you can do with your kids.

Spring is a marvelous time to study flowers with your children. Plant, press, and label flowers before using them in various crafts.

What is your favorite way to study flowers with your kids?

The post 5 Fun Ways to Study Flowers with Your Kids first appeared on True Aim.

I saw a project like this in a magazine, but it just wasn’t working the way they showed how to do it. Here’s my version.

How to Make a Butterfly Feeder

To make this simple science project, you’ll need a plastic container (I used the bottom of a plastic bottle), glue gun, fake flowers or colored plastic bag, a cotton ball, a pin or needle, a hole punch, and some string.

First, warm up your glue gun. Then glue the fake flowers in a circle on the bottom of your plastic container to make it look like a flower, leaving space in the middle for where the pollen of a real flower would be. If you don’t have a fake flower, you can cut a colored plastic bag into petal shapes and glue those on.

Next prick a hole in the bottom of your container in the middle of your flower petals with a pin or needle. The project that I saw in a magazine had you poke a cotton ball through the hole in the bottom. That was really difficult so, I ripped up the cotton ball and glued it around the hole, being sure to cover the hole with the cotton, but not the hot glue.

Finally, use the hole punch to cut out the sides of your container so you can tie your string on it and hang it in a tree or bush.

To make the butterfly food, you just mix 1 tsp of sugar or honey with 1/4 cup of water and put it in your butterfly feeder. The cotton ball will fill up with the sugar water and the butterflies can drink it. The solution is similar to the nectar that is in the flowers that butterflies like.

Our feeder attracted a lot of bees so far, and we did see a few small butterflies around it, but we didn’t see any drink from it yet. My daughters are constantly checking on it when the sun is out.

Would your kids like to make a feeder like this? Then they might also like this bug search experiment!

The post Earth Day Science: How to Make a Butterfly Feeder first appeared on True Aim.

When my kids forget to do what I’ve told them repeatedly or disobey me about something small, I don’t get angry. They get bugs! I’m not joking. It really works. Our yard gets infested with pill bugs and so my daughter gets to collect them for a punishment. She can hunt anywhere for bugs in our yard to find a certain amount and she always tries to do it as fast as she can. This helps control the bug population and helps her remember to do what is right.

This bug search experiment helped show her where she can find the most bugs.

How to do the Bug Search Experiment

You’ll need a plastic bottle cut in half for this experiment. I cut 3 bottles so that each of my children could get their own soil. I gave them the top half and left the cap on so the dirt didn’t fall through.

After they collected their dirt, I took of the lid and put the top half of their bottles in the bottom half with the lid side down. Then I put them on a tray so if they tipped the dirt wouldn’t get all over the counter.

We marked them to remember who’s was who’s and wrote down our hypothesis on our science experiment worksheet. I asked my kids where they got their dirt from and Audrey said by the strawberries, while my other two children got their dirt from the chicken coop (I made them wash their hands really well).

I balanced a flashlight on top of their dirt to represent the sun. If you have a lamp that bends and can be moved to point down, that would be a lot better light source. We left our light on for two hours and then checked the bottom of the bottles.

There were two bugs in the bottom of Audrey’s bottle, but no bugs in the other two.

If you don’t find any bugs in your bottles you can have your children try another location. Give them a hint to where they might find dirt that has lots of bugs in it.

Lessons Learned from this Experiment

This experiment shows that most bugs that live in dirt don’t like light or heat so they dig down lower to get away from it and fall into the bottom of the bottle. It also shows what kind of soil bugs like. The soil that was from the chicken coop was dryer and lighter than the soil next to the strawberries. My children made the observation that maybe the chickens had eaten a lot of the bugs so there wasn’t any left in their soil. So they decided that bugs like wet, cool, and chicken-free dirt. Now they know where to search for bugs if we give them the task for forgetting to feed the dog in the morning!

Would your child like this experiment? What kind of observations did they make?

You might like to use our Free Insect Preschool Printables with this experiment!

Find even more Earth Day Activities here:

Easy Earth Day Sensory Play (Natural Beach Living)

Earth Day Coffee Filter Suncatcher Craft for Kids (A Little Pinch of Perfect)

Ways to Recyle Activities for Kids Play Ideas (Little Bins for Little Hands)

Water Filtration Experiment (Teach Beside Me)

The post Earth Day Science: Bug Search Experiment first appeared on True Aim.

Popular Free Learning Sites for Kids and Adults

Blue Manor Academy – Get free character-building eBooks!

IXL – Dynamic, adaptive learning for grades K-12. Math, language arts, science, and social studies included.

Typing Club – Free typing lessons for kids.

Bible.org – Free Bible lessons, mainly learning towards adults

Learn with Essential Skills Advantage – Frugal lessons for auditory, visual, and tactile learned in K-6

Hoffman Academy – Learn to play the piano for free online!

Google Cultural Institute – Discover exhibits and collections from museums around the world.

Khan Academy – Free math and science videos for grades K-12. They have also began adding videos in other categories such as economics and history.

Livemocha – Learn any foreign language with these free online lessons.

Coursera – Hundreds of online courses for upper-level learning.

Starfall – ABC alphabet and phonetic lessons for kids for each letter of the alphabet.

Reading Bear – Learn to read with these free phonics resources; including 50 presentations and over 1,200 vocabulary items.

The Poached Egg – Free Christian Apologetics

Cool Math 4 Kids – Cool online math games for kids!

Funbrain – Math, reading, and more fun games for kids. I used to love their Math Arcade games!

LibriVox – A collection of free public domain audiobooks.

BBC Bitesize – “Bitesize” BBC news for K-8 school students, including free learning lessons for everything from foreign languages to science.

Code – For ages 8+, learn how to code for free, in these hour lessons.

BBC Skillswise – English, grammar, and math lessons for adults.

NIV Adventure Bible – Free Bible trivia and games online.

Spelling City – Practice spelling and vocabulary for free!

Adventures in Odyssey – Character-building Christian-based radio podcasts, plus videos and games.

Teach Your Monster to Read – Learn letters, sounds, and sentences with these free lessons.

TED – Free inspiring videos and stories.

Oxford Owl – Free math and language videos, plus 250 free eBooks, for ages 3-11.

Project Gutenberg – Free eBooks in the public domain; there are over 50,000 free books!

Xtra Math – Master basic math problems for elementary and middle school.

Storybird – Create artful stories and meet other self-starting artists in a similar genre.

More Free Learning Sites

Nick Jr Games – Free Nick Jr-inspired games for preschoolers. Activities range from educational to general fun, fine-motor skill building games.

Jump Start – Free educational games for K-5.

Sheppard Software – Games and lessons for grades K-12, although focusing mostly on elementary-aged children. Lessons include math, phonics, history, health, and geography.

Cookie – Learning (math, science, and language) lessons for elementary school.

PBS LearningMedia – Social studies, math, science, and language lessons for all ages.

Turtle Diary – Kids educational games in math, language, and science for K-5.

Fact Monster – A free, kid-friendly resource and reference site.

Mind Games – Free online mind games and brain puzzles – Sudoku, puzzles, memory challenges, and word games.

Worksheet Works – Hundreds of free worksheets, from math problems to Sudoku puzzles.

Lesson Pathways – Free curriculum for grades K-5.

Ambleside Online – Free homeschool curriculum designed with Charlotte Mason in mind.

Archive – Free public domain books, movies, software, and music.

Fisher Price – Free online games for toddlers and kindergarteners.

iGame Mom – Free educational apps for kids.

BBC History – History for kids, from Ancient history to WWII history.

MobyMax – Personalized learning curriculum for grades K-8.

Old Fashioned Education – An old fashioned, Christian-based curriculum.

Mensa for Kids – Educational videos for K-12, plus some games.

Discovery K-12 – Online homeschool curriculum that isn’t aligned with Common Core.

CK-12 – Free online textbooks in math and science courses.

Math Games

Fun 4 The Brain – Free math games for kids.

Math Worksheet Wizard – Thousands of free math worksheets for kids, grades K-4.

Kids Math Games – Kids math puzzles and games including Sudoku, counting, and problem solving.

Top Marks – Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division for ages 5-11.

Hooda Math – Games for grades K-12; multiplication, fractions, and more!

Science Games

Execulink – Worksheets, games, and quizzes for high school students.

Anatomy Arcade – Study the different parts of the body with these arcade games.

Birds – Bird lessons and videos for middle and high school students.

Reading and Writing

The post 70+ Free Learning Sites for Kids and Adults first appeared on True Aim.

3 Indoor Nature Study Ideas

1. Bird watching

Birds are fun to watch from the window. They hop across the yard looking for worms. Flocks gather in the backyard after a storm. You can encourage birds to visit your yard with a pine cone bird feeder.

Find a pine cone, preferably a nice big open one, before pulling out a jar of peanut butter or vegetable shortening. Slather the peanut butter or shortening all over the pine cone. Now roll the pine cone in bird seed until it’s covered.

Tie a string around the end. Find a branch near a window and hang it there. Your kids can sit down in front of the window and watch the birds visit.

Put a guide to birds next to the window along with a journal, and have fun tracking the birds that visit your house each day.

2. Make beans sprout

If you have any dried beans around the house, try making beans sprout. This is a fun way of teaching young children about seeds. First you’ll need 3-6 beans.

First take a moist paper towel, lay the beans inside it, and place it inside a plastic bag. My daughter and I used a sandwich bag, but any bag should work. You want to create high humidity to encourage beans to sprout.

Place the bag in a dark area, such as a cabinet, and check the beans once a day. We found it took close to a week and only one of the three beans we used actually sprouted.

3. Grow a salad from a leftover lettuce stem

Place the leftover lettuce stem in a bowl with an inch of water in it. Mist it over the next few days. Once it grows roots, plant it in soil.

Carrots and radishes are grown in a similar manner. Put them in a bowl of fresh water until green tops appear. Then plant the carrots in soil.

You’ll be able to enjoy a fresh salad with your kids that you have grown yourself. In fact, try a salad buffet with your kids. They’ll love eating the vegetables grown from table scraps.

There are many different ways to study nature science in the winter. Try these three easy ideas and have fun studying nature with your kids.

What is your best nature study idea?

The post 3 Indoor Nature Study Ideas first appeared on True Aim.