5 Tips for Enjoying Nature Study Indoors

1. Keep a nature journal

Start a nature journal with the kids even though it’s cold and wet outside. You’ll need a good art sketch book and colored pencils for the kids.

As your kids study nature inside this winter, note what you see and learn. Sketch various objects. Sketch animals you see. And sketch the weather each day. Take notes about what you learn and your thought about nature. Nature journals are a great way to encourage your kids to write!

The journal will become a beautiful record of your studies!

2. Hang a bird feeder

Hang a bird feeder outside your window. Prop pillows around the window and drop a bird book on a table nearby. The bird feeder will attract birds to your house where you can study them in the warmth of your home.

Don’t hang the bird feeder with yarn though. The squirrels discovered they could gnaw through the yarn to drop the bird feeder to the ground. The squirrels had a feast!

But it limited the number of birds we were able to study.

3. Bring nature inside

Head outside or send the children out to collect fascinating objects. Grab pine cones, rocks, acorns, leaves, dried plants, bark, and anything else you find.

Bring the objects inside and lay them on the table. You can make notes about where you found the objects and take your time sketching the objects in your nature journal without fingers freezing.

Don’t forget to research the items you find. What type of trees did the pine cone, acorns, and leaves come from? What type of rock did you find?

Remember to take notes about what you learned in your nature journal!

4. Keep a weather log

Keeping a weather log in the summer around here tends to be boring. It’s one sunny day after another! But the weather in the winter keeps changing.

Changing weather makes for a fascinating weather log!

Hang a thermometer on a tree near a window. Every morning have the kids look out the window and read the thermometer. They should also note what type of weather you’re having each day. Is it stormy, snowy, rainy, or sunny?

Keep a weather log and note your findings in your nature journal each day! And don’t forget to try one of these fun weather activities!

5. Read good books

There are many, many wonderful books on nature available. So the next time you’re at the library browse the science and nature section of your library.

You’ll find books on the changing season. Books discussing weather. And books describing how animals live in the winter.

Check them out and bring them home.

Or try making your own nature study curriculum from Usborne Books.

Now you and your kids can curl up on the sofa and read the books on nature study together in the warmth of your home.

Just because the weather outside is cold and gloomy, there’s no reason to put nature study on hold. Just move your nature study inside for the season and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while you sketch!

What is your best tip for enjoying an indoor nature study during the winter?

The post 5 Tips for an Epic Indoor Nature Study first appeared on True Aim.

Free Printable Christmas Bingo Game

There are 5 Bingo cards in this pack. Whether you’re trying to fight boredom, plan a family game night, or wanting something for a long car ride, play this Bingo game! Bingo is interactive and can be a way to keep the kiddos off of electronics for a bit.

In Bingo, the goal is to get five in a row vertical, horizontal, or diagonal.  Hand out a Bingo card to each child. Designate a “caller” or cut one of the cards up. The caller should pull out an image, and each player should cross off that image on their Bingo card. The first person to get five in a row wins!

The Bingo cards can be downloaded below.

Print Your Free Christmas Bingo Game Here!

The post Free Printable Christmas Bingo Game first appeared on True Aim.

I cannot believe it is almost Christmas! It seems that we were just celebrating the new year a few months ago. Christmas can be a time to slow down our busy schedules and prioritize what is most important in our life.

Make the countdown to Christmas more purposeful this year with these 24 free printable cards. There are three pages of eight cards. Print the cards and cut them out. Stick these cards in a jar and pull one out every day during December, until Christmas time!

Christmas Countdown Activities

1. Build something
2. Play a game
3. Tell a story
4. Read a book
5. Try a new recipe
6. Do a project
7. Sing Christmas carols
8. Have a movie night
9. Do something nice
10. Make sugar cookies (Pinterest has great inspiration for unique twists on regular sugar cookies)
11. Decorate a wreath
12. Attend a Christmas bazaar or craft show
13. Make homemade Christmas cards
14. Make snowmen
15. Have an indoor camping trip
16. See Christmas lights
17. Have a fancy dinner
18. Watch Christmas movies
19. Go sledding (or skiing!)
20. Make a warm drink
21. Play charades
22. Have a gift swap
23. Bake cookies for firefighters
24. Make puppy chow

Download your Free Christmas Cards Here!

The post 24 Day Christmas Countdown for Families – Free Printable first appeared on True Aim.

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Winter Printables for Preschoolers and Kindergarteners

Color Sorting with Mittens – Homeschool Preschool

To go along with Jan Brett’s picture book The Mitten, here are some crafts and printables!

Arctic Preschool Letter Hunt – Learning 2 Walk

I love phonics and how they slowly teach reading. Practice letter recognition and word blends with this letter hunt!

Penguin Number Mats – Life Over C’s

Number mats can be used to sneak in learning at mealtimes. Here are some cute winter/penguin themed mats.

Winter Counting Mats – Living Life and Learning

For an alternate set for a slightly higher age range, try these, best for kindergarten to second grade.

Number Word Worksheets – Sight and Sound Reading

Practice number literacy with these worksheets from Sight and Sound Reading!

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The post Winter Printables and Mom’s Library #172 first appeared on True Aim.

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Winter Crafts

Arctic Circle Unit Study – Angelicscalliwags

Enjoy this ten-week Arctic-themed unit study!

Winter Snow Collage – A Little Pinch of Perfect

Let your creativity flow with this snow collage!

Name Snowmen Preschool – Fun A Day

Let kids practice spelling their name (or sight words!) with snowmen!

Arctic Animals Printables – Gift of Curiosity

From basic addition to fine motor skills, this arctic animals printable pack is ideal for ages 2-7, and includes over 70 puzzles for your toddler!

Cotton Ball Penguin – Glued to my Crafts

Create a fuzzy, adorable, 3D penguin out of cotton balls and construction paper!

Greater Than Less Than Printable – Life Over C’s

Hone your greater than less than skills with these free printables.

Q-Tip Painted Snowman – Mess for Less

For a fun activity involving no scissors, try this q-tip painted snowman.

Healthy Winter Snacks – Cutting Tiny Bites

To balance all off the yummy cookies and cake over Christmas break, try these healthy winter snack alternatives.

Paper Polar Bear – Crafty Morning

Mix light blue paints for a watercolor feel for the background for this beautiful construction paper polar bear craft.

Snowflake Balance – Sugar Aunts

Practice balance with this beautiful snowflake pattern!

Free Skip Counting Printable – Life Over C’s

Practice counting with these winter-themed printables!

UP NEXT WEEK: WINTER PRINTABLES!

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The post Winter Crafts and Mom’s Library #171 first appeared on True Aim.

Writing is a great winter time activity to use in your homeschool. Not all children enjoy writing, but there are ways to make it fun for everyone and using writing prompts in your homeschool is a great place to start!

Whether you have children that love to write or they are reluctant to write, they will have fun writing this winter with these fun winter writing prompts!

New Year Writing Prompts

• My new year outlook
• Things I’d like to do this year

Snow Themed Writing Prompts

• The magic of snowflakes
• If I were a snowman
• My favorite winter activity
• My favorite winter past time
• Why I love winter
• What I don’t like about winter
• If I could see the snow
• When I’m skiing on the mountain
• Ice skating makes me
• While I’m sledding I

Winter Holiday Writing Prompts

• If I could meet Martin Luther King Jr.
• My thoughts on Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech
• If I were the groundhog on Groundhog Day
• Super Bowl 2016 memories
• A story about those I love
• What love is to me
• I feel loved when
• The things I love most
• If I could meet any President – Who and Why
• If I became President
• The history of the Presidency
• If I could meet St. Patrick
• My thoughts on St. Patrick’s Life

These are just a few ideas to help make your kids’ wintertime writing fun! Feel free to come up with a few of your own before you turn over your winter writing prompt list to your kids.

Below you’ll find a link to a set of printable notebooking pages featuring these writing prompts. I hope your kids have a great time sharing their thoughts and hearts with you all winter long.

What are you favorite winter writing prompts?

Winter Writing Prompts Notebooking Pages

The post 25 Fun Winter Writing Prompts first appeared on True Aim.

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This Week’s Giveaway

$200 Lush Decor Gift Card!

Make your home more comfortable with linens from Lush Decor. Treat yourself to this shopping spree this Valentines day! Use code: LOVELUSH1 for 10% off!

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This Week’s Featured Posts…

Snowman Toss math Game

Sight Word “Snowball” Toss

Book-Inspired Snow Dough Play

Build a Shape Snowman

Make Snowflake Patterns

Sensory Snow Dough

Winter Themed Books!  

Here are more winter activities you might like!

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Welcome to Mom’s Library!

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This Week’s Featured Posts…

Winter Tree Silhouettes and Identification

Easy Winter Snowflake Garland

Winter Activities that Match with Books 

Frozen Themed Preschool Printables

More Free Winter Printables

Easy Orange Cup Bird Feeders

DIY Glowing Snow Globe

Roll – A – Snowman

Easy Snowflake Prints

6 Winter Themed Learning Activities

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The post 15+ Awesome Winter Activities for Kids and Mom’s Library #120 first appeared on True Aim.

Do you remember being stuck indoors as a child?  I do!  Sometimes I would make weird noises, annoy my mom, or try dangerous stunts to relieve my cabin fever.  Now that I’m a mom, I don’t like seeing my children go through the same torture.  Plus, their behavior is a lot better once they let out some of that energy in positive ways!

 5 Physical Activities Your Kids Can Do Indoors!

1.  Dance, Dance, Dance

Who doesn’t like to dance in the privacy of their own home?  Sometimes I’ll dance with the kids.  We’ll take turns leading each other with different moves back and forth across the room.  Then we’ll have a little dance show and take turns dancing to our favorite music; watching and clapping for each other.

Read more at Enchanted Homeschooling Mom!

The post 5 Indoor Physical Activities for Kids! first appeared on True Aim.

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Welcome to Mom’s Library!

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This Week’s Giveaway!

The ABCs of Australians Animals!

This interactive kids yoga book is perfect for the winter blues.  Kids will love the big vibrant illustrations and acting like the animals with yoga poses!

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Our Newest Librarian! 

Please welcome Jodi from Meaningful Mama!  She’s dedicated to showing you how to develop character in your children and make everyday more meaningful!  Stop by and say hello!

This Week’s Featured Posts…

Penguin Temperature Cards

I love this adorable and clever activity to teach children how to read a thermometer!  Make sure you check out the other winter themed learning activities while you’re there.

Winter Weather Activities and Books

Strike up conversation about the cold weather outside with these weather books and do a fun activity to go with them!

Free Winter Calendar Printables

Help your children learn the days of the week and winter months.

Montessori Inspired Winter Activities

Lots of hands-on learning fun!

Preschool Penguin Learning Activities

Encourage children to read with these penguin themed preschool activities.

Healthy Snowman Snack

Complete the day of learning with a fun winter themed snack.

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Linking up Here

The post 6 Winter Themed Learning Activities and Mom’s Library #76 first appeared on True Aim.