25 Book-Related Activities to Help Kids Learn

August 26, 2013 by AllFreeKidsCrafts Leave a Comment

Better than movies, television shows, and video games, books are the best form of entertainment there is. You can get them free from the library, and there are so many to choose from. Nothing stimulates your mind more than reading does. As an English major in college, I spend most of my time reading, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love jumping into a different world each time I open up another book. Reading is a great way to expand kids’ knowledge, and it’s so important to start when they’re young. To encourage reading, pair children’s stories with these book-related activities with four popular authors’ works. From a hungry caterpillar to Sam I Am, you can enter a world of adventure on every page.

AllFreeKidsCrafts has put together a list of reading crafts that are inspired by popular books. These book crafts for kids include anything from painting crafts, food crafts, to sewing crafts. Sit down, grab your favorite book from the bookshelf, and start reading today.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Crafts

As perhaps one of the most well-known books for children, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle will capture every youngster’s attention. These reading crafts will teach kids about transformation and appetite. You can create your own very hungry caterpillar when you make the Very Hungry Caterpillar Balloon Craft. This reading craft combines painting with balloons, and you can add another dot every time the hungry caterpillar eats something. The photography in this classic book is breathtaking and will encourage youngsters to partake in book crafts for kids that involve art.

Rainbow Fish Activities

Dive into an adventure in the deep, blue sea. When you open the pages of Marcus Pfister’s Rainbow Fish, you’ll discover lessons about sharing, caring, and selflessness. These Rainbow Fish activities are a great way to get kids involved with reading while teaching them valuable lessons. Make these Glam Guppies that look just like the little fishies that Rainbow Fish shares his beautiful scales with. Book-related activities that encourage learning about new topics like underwater creatures, the ocean, and different colors are perfect for young kids. Expand their worlds with these reading crafts about a little fish who learned to share.

Dr. Seuss Crafts

Oh, the places you’ll go! Hopefully one of them is to the library so that you can check out some classic children’s books by Dr. Seuss. He was a master with words and soon kids who read The Lorax and Sam I Am will be too. You can read classics like The Lorax and then make the ‘The Lorax’ Truffula Forest craft. Use nature items found in your own backyard to reinforce the message of being environmentally friendly. Reading crafts from Dr. Seuss books are so much fun because chances are that you have at least one of his books in your home. Try these book-related activities to encourage imagination and creativity, just like the story lines in Dr. Seuss’s rhyming stories.

Superhero Crafts

Captain America, Superman, and Wonder Woman, oh my! Comic books are well loved by boys and girls no matter their age. It’s important to encourage different types of reading, which is why comics rock! Get those creative juices flowing by making tons of book crafts for kids. While you’re reading, you can talk about what is happening in each comic while doing a book-related activity. These readings crafts will encourage kids to talk about their favorite superheroes and keep on reading to find out what happens to them.

What is was your favorite book when you were a child?

30 Back to School Activities for Kids

August 15, 2013 by AllFreeKidsCrafts Leave a Comment

Summer’s over, which means that it’s time to head back to school. No more long days at the beach, endless hours at summer camp, or playing in the pool. Just because summer is ending doesn’t mean that the fun has to as well. Time to put on your reading cap, gather up your notebooks, and head back to school. Before you go, make sure that you have a head start with 30 Back to School Activities for Kids. These back to school crafts are some of my favorites because I love the freshness that comes with a new school year. Whether you’re in need of a quick gift for your teacher or a journal for math class, this collection of crafts from AllFreeKidsCrafts is great.

Don’t lollygag back to school unprepared and unaware; make sure that you’re ready to jump in head first by doing back to school activities for kids. Now is the time of year for new beginnings and a fresh start, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune on teacher gifts and school supplies. Back to school crafts are a blast when you make them yourself.

Homemade Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Show your thanks for all that your teachers do this school year by making a homemade teacher appreciation gift. If it comes from the heart, then your teacher is sure to love it. Teachers are the make learning possible and fun, so show them your appreciation by making back to school crafts. You can’t go wrong with apple or pencil crafts, the back to school essentials. That’s why the Giant Goody Pencil craft is a hit as a homemade teacher appreciation gift. Use an old Pringles can and fill it with goodies to give to your favorite teacher. No matter what you make, your teacher is sure to appreciate your thoughts and efforts when you make these back to school activities for kids.

Back to School Supplies

Make the first day of school the very best day of school with all of your new back to school supplies that you crafted yourself! Save tons of money when you make your own erasers, journals, and pencil holders. Back to school activities for kids like making supplies are a great way to personalize your things. School is more fun when you can use something you made to write down fractions or store your pens. Bookmaking for Kids is a great way to save money and learn something new at the same time. Your book will be a one-of-a-kind back to school craft.

Learning Activities for Kids

Each lesson in school is an important building block in childhood. Ultimately that is what school is all about: learning. Learning activities for kids like the Bean in a Jar Biology Lesson make education fun. Each subject in school, whether it’s math, biology, or history, is interesting and exciting if you have the right activity planned. Back to school activities for kids are important to prepare for the coming months of learning, so make sure to get started. All of these back to school crafts are great lessons to teach kids about dinosaurs, math, and how to count money.

What are you most excited about this school year?

Crafting with Kids from A-Z

April 8, 2013 by AllFreeKidsCrafts 2 Comments

“Can you tell me how to get, how to get to AFKC?” That’s to be sung in the tune of the Sesame Street theme song. (AFKC stands for AllFreeKidsCrafts.) It’s no wonder our site abbreviation fits so seamlessly into the song. We have crafts brought to you from every letter in the alphabet. Yup, even those tricky ones.

One of the first things we teach our children is the alphabet. It’s the fundamental building block upon which all (or at least most) other knowledge is based. In other words, it’s important that our little ones learn those 26 letters that spell out everything we know. Sing them the song, show them the flashcards, and once they have it down, craft. Make these projects in order, or choose one at random and see if your kiddo can guess the letter of the day. Can you and your child complete the entire alphabet with crafts?

Crafting With Kids from A-H

Animal I Spy Book
Brought to You by the Letter A

Ballerina Barbie Tutu
Brought to You by the Letter B

Catapult Paper Airplanes
Brought to You by the Letter C

Dr. Seuss City
Brought to You by the Letter D

Egg Carton Frog
Brought to You by the Letter E

Forever Spinning Top
Brought to You by the Letter F

Green Crafting with 20 Crafts for Spring
Brought to You by the Letter G

Handy Handmade Coasters
Brought to You by the Letter H

Crafting With Kids from I-P

iPlaid Case
Brought to You by the Letter I

Jingling Finger Knit Door Drape
Brought to You by the Letter J

Kool Aid Lip Gloss
Brought to You by the Letter K

Let’s Go Fly a Kite!
Brought to You by the Letter L

Mighty Bouncing Bouncy Ball
Brought to You by the Letter M

Neaten Up Needlepoint Cup
Brought to You by the Letter N

Optical Illusion Handprints
Brought to You by the Letter O

Post-It Pinwheels
Brought to You by the Letter P

Crafting with Kids from O-Z

QT Q-Tip Painting
Brought to You by the Letter Q

Rainbow Ice Cream Cone Cake Bites
Brought to You by the Letter R

Sparkle Slime
Brought to You by the Letter S

Tie-Dye Cookies
Brought to You by the Letter T

Upcycled Cap Stamps
Brought to You by the Letter U

Vibrant Salt Art
Brought to You by the Letter V

Water Bottle Rocket
Brought to You by the Letter W

Xylophone Glow Jars
Brought to You by the Letter X

Yarn Pom Poms
Brought to You by the Letter Y

Zebra Puppets
Brought to You by the Letter Z

How old was your child when he/she learned the alphabet?

Indoor Activities for Kids: Fun with Science Experiments at Home

February 22, 2013 by AllFreeKidsCrafts 2 Comments

As winter trudges on, the cold winds and flurries hang around ever so comfortably. The kids are itching to spend time outside, but the chilly temperatures discourage such actions. Scratch those itches with some awesomely fun indoor activities for kids that will make them forget all about the outdoors. AllFreeKidsCrafts is not only loaded with delightful indoor crafts, but we’ve also got the best artsy, educational projects around. We’ve also searched the web for other must-make experiments, so your “to learn list” should be full and ready.

Learn while having a blast with science experiments that can be done at home without spending tons of dough. Mix, pour, and dip until the mini Einstein’s minds are full of knowledge and they’re ready to fall fast asleep with a new appreciation for how things work.

Colorful Science for Kids

Color is mesmerizing to kids (and adults), so science experiments involving beautiful hues are that much more enthralling. Watch colors dance and groove with the Dancing Dr. Seuss Oobleck Recipe. Oobleck is a magical mixture of ingredients that will keep the kids laughing and asking questions. A curious kid is a wonderful thing. Keep the color coming with Other Colorful Science Experiments:

Gooey Green Goop
Walking Water
Carnation Science Experiment Rainbows
Magical Milk Experiment
Color Mixing Lab

Reaction Experiments for Kids

“What does this button do?” Kids innately love experimenting, so when they’re allowed to mix potentially erupting ingredients, they’re definitely in their happy place. Provide answers to, “what if I add baking powder?” by adding it and observing the results. These controlled experiments will leave you with amazing but safe results. Watch the kids ooh and ahh as they try to understand the science of Borax with Cleaner to Crystal. How will they react to these Other Reaction Experiments?

Toddler Erupting Volcano
Violet Petal pH Experiment
Penny for Your Thoughts Experiment
Peep Experiments

Kids’ Science Projects with Everyday Objects

Turn everyday objects into big question marks as the kids explore and hypothesize on what they really are. Cereal will no longer simply be yummy squares of sugar after the kids learn the mineral make up of the crunchy snacks. Their itty-bitty brilliant brains will start to break down objects further than face value. A water bottle and a balloon aren’t just for drinking and decorating as you’ll learn with the Balloon Experiment. Keep expanding those mini minds with Other Science Projects:

Nails for Breakfast
Light Up Lifesavers
Bean in a Jar Biology Lesson

How do you incorporate learning into the kids’ everyday activities?

Make Learning Fun! 39 Educational Crafts for Kids

October 19, 2012 by AllFreeKidsCrafts Leave a Comment

Kids are always learning. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the playground or at home, there are countless opportunities for children to explore and learn about the world around them. Here at AllFreeKidsCrafts, we believe that playful learning is the best! There are so many things kids can explore through fun craft projects. You can teach physics with paper airplanes and encourage kids to write with chalkboards. These kids craft projects are great if you are looking for classroom or homeschool activities (or just some after-school fun!).

Your kids will have a great time making and playing with these crafts (Shhh, don’t tell them they’re educational!):

Water Bottle Rocket – Countdown to blast-off with this exciting science project! This experiment shows how pressure can launch a rocket. Kids are sure to have a high flying time with this physics project.

Story Cube Reading Game – Kids can exercise their creativity and their reading skills with these cubes. They can make up their own story using the words on each cube. It’s a great activity to improve reading comprehension.

Number Line Addition and Subtraction Game – It’s easier for kids to learn visually, especially with mathematical concepts. This number line game makes math fun and will help them understand how addition works.

Investigating Insect Habitats – I love how this craft combines scientific observation with art. Kids will feel like explorers as they follow the lives of bugs and record their findings in paintings.

Phonics Flip Book – Practice word recognition and phonics with this easy-to-make flip book. It’s a simple and fun way to improve literacy. Your kids will be reading in no time!

Be sure to check out 39 Creative Lesson Ideas and Educational Crafts for School Kids for even more educational kids crafts and activities!

My favorite subject in school was Language Arts. What was your favorite subject?

Summer Camp Week, Day 3: Academic Camp Crafts + Giveaway

July 18, 2012 by AllFreeKidsCrafts 49 Comments

Welcome back, campers! I am so pleased to announce that Mary Mac won yesterday’s Summer Camp Week giveaway and will be receiving a set of Color-Me-In Notecards from Chronicle Books. Congratulations, Mary! We will contact you by e-mail shortly for details about your prize.

I hope you are loving Summer Camp Week as much as I am! Be sure to follow AllFreeKidsCrafts on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with each amazing prize!

Today, I’m looking forward to exploring some great educational crafts for kids! In addition, we’re giving away a set of six American Girl Historical Craft Kits from EK Success Brand’s line of American Girl crafts to a lucky winner! Keep reading to learn about Academic Camp crafts, learn about the prize and enter the giveaway!

To enter today’s giveaway, answer the following question in the comments below:

Which is the best way for kids to learn: listening quietly in a classroom, or playing educational games?

Educational Crafts for Academic Camps

AllFreeKidsCrafts features all sorts of great educational crafts for kids, and many of them are featured in this complete collection of 39 Creative Lesson Ideas and Educational Crafts for School Kids. These crafts and activities are the perfect way for homeschoolers, unschoolers, and homeschoolers alike to create and learn with hands-on lessons for every subject.

If you’re looking for crafts for kids who are studying math, make a set of Platonic Solids Geometric Shapes or play a fun and tasty Cookie Fraction Game.

Reading and Writing camps are great for little language lovers, and we have some great tools to help them succeed! Draw Story Scenes on Cookie Canvases for a sweet and educational treat, make a Story Cube Reading Game as a memory tool, or create your own stories with these Storytime Stones (shown).

Scientific tots will love this Magical Milk Experiment at Science Camp! They can also create a Model Human Lung to study basic anatomy, or cool off with a Water Bottle Rocket.

Summer Camp Week Giveaway

AllFreeKidsCrafts.com is giving away a prize a day every day this week here on FaveCraftsBlog.com for Summer Camp Week. It is so easy to enter. Just go to our daily Summer Camp Week post and comment to enter! You have 5 chances to win and a new special prize each day.

Today, we’re giving away a prize for kids who love learning about history and playing with American Girl dolls. This set of six American Girl Historical Craft Kits from EK Success Brand’s line of American Girl crafts is a great way to teach kids lessons about different time periods in American history with some fun crafts.

Create Weave & Tie Bracelets (left) decorated with flower and butterfly buttons and wooden beads, just like Kaya would have worn in 1764.

Learn how to embroider a Sweet Heart Stitched Pillow like Felicity Merriman would have in 1774.

Use this Fancy Flower Wreath kit to create a lovely door decoration of paper flowers, inspired by American Girls Cecile and Marie-Grace, who made flower wreaths in 1853.

For a more modern look, create 8 flower headbands, hair clips and more with a 1934-style Fabric Flower Style Set inspired by Kit Kittredge!

Hold your most treasured items in a wooden Painted Memory Box like Josefina Montoya would have had in 1924.

Make some psychedelic and funky 1974-style String Art Cards like Julie Albright would have made.

You can win this great set of all six American Girl Historical Craft Kits by commenting on this blog post! That’s right, the winner of today’s contest will win all six craft kits! Your American girl or boy will love to make these fantastic crafts this summer when she’s learning about girls throughout history.

Comment on this blog post and enter to win six American Girl Historical Craft Kits, then check in tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. CST to find out if you’re the winner!

Giveaway Rules:

Contest open to US and Canada residents 18+
One comment/entry per person.
Contest closes Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 11:59p CST.
Please comment on this blog post to enter.
Winners will be posted on FaveCraftsBlog.com and notified by email at 10:00a CST on Wednesday, July 18, 2012.

To enter today’s giveaway, answer the following question in the comments below:

Which is the best way for kids to learn: listening quietly in a classroom, or playing educational games?

Be sure to check here tomorrow morning to see if you won!

Summer Reading and Crafting for Kids: The Giving Tree

June 21, 2012 by AllFreeKidsCrafts 2 Comments

It’s time for kids to start on their summer reading list! If your kids aren’t overly fond of sitting down and reading, introduce hands-on experiential learning through Summer Reading and Crafting from AllFreeKidsCrafts.com. The kids crafts and art projects below will help children grasp and conceptualize important themes in the story.

The Book: The Giving Tree

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

The Giving Tree is a beautiful story of love, friendship and sacrifice written and illustrated by poet, author, artist and songwriter Shel Silverstein. One of his most famous books, The Giving Tree tells the tale of a young boy who loves a tree. The tree provides the boy with everything he needs throughout his life, while receiving nothing in return. When the boy is an old man and the tree has given her shade, apples, and even her trunk to her young friend, she is only a stump and has nothing left to give the boy except a quiet place to sit.

Important Concepts:

The Giving Tree provides open-ended lessons in selflessness, giving, love and sacrifice. The relationship between humans and nature is also a good topic to discuss with children. These concepts can be complex ideas for young readers, so creating crafts associated with the books allows children to form visual and tactile associations that will help them remember the important details of the book.

Crafting with The Giving Tree:

The Giving Tree Scenes on Cookie Canvases: These tasty treats provide a sweet and pretty canvas upon which children can draw or paint their favorite scenes in edible ink.

Hand and Armprint Giving Trees: Children can use their hands and arms to make artwork that looks like the Giving Tree. Have them draw a picture of themselves in the shade of the tree like the boy from the story.

The Giving Tree Leaf Rubbings: Have children head outside with some homemade crayons to make rubbings of different sorts of trees. Talk about the different patterns in nature and discuss the ways we can use natural resources.

The Giving Tree’s Apples: The Giving Tree gave away all of her apples to the boy because she loved him so much. Have children make these paper bag apples and give them away to the people they love. They can even fill the bags with small gifts and handmade items for a more selfless and “giving” project.

If you enjoyed reading about The Giving Tree and exploring these great educational kids craft ideas from AllFreeKidsCrafts.com, check in again next week for some more great ideas!