Ideas and resources
This article by Scary Mommy is really honest. It’s true kids will play with whatever you allow them to play with. Boxes are fun to create with. My only complaint would be making something so great with such detail and it only being made of cardboard. It’s not exactly something that could be handed down or passed on to someone else. It would probably only have a year of life in it.
Learning about the Earth, its place in the universe, what its made of and the creatures that live on it are all a part of understanding our place in the world and why the planet needs protection. Nature School: Planet Earth by Lauren Giordano, Stephanie Hathaway and Laura Stroup aims to inspire kids to learn about the world and explore and observe things around them.
The book starts with a wide view of the universe and solar system and where Earth fits in it. Each chapter zooms in closer, with information about the composition of the Earth, the hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere, aka life on Earth.
The chapters include short sections, fun facts and illustrations to keep kids engaged. Each chapter also includes activities kids can do, some of which involve writing in a nature journal and others that are more hands on. For example the solar system chapter asks kids to research a planet, build a solar system model and try sun printing, among other activities.
The book covers a lot of ground quickly. For example the chapter on the composition of the Earth goes over things like the Earth’s core, different kinds of soil, tectonic plates and how mountains are formed, geological characteristics and topography, different landforms and more, in the span of just a few pages.
Students around ages 6-12 should enjoy learning all about the Earth with this fun and colorful book, exploring the activities and engaging in their own investigations in the world around them. This book could supplement homeschool science learning materials or be used in the science center or library of the classroom as a reference book. Teachers could also pull activities from the book when learning about these topics in their regular science curriculum.
In addition to this book there is a companion workbook with more than 100 different activities and includes readings, puzzles, games and touches on art, reading, geography, science and more.
About the book: 144 pages, paperback. Published 2025 by Quarry Books. Suggested retail price $19.99
my nephew had a rocket made out of cardboard boxes, it lasted for 3 years and only went to the skip after he had grown out of it. Yes, it needed the odd repair, but everything he has ever had that he loved has needed the odd repair.