CLICK HERE OR ON THE PHOTO TO LEARN MORE!

Polishing rocks with oil has become a fun family activity for us! We love collecting special rocks at the lake and they look so pretty when they are all wet and shiny at the beach. Unfortunately by the time we get them home, they are dry, look dull and are almost unrecognizable. Here is an easy way to bring out all of the gorgeous details in the rocks!

First you need to decide which type of oil you would like to use. We used food grade mineral oil because it’s the first choice for many experienced rock polishers. Jojoba oil seems to be the second choice and also more environmentally friendly. We are planning on trying jojoba oil next!

Ready to give it a try!? Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• • Lake or River Rocks
  • Oil- Jojoba or food grade mineral oil both work well for this activity. We used food grade mineral oil for this blog post. 
  • Jar
  • Strainer
  • Oil for strained oil
  • Paper towel
  • Old absorbent towel that you don’t mind getting oily

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Here’s How to Make Rocks Shiny:

Step 1: Wash and dry the rocks.

First, wash the rocks with a light soap and water. Then leave them in the sun to dry.

Step 2: Place rocks in a jar and add mineral oil.

Gently add rocks to a jar and submerge them in oil. Make sure the rocks are completely covered with oil. 

Step 3: Cover and let the rocks sit in the oil.

Put the cover on the jar and let the rocks sit in the oil for at least two hours. The rocks are pretty fun to look at while they are soaking in the oil!

Step 4: Strain oil.

Place a bowl under the strainer and strain the oil from the jar. Set aside the extra oil and add it back in the jar for future polishing. 

Step 5: Polish with paper towel.

The rocks are pretty oily at this point so I like to give the rocks a quick polish with paper towel to soak up some of the oil.

Step 6: Use an absorbent towel to polish the rocks. 

This is the really fun part! Use an old towel to polish the rocks and wipe off the rest of the oil. The oil will stain the towel, so you might want to set this one aside to use over and over again. 

I’m always so surprised when I see the end result! The rocks look so beautiful and the details are stunning! These rocks will stay shiny for a few weeks and then they will probably need another polishing! 

I hope you enjoy this nature activity as much as I do!

-Tara

Pin it and save it for later!

Need more rock ideas?! Check out:

Simple Mummy Rock Craft for Halloween

A Simple Stone Activity to Try Today

The post How to Make Rocks Shiny appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

To prepare the printable, cut out the lenses and run the sheets through the laminator. I used my laminator at home because my sheets are a bit thicker than the laminator machines at school. Cardstock is recommended to unsure a durable work mat!

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Find the Printable for this Activity HERE!

Check out the COLOR AND SHAPE ACTIVITY BUNDLE HERE!

Once the sheets are prepped, decide if you want to use cellophane sheets to color the lenses or if you want students to color them with dry erase or chalk markers.

Here is the cellophane method:

Tape a strip of cellophane to the back of the lenses and you are all set! This gives a very smooth and colorful finish, which is great for viewing! The cellophane is also a good option if you are using thinner lamination and regular printer paper. Erasing dry erase marker over and over again on the lenses portion might cause wear and tear on thinner work mats, so the cellophane would help the mats last longer!

Here is the Marker Method:

Another option is to keep the lenses clear and let the children color the lenses with dry erase or chalk markers! My preschoolers and second grade son both really enjoyed this option. They thought it was fun to create colorful lenses all by themselves. 

This is all great fine motor work for little ones! Both the cellophane and marker options are great, and you can choose one that works best for your class… OR try them both! Keep dry erase liquid cleaner on hand for easy clean up. 

There are four different color activities for kids included in this packet and it includes both black&white and color options for printing. Here are the directions for the first activity!

Activity 1: Trace the Shapes

First, color the lenses (if there isn’t cellophane), look through them and say the name of the color.

Next, say the names of the objects and color them with dry erase or chalk markers. Objects on the coloring mats and sorting sheets (next activity) are the same.

Last, Erase the marker. 

Activity 2: Sort the pictures

First, color the lenses (if there isn’t cellophane), look through them and say the name of the color.

Next, say the names of the objects on the cards and sort them on the correct side. Object names are listed in the product.

Last, erase the marker.

Activity 3: Trace the words

First, color the lenses (if there isn’t cellophane), look through them and say the name of the color.

Next, trace the color words and say the color name.

Last, erase the marker. 

Activity 4: Write the words

First, color the lenses (if there isn’t cellophane), look through them and say the name of the color.

Next, write the color words on the lines.

Last, erase the marker. 

The colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and pink work best for these activiteis. It’s easiest to find the supplies for these colors and they look really inviting and fun to play with. I included brown, black, white and grey/gray for teachers that want to make complete sets and might have access to supplies that I don’t access to. Here is a list of supplies to help you get started!

Supplies:

• Color Activity printable
• Cardstock or printer paper- I recommend cardstock for a more durable work mat. 
• Laminator machine
• Scissors
• Dry Erase or Chalk Markers- If you want one marker for every color offered in the product, you might need to buy multiple sets. This set has most of the colors needed. I have only found white in chalk marker sets. Please note that chalk markers are not quite as see-through as dry erase markers and will leave lines on the lenses, but they still work and are easier to clean! Here is an entire set with all of the colors needed for the activity. 
• Colored cellophane- Just like the markers, you will need to do some searching for all the colors offered in the product. Here is a great set that offers the rainbow colors. Here is a black cellophane roll. I would use that set for both gray and black. Just use one sheet for gray and 2 sheets for black. Here is a white polka dot cellophane roll (white is tough to find) and here is a brown cellophane roll!
• Dry Erase Marker Cleaner

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Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you try these color activities for kids! I promise, your little learners will love it as much as my boys and preschoolers.

∼Tara

Looking for more fun printables for kids?! Check out:

4 Ways to Use Story Stones in the Classroom

Nature Collection Journal for Kids

The post Color Activities for Kids with See-Through Lenses Printable appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

We’re getting resourceful today and using some of those toilet paper rolls we have been saving! Reusing objects always makes crafting more rewarding and it’s fun to see everyday items transform into something useful. Kids will love helping with this process, but enjoy using their binoculars even more!

Ready to make this DIY binoculars craft? Here’s what you’ll need….

Supplies:

• 2 Paper Towel Rolls
• Washi Tape or Marker
• Single-Hole Puncher
• Twine or String about 18-20 inches (45-51 cm) long
• Craft Bond Tacky Glue
• 45-50 Straight sticks, about 3.5 inches (9 cm) and about 1/8 inch (.5 cm) thick. Test out one stick on your roll first. Make sure the stick sits under the washi tape line so it doesn’t poke your child’s eyes.
• 6 medium sized rubber bands and 1larger rubber band

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RELATED: Use These Binoculars with the Sticky Scavenger Hunt

Here’s How We Made This Beautiful Tic-Tac-Toe Game:

Step 1:

Put a washi tape border on one end of both paper rolls. Not only does this look nice, but will also protect your eyes from the sticks. If you don’t have washi tape, try drawing a border with marker! We used weeping willow sticks from a tree in our backyard.

Step 2:

Snap sticks by hand to the size you need. You can try scissors if your sticks are thin enough. Make them long enough to fit right under the decorative tape to the other end of the paper roll. Once you have one stick measured out to the correct length, snap the rest the same size.

Step 3:

Punch one hole under the washi tape on each of the binoculars. Take one end of your twine and thread it through the hole you made. Tie a knot to secure the thread to the paper roll. Use the same piece of twine and repeat with the other binocular.

Step 4:

Put glue on about 1/3 of your paper roll and place sticks on the binoculars. Press each stick on the glue for about 10 seconds. This part can be a little tricky and will require helping hands.  If one or two sticks fall off during this process, just put it back in its spot and press the stick for 10 more seconds. I found it helpful to cradle the part of the binocular with drying sticks in my hand to keep them in place. Repeat this process until the entire binocular is covered with sticks.

Step 5:

Put three rubber bands around each binocular to keep them in place while drying.

Step 6:

Once the binoculars are completely dry, take the rubber bands off and glue a stick in the middle of the binoculars to connect them. This stick can be just as long or a bit shorter than the other sticks. Place a larger rubber band around the binoculars to keep them in place while they dry.

Don’t they look great when completed?! 

They are perfect to take outside during any season, but we LOVE them for winter bird watching!

Want to make more nature binoculars? Try stone or pressed flower binoculars! If you have extra time, try painting the sticks to make colorful binoculars. We love our pressed flower binoculars pictured below.

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you give this nature craft a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this activity as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more nature craft ideas?! Check out:

Homemade Pencil Case with Nature Prints

How to Decorate Pumpkins with Pieces of Nature

The post DIY Binoculars Craft with Real Sticks appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

What are skills-based gifts? These are gifts that help children foster important skills like learning how to make handicrafts, grow food and cook.  From developing fine motor skills to supporting self-esteem, there are many benefits to giving your child a skills-based gift!

Children learn by doing, so let’s give them experiences that help them acquire important skills and give them the opportunity to create or grow something beautiful at the same time! Crafting, cooking, growing plants, fishing, and more! Let’s get started.

ADULT SUPERVISION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL OF THESE GIFTS!

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Ceramics

1. Pottery Studio

Help children learn the skill of pottery with this awesome handicraft gift! This complete pottery wheel and painting kit includes three pounds of natural clay, pottery wheel, white glaze (for a base coat), opaque acrylic paint, paint brushes, sculpting tools, apron and more! Recommended for ages 8 and up. 

Faber-Castell Pottery Studio- Complete Pottery Wheel and Painting Kit for Beginners, with 3 lbs of Sculpting Clay and Tools

$49.26

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05/29/2026 02:01 pm GMT

2. Clay Jewelry Dish

This kit makes it easy to make little clay dishes! Just roll the clay, form into a circular shape, paint and adorn with the all-inclusive kit and create 3 designer clay jewelry or trinket dishes. Recommended for ages 8 and up. 

Craft 'n Clay - Jewelry Dish Making Kit for Kids

$14.99

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05/28/2026 04:01 pm GMT

Woodworking 

3. Woodworking Bench

This woodworking bench is the perfect gift for young children interested in learning the skill of woodworking. This set is make of sturdy wood, many tools and offers a space for imaginative play or a spot for real woodworking crafts! Recommended for ages 3 and up. Adult supervision is required. 

Large Wooden Play Tool Workbench Set for Kids

$67.07

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05/29/2026 11:02 am GMT

4. Wood Toy Making Kit

This kit includes everything you need to make six different wooden projects! Recommended for ages 8 and up. Adult supervision is required. 

Kraftic Woodworking Building Kit for Kids and Adults, with 6 Educational Arts and Crafts

$49.95

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05/29/2026 03:01 pm GMT

5. Whittling Knife

This whittling knife is a good beginner whittling tool for children. These are still a little sharp and can cut skin, so I recommend using these gloves for beginners! This whittling book is also a great gift! The age recommendation says, kid. I would suggest 8 and up, but please test this out yourself before giving it as a gift. Adult supervision is required. 

Opinel My First No.7 Stainless Steel Children s Folding Pocket Knife with Safety Rounded Tip

$19.09

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05/28/2026 09:01 pm GMT

6. Carpenter Tool

This tool is AWESOME! We got this gift for our boys a couple years ago and they still use it. You can get replacement wood pieces here. If the tool is sold out in the photo below, then CLICK HERE and purchase from that link. This is a HOT toy and constantly sells out. Adult supervision is required. 

Most Popular!

PLAYmake Kids 4-in-1 Woodshop Carpentry Cool Tool with Jigsaw, Lathe, Drill Press, Sander, Power Supply, Safety Goggles, Extra Supplies, and Deluxe Project Book

$129.99

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05/29/2026 11:02 am GMT

7. Wood Burning Kit

Try your hand at wood burning and make beautiful designs and pictures in wood! This beginners kit includes everything you need to make your own beautiful creations. The age recommendation is “kid” on the package, but I would say this is for ages 10 and up. The wood burning tool gets very hot and can burn skin easily. We have this kit and it’s still a bit tricky for my 9 year old to use. Adult supervision is required. 

Beginners Wood Burning Kit

$34.98

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05/29/2026 03:02 pm GMT

8. Bear Soapstone Carving Kit 

This material isn’t wood but soapstone! I thought it fit best under this cartegory because of the carving aspect of the kit. All necessary supplies are included to make awesome animal soapstone figures! This is recommended for ages 8 and up. 

STUDIOSTONE Bear Sculpture Soapstone Carving Kit for Kids and Adults

$29.99

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05/28/2026 09:01 pm GMT

9. V8 Combustion Engine Model Building Kit for Kids

This kit comes with everything you need to build a V8 engine replica! This awesome hands on STEM activity gives children the chance to develop useful skill! This gift is recommended for children 12 and up, but younger children would enjoy this with the help of an adult! The reveiws speek for themselves. 

Playz V8 Combustion Engine Model Building Kit for Kids and Adults, Educational Engineering Kit for Aspiring Engineers Ages 12+ with Guide & Realistic Mini Parts That R...

$79.95

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05/28/2026 04:01 pm GMT

Candle Making

10. Beeswax Candle Making Kit

These kits are so fun for kids of all ages! Younger children can help roll the beeswax and older children can design and create an entire candle. Candle making has become a favorite annual winter tradition for our family. There is no age requirement listed, but I think children ages 4 and up can help with various steps of this candle making kit. 

Beeswax Candle Making Kit for Kids - 100% Pure Bees Wax (16 Multicolor Sheets) DIY Candle Rolling Supplies and Tools

$29.99

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05/29/2026 03:02 pm GMT

11. Holiday Candle Making Kit

Here is a holiday themed candle making kit. Both of the listed kits are from a company that I have made several purchases from and love their products! 

Christmas Candle Rolling Kit - Beeswax Candle Making Kit for Kids & Adults

$19.99

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05/29/2026 03:02 pm GMT

12. Candle Making Kit with Molds

This kit is a little different than the two listed above. For this kit, melt the wax and pour it into a mold to form a candle shape! These are great for any holiday or occasion! Since you are working with hot wax, I suggest older children only for this activity. 

Complete Candle Making Kit for Beginners- Includes 5 Colors Candle Wax, 7 Candle Molds, 10 Wicks, 1 Melting Cup, and Guide book

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Textile Handicrafts

13. Potholder Loom

These kits are so fun! Weave a useful potholder and keep them or give them away as gifts! You can make 7″ potholders or 10″ potholders depending upon the kit you choose. The colors are so pretty and they are so fun and relaxing to make! Recommended for children ages 8 and up. 

Friendly Loom Potholder 7" Kit- Traditional Size with Rainbow Color Cotton Loops, Makes 6 Potholders

$31.95

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05/29/2026 03:02 pm GMT

14. Loom

This is a basic loom to help children learn the art of weaving. This Melissa and Doug wooden multi-craft weaving loom includes everything kids need, including an adjustable wooden loom, oversize wooden needle, craft materials, illustrated design booklet, and 91 yards of rainbow yarn! Recommended for children ages 6 and up. 

Melissa & Doug Wooden Multi-Craft Weaving Loom -A

$30.99

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05/28/2026 09:03 pm GMT

15. Knitting Machine

I have not tried this machine yet, but have seen it a few times on Instagram and plan on trying it this winter! This machine looks so easy to use! Just thread yarn into the spindles and turn the crank to knit your very own masterpieces, such as hats, scarves and socks! Children of all ages can help with various steps of the knitting process with this machine! 

DIY Knit Loom Machine Kit for Hat, Scarves, Gloves, Socks

$44.99

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05/29/2026 12:01 pm GMT

16. Woodland Animal Sewing Kit

This absolutely adorable sewing kit is perfect for kids! Children can sew together these woodland animals and then give them away as gifts or use them in imaginative play. Recommended for children ages 7 and up. 

CraftLab Woodland Animals Kids Sewing Kit, Educational Arts & Craft Gift for Kids and Teens

$29.97

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05/28/2026 09:01 pm GMT

17. Starter Felting Kit

This felted wool kit includes everything you need to make simple wool crafts. The six felted animal designs are so cute and very soft when completed! Recommended for beginners. 

Woolbuddy Needle Beginner Felting Kit

$29.99

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05/29/2026 02:01 pm GMT

18. Screen Printing on Fabric

Learn the art of fabric screen printing with this unique gift! This silk screen printing kit includes a reusable wooden mold, fabric and puffy paint, stencils, paintbrush, silk screen squeegee and tape, as well as a canvas backpack kids can add their designs to! Recommended for children ages 10 and up. 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Kids Screen Printing Kit- with Fabric Paint, Frame, Stencils & Squeegee Plus Drawstring Bag & More, Screen Print, Silkscreening Ki...

$24.59

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05/28/2026 09:01 pm GMT

19. Paper Quilling

Children can learn the ancient art of quilling with this fun modernized quilling machine! Transform a few simple strips of paper into adorable objects that are absolutely irresistible with this crafts for ages 6 and up!

Paper Quilling Kit with Electric Quilling Tool

$39.99

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05/29/2026 09:24 am GMT

Growing Plants

20. Growing Microgreens with Kids

Micogreens are packed with 40 times the vitamins and minerals of their mature plants. Learn how to grow 6 types of microgreens with this kit! Children of all ages can help with various steps of growing microgreens! 

Back to the Roots DIY Microgreen Grow Kit, 6-Grow Variety Pack

$34.73

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05/28/2026 04:02 pm GMT

21. Growing Fungi with Kids

Try growing different types of fungi! These are so fun to watch grow and in 10 days, you can harvest and eat your mushrooms! Children of all ages can help with various steps of growing fungi!

Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit - Oyster and Pink Mushroom 2-Pack Variety - Indoor Non-GMO Growing Kit - Produces 3-4 Servings and Grows in 10 Days

$38.99

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05/29/2026 09:23 am GMT

22. Root Viewer Garden

This tomato garden kit has everything you need to grow mini tomato plants on your window sill any time of the year. There are even cute plant markers that you can paint and stick in the planter! Children of all ages can help with various steps of growing tomatoes! 

Vegetable Root Viewer - Indoor Planter with Window to Watch Roots as They Grow. Engaging Science Project for Kids and Students

$9.99

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05/29/2026 09:17 am GMT

23. Growing Flowers with Kids

Paint and plant your own small flower garden with this sweet flower kit! Grow marigolds, zinnias, and cosmos with the step by step instructions included with this kit. Children of all ages can help with various steps of growing flowers!

Complete Paint & Plant Flower Growing Kit for Kids

$16.99

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05/29/2026 03:01 pm GMT

24. Indoor Hydroponic System with Lights

Grow plants any time of year with this kit! This system includes eight planting pods and comes with planting baskets, sponges, and nutrients in order to get more plants at one time and allow plants to grow up to three times faster and healthier than traditional way. Children of all ages can help with various steps of growing plants with this system!

Indoor Garden Hydroponics Growing System

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25. Growing Sprouts with Kids

We have grown sprouts many times and it’s always so much fun! This complete kit is easy to use and includes instructions. Children of all ages can help with various steps of growing sprouts!

Complete Sprouts Growing Kit - 2 Large Wide Mouth Mason Jars with Sprouting Screen Lids/Tray/Sprouter Stand/Blackout Sleeves - for Growing Microgreens/Broccoli/Alfalfa/Mung Bean Sprouts

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26. Gardening Tools for Kids

Gets outside and grow something beautiful with this gardening tool set for kids! This kit includes a child sized wheelbarrow, watering can, gloves, hand rake, shovel, double hoe, cultivator, hedge clippers and washable apron. Recommended for ages 3 and up.

Cute Kids Gardening Tool Set, Garden Toys with Wheelbarrow, Watering Can, Gardening Gloves, Hand Rake, Shovel, Trowel, Double Hoe, Apron with Pockets

$39.94

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05/29/2026 03:02 pm GMT

27. Raised Garden Planter for Kids

Give kids easy access to their very own garden with this planter! This planter kit includes multiple ways to grow plants, a garden guide and tools. 

Seed to Sprout Raised Garden Planter, Kids Outdoor Garden Kit with Garden Tools for Growing Flowers or Vegetables, Green

$59.99

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05/29/2026 12:01 pm GMT

28. Farm to Table Farmers Market Stand

This fun dramatic play set will encourage imagination and offers many ways for little ones to play! Grow fruits and veggies and then sell them at your very own pretend farmers market stand!  Recommended for kids ages 24 months and up. 

Little Tikes® 3-in-1 Garden to Table Market, Pretend Garden Food Growing and Selling

$99.99

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05/28/2026 09:02 pm GMT

Cooking

29. Cooking and Baking Kit with Functional Tools

This 31 piece cooking and baking kit comes with kid-friendly cooking and baking tools and recipe cards specifically designed for kids! Recommended for kids ages 6 and up. 

31 Pcs Kids Cooking & Baking Set for Kids

$39.99

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05/29/2026 09:23 am GMT

30. Raddish Kids Subscription Box

Learn about new cultures and cuisines each month with this subscription cooking box! Each month, you will get a new box with 3 illustrated recipes cards, cooking tools and shopping lists. Raddish boxes are recommended for kids ages 4 and up. 

31. Play Kitchen Accessories

Have a little one at home?! Try this fun dramatic play set to help foster a love for cooking at a young age! There are some very fun and unique pieces in this kit. 

Pretend Play Kitchen Toy with Cookware, with Steam Pressure Pot and Electronic Induction Cooktop, Cooking Utensils, Toy Cutlery, Cut Play Food, and Shopping Basket

$38.24

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05/28/2026 09:02 pm GMT

Outdoorsmen Gifts

32. Fishing Gear

Teach the skill of fishing with this gift! This set includes a fishing pole, travel bag, fishing book, lures and more accessories! 

Kid s Fishing Pole Kit with Spinning Reel - 62 Piece Tackle Bag, 4lb Line, Including Beginner s Guide eBook, Toddler Fishing Pole Combo, Youth Telescopic Portable Rod, and Gea...

$34.99

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05/28/2026 04:02 pm GMT

33. Tackle Box

Speaking from experience, children love tackle boxes with a lot of compartments! That’s why I picked this one. But, if you are looking for one that’s a little smaller, try this one or this one!

Ready-Set-Fish 3-Tray Tackle Box with Tackle, Aqua Blue/Tan

$32.47

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05/28/2026 09:01 pm GMT

34. Adventure Vest and Accessories

Get kids outside and exploring with this fun gift! It includes a vest, sun hat, backpack, compass, magnifying glass, binoculars, light, bug jar, whistle and more! Recommended for kids ages 3 and up. 

Kids Explorer Kit with Safari Vest & Hat & Kids Camping Gear, Safari Outfit, Bug Catcher Kit for Kids & More

$34.97

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05/28/2026 09:01 pm GMT

35. Kid’s Head Lamp

This is a great gift for children that like to fish or explore in the evening! This gift is hands-free, hassle-free and convenient.

Hands-Free Headlamp, Long Range, Non-Slip Grip, High Power, Impact Resistant, Adjustable Light Modes, and Battery Powered

$12.95

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05/29/2026 02:04 am GMT

36. Archery Practice

Help children learn the skill of archery with this fun toy! Recommended for children 6 and up.

Kids Archery Set with LED Flash Lights, Toy Bow and Arrow Set, Includes Archery Bow, 6 Archery Arrows, Target, Quiver - Great for Youth Practice

$26.99

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05/28/2026 09:02 pm GMT

I hope you enjoyed this skills-based list of gifts for kids!

∼Tara

The post Skills-Based Gifts for Children appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

*UPDATED ON July 18th, 2021 to add the option of Seventh Generation dish soap and give extra information on soft water.*

This is one of our favorite backyard activities! It’s inexpensive, easy to set up, great for people of all ages, and leads to hours (literally) of fun. These homemade bubbles are NOT the same as the stuff that you buy in a store! Once you try this giant bubble recipe, you will never go back. 

Ready to try this giant bubble recipe? Here’s what you’ll need….

Supplies:

• Bubble wands- We have 2 different types of wands. One is from a farmer’s market (which I can’t link) and the other is from Amazon. I actually like the one from Amazon more because it keeps my boys’ hands less sticky and bubbly. If you aren’t in the DIY mood, then I suggest this great giant bubble solution kit + wand or just the bubble solution. 
• Bucket– Some people like using a shallow dish instead
• 8 cups SOFT/distilled water- Bottled water and reverse osmosis water is typically soft because it’s low in minerals like calcium and magnesium. Regular tap water is typically hard water. Why soft water? Because soap forms bubbles (lathers) more easily in soft water.
• 1 cup Dawn dish soap or Seventh Generation Free Clear works as well if you would like a more natural solution! I can’t speak for any other brand since I haven’t tried any other types. 
• 4 teaspoons sugar

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RELATED: Check out 20+ Beautiful Pressed Flower Crafts

Here’s How to Make this Simple Giant Bubble Recipe:

Step 1:

First, mix the recipe supplies. Put 8 cups of soft water, 1 cup of dish soap, and 4 teaspoons of sugar into a bucket. SLOWLY mix the solution and let it sit for 1-24 hours. The longer you let it sit, the bigger and stronger the bubbles! Just make sure you store your solution in an air tight container and give the solution a gentle stir if you let it sit for a while!

You can definitely use it right away, but the bubbles will pop a bit easier and won’t reach their largest possible size. 

Step 2:

Dip your bubble wand into the solution and try to slowly spin around, gently walk backwards, or wait for a very light breeze to get the bubble going. Too much wind will make your bubble pop. 

The bubble wand pictured below is from Amazon. For this particular wand, try dipping the entire string into your giant bubble solution, gently pull the rods apart to allow the bubble to form, and close the rods together to release your bubble.

This activity is so compact and easy to pack up! Try bringing it along on fun nature adventures or road trips. 

It’s so tempting to pop them! Every now and then, you just need to go for it!

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you give this easy giant bubble recipe a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this activity as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more nature craft ideas?! Check out:

Super Simple Edible Flower Cookies

25+ Nature Inspired Summer Activities for Kids

The post The Best Giant Bubble Recipe appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

If you are looking for a fun new center for your classroom or learning invitation for home, this is it! I will be sharing with you the easiest way of preserving flowers in resin and some fun ideas for how to use them. 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A CRAFT FOR ADULTS ONLY! DO NOT LET CHILDREN HANDLE THE RESIN BOTTLES, LIQUID, OR PIECES UNTIL THEY ARE FULLY CURED. 

Ready to make a set? Here’s what you’ll need….

Supplies:

• Epoxy resin– This is enough to make the alphabet letters, numbers, and more! There are little finger protectors in the kit. I suggest rolling those over your gloved thumb and pointer fingers on your dominant work hand. You might want to purchase additional gloves because this can get pretty messy!
• Molds– Make sure you order molds specifically for resin! The inside of the molds need to be shinny. Don’t use molds with a matte finish, or the bottom/sides of your cured resin pieces will have a frosted finish. We made numbers, hearts and stars this time around. 
• Dried flowers– It’s the middle of winter for me, so I purchased some from Amazon! I’ll share how to dry flowers below if you want to go that route. 
• Tweezers– This kit has great resin tools.
• Measuring cups– The resin kit linked above comes with small measuring cups, but I found it difficult to read the measurements on the cups. These 3 cups are great for measuring, mixing, and pouring into the molds.
• Sandpaper- I used a fine sandpaper

This post contains Affiliate links for your convenience.

RELATED: Check out 20+ Pressed Flower Crafts

Preserving Flowers in Resin:

Step 1:

First, choose how you want to dry your flowers. It’s important that your flowers are 100% dry or they will turn brown or yellow with timed. Click on the techniques below to learn more: 

1. Press your flowers. 
2. Microwave your flowers.
3. Or purchase them already dried. This is great for the winter months when you might not have flowers available. 

Step 2:

Next, take the time to prepare your work station! This is SO important. This is a rather messy project, so I suggest laying a plastic garbage bag flat on your work surface to protect your table. Also, make sure all of your supplies are in order and ready to go. I suggest choosing the flowers and leaves you would like to use and lay them on the garbage bag. Make sure the flowers aren’t too big for the resin mold. If they are too big, cut them in half or trim them down before you get started. 

Step 3:

Make sure you put on your gloves before you start working with resin! If you happen to get some on your skin, try to wash it off with soap and water right away. If that doesn’t work,  you can try soaking a cotton ball in vinegar or acetone and rubbing it on your skin. To be on the safe side, I also suggest working in a well ventilated room and wearing a mask when handling resin to protect yourself from the fumes. The type I used is low scent, but it’s always smart to be extra safe! Don’t allow children near you when you are working with the resin. 

Now you are all set! Make sure to carefully follow the instructions on your epoxy resin bottles. Most are a 1:1 ratio but yours may be different. I mixed equal parts resin and hardener and slowly stirred for 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixture cup multiple times during the stirring process. 

Step 4:

Pour a little resin into the mold, then use a tweezer to place the pieces of nature into the mold. Make sure your flowers are facing the correct way when you place them into the mold. My mold is backwards, so I put the front of the flower facing down in the mold. Now add more resin over the flowers and leaves. When preserving flowers in resin, make sure you entirely cover the pieces of nature with the mixture! You can use a toothpick to press the nature bits down if they float up to the surface. 

Step 5: 

Lastly, you need to pop any bubbles that come to the surface. I used one of the resin tools in the tweezer kit linked above, but you could also use a toothpick. Check back every 5 minutes or so during the first 30 minutes of curing to pop bubbles.

Now is the hard part! Let your resin cure. My resin took 24 hours. I tried to take one out at the ten hour mark and it was way too soft. Just be patient and WAIT! Once they are ready, just pop them out of the molds. If you are having a hard time getting them out, pop them in the freezer for a bit and try again. Luckily, I had no problems with this. 

Kids will LOVE holding, learning, and playing with these! If you have any rough or sharp edges when you pop the resin pieces out, make sure you sand them down. I only had a few that needed some sanding on the edges.

These make the best loose parts! Check out this fun heart mandala made by my 7 year old.

Children will love lining up the numbers in order.

You can also hide resin shapes in a sensory bin and invite children to find the correct amount of shapes to match the numbers!

Pin this activity to save it for later!

I hope you try preserving flowers in resin! I promise, your little nature lovers will love these gorgeous pieces as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Looking for more nature craft ideas?! Check out:

Nature Collection Journal for Kids

How to Make Nature Pinch Pots

The post Preserving Flowers in Resin appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

I saw a beautiful post circulating on Facebook with sticks that look like dancing people. Have you seen it yet? It’s such a simple idea, but so imaginative and such a fun project! I was instantly inspired to make a craft that recreates this photo and couldn’t wait to try it with my boys!

Ready to give this stick craft a try!? Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• • A variety of flowers
  • Cardboard– These cardboard sheets are a convenient option if you don’t have any to reuse. 
  • A sharp pencil to poke holes for the flowers
  • Tape

This post contains Affiliate links for your convenience.

RELATED: Check out Stick and Stone Constellations

Here’s How to Make this Stick Craft:

Step One:

Head outside and search for sticks that look like people. This craft is great because sticks are available anytime of year!

We searched the ground for sticks and found a ton of fallen branches! We have looked for stick people before for our Stick Man activity, but loved this idea of searching for dancing stick people. Once you find a stick. you might need to pick off a couple of little sticks to make your person. They can be hard to find at first and then all of a sudden, they seem to be everywhere! We even found stick animals!

My boys couldn’t resist playing with the stick people. Our sticks were pretty thin and fragile, so they had to be gentle with their dancing pieces of nature. 

Step 2:

Now that you have a collection of stick people, grab a piece of cardboard. We used a long piece of white poster board to make the sticks stand out. You can tape your stick people right on the cardboard. 

Step 3:

We decided to add flower heads to our stick people, so I poked holes right above the sticks to thread the flower stems through. My boys taped the stems to the back of the piece of cardboard. 

This stick craft turned out so cute! My boys had fun mimicking the sticks and are now constantly searching for more dancing sticks to add to their collection. This is such a simple and fun way to connect children with nature and get them outside!

I love this stick craft so much that we might need to find a bigger piece of poster board to show off our dancing nature collection!

Pin it and save it for later!

I hope you give this simple stick craft a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this one.

∼Tara

Need more simple nature ideas?! Check out:

Adorable Bat Nature Craft

Sticky Scavenger Hunt

The post Dancing Nature Craft for Kids appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

I try a lot of nature activities with my boys, but only share my biggest hits here! Our favorite activities are usually easy to prep, fun to play and create with, and can be reused multiple times. This activity checks all of those boxes!

We brought it along during our last nature walk and my boys continued to play with it when we got home. They loved using the box to practice counting, organizing and sorting, and now it’s displayed on their dresser. There are a few holes empty, so they are already talking about getting outside and finishing their box tomorrow!

 Ready to make a one!? Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• A cardboard box
• Scissors
• Sharp Pencil
• Pieces of nature
• Twine

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RELATED: Cardboard Nature Display

Here’s How to Make the Nature Poke Box:

Step 1:

If you plan on taking it on nature walks, I suggest putting some kind of handle on your box. I created twine handles and secured them by tying a knot on the inside of the box. The random piece of string you see there is from the knot on the other side. The string was a little longer over there. 

Also, I suggest cutting out the inside flaps, so you only have one layer to poke through. I did not do this, so we had issues poking nature pieces through a few of the holes. 

Step 2:

You can skip this step if you would like, but the box I had was a bit of a mess. I decided to add a piece of white card stock to clean up the top of the box. I placed the card stock on the top of the box and creased it for cutting lines. 

Now glue the card stock to the box top and poke holes with a sharp pencil. 

It’s time to head outside and search for the perfect pieces of nature to display! The colors are starting to change in Wisconsin, so we found some beautiful leaves to display. 

The handles were perfect for carrying! The boys were so proud of their portable display and it got a lot of compliments from people walking past us!

This is the perfect activity for building fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. 

The next time your kids need a little nudge to get outside, give this activity a try! They will love building their very own nature display. 

Pin it and save it for later!

I hope you give this simple nature activity a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this one.

∼Tara

Need more nature crafts ideas?! Check out:

Nature Collection Journal

Easy Porcupine Nature Craft

The post Nature Poke Box appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

If you follow this blog, it’s no surprise that we love to play, craft, and learn with collected pieces of nature! We love to collect flowers, but they don’t last very long after you pick then. One way to help your flowers last longer is to press and dry them. This process transforms flowers into unique and beautiful preserved piece of nature, ready for crafting and creating! 

Most flower presses are heavy, clunky, and include many tiny pieces that are difficult to keep together, especially when you are outdoors. This adorable DIY flower press can be effortlessly stored in a pocket or backpack and is easy to use with just a few simple pieces. 

Ready to make one!? Here’s what you’ll need..

Supplies:

• A piece of cardboard
• Rubber bands
• Markers
• Mod podge (optional)
• Pressed nature (optional)

This post contains Affiliate links for your convenience.

RELATED: Check out A Simple and Beautiful Nature Craft to Try Today!

Here’s How to Make Your DIY Flower Press:

Step 1:

You can completely skip this step if you don’t have any pressed flowers (yet) or you can order some pressed pieces of nature on Amazon to decorate your cover!

First, cut a piece of cardboard and fold it to look like a book.

I wrote “nature press” on the cover, let the marker dry for about 5 minutes, and then put a thin layer of Mod Podge on the entire cover of the nature press. My boys put the dried flowers and ferns on the wet Mod Podge and I sealed the pieces of nature with another layer of Mod Podge. 

Step 2:

Next, line the inside of the flower press with your choice of paper. My boys rubbed a glue stick on the corners of the cardboard to keep the paper in place. You can use white copy paper, tissue paper, or newspaper. 

This is how the inside and outside of the press will look like when you complete the first two steps. Grab a couple of rubber bands and wrap them around your nature press to keep all the pieces together. Your DIY flower press is all set!

Now find pieces of nature to press. You can press flowers, leaves, or flatter pine branches! Experiment with different types of nature! I do suggest finding pieces of nature that are around the same thickness so they will flatten evenly. 

When you are finished, wrap a couple of rubber bands around your press to keep your pieces of nature flat and in place. When you get home, you can either transfer the pieces of nature to a book, real flower press, or lay several heavy books on top of your DIY press! Check on them in a couple of weeks and they should be pressed. If they are not dried, give them one more week and check back.

Pin it and save it for later!

I hope you give this simple DIY flower press a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love this one.

∼Tara

Need more cardboard nature crafts ideas?! Check out:

Easy Porcupine Nature Craft

Leaf Sweep Fine Motor Activity

The post DIY Cardboard Flower Press appeared first on Little Pine Learners.

Here is a word of caution before you get started! When collecting pieces of nature, try to identify as many as possible and make sure you aren’t collecting anything poisonous or that could cause an allergic reaction.

Ok, now on to the fun stuff! These activities are super easy because you can just print them and go! You don’t need to freehand any pictures or search for clip art online. Just print and head outside with your kids! 

And guess what?? There are nature printables included in this packet for all year round! There are specific labels all four seasons and different types of nature collections. 

Ready to get started? Here’s what you’ll need

Supplies:

• Pieces of nature
• Egg carton
• Tape/glue
• Scissors
• Printer paper
• My Wind Finds

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RELATED: Check out How to Make Flower Rocks

Let’s Start With Collecting Nature:

We love using egg cartons to collect nature finds! The separate compartments are perfect for collecting, sorting, and displaying your nature finds! If you are worried about salmonella, then I suggest getting a plastic egg carton so you can wash it. 

Here’s a little more about the nature printables for the egg cartons:

These labels are a fun way to personalize and decorate your egg cartons! There are 7 different egg carton collection prompts: summer, fall, winter, spring, flowers, rocks, and one for general use. These can be used as a scavenger hunt or inspiration for items to collect during the nature walk. There is also a cover that says, “My Wild Finds” that goes on the top of the egg carton. These come in color and black/white. The black and white are great for coloring.

Here are a few photos of different labels. This is the top cover for the egg carton:

Here is the summer version. Bring your scissors outside and invite your little ones to strengthen their fine motor skills by cutting pieces of nature and putting them in the egg carton. There is so much variety in nature during the summer! We might need to try a larger egg carton this year. 

Here is the fall version. You might notice the little holes in the egg carton compartments. My boys enjoyed poking the leaf stems through the holes and this made it much easier to display the leaves. 

Here is the rock version. This might be my boys’ favorite collection because the compartments are perfect for organizing the rocks:) 

You can see the rest of the labels in the preview in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. 

Once the items are collected, you can keep the collection together or decide to use pieces of it to create beautiful nature crowns, masks, and pictures! 

Let’s check Out the Nature Crowns and Masks: 

It’s so fun to see how the crafts change through out the seasons. The crowns and masks look completely different from summer to fall due the the pieces of nature available to us. Check out this colorful and beautiful nature crown from the summer the ferns and flowers make this crown look so regal! The nature printables for the crowns and masks make this activity so easy!

My son’s favorite color is green, so he loved the ferns. Next we made a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle” mask. 

I love the fall crown too! We had a bunch of gorgeous Japanese Maple leaves that just fell from the tree so we put them to good use and glued them to the crown. 

You can see the rest of the crown and mask designs here in the preview in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. 

I Love How This Beautiful Nature Picture Turned Out!

I also included a wide variety of nature printables to decorate with nature!

These sheets can be used as loose parts mats or crafting pages. You can cut or rip flower petals and leaves into smaller pieces to make them fit better! If you are using them as loose mats mats, then you don’t need glue and kids can move and manipulate the pieces of nature in any way they choose. You can also print the pages on cardstock and laminate for loose parts mats to help them last longer.

If you would like to craft, then grab glue so the pieces of nature stick to the page. Read the prompts together at the top of the page and get busy creating! These pages come in color and black/white.

The butterfly photo is perfect for spring and summer! Look at how pretty it turned out. 

You can see the entire packet of nature printables in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. 

Pin it and save it for later!

I hope you give these nature printables a try! I promise, your little nature lovers will love it as much as my boys.

∼Tara

Need more nature craft ideas?! Check out:

How to Make Nature Pinch Pots

Double-Sided Nature Crown Board

The post Fun Ways for Kids to Collect and Craft With Nature in All Four Seasons appeared first on Little Pine Learners.