While it’s fantastic that kids have been able to continue their education online amidst school closures, it has also resulted in a lot of screen time. Take some learning offline with crafts.

Crafts offer a memorable learning experience because they are fun and hands-on, and educational crafts provide a great way to help kids learn away from the computer. Check out these four simple craft ideas that can teach your child more about the world around them.

Playdough Layers of the Earth

A great way to teach your child a bit about geology, this craft just requires a few different colours of playdough to create a 3D model of the earth’s different layers. You can use red for the inner core, orange for the outer core, yellow for the mantle, brown for the crust, blue for the oceans, and green for land.

Start by rolling the red playdough into a small ball. Flatten the orange playdough into a pancake and use it to fully cover the red ball. Repeat this step with the other colours until you have a blue ball. Finally, use the green playdough to create the continents on the earth’s surface (which provides a small geography lesson as well).

When the model is finished, you can assist your child with cutting it in half by using a sharp knife to reveal the colourful layers inside! Use toothpicks to label each one.

Painted Rock Garden Markers

Teach your child about the different types of plants and flowers in your garden by creating some rock garden markers. First, head to a nearby river or simply take a walk and look for some suitable rocks. The best ones will have a nice flat surface.

Once you have collected enough rocks, bring them home, wash them, and prepare some paints. Let your child write the names of your garden plants on individual rocks and decorate the rocks as they see fit. When the paint has dried, bring the rocks outside and have your child place them by the corresponding plants.

Crayon Leaf Rubbings

Leaf rubbings are fun and easy to do, and they will teach your child about different types of trees. Start by taking a walk through the neighbourhood or going to a park to collect as many different leaves as you can find. At home, place the leaves on a table and put a sheet of paper over top. Have your child rub the side of a crayon over the leaf, which will create a replica of the leaf’s outlines and intricate veins. Repeat this in different colours for all of the leaves you found.

Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeder

Birdwatching is a fun activity and a great chance for kids to learn about local birds. All you have to do to make this craft is spread peanut butter on the outside of a toilet paper roll and roll it in some birdseed. Then, loop a string through the tube and hang it on a tree that you can see from inside the house so you can watch the birds come over to feed.

Creating even a simple craft with their own hands will encourage kids to remember what they learned for a long time to come, and it can help develop their sense of curiosity as well. Make learning feel like play by getting crafty at home.