La Tierra en Su Casa: Crafts to Try at Home

Bring our curriculum theme, “The Earth is Our Home,” into your home with these fun crafts for the whole family! From a sizzling science experiment to making recycled crayons, these activities are fun for all. 

Making Planet Earth with Baking Soda

Instructions for Earth-Inspired Baking Soda Fun!

What You’ll Need:

• Baking soda
• Food coloring (various colors)
• Vinegar
• Droppers or small plastic squeeze bottles
• Small animal toys (land and sea animals)
• A plate or tray

Steps:

1. Prepare the Earth Design:
   • Take some baking soda and divide it into small bowls.
   • Add a few drops of food coloring to each bowl and mix until the colors are thoroughly combined. 
2. Create the Earth:
   • Spread the colored baking soda on a plate or tray, arranging it in the shape of Earth, with blue sections for the oceans and green or brown for the land.
3. Make It Sizzle:
   • Use a dropper or small squeeze bottle to carefully drop vinegar onto the baking soda. Watch as it sizzles and fizzes with the reaction!
4. Animal Exploration:
   • Grab some small animal toys and place them on the “land” and “sea” areas of your Earth’s design.
   • Talk about which animals live on land and which live in the sea. Discuss their habitats and how they interact with the environment around them.

Turn Leftover Crayon Scraps into Recycled, Planet-Shaped Crayons

What You’ll Need:

• Crayon scraps (broken or used crayons)
• A cupcake tin (or silicone muffin tray)
• Blow dryer or oven
• A piece of parchment paper (if using the oven)
• Paper for coloring

Steps:

1. Prepare the Crayons:
   • Gather your crayon scraps. Peel off any paper and break them into smaller pieces if necessary.
2. Fill the Cupcake Tin:
   • Place the crayon pieces into the sections of a cupcake tin, filling each section with different-colored pieces. You can mix colors to create new shades or keep them separate for solid-color crayons.
3. Melt the Crayons:
   • Using a Blow Dryer: Set the blow dryer on a low heat setting and aim it at the crayon pieces until they begin to melt (you may want to cover the surface with a towel to catch any splatters).
   • Using an Oven: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Place the cupcake tin with the crayon pieces on a baking sheet and bake until the crayons are completely melted.
4. Cool the Crayons:
   • Once melted, remove the tin from the heat source (be careful, it’s hot!). Let the crayons cool completely before removing them from the tin.
5. Color with Your New Planet Crayons:
   • Once the crayons have hardened, pop them out of the tin. You now have your very own planet-themed crayons.

Bring Learning and Creativity Full Circle with These Fun Activities

Let your little ones explore, create, and learn through hands-on projects that connect them with our beautiful planet. Whether you’re crafting sizzling baking soda Earths or recycling old crayons into colorful creations, these activities inspire curiosity, creativity, and care for the environment. Dive into the magic of learning and bring the Earth into your home today!