This week, I’ll be joining some of my fellow bloggers in presenting safari activities. These quick and simple experiments are wonderful for DIYing your own summer camp experience for your children. This DIY Summer Camp is presented by my friend Carla at Preschool Powol Packets. Each week, my fellow mom-teachers and I present activities that can be done at home for art, bug exploration, chemistry, and safari topics. If you missed the previous post on chemistry, make sure to check it out here. We made homemade crystals! (My special needs son really enjoyed seeing the crystals form over time). It has been so much fun. I hope that you enjoy this activity with your family. I’m really excited about it!
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Who doesn’t love a safari? It’s a chance to be an explorer of the world and the organisms that live in it. A chance to observe life as it unfolds in its natural habitat. The smell of fresh air. The sight and discovery of dozens upon dozens of new plants. The baobab tree, lithops, roses, and more. Can you believe that there are over 6,000 species in South Africa alone? Not to mention east Africa and other safari destinations! The roar of a lion. The beautiful eyes of a giraffe. The elegance of an antelope. And…… the heat! As you travel closer and closer to the equator, it sure does get hot! There are so many things to do and encounter.
“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world”
– Mary Anne Radmacher
But what if you cannot travel the thousands of miles to participate in a Safari? Bring one to your own backyard!
Backyard Safari
Materials:
- Brown paper bags
- Paint in a variety of colors
- Scissors
- Sponges
- Track photos of various animals to mimic
Directions:
- Choose 3-5 animals you’d like to make tracks for (for younger kids), 5-7 (for elementary) and 7-9 (for older kids).
- With your scissors, cut the sponges into the shapes needed for each animal track you want to create.
- Laying a brown paper bag flat, imprint your first track using the sponges.
- Repeat each animal track as many times as needed.
- Allow the bags to dry.
- Once dry, in your backyard, create a path for each set of tracks you have made.
Have the kiddos identify the tracks. Try some of the following ways:
- Create a scavenger hunt
- Print out photos of the associated animals and match them to the corresponding tracks
- Play guess the tracks
Take It A Step Further:
- Laminate the tracks and turn them into a memory card game
- Use the sponges as cute cleanup sponges for kids
- Use the collected tracks as a decoration
- Turn the tracks into a collage
- Use the paper tracks as book covers
- Save the sponges to use later for painting activities for kids
- Laminate the paper tracks and use them as placemats
- And more!
Reduce, reuse, and recycle!
This freebie includes:
- Over 10 pages of content
- 10 Quick facts about Safari Animals
- Notebooking pages for copywork
- Full manuscript lined pages
- A Safari Scavenger Hunt
Ideal for 1st through 3rd grade, but can be modified for K-8th grade.
Click here to download yours.
This is a Safari Activity Book as part of our Homeschool Summer Activities Series. This activity book introduces African animals through safari hands-on activities. It includes book lists, suggested materials, art projects, reflection questions, word puzzles, copy work, vocabulary, and more.
Included in this unit study, you will find:
- Over 50 pages of content
- A resource list that includes recommended websites, books, documentaries, and more.
- Notebooking pages for copywork
- Soduko Puzzles
- Make a Words
- Word Searches
- Coloring Pages
- and more
Subjects covered include:
- Literature (Reading and Reading Comprehension)
- Language Arts
- Geography
- Science
- Social Studies
- Art
- Math
- Music
- Field Trip Ideas
Ideal for K-8th grade.
Click here to download yours.
Hasta Pronto!
Please feel free to share your comments or suggestions! I would love to hear from you. If you enjoy reading my blog, make sure to sign up so that you can always be alerted for new posts, tips, and recipes. You can also find me at Wombology (A Safe Place for Women to Heal) and Being Mama Dot (Chronicles of a Homeschool Mom).
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Hi! I’m Kat aka Mama Dot! Nice to meet you. I’m a homeschooling mom of three boys. By day, I run a mom’s blog (Being Mama Dot) and subscription service (Wombology). In my downtime, I create resources for families homeschooling children of color at Our Learning Curve. I love coffee, reggaeton (music in Spanish), knitting, and reading. My favorite thing to do is to feel my feet in the sand. #beachbum. Currently, I am an MA/Ph.D. student in Africana and Latin American studies. When I am not in school, I spend my days running my online business and taking care of my little ones. Make sure to check out OLC’s Instagram, Twitter, or join us over at Facebook.