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Join us on an educational adventure through each state in the USA! Each post in this series focuses on one state, and includes a regional recipe from that state. This is a fun way to get your kids involved in cooking, as well as learn a bit about United States geography! The post also includes a link to the featured state’s website, where you can learn more about the state. We also include free forms that you can download and print to use along the journey. Geography has never been so delicious!
Make sure to check back each week for the next post!
RECIPE:
Did you know that South Carolina is the country’s leading producer of peaches for the fresh market?
This recipe is for a peachy snack you can eat anytime. Mmmm good!
SOUTH CAROLINA Peach Fruit Leather
What You Will Need:
Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray
1-1/2 cups chopped Fresh Peaches
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg (optional)
Cookie Sheet
Blender
Resealable Plastic Storage Bags
What You Do:
Preheat oven to 175 degrees F.
Spray vegetable oil cooking spray on a cookie sheet and set aside.
Rinse the peaches well and remove the pit.
Chop peaches into chucks.
Place peaches, lemon juice, and nutmeg into a blender and blend until smooth. Add sugar, if necessary, to taste.
Pour the peach mixture onto a cookie sheet and spread thin so the mixture covers the cookie sheet.
Bake mixture in the oven with the door slightly open for 3 hours. Make sure to check the mixture every 30 minutes to see if the peach layer is dry enough to peel off the cookie sheet. If it is still wet after 3 hours, use a spatula to flip it over and return it to the oven for about 10 more minutes.
When fruit leather is dry, remove cookie sheet from oven and peel the peach layer from the cookie sheet. Place peach leather on a cutting board, then cut into strips.
Roll fruit leather in plastic bags for storage.
Variations:
This recipe works very well with a variety of fruit. Experiment and have fun!
With close adult supervision, let your kids cut their own shapes into the fruit leather. A small paring knife will work, when used with caution. Metal cookie cutters work well, too.
STATE INFORMATION LINK:
South Caroline State Information – Click this link to learn more about South Carolina attractions, activities, and to request free brochures, maps, and so much more!
FREE STATE PRINTABLES:
US Geography Journal Pages – Use these journal pages to create a geography journal as you collect information about each state.
South Carolina Outline Map – Use this state map to label capitals, major rivers and lakes, and other areas of interest. Draw a star on the place you would most like to visit in this state!
United States Outline Map – Use this USA map to track your journey as you “eat your way across the USA”! Color in each state that you’ve tried one of recipes for.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
The United States Cook Book – Take a Tasty Tour of America’s 50 States, and learn a lot of United States geography along the way! (PLEASE NOTE: The recipe featured above is not included in this book.)
US History Cook Book – Serve up a heaping lesson of history with delicious recipes from our nation’s past… from the pilgrims’ first feast to today’s high-tech, low-fat fare.
Maps of the United States – This reproducible book contains geopolitical maps of each of the fifty states; political maps of the six regions; and political, physical, and thematic maps of the United States. You’ll also find fun facts, geography bee-type questions, and review pages.
DK State-by-State Atlas – More than an atlas, this book shows and tells young geographers who, what, when, where, and why.
The Geography Book – From finding directions by the stars, to mapping your neighborhood, to making an earthquake in a box, you’ll have a great time learning about the world with The Geography Book.
Professor Noggins USA Geography Game – From rural farming communities to urban cities, from snow-capped mountains to tropical islands, this game covers both the natural and political geography of the United States. Learn about the states, cities, and natural geographical wonders that make this country such an interesting place to visit.
State by State Card Game – Learning about United States geography is made fun and memorable with this unique deck of cards!
GeoPuzzle USA Puzzle – GeoPuzzles provide a hands-on approach to learning geography.
Make sure to check back next week for the next state in this series!
Swimming is a great way to cool off and take a break from the heat of summer. It’s a fun recreational activity for individuals, families, and friends – and a great way to stay active!
Now you can have even more fun in the pool this summer with these cool new pool toys! Click the links below for more information and to buy yours today!
Underwater Soccer Ball – Get your kicks – in the pool! Just add water to the Underwater Soccer ball, inflating it to neutral buoyancy. Toss the ball in the pool and kick away! Fun for kicking around alone, with friends, or for game competition. The Underwater Soccer Ball is also a fun way to exercise while in the pool!
Scoobarang Underwater Boomerang Water Toy – Toss it in the water, and watch it come back to you! The Scoobarang is the only underwater disc that boomerangs back to the thrower! Not only is this a fun pool toy, the Scoobarang can be used for game competitions and free-throwing above the water, too!
Underwater Flying Saucer Pool Toy – With a flick of the wrist, the Underwater Flying Saucer zips, turns, twists and then slowly surfaces in the water and looks like a flying saucer! This pool toy is great to use when playing alone or with friends. It can also be used as a skipper on top of the water. An open-ended pool toy that allows you to make up your own cool pool games.
More Swimming Pool Fun
Read our Swimming Pool Games article for unique swimming pool games to play, created by the staff at Escapade Direct!
Click New Arrivals to see all the new things we have in store for you!
Did you know that butterflies exist everywhere in the world except Antarctica?
Many Native tribes referred to butterflies as “flying flowers” because of their wonderful, often iridescent colors.
Whether you live in a rural or urban setting, there are many things you can do to attract butterflies to your yard. The activities below are fun for families to do together and are sure to bring “flying flowers” to your backyard!
Blooming Beauties
Create a butterfly garden in a container! Container gardens or window box gardens work very well to attract butterflies to your yard, and they don’t take up much space.
What You Will Need:
Container for your garden – for example, hanging baskets, large patio pots, window boxes, an old wagon – be creative!
Potting Soil
Flowers that attract butterflies (see list below for ideas)
What You Do:
Fill your container with potting soil, leaving room to add your plants.
Plant the tallest-growing flowers in the center of the container.
Plant mid-height flowers around the tallest flower.
Plant low-growing and trailing plants around the edge of the container.
If your container is positioned against an upright surface, plant the tallest flowers in the back, then mid-height flowers, then the low-growing flowers in the front of the container.
Place your container in a sunny area and watch for butterflies!
NOTE: The flowers listed here attract many different types of butterflies. Your local garden center can offer you many other suggestions.
Butterfly Sipping Pond
Water is essential to a butterfly. Here is an easy idea that provides water for your backyard butterflies.
What You Will Need:
Small Shovel
Large Heavy-Duty Plastic Garbage Bag
Scissors
Small Rocks, such as River Rocks or other landscape rocks
What You Do:
Find a sunny location in your yard where you would like your butterfly “pond” to be. TIP: You can easily incorporate this butterfly pond in to your existing landscape or garden. We recommend a location where you will be able to see it easily.
Use a small shovel to dig a shallow pit in your yard. We recommend this pit be about 3 to 4 inches deep and at least 12 inches in diameter.
Line the pit with the plastic garbage bag and trim off any access. The garbage bag will act as a pond liner to hold the water.
Fill the pit with a layer of small rocks until they are flush with the surrounding ground.
Add water to the pit until it is almost even with the rocks. Your “pond” is done! Butterflies will be able to land on the rocks and sip moisture from between them. Because the water in this small pond will evaporate by the end of the day, you won’t have to worry about algae.
NOTE: You probably won’t have to add water very often to this pond, except on hot summer days. The condensation of dew in the mornings will collect on the rocks and slide between the cracks.
Variations:
You can make your waterless pond any size you desire. If you have a special collection of rocks, you can use them and make this pond a showcase in your landscape. For example, use natural amethyst rocks to make a beautiful butterfly sipping pond.
If you prefer not to dig a pit in your yard, place a terra cotta plant saucer on the ground and add water. Place a few rocks in the saucer that are slightly above the water level. The rocks make perfect resting places for butterflies and make it easy for them to reach the water.
Fun Facts
The largest of all butterflies is the Queen Alexandra Birdwing of Papua New Guinea, with a wingspan of 12 inches. The smallest butterfly of all, the Pigmy Blue, is found in Texas and has a wingspan of 1/4 inch.
Butterflies, skippers, and moths can be readily distinguished by their antennae. The antennae are used for both smelling odors and feeling things. Here’s a quick way to tell the difference between a Butterfly, a Skipper, and a Moth – Butterfly antennae are straight and thin and end as a bulb or ball. Moth antennae are shaped like little feathers. Skippers have straight antennae that curve back at the tip like a fishhook.
You May Also Like:
Wooden Butterfly Net – Go on a “backyard safari” with our insect net and see what kind of creatures you can discover!
Golden Guide to Butterflies an Moths – This guide book illustrates 423 of the most common, widespread, important, or unusual North American species of Lepidoptera – all in full color.
Designs for Coloring Butterflies – The designs include large single butterflies, butterflies posed against exotic flowers, and clusters of butterflies in interesting patterns and designs. You can color these beautiful flying creatures realistically or create stylized, decorative designs.
eNature – This website is a great resource for learning about the butterflies (and other animals) that are common to your area. We highly recommend this website.
Journey North Migration – This website is full of information about Monarch butterflies and their annual migrations.
The Children’s Butterfly Site – This website has pictures and additional information about butterflies, as well as activities for children to do.
Summer is officially here, and the 4th of July is just around the corner. Now is the time to celebrate our country’s proud independence!!!
Families are gearing up for summer and special 4th of July picnics. To help you get fired up for the 4th, we’ve gathered some of our favorite products to help you have an exciting and fun Independence Day!
Make sure to check out our creative ideas for ways to use these products – featured at the bottom of each product page. An Escapade Direct exclusive!
At the bottom of this page, we’ve also included links to some great websites that you can share with your kids to help celebrate the 4th of July and America’s independence!
And… we’ve included several great patriotic music videos to play this Independence Day.
Have a blast!
Fun, Educational Products for the 4th of July
Patriotic Colors Science Experiment Kit – Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue! Kids will give three cheers for this easy and fun patriotic demonstration! Watch in amazement as you turn three colorless liquids into red, white and blue… and then make the colors disappear and reappear.
Color Your Own Patriotic Posters – A color book for kids of all ages, as well as for adults! Includes America’s posters from World Wars I and II that became art icons. A fun way to work a little history into Summer learning!
Glow Stick – Glow sticks have so many creative uses! They are great for parties, campouts, backyard play, science experiments, and make great night-lights for kids. Make sure to see our ideas on this product page for more fun uses!
Backyard Ballistics – This book shows you how to build Potato Cannons, Paper Match Rockets, Cincinnati Fire Kites, Tennis Ball Mortars, and More Dynamite Devices! Perfect for celebrating the 4th of July!
Stomp Rocket – The Junior Stomp Rocket is air-powered and has 4 soft rockets that can shoot up to 100 feet in the air! It’s a blast!
Geyser Tube and Mentos – Create an enormous geyser by combining Mentos™ with soda. The eruption is amazing — up to 25′ high — and so is the learning if you consider the science just beneath the surface.
Iron-On Transfer Paper – Be creative! Create your own t-shirt’s for Independence Day! This revolutionary new iron-heat transfer paper not only works with inkjet printers, but you can also draw or paint directly on it with markers, crayons, oil pastels, watercolors and watercolor pencils – a fun activity for children of all ages!
Play & Freeze Ice Cream Ball – Here’s the scoop! With the unique Play & Freeze Ice Cream Maker, you can make ice cream anywhere! You don’t need electricity, just add ice and rock salt in one end and the ice cream mix in the other end — then have a ball as you shake it, pass it or roll it!
Star Ice Lantern – Make ice lanterns to light up your night! Perfect for a summer picnic!
Large Blue Tubtrug – Pack a picnic, serve cold drinks on ice, or play at the beach! These are just some of the many things you can do with Tubtrugs!
Ice Kabobs – Serve cool summer beverages with an Ice Kabob! Kids love them!
Star Silk Streamer – Dance, swirl, and celebrate with this fun Star Streamer!
USA Marbles – Play a game of marbles while celebrating the Red, White, and Blue! Fun outdoor games for picnics!
Websites for 4th of July Learning and Fun
History Channel – Fourth of July History – From the History Channel, this short video explains the history of the fourth of July. Make sure to check out the related videos, such as “The History of Independence Day”. A great way to introduce history of this day to children.
Fireworks! – From NOVA, learn how fireworks are made and how they work at this website. Includes videos, photos, and much more! Also includes a Teacher’s Guide and additional resources. We highly recommend this website!
Patriotic Music
While enjoying your picnics, watching fireworks, and playing with your kids this Independence Day, here are some patriotic songs to play in the background. This is a mix of music, and a great opportunity to see what kind of music appeals to your kids. It’s a great way to proudly celebrate our country’s pride and independence!
Ray Charles singing “America, The Beautiful”…
Ted Nugent singing the Star Spangled Banner Live…
Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the USA”…
Neal Diamond singing “America”…
Bruce Springsteen singing “Land of Hopes and Dreams”…
Did you know that there are more types of moths in the world than there are butterflies? Some moths even have brilliantly colored hind wings used to scare off their enemies.
Here is a simple activity you can do with your kids to attract and observe the moths in your backyard.
Pour fruit juice into a cup, add sugar, and stir. Adult moths are attracted to sweet nectar.
Dip cotton balls into the juice mixture to absorb the juice. You may need to squeeze the cotton ball a little bit to remove some of the juice if the cotton ball is too saturated.
Tie a string around each cotton ball, then hang the cotton balls near a lighted window or by an outdoor light. Moths are attracted to light, and the light will help you to see the moths that visit.
Watch your moth “feeder” to see what kinds of moths you attract. Use your guide book to help you identify the moths.
Variations:
If you don’t have cotton balls or string, you can use a shoelace for this activity. Just dip a shoelace in the juice mixture and then drape the shoelace over a tree branch or outdoor light. Wide, cotton shoelaces work best.
Here’s another method to attract moths: Make a “paste” that you can paint onto a tree or fence post. Mash a ripe banana into a bowl, add 1/2 cup of sugar, and 1/2 can of beer. Mix the ingredients together to form a thick paste. Use a paintbrush to apply the mixture to a tree trunk or an old fence post (the mixture may stain, so use an old fence post). Use a flashlight to observe the moths that are attracted to your conconction. When observing moths on a tree trunk, you may have to look very carefully to see them, as many moths are camouflaged.
You May Also Like:
Butterfly Net – Go on a “backyard safari” with our insect net and see what kind of creatures you can discover! Children will be excited when they catch all kinds of colorful butterflies and insects with this net.
The Backyard Nature Coloring Book – This book includes 42 meticulously rendered black-and-white illustrations of creatures often seen in suburban or even city backyards.
LaQ Beetle Building Set – Use the unique pieces in this set to build your own three-dimensional bugs!
For More Information:
Visit the Butterflies and Moths of North America website for a searchable database of the butterflies and moths within the United States and Mexico. This website includes many pictures, as well as distribution maps and species information.
The Bug Guide website is full of information to help identify insects of all kinds.
Join us on an educational adventure through each state in the USA! Each post in this series focuses on one state, and includes a regional recipe from that state. This is a fun way to get your kids involved in cooking, as well as learn a bit about United States geography! The post also includes a link to the featured state’s website, where you can learn more about the state. We also include free forms that you can download and print to use along the journey. Geography has never been so delicious!
Make sure to check back each week for the next post!
RECIPE:
Did you know that coffee milk is the official drink of Rhode Island? Coffee milk is a drink that is somewhat like chocolate milk, but is flavored with coffee syrup instead of chocolate syrup.
This recipe whips up a batch of this delicious drink. It’s an easy recipe that is fun to make, and one that kids really enjoy!
RHODE ISLAND Coffee Milk
What You Will Need:
1 cup brewed or instant Coffee, cooled
1 cup 2% Milk
1 tablespoon light Vanilla Syrup
3 scoops Coffee Flavored Ice Cream
4 Ice Cubes
Blender
What You Do:
Pour coffee, milk, vanilla syrup, and ice cream into a blender and mix well.
Add ice cubes to the blender, and then blend until the mixture is smooth.
Pour into 4 tall glasses and serve!
STATE INFORMATION LINK:
Rhode Island State Information – Click this link to learn more about Rhode Island attractions, activities, and to request free brochures, maps, and so much more!
FREE STATE PRINTABLES:
US Geography Journal Pages – Use these journal pages to create a geography journal as you collect information about each state.
Rhode Island Outline Map – Use this state map to label capitals, major rivers and lakes, and other areas of interest. Draw a star on the place you would most like to visit in this state!
United States Outline Map – Use this USA map to track your journey as you “eat your way across the USA”! Color in each state that you’ve tried one of recipes for.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
The United States Cook Book – Take a Tasty Tour of America’s 50 States, and learn a lot of United States geography along the way! (PLEASE NOTE: The recipe featured above is included in this book.)
US History Cook Book – Serve up a heaping lesson of history with delicious recipes from our nation’s past… from the pilgrims’ first feast to today’s high-tech, low-fat fare.
Maps of the United States – This reproducible book contains geopolitical maps of each of the fifty states; political maps of the six regions; and political, physical, and thematic maps of the United States. You’ll also find fun facts, geography bee-type questions, and review pages.
DK State-by-State Atlas – More than an atlas, this book shows and tells young geographers who, what, when, where, and why.
The Geography Book – From finding directions by the stars, to mapping your neighborhood, to making an earthquake in a box, you’ll have a great time learning about the world with The Geography Book.
Professor Noggins USA Geography Game – From rural farming communities to urban cities, from snow-capped mountains to tropical islands, this game covers both the natural and political geography of the United States. Learn about the states, cities, and natural geographical wonders that make this country such an interesting place to visit.
State by State Card Game – Learning about United States geography is made fun and memorable with this unique deck of cards!
GeoPuzzle USA Puzzle – GeoPuzzles provide a hands-on approach to learning geography.
Make sure to check back next week for the next state in this series!
Most children have probably observed the ever-present ant at one time or another, and may already know about its habitat and life cycle. But few children know about the ants predators. One interesting predator is the Antlion, also called a Doodlebug.
Go on a backyard safari in search of Doodlebugs!
This activity allows kids to discover Antlion pit location patterns and the strategies they use to capture their prey.
Background Information:
Antlions are often called Doodlebugs because of the designs they make in the sand. Their trails and the concentric spirals of their pit look like doodles that someone might draw on paper.
Antlions dig cone-shaped pits in the sand to trap their prey. They sit at the bottom of the pit, covered by sand, and wait for ants or other small insects to stumble into their trap.
When an ant falls into the pit, it slips on the loose sand, which creates a mini avalanche that pulls the ant deeper into the pit. If the ant tries to escape, the Antlion larva flicks soil onto the ant, causing it to fall back down to the bottom of the pit.
Antlions live in a wide range of habitats, and can be found in every state within the USA.
Antlions are the immature life stage of this insect. The adults are delicate, long-bodied flying insects with 1″ to 5″ wingspans – they kind of look like a dragonfly, but with long antennae with small knobs on the ends. Adults lay their eggs on sandy soil and the egg becomes coated with a layer of fine dust. The larvae that hatch from the eggs live just below the soil surface and are about half an inch long.
What You Will Need:
Sandy areas where ant hills are located. For example, a school yard, clearings in wooded areas, or in a sandy area of your backyard or park.
Take a walk in a sandy area and look for patterns in the sand that indicate the interaction of ants and the Antlion. Look for ant hills, as well as valleys in the sand that are the pits created by Antlions. Antlion pits vary in size, but the average size is about one inch in diameter.
When an Antlion pit is identified, sit quietly and observe the pit. Look for ants that may be nearby. You might be able to see an Antlion pit in action! How many ants became trapped in the pit? Did any ants escape from the pit? Keep track of the number of ants that escaped and the number of ants that did not.
Sketch the area that you are observing, marking approximate locations of the hills and valleys. Draw any patterns you see in the sand. Are the Antlion pits randomly located or are they concentrated in one area? What is the ratio of ant hills to Antlion pits?
Observe the ant hills that may be in the area, in relation to the Antlion pits. Are the pits strategically placed near the ant hills? Do their positions change over time? What strategy, if any, could the ant use to avoid the Antlion pits?
Notice the type of soil where the Antlion pits are located. Why is this type of soil important to the construction of a pit? Would an Antlion be able to build a pit in other types of soil? Why or why not?
Revisit your observation locations after a couple of days. Have the Antlion pits moved? Have the patterns in the sand changed? Document your observations.
One Step Further:
For more information about the Antlions, visit The Antlion Pit.
You May Also Like:
Minibeast Pack – No backyard entomologist should be without the tools in this pack!
Insect X-Ray Pictures and Cards – Use the cards and x-rays in this set to get a close-up view of the bugs found in your yard!
The Practical Entomologist – This book shows you not only what to look for but how and where to look for it – from capturing and keeping live insects to ways of making a collection and taking photographs. Tips on keeping a field notebook are also included.
Life in a Bucket of Soil – The soil in forests, meadows, and fields — even the vacant city lots or your own backyard — swarms with countless tiny creatures, most of which are born, struggle for life, and die just beneath the earth’s surface. In fact, you can find a bountiful sample of these underground inhabitants simply by filling a bucket with soil. The small animals you’re likely to find are vividly described in this fascinating, easy-to-read book, specially designed to acquaint you with a vast, living world beneath your feet.
Ralph Masiello’s Bug Drawing Book – With simple, step-by-step instructions — and extra challenges for more experienced artists — this how-to book will have kids on their way to drawing bug masterpieces.
Today was an overcast, rather wet day where we live. We noticed there were quite a few snails crawling along the patio this morning. My kids were wondering where the snails were coming from, and where they were going. AH HA! One of those perfect, natural teaching opportunities! We wandered out to the patio to see what we could learn…
Gather a few snails or slugs from your yard. The best time to find them is early in the morning, when the plants are still wet with dew. You can also find snails or slugs in moist, sheltered places like old flower pots or under boards or logs.
Gently place the snails or slugs in your observation container, along with a few plant leaves.
Watch the snails as they move around. Are they crawling up the walls of the container? Are they crawling on the plant leaves? You may want to add a short twig or even a craft stick to the container to see if the snails will crawl on these items.
When snails crawl, they leave behind a trail of slime. Can you see this trail on all the surfaces the snails are crawling on? Does it matter if the surface is wet or dry? Smooth or rough? Place a small piece of black construction paper in the observation container and watch for the snail trails.
Place small pieces of food and non-food items in the container with the snails. Observe what they like to eat. You might want to try apples, lettuce, grass, or even cardboard!
Hold the clear observation container up so you can watch the snails as they crawl along from underneath! You might even be able to watch the snails eat! Use your magnifying glass to get a really close-up view of the underside and mouth of a snail. Amazing!
Use a magnifying glass or loupe to look closely at the shell of a snail. Describe the shape, rings, and colors of the shell.
Record your observations on a piece of paper or in a blank book – include things like the size of the snail, the color of the snail, the shape of it’s shell, and what it likes to eat. Draw a picture or sketch of the snails.
Create a snail obstacle course or even a snail circus! Try to get the snails to crawl along a length of rope, up a ladder, or even along the bridge of your nose (as my adventurous son likes to do). Be creative!
When you are finished observing and learning about your snails, make sure to release them back where you found them. Or, relocate them a safe distance away from the hostas!
Variations:
We were curious to see how quickly a snail can actually move. We used chalk to place a small mark next to a snail on the patio, then measured 1 foot from that mark and drew a circle with a 1 foot radius around the original mark. As soon as the snail started to move, we timed the snail to see how long it would take for it to travel 1 foot. Of course, the snail didn’t make a straight trail, so we repeated this same procedure several times to get an average amount of time it took the snails to reach the 1 foot mark. After we recorded the average time, we poured water within the chalk circle and placed a snail in the center again. We tried this several times, timing each trip, to see if the snails moved quicker or slower when the patio was wet versus dry. Our patio is fairly smooth, so we tried this same procedure on the much rougher surface of the driveway as well. What did we find out? Well, you’ll just have to try this for yourself to obtain your own results – but let’s just say, no speed records were broken today!
My kids wanted to see if a snail would travel faster uphill or downhill, or if the slope would even matter at all. My son positioned a smooth board at various angles and tried to coax the snails to crawl up and down the boards, timing them as they moved. I think we all learned a real lesson in patience during this procedure!
Snail races?! Really?! Okay, we had to try it! We positioned snails at a starting line (drawn with chalk) and we each tried to entice the snails to move by placing bits of food in front of them. The first snail to the finish line, wins! Recommendation: Keep the race course very, very short – otherwise you might just fall asleep waiting for them to finish a long endurance race.
One Step Further:
Did you know that snails have teeth!? Yep! Snails have a long tongue that is covered with roughly one quarter of a million teeth in different shapes and sizes. The teeth allow the snail to tear off small pieces of food to eat. Incredible!
Many gardeners do not like having snails in their gardens. Some people use things like pennies or coffee grounds in an attempt to repel snails. Experiment with a variety of different household items to see if you can find out what will repel a snail away from your plants. Please make sure to use things that are safe, and with adult permission and guidance.
With an adults help, research the different kinds of snails and slugs that are in your area. You could use books or the internet for your research. How many different varieties of snails and slugs do you have in your yard?
Next… we are going to observe the snails that live in the ponds! But that’s another adventure for another day…
Creative, imaginative, “outside the box” thinking is an important skill for kids.
Kids are inspired by a natural curiousity and they see things in different ways than adults. They find unique solutions to everyday problems, and they often have the most incredible ideas and inventions!
When kids are designing and inventing – they become engineers, mathematicians, scientists, and even entrepreneurs. They are thrilled when they see their ideas and projects completed, and are inspired to continue creating and inventing!
LaQ Pallet – Use the various sized and shaped pieces to create 3D models. Creative fun!
Hollywood Designer Costume Kit – Design your own Hollywood costumes with the help of a pro, and the contents of this kit! Be creative!
Iron-On Transfer Paper for T-Shirts – Use a variety of art supplies, including crayons, to design and create your own custom t-shirts! Make a variety of shirts and sell them to friends and family! A fun way for kids to practice being in business!
KEVA Contraptions – This 200 piece wooden building set allows kids to invent new marble runs and other outrageous contraptions!
UBERSTIX Scavenger Kit – Collect and recycle items from around your house and build a pirate ship, a UFO, or any other design you can dream up. Inventive fun!
DIY Blank Game Board Kit – Use our exclusive Blank Game Board Kit to develop and design your own board game! So many creative possibliities!
PitchCar – Design your own racetrack, then create your own racing games with this quality wooden race game. Make sure to see the games we’ve created at the bottom of the product page to help get you started.
Hardcover Blank Book – Write and illustrate your own book! This quality blank book provides just the right number of pages to get you started.
Visit our store for many more inventive, creative products, games, and toys!
Join us on an educational adventure through each state in the USA! Each post in this series focuses on one state, and includes a regional recipe from that state. This is a fun way to get your kids involved in cooking, as well as learn a bit about United States geography! The post also includes a link to the featured state’s website, where you can learn more about the state. We also include free forms that you can download and print to use along the journey. Geography has never been so delicious!
Make sure to check back each week for the next post!
RECIPE:
Did you know that during the 1700s and early 1800s, many German immigrants, especially farmers, settled in Pennsylvania. They contributed a wide variety of distinctive foods, such as sauerkraut, rye bread, apple butter, and pretzels.
This recipe shows you how to make those big, warm, soft pretzels that are sold on the streets in Philadelphia. Sure to be a favorite snack for your kids!
PENNSYLVANIA Soft Pretzels
What You Will Need:
2 packages Active Dry Yeast
1-1/2 cups Warm Water
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Salt
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1-3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 large Egg, beaten
Sesame Seeds (optional)
Large Mixing Bowl
Medium Mixing Bowl
What You Do:
In a large bowl, combine yeast and warm water.
Add sugar and salt to the yeast mixture, and stir well.
Add the flours to the bowl 1 cup at a time, mixing by hand until the mixture forms into a dough.
Place the dough onto a lightly floured pastry board or clean countertop and knead the dough until smooth. Kids love this step! Knead the dough for about 5 minutes until it has a slight sheen.
Brush the inside of the medium sized bowl with olive oil, then transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towl and let it stand and rise for about 40 minutes. Wait until your kids see this in action! They’ll love it!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Divide the dough into pieces and roll it into ropes that are about 12 inches long. Another favorite step for kids!
Form the rolled out dough into pretzel-shapes, then place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Brush each pretzel with egg and then sprinkle with sesame seeds or salt.
Bake the pretzels for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven, serve and enjoy!
Variations:
If you prefer crispy pretzels, roll the dough into thinner strips before forming into pretzel shapes.
Before baking the pretzels, you may wish to boil them in water for 2 minutes on each side. Once the pretzels are boiled, place them on a rack to drain for about a minute. After draining, place the pretzels on a cookie sheet and bake.
Add cinnamon or other flavors in place of sesame seeds. Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Be creative with your pretzel shapes! Form letters, funny faces, or any other shape you like!
STATE INFORMATION LINK:
Pennsylvania State Information – Click this link to learn more about Pennsylvania attractions, activities, and to request free brochures, maps, and so much more!
FREE STATE PRINTABLES:
US Geography Journal Pages – Use these journal pages to create a geography journal as you collect information about each state.
Pennsylvania Outline Map – Use this state map to label capitals, major rivers and lakes, and other areas of interest. Draw a star on the place you would most like to visit in this state!
United States Outline Map – Use this USA map to track your journey as you “eat your way across the USA”! Color in each state that you’ve tried one of recipes for.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
The United States Cook Book – Take a Tasty Tour of America’s 50 States, and learn a lot of United States geography along the way! (PLEASE NOTE: The recipe featured above is not included in this book.)
US History Cook Book – Serve up a heaping lesson of history with delicious recipes from our nation’s past… from the pilgrims’ first feast to today’s high-tech, low-fat fare.
Maps of the United States – This reproducible book contains geopolitical maps of each of the fifty states; political maps of the six regions; and political, physical, and thematic maps of the United States. You’ll also find fun facts, geography bee-type questions, and review pages.
DK State-by-State Atlas – More than an atlas, this book shows and tells young geographers who, what, when, where, and why.
The Geography Book – From finding directions by the stars, to mapping your neighborhood, to making an earthquake in a box, you’ll have a great time learning about the world with The Geography Book.
Professor Noggins USA Geography Game – From rural farming communities to urban cities, from snow-capped mountains to tropical islands, this game covers both the natural and political geography of the United States. Learn about the states, cities, and natural geographical wonders that make this country such an interesting place to visit.
State by State Card Game – Learning about United States geography is made fun and memorable with this unique deck of cards!
GeoPuzzle USA Puzzle – GeoPuzzles provide a hands-on approach to learning geography.
Make sure to check back next week for the next state in this series!
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