A Magical Forest Animal Themed Event | Image Source: FreeImages
Are you looking to plan the perfect kids’ party? If so, then an enchanted forest animal party theme may be just what you’re looking for! With these guidelines, you’ll be able to plan an unforgettable experience that your kids and their friends will love.
Introducing the Enchanted Forest Animal Party Theme
An enchanted forest animal party theme is a great way to bring some magic to your kids’ birthday celebration. This theme is sure to spark the imaginations of your little guests as they explore a world of cute woodland creatures, fairies, and other magical creatures. Whether you’re planning a party for a first birthday or a fifth birthday, an enchanted forest animal party theme is sure to be a hit.
The enchanted forest animal party theme is perfect for those who love animals and nature. You can have your little guests explore the fantasy world of the forest by creating a magical atmosphere with decorations, activities, and food.
You can also add a unique twist to the theme by incorporating fairy tales like ‘Red Riding Hood’, or child stories such as such as ‘Peter Rabbit‘ or ‘Runaway Bunny‘. This way, your little guests will be able to explore the enchanted forest while also having fun with familiar stories.
Choosing your Venue for the Party
When it comes to choosing a location for your enchanted forest animal party, you have a few options. You can host the party at your own home, or you can rent out a space, such as a park or community center.
If you choose to host the party at your home, you can create a magical atmosphere by decorating your yard or patio with fairy lights, stuffed animals, and other enchanted forest decorations. If you have a large backyard, you can even set up a small campfire for your little guests to roast marshmallows.
If you’re looking for a larger space to accommodate a larger group of guests, then you may want to consider renting out a park or community center. This will give you plenty of space for decorations and activities, as well as providing a more spacious area for your guests.
Decorations for the Enchanted Forest Animal Party
Use stuffed animals to create little vignettes throughout the party area. This group has all sorts of animals!
Decorations are an important part of any party, and they’re essential for creating a magical atmosphere for your enchanted forest animal party. This is the fun part. You can start by picking up some basic decorations, such as hanging paper lanterns and fairy lights. I have plenty of those string lights from my Christmas décor.
Create a woodland tent with sheets and some leafy garlands.
Purchase some personalized posters and bunting to go along with your theme.
You can also hang up some stuffed animals, teddy bears and bunny rabbits, or other woodland creatures around the party area. This is another way Christmas decorations come in handy, especially if you have some woodland animal ones at hand. If not, look for these types of figures at your local Hobby Lobby or other crafts store.
If you’re feeling creative, you can also make some decorations yourself. For example, you can make some DIY paper trees and hang them around the party space. You can also make some animal masks or decorate some cardboard boxes to look like animals.
Enchanting Woodland Invitations
Cute woodland animals to personalize a child’s birthday.
Invitations are a great way to set the tone for your enchanted forest animal party. You can find some cute animal-themed invitations online or create your own. For example, you can make some cute animal masks for your little guests to wear, or create invites in the form of animal tracks.
No matter what type of invitation you choose, make sure to include all the necessary information, such as the date, time, and location of the party. You can also add a special note about the enchanted forest animal theme to get your guests excited for the party.
Fun Woodland-themed Activities for the Kids
When it comes to activities, the possibilities are endless! You can start by setting up some fun craft activities, such as decorating animal masks or making fairy crowns. You can also set up a photo booth with some animal-themed props and costumes, or even a petting zoo with some friendly animals!
If you’re looking for some more active activities, you can set up an obstacle course or a scavenger hunt, or even a mini-golf course. You can also have some dancing and singing competitions, or even some mini-games, such as Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
Food Ideas for the Party
Food for your enchanted forest animal party comes in plenty of options. You can opt for traditional party food, such as pizza, hot dogs, and chips, but you can serve some animal-themed snacks, such as gummy worms, animal crackers, and dragonfly veggies.
Vegetable snacks for kids that look like dragonflies. via Pinterest
You can also serve some healthy options, such as fruit platters or vegetable platters.
Serve healthy and delicious berries in a glass bowl, marked “forest berries”
Make little ladybug crackers with mozzarella, halved tomatoes, tiny leaf of basil or lettuce. Place dots of cream cheese on the tomatoes.
“Tree slice” sandwich roll-ups
You can make delightfully fun animal-themed treats, such as bear-shaped cookies or banana hedgehogs.
Party Supplies & Favors for Magical Memories
Party supplies and favors are part of the fun, and you can choose from a wide range of items. You can opt for traditional party supplies, such as cups and plates, or you can find some cute animal-themed items, such as animal-shaped balloons and stuffed animals.
Add a cute personalized gift tag to your party favors
As for party favors, you can give out
animal-themed treats, such as bags of gummy bear candy
or animal-shaped lollipops.
Include some small toys, such as animal figurines
or mini stuffed animals
Tips for Hosting a Successful Child’s Party
Make or purchase party hats to help everyone feel festive.
When it comes to hosting a successful party, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, make sure to plan ahead and be prepared. Have a clear timeline of what needs to be done and when, and stick to it.
Also, make sure to keep your little guests entertained. Have plenty of activities and crafts planned, and make sure to keep everyone involved and engaged.
Finally, make sure to take some photos and videos of the party. This way, you can look back on the special day and remember all the fun you had.
Other Ideas for a Woodland Forest Animal Party Theme
The appealing thing about the enchanted forest animal party theme is that plenty of other ideas can be incorporated into your party. For example, you can have a storyteller come to the party and share some enchanted forest stories with your guests.
You can also feature a special animal guest, such as a petting zoo animal (bunnies or ducks) or a trained bird. This will give your little guests a chance to interact with a real animal and learn more about it. Turtles are denizens of the forest, and tame (available at pet stores). Pet store mice or even a pair of binoculars for backyard bird and squirrel sightings.
Finally, you can set up some games and activities, such as a bean bag toss or a scavenger hunt. This will give your guests plenty of fun activities to enjoy. Outside is ideal, although these activities can be tailored to the inside with a little imagination.
Cornhole games are really popular now, and used long after the party is over.
This Theme is Easy to Customize for All Ages
Throw the perfect enchanted forest animal party with these tips and ideas! With the right decorations, activities, and food, you’ll be able to create an unforgettable experience that your little guests will love. So start planning today and get ready to throw the party of the year!
One of the most rewarding ways to learn about a whole range of subjects is to focus in on one topic and create a unit study from it.
Children love to garden
Unit studies are one of the most rewarding ways to incorporate all of the curriculum into a fun project.
This group of activities creates a break from dull workbooks and tiresome drills ( as necessary as those sometimes are). This article takes you all the way through how to plan and implement this form of curriculum to specific topics to explore.Included are convenient links to books on Amazon.
Steps To Teaching Core Subjects Through Garden Unit Studies
How-To
Plan the overall unit, write down which projects you wish to accomplish. Plan the reading for literature, with writing projects such as how to keep a journal, writing an expository essay,etc.
Make a list of books to purchase or borrow from the library. Obtain them. buy your folders or journals.Create math projects from cost lists, geometry problems from garden layouts, etc.
Make a supply list of everything you will need to do the projects and then go shopping! Scavenge around the house for everything that will be used instead of purchased. Get pots, soil, seed starting supplies, or whatever you think you will need.Add a history lesson on tools and the materials they are made from as a way to measure the advance of civilization (stone, bronze, iron) . Or compare societies that were hunters and gatherers with those who farmed. Or create a lesson on the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.
Begin your unit study with seasonal appropriate activities, field trips, and science experiments. Surprisingly, a gardening unit study can be done at any time of the year.Use science projects on weather, soil testing, botany, etc.
Grow things!
A Garden Topic Covers Every Spectrum of Curriculum
Why is this one of my favorite group studies?
I spent a lot of time and effort in the pursuit of gardening, and have always tried to include my childrenin gaining an appreciation of nature. For their homeschool studies this included lessons in the satisfaction of working outside.
Let’s Run Through a List of Subjects
History
Language Arts
Science
Mathematics
Art
Character Development
History Outside, For Example
Gardening is one way to include indoor and outdoor pursuits. The history of gardens is so interesting that it can encompass whole eras as well as many famous people who had interests or stories somehow related to the garden.
For instance, did you know the ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ involved the transport of breadfruit plants in the great plant exploration era of England? Or that Josephine Bonaparte had a well known rose garden?
The opportunities for garden math, horticulture, chemistry, and journaling are plentiful in the garden… come see.
Penelope Hobhouse is one of the premier garden writers in my book. she tackles the task of presenting plants throughout garden history. She will make it interesting for you, I promise.
Make a specific era your focus for art, history, and science. Find out about the gardens of that time, the plants common to them, and how they were used in the medicines and manufacture of clothing.
Make a scrapbook page of dye plants. Learn about which plants to avoid eating, or explore the history of the tomato…. where did it originate ( the New World) and what did Europeans think of it (it was feared to be poisonous)
Plant hunters and explorers- who were they and how are our gardens different today?
OR why do we have plant transport and import laws? Why are there no more American Elm or Chestnut trees in our gardens?
These are just a few of the topics to chose for your own garden unit study. HiddenStories in Plants
Plants are exciting when viewed from the perspective of the mysteries they hold, instead of a compilation of dry facts.
Let them tell their stories, and children will be intrigued.
Geography in the Garden
Where does that plant come from? China
Plants From All Over The World
Plants in our gardens are rarely native, and with a Horticultural Encyclopedia or any plant book which describes the origination of the plant (many do) it is s simple task to locate the geographical location where the plant originated.
A study of a great plant explorer like E. H. Wilson can combine fascinating history with a geography slant.
Teaching Unit Studies
One of the best ways to engage your child’s interest in learning, there are many great guides available and even the planning work of the unit study all plotted out beforehand.
Language Studies and Writing
What Type Of Writing Will You Learn?
Expository writing is the type of writing you create for term papers, essays,etc.
Narrative writing is a type of writing that requires you to tell a story that describes an event or relates a personal experience.
Persuasive writing argues a point and is often called argumentation.
All three can be used in the Garden Unit Study. Expository: Write a paper about why improving the soil is important, or a biography of a famous plant explorer. Narrative: Relate a funny or interesting thing that happened while making the garden, tell a story from a bugs point of view! Persuasive: To spray or not to spray, that is the question… choose a controversy and argue why your opinion is the right one.
Include How-To Books for Success
Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots: Gardening Together with Children Hands on how-to is what makes this unit study so much fun.
But how do you make learning and working in the garden seem more like fun and less like work? And how to best present gardening to children? Find your ideas in this nicely illustrated guide.
Keep Nature Journals
The best writing exercise for young children is a garden journal with pasted pictures of the plants and projects and words.
Garden catalogs, hardcopy or digital are a rich supply of pictures and information – just print out or cut out and paste into the journals. Seed packets can be saved and used, too.
Nature journals, garden journals, lapbooks about plants, can be worked into your homeschool curriculum and are especially useful in studying with the unit method. They are lasting items for school portfolios.
What is a “Lapbook”?
“An educational learning tool made from a folder and meant to take the place of worksheets.” AKA “shutterbooks, graphic organizers, fold books, presentation books, flap books, and project books”.
To find out more about the concept and difference between lapbooks, notebooks, and scrapbooks, “To Lapbook, Notebook, or Scrapbook– that is the question”.
Use pictures cut out from magazines on the topic of gardening and plants
Lapbooks are a system of file folders in which the student stores creative summaries of their work.
Lapbook creation is a lot like notebooking, another alternative way to keep and showcase your child’s Garden Unit Study projects and papers.
Basic Supplies for a: Lapbook
Folders (regular or legal size)
Various types of paper (construction, cardstock, index cards, etc.)
Writing tools (markers, pencils, pens, crayons)
Stickers, Rubber Stamps , Clipart -for illustration and accents
Glue
Why Bother to Create These Projects?
The beauty of such projects are the physical keepsake results of your schoolwork endeavors, and the motivation it provides for your child to see that their schoolwork matters and is not just a bunch of vain or repetitious effort.
Organize Your Lapbooks
Lap books store easily in the plastic, up-right, magazine holders on your bookshelf.
Photo from the Smithsonian lesson on “Plants and Pollinators”.
Photo by Smithsonian Beneath the garden soil and above it, it is all about the science of growing things. From botany to chemistry, there are a myriad of topical experiments and learning exercises in gardening.
Find out about the pH of the soil and test your garden soil.
What are the ingredients of common fertilizers and what do their numbers stand for? (Nitrogen, Potassum, and Potash)
How are flowers pollinated? What is the life cycle of a plant?
What about microorganisms, how important are they in soil health?
Discover more about the garden than meets the eye. Take a lens ( a real lens) out into the garden to spy on bugs, look at leaf veins, inspect pollen in flowers.
68 windowsill plants from kitchen scraps – Science fun
An easy science experiment for small children is to grow a plant from a kitchen scrap. Old carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes… many will grow roots and sprout a plant.
Don’t Throw It, Grow It!: 68 windowsill plants from kitchen scraps by Deborah Peterson and Millicent Selsam Don’t Throw It, Grow It!: 68 windowsill plants from kitchen scraps Learn how to grow vegetables, fruits, and nuts, even herbs, spices and Asian vegetables. Lots of projects to make exciting plants from a trip to the grocery, great way to get across the lessons on how what we eat comes from the earth, not the store shelves. Humorous and informative, this book will teach you more about growing plants and have more fun doing it.
Visit public gardens like those listed in Gardens of Ohio. Many educational events are to be found!
Math by the Yard
The opportunities for math skills multiply in the garden
Example of Garden Math problems.
“Gardens are a source full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers that provide for and sustain life. But did you know a garden, from its creation to harvest, is rich in mathematical concepts and connections as well?” so says Gardenmath blog and gives us one very helpful post of diagrams and examples.
You can think up all sorts of ways to apply math within the garden unit study including the suggestions included here. Measurements, accounting, and ratios may all factor in the making of a garden.
by Molly Dannenmaier
A guide for parents to nurture their children’s sense of wonder and curiosity within the garden with projects and lots of information on how to give a sense of imagination and play to learning
Great book to use for one of the most exciting unit studies right in your own backyard.
The longer you garden the better the eye gets, the more tuned to how colors vibrate in different ways and what they can do to each other.
You become a scientist as well as an artist,with the lines increasingly blurred.
The Arts
The Garden and Art – Many artists depict garden subjects
1
Jean-Francois Millet
Art History
Whether you chose Millet, Renoir, or Monet, Fragonard or even Gustav Klimt, the historical time or genre can be explored as well as the gardens or garden related work depicted. An entire tour of the life of Monet, Impressionism, and the garden at Giverny yield rich discoveries within a garden unit study.
Jean-Francois Millet painted many works of people busy in the fields.
A Little Garden Music
Ketelbey: In a Monastery Garden
THE COMPOSER: Albert W. Ketelbey was born in Alma Street in the Lozells area of Birmingham, England, the son of George Ketelbey (written with no accent), and Sarah Aston. At the age of eleven he wrote a piano sonata that won praise from Edward Elgar. Ketelbey attended the Trinity College of Music in London.
The Ballet, ‘The Firebird’ has scenes in a garden.
Character Development
My Family, Hard at Work
Raking is a good team project
in the Garden – Character Building: Diligence and Teamwork
One of the lessons that a garden unit study can teach is the value of being diligent and working together as a team. This is something that will be naturally absorbed in the garden work, but can be formally instilled through underlining within the teachable moments and with written assignments geared towards thinking about these characteristics.
We used this nature character study through all grades. Interesting facts about many animals integrated with Bible studies and lessons.
Character studies book
We used this nature character study through all grades. Interesting facts about many animals integrated with Bible studies and lessons.
The Bible points to the ant as an example of diligence, and there are usually plenty of ants to observe in the garden. It is easy to perform experiments in how easy it is to get a job done when working as a team and this could also be useful for civics or social studies lessons.
Many maxims, quotes, and poems originate in the act of gardening, ever heard of “a hard row to hoe”? That makes literature and language arts easy to incorporate. Many have to do with exercising diligence and working together to create a garden. A classic book like “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a famous one.
Diligence in following directions can be gained from the directions on the backs of seed packets. Plant a few in contrary conditions and note the difference between plantings
~ Marjorie Harris
For Little People – Children younger than 8 yrs old benefit from their own sized tools
A colorful garden tote filled with tools will give a sense of fun and play to any garden activity. Real garden tools, but in a small size useful for light garden projects for children. Use any sharp tools, such as secateurs, with care.
Garden Outfitters
For a range of ages, tools that will stand up to digging in the dirt and a handy wagon for playing or hauling garden supplies around. Radio Flyer Classic Red Wagon I had one as a kid, my children had them, and I used them in the garden. This is the classic all purpose wagon.
And after years of hard use, when the wagon rusted out from being left in open weather… my Dad scavenged the wheels and made two wheeled garden carts, one for me and one for him.
The only caveat I’ll give you is that these tough little wagons last better if they are put away when not in use (another “do as I say and not as I do” piece of advice.)
I’ve used the plastic kinds, but nothing is as good as the Radio Flyer Classic.
That is how a unit study works, taking a topic of interest and looking at it through the lens of many different academic disciplines. So one that centers on the second largest order in the insect class is bound to be interesting and fun… with new avenues of discovery to take while making learning enjoyable. It is important to remember that not every part of a study has to be rigorously followed, allow it to pique your child’s interest and finish as many of the projects in as wide a range of the subjects as possible.
Ask some questions, like “Did people so value a certain moth that it changed history?” “Why is the Morpho butterfly such a beautiful blue?” ‘What does the butterfly represent in a painting…anything?”
Who said “I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”? Why did he say that? What other famous quotations and references to butterflies can you think of?
Put your thinking cap on and come up with a new and interesting educational journey into this unit study for a great way to inject some excitement and interest into your homeschool activities.
Take Photos
Combine botanical study with photography skills by visiting a live exhibit of butterflies, take your camera and capture the experience. As a result, a whole new area of discovery and research opens up within your unit study.
Study Lepidoptera in Science
Undoubtedly, when you pick the butterfly as your focus there are so many opportunities for taking detours into almost any academic subject of study. All age groups love these beautiful living gems of nature, discovering literature, science, and history through the pursuit of butterflies will be one of the most entertaining and possibly lasting endeavors your family may enjoy. It sure will be many projects to keep you going, maybe even use it as a theme for the year.
A Butterfly Unit Study is Simply One Choice
A central topic, like ‘butterflies’ chosen here, is used as a hub for studying math, language, history, geography, writing skills, spelling, art, and even music. You may use a Nature notebook, which your student creates, to gather all the projects together, or lapbooks for younger children to provide a lasting keepsake of their discoveries about butterflies.
Butterflies undergo ‘metamorphosis’ which makes them an analogy for the concept of change.
Butterflies and insects have their skeletons on the outside of their bodies, called the exoskeleton. This protects the insect and keeps water inside their bodies so they don’t dry out.
Science Can Take Flight
Science is often the most challenging subject for homeschool families. Using the unit study method can make all the pieces of the puzzle fall together in a natural way that invites explorations and discovery.
Butterflies Morph – which makes them a great unit study topic
Because butterflies are actual organisms, consequently finding related studies in the realm of science is an easy endeavor. Start with the Natural sciences –and go from there–
Butterfly Biology
Following these facts to start on the discovery.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
As Arthropods, butterflies are invertebrate (without a backbone) and have jointed legs, an exoskeleton, and a segmented body. Lepidos means “scales”, ptera means “wing” in Greek, an identifying characteristic of the insects in the Lepidoptera order: their scaled wings. The order Lepidoptera has around 120,000 different species of butterflies and moths. The only larger order is that of the beetles, Coleoptera, with more than 350,000 recorded species.
Butterflies Branch Out in Horticulture, Earth Science, Physics
What about the way the human eye perceives color? Did you know that the pretty colors of the butterfly’s wings are not so much pigments as a structural effect in the way light reflects from the surface? Much like Peacock feathers. Explore ecosystems and why butterflies thrive in certain environments, make an area of the yard into a butterfly haven, begin a journal to record species of butterflies found in your yard or in parks you visit.
Whether you study artists like those of the Dutch Masters or make your own project, the possibilities are endless a
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View this painting by Adriaen Coorte, continue to study more Dutch painters who loved to include the colors and liveliness of the butterfly in their masterpieces. Begin a Notebook or Lapbook by encouraging your artists to make their version of the fine art works.
Use Rubber Stamps for artistic effect.
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Garden Centered Study
Plan A Garden Unit Study A unit study with the topic of gardening at the hub is one of the easiest to create and follow. It gets everyone outdoors and incorporates every single academic subject! What could be more fun?
Spare, artistic, and true to science… the interplay of host plant and butterfly is beautifully presented.
Use this book along with your study and field trips.
Make an Art Project
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And what about history? Have your students delve into some of the most interesting stories that revolve around the Silk Road and explorers driven by the hunger for fine silk products.
Study Laws of Protection
Butterflies in Social Science
Why should our society protect butterflies? Aren’t they just insects? Find out why, and pursue how governments work. How are the laws enacted and enforced?
Kill a Butterfly, Go to Jail? -what are some of the debates about butterfly laws? Write persuasive essays, reports, or just get a good discussion going.
Did Butterflies Change History?
Study the China Silk Trade
Silkworm moth, caterpillar, and chrysalis all were tied up in the most fascinating story of the silk trade. History of China, its influence, of explorers and intrigue… all are a part of the story of this insect.
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pact of the lowly silkworm on history? The beauty and strength of silk cloth would make for many fun projects as this part of the unit study is explored.
Topics to research:
History of Silk,wikipedia
History of Silk,silkroad.com
Victorian Collectors
Another possible history avenue is the Victorian age with its avid collectors and discoverers of butterflies and moths.
Bring children into the the celebration of Thanksgiving with one of their favorite activities, coloring. If you have a printer these simple pictures can provide a quiet time in the midst of meal preparations.
How did Thanksgiving become a National Holiday?
Sara Hale tirelessly advocated for a National Thanksgiving holiday. Source: Richards Free Library
A woman named Sarah Hale, editor of the famous Godey’s Lady’s Book magazine, spearheaded a move to enshrine observation of thankfulness in the nation. She wrote to five presidents and numerous governors in her campaign for a Thanksgiving Day.
Hale is largely responsible for the idealistic, somewhat fictional view that Americans today hold in regards to interactions of these first New England colonists and the native peoples. Her picture of this feast with tables laden with turkey, stuffing, many dishes and gravies caught on with Victorian readers.
Godey’s Lady’s Book menu suggestions outlined what we consider a traditional holiday menu, today. How-to and recipes were provided to complete the celebration.
In keeping with her vision of this holiday, pictures here include those that represent parts of the meal, the idea of what the meal was like, how the English and Indian guests were believed to have dressed, and of course, the fat turkey.
Many of this things are now known to have little historical basis, but they are icons of the American Thanksgiving Holiday. I hope you will have fun coloring the ones you download and print.
Thanksgiving Themes
Centering around food, family, and gratefulness, Thanksgiving has ready-made themes. American Indians, native foods of pumpkin and corn, turkey and trimmings, pie…. it is a cornucopia of fun coloring with a bit of history.
Food Concepts of Hunger and Plenty
Pie is the American idea of a dessert dish served at holidays. This is a cherry pie, but pumpkin is the most popular choice.
[caption id="attachment_3381" align="aligncenter" width="442"] Corn, a native food staple helped the new Colonists to survive.
The story changes depending on who tells it and when, but certain facts are undeniable. One is that without the help and instruction of the Natives of the land, the Pilgrims were likely to fail. They greatly suffered from lack of food, and the Indians corn was a Godsend.
Pumpkins, maize, and wild turkeys were some of the bounties of this land where the Pilgrims landed.
The sharing of a feast is a symbol of the peaceful meeting of diverse people and cultures.
Who Were The Pilgrims?
In their native England they were dissenters against the prevailing religious establishment. Braving a journey to an unknown land was worth it to be able to practice their beliefs freely.
When traveling to the new world they came in the company of those wishing to settle for different reasons. The fellow travelers were called “strangers” by their more religious comrades.
Who Were The Wampanoag?
This was the Indian tribe which interacted with the Pilgrims in the original feast. Also called the Massasoit, they had a tradition that all the male leaders should be invited to village feasts. Thus 98 surprise guests turned up at this all-male meal. No worries, though… they came with plenty of meat to supply the tables.
The original celebration lasted three days.
The name means “People of the First Light” since they were situated at the eastern coastal region of the continent. This was a large confederation of tribal villages.
The Wampanoag later came into conflict with the English and suffered great loss from disease with the remnants of their people being sold into slavery, many to the Caribbean islands; but their early relations with the colonists were helpful and supportive. The famous “Squanto” was part of this tribal group:
Tisquantum and other Wampanoag taught the non-native newly arrived Pilgrims how to cultivate varieties of corn, squash and beans (the Three Sisters); catch fish, and collect seafood.(1)
Thankfulness and Gratitude
As first conceived, this was a religious holiday, observed with piety and solemnity. Modern times sees it as a family time with parades, watching football games, and overeating as all part of the day.
What remains is the idea that we should take time to be thankful for our many blessings. Remembrance of the bounty of the nation we live in, gratitude for freedoms and for friendship and family. For religious and secular alike, it is time to recall the good things we enjoy the rest of the year.
There are many ways to explore history, but one avenue has a lot of family fun included.
Take trips through the State of Ohio to visit the places you are learning about, and have hands on experiences about the times long ago in museums and adventure parks.
Find historical markers and even make a challenge of traveling to the top fifteen (twenty, eventually) places in the history of Ohio.
Along the way, especially during the summer season, there are areas of wonder and beauty, and plenty to keep the family entertained.
It doesn’t have to cost and arm and a leg, either.
So for fun entertainment, economical travel ideas, and plenty of Ohio history, a trip through the state might be one of the most memorable ways to enjoy learning and being together as a family you have ever had.
The 17th State:
Ohio joined the United States of America on February 19, 1803
Important Events – Landmarks in Time
It is said that the Iroquois Indian word for “beautiful river” is the origin of the state name, and the Ohio River has certainly done much to shape the boundary, literally. It forms the southern border while Lake Erie forms the northern one. The earliest history of our land was made by the Indian populations, some tribes and civilizations long gone before the White man arrived and some changing as different groups of native peoples were increasingly pushed west.
A pioneer land that produced a number of the early presidents of this nation, a place where inventors and famous persons were born and their lives and work was formed. Ohio has plenty to teach us… guideposts along the timeline that have all sorts of stories to tell and to hear.
This is one of my favorite biographies of an American Indian Chief. Blue Jacket was the war chief of the Shawnees, a tribe that settled in mostly Central Ohio. The historical perspective is balanced and gives great insight into the tribal customs of the Shawnee. You will not regret time spent reading this well written and fascinating book.
A Travel In Time
Travel ideas taking history from earliest eras to today.
15 Suggested Historical Excursions
Indigenous Cultures, Woodland Tribes
Native Americans In The MidWest
What are some great ways to find out about history? Look through the following entries to find out facts, resources, and some of the history of this important member of the Union.
Ohio, formed from the Northwest Territories became a state in 1803, but was that the beginning of its history? What sort of land was this before the European arrived? Who first settled this State and what struggles did the land witness? Here is a taste of some of the facts, some of the legends, and some of the story, to introduce you to the land bound by the Beautiful Ohio River.
Where was the first place white explorers and settlers entered the State?
Who were the Native American tribes here, and what were they like?
Why are there “Perry” place names around the shores of Lake Erie?
Why were cities or counties named those odd, but familiar names?
Those are the types of questions that can create our quest to know more of the past of this place.
The Buckeye State
Known as the “Buckeye State”, Ohio’s State Tree is The Buckeye, “Aesculus glabra”, so-called for its beautiful brown nuts with a similarity to the eye of a deer (male deer called a “buck”)
Hmmm, let’s see, where to start? How about right in the middle of the state, where I live? And how about early times when Indians were the sole human inhabitants of this land of hills and plains, Deep forests with massive trees, and shining,rippling streams and rivers at the edge of the largest fresh water lakes in the world?
The Ancients
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The Serpent Mound in Adams County is not a lively place with amusement park atmosphere or rides, but it is an interesting place to see a prime example of the Mound Builder people’s work. There are many mounds and different earthworks throughout our state, but this is preserved and is a great place to enjoy a picnic and a quiet walk. It is also a geocache site.
Serpent Mound is the largest serpent effigy in the world.
Are you interested in following the trail of ancient earthworks?
Ohio’s Serpent Mound
Serpent Mound
Central Ohio And Ancient History
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Olentangy Indian Caverns
have been a local tourist attraction for many decades and there are lots of fun activities for a family outing. Besides taking a tour of the caves there is a miniature golf course, a gem mining experience, a museum and trading post, and it is nearby to other area attractions- the Columbus Zoo and Highbanks park (which has its own modest earthworks site).
If you are looking for fun activities to pair with your history discovery, put this place on your bucket list. You may want to visit before the opportunity disappears forever. (It is closing)
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Ohio Historical Center in Columbus will take a day to see all the exhibits. I think you should carry your bucket list of sights to see along with you, because you are going to find lots of information in the museum that makes this discovery trip richer.
There is a fee for parking and entrance. This will grant you access to two levels of exhibits and quite a bit to see inside an air conditioned building. Ohio Village is also on the grounds, which replicates a town of circa the Civil War era. It holds special events, consult their Calendar.
Upper Sandusky
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Indian Mill gives insights into the Wyandotte tribe and the early interactions between Indians, the American government and the small community of free and slave blacks who settled here after the War of 1812. Overland Inn Museum is also in this area, for a pleasant drive in Upper Sandusky.
Captured By Indians, Daniel Boone Blazed The Trail To Ohio
An exciting life of one of the first white settlers to enter this part of the nation and settle here (for awhile). Captured by Indians and made a member of their tribe, he escaped and returned to his family… this was but one of the larger than life adventures of this early American.
Zoar Village
Vintage engraving of Zoar Village
Northern Ohio Discovery
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Zoar Village is a restored village of the religious Separatists. Ten restored building with costumed interpreter staff to give a Williamsburg-like experience of life and products of this pre-Civil war community that exists within a living community of private homes. Visitors can also buy nineteenth-century reproduction wares. >Plan your visit between April and late October- things are closed up during winter months. Homeschoolers may be interested in Spring Homeschool Day with special events and pricing.
April 27 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
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Oliver Hazard Perry is pretty famous in the Great Lakes history, and there are many natural things to see while enjoying the beautiful Lake Erie Firelands area. Plan a trip to Kelleys Island, crossing the water in a ferry boat to arrive on a large Island. Visit Inscription rock and see the bare rocks that illustrate how glacial grooves were carved across the land in the last ice age. Lots of opportunities to camp, swim, and fish. I’ve always loved the Lake Erie shore and there are lots of activities for family vacations. If you get tired of the history and want to indulge in plain old fun go to Cedar Point! It is one of the premier Amusement Parks and calls itself the “Roller Coaster Capital”.
Cedar Point Amusement Park is located in Sandusky, on the Sandusky Bay.
Hanker for Archaeology?
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More for Ancient Indian and Indian culture aficionados, The Sun Watch Indian Village, in Dayton, has interpretive center and a store with lots of books and crafts. Restored prairie. Their programs and events, and more about what they offer can be found on their site.
Zanes Trace started out as an Indian trail, but became a major trail in early exploration days( until after the War of 1812 ). Travel through the cities of Zanesville, Lancaster, and Chillicothe followed this pathway leading to the Northwest Territory’s early development. If you start at Wheeling, you can simultaneously travel the National Road. Visit Degenhart Paperweight & Glass Museum in Cambridge, OH, and see the John and Annie Glenn Historic Site in that vicinity.
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Nothing tells a story better than a stage play, and the historical drama of Tecumseh is one of the most popular. Depicting Ohio country of the early 1800’s with the tale of one of the most famous of Indian Chiefs. Located at 5948 Marietta Road, Chillicothe, OH. | Phone: 740-775-4100
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One of my favorite areas is the Hocking Hills of the Southwestern part of the state. I have long loved visiting Old Man’s Cave for hikes. But did you know there is a Hocking Hills Train Tour that will take you on travel into times when Railroads forged a westward track through the nation? Find out more: 33 W. Canal Street, Nelsonville Phone: 800-967-7834
Traveling Train Tour for an unusual and memorable daytrip adventure.
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If you like self guided tours and want to see actual log cabins of the original pioneers, built by them and lived in, you are going to like Caesar’s Creek Pioneer Village. Supported by entry fees.
The two routes that pioneers followed to enter the Northwest territory as the lands were known at the time:
Zane’s Trace overland route
Via the Ohio River.
The oldest settlement was Martin’s Ferry, while Marietta claims to be the oldest permanent settlement (the official explanation is that “Martins Ferry remained an unincorporated settlement for a relatively long time”).
Building log cabins much like those seen in the Pioneer Village from the copious giant trees of forests that covered the territory, settlers soon began filling the forested wilderness with farms and then cities. From Lake Erie in the North and the Ohio River in the south, settlers made their way into the interior of what is now the Buckeye State.
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The Statehouse is full of significance and is home to an Abraham Lincoln monument. Take tours of the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, There are many types available.
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Thomas Edison, an inventor who lastingly impacted our lives has a birthplace museum in Milan. Rare exhibits of examples of many of Edison’s early inventions along with mementos and documents, the museum has the distinction of being run by members of the great inventor’s family.
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If you want to investigate more of the Civil War time history, there are many places that served as Underground Railroad stations for slaves fleeing slavery in hopes of a life of freedom. One of the entry points was the John Rankin House in Ripley, OH.
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Johnston Farm & Indian Agency in Piqua covers Native American, Frontier, and Canal History with lots to see and do. You might call it a one stop for all your history needs if time and travel are limited. Farmhouse tours, Canal boat rides, an education center and many events means that your family will have both a learning experience and lots of entertainment.
Thomas Edison invented what arguably might have most changed life for everyone in the modern age: the light bulb.
Combine a daytrip to his museum along with some background reading of his biography. Especially interesting to homeschoolers since he was homeschooled by his mother, due to struggles with academic learning.
Biographies for History Insights
The combination of learning history through visiting sites and reading the biographies of those who shaped their world is powerful.
Get a perspective that is full of living drama and pertinence.
INSPIRED YOU TO EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THE PLACES YOU VISIT, YET?
Do you think this is a fun way to learn history?
Athens in Hocking County
Ohio was once the Northwest Territory
The Northwest was not always the description of Washington State or Oregon. It once was the furthermost frontier for pioneers. Read about those times when our nation was first forged: 1720 through 1830.
Many events of history, heroes and villains created the nation we know as the United States. It is a fascinating story with the clash of English, French, Indians and early pioneers and patriots.
Ohio History Facts
Claimed by France and considered part of “New France” during the 17th Century
1756 – 1763 French and Indian War is fought to determine whether the territory is French or British in domain.
The American Revolution
Treaty of Greenville ends the Indian Wars in the state.
Official Date of Statehood : March 1, 1803
1842- The date that the last Indian tribe, the Wyandot, leave Ohio.
The Mighty Ohio River
Quick Facts in Ohio History
Chillicothe was Ohio’s first capital city.
Ohio’s state fossil is the trilobite. Lots of them are to be found in the native limestone.State Animal? White Tail Deer.The state stone is Flint. You may wish to visit the museum at Flint Ridge which has all sorts exhibits to learn about the ancient flint quarry at the site. (Located at 15300 Flint Ridge Rd in Glenford, OH)
Abraham Lincoln visited the Statehouse here three different times
Marietta was the first permanent settlement and was named in honor of Queen Marie Antoinette of France.
Daniel Boone was held captive by the Shawnee tribe near the Seven Caves area in Ohio. The area can be visited by going to the the Seven Caves Nature Preserve
State Motto: “With God, all things are possible”
In 1835, boundary disputes between Michigan and Ohio cause the Toledo War- so it wasn’t always about football!
Hearkening to the 1800’s
https://youtu.be/vZVthtyBgrM
German Immigrants Comprised 26% Of The People And Culture
Random Facts And Strange Tales
Exciting Places To Visit, Interesting Things to Know
Ohio History Central Ohio History Central is a growing, online digital encyclopedia dedicated the history of the State of Ohio.
The States center for many historical exhibits about Ohio from its earliest history through to our modern age. Located in the vicinity of OSU campus in Columbus, Ohio.
Now, we take flight for granted, but it started with the successful invention and bravado of the Wright Brothers
Up, Up, And Away
Dayton holds plenty of aviation history and museums to mark all the important highlights.
Want to know more about the astronaut who became a state senator? Look no further than the JOHN & ANNIE GLENN HISTORIC SITE in New Concord, Ohio. Additionally the National Road/Zane Grey Museum is in the same place, so you get more than one era and lots to look at in this one trip.
My family also uses Amazon Prime often, which saves us money on shipping and more.
Please support my site by using my links, thank you. This Page may contain affiliate links. “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases”
China
The best writing exercise for young children is a garden journal with pasted pictures of the plants and projects and words.
Garden catalogs, hardcopy or digital are a rich supply of pictures and information – just print out or cut out and paste into the journals. Seed packets can be saved and used, too.
Nature journals, garden journals, lapbooks about plants, can be worked into your homeschool curriculum and are especially useful in studying with the unit method. They are lasting items for school portfolios.
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