very child has fun creating paper airplanes! This awesome PowerUp® 4.0 Electric Paper Airplane Conversion Kit [1] by Tailor Toys, LLC allows the user to turn their own paper airplanes into a remote-controlled flying device! Just install the propelling machine as directed, and then download the flying app to control the device from your phone or tablet. QR codes are included which show the user some paper folding techniques and how to set up your flying machine. The battery, when fully charged, can fly for up to 10 minutes. The plane can be switched to trick mode and can fly up to 230 feet away from the controller. Features automatic stabilization for windy days.

One2go™ Wiggleboards™ [2] by Hearthsong® are great for children as they can safely ride them outside and around their neighborhood. Kids can kneel, crouch, sit or stand on the Wiggleboard. Its size makes it easy to ride in a variety of ways: a great way to strengthen the core of the body. This also helps make the Wiggleboard a safer alternative for children compared to riding a skateboard or longboard. The Wiggleboards maneuver easily; each wheel rotates 360 degrees. This fun outdoor toy encourages active play.

Bring out the new in what your child can do with our 2-in-1 Adjustable Gymnastics Training Bar and Ring Set [3] by Hearthsong®. This safe equipment is perfect for beginner and intermediate gymnasts (and otherwise active kids) to practice their skills and just feel the joy of play, all from the comfort of your own home. Plus, the mint green color freshens up a bedroom or playroom. A sturdy bar frame adjusts to five heights from 35” to 51” as your children grow. Use the included set of rings or just flip around the bar itself. The training bar is 38” wide, so it offers plenty of room. The structure is lightweight and folds quickly for storage. Add a nice, padded mat beneath or just some pillows and couch cushions!

Make any pair of sneakers a new pair of skates with the Flash Roller [4] by HQ Kites and Designs. Features two wheels for each shoe to make for easy balance and effortless skating. Easy to take on and off and will be adjustable to any size sneaker. Will be fun to take on the go as kids can now make anywhere their own personal skate rink. Just push and glide. One size fits all. ABEC 5 high-quality bearings. We advise that usual helmets and protective gear are worn when skating.

Are your kids stuck inside and running out of activities? This Playzone-fit Kidtrix™ Doorway Swing Set [5] by BolderPlay is just the solution! The sturdy alloy steel bar holds up to 150 pounds, acting as the doorway anchor. This swing can support even the liveliest swinger, providing a solid swing attachment for either the gym ring bar, the classic swing, or the soft, sensory hammock. The classic swing seat which clips onto the bar is adjustable to a variety of heights. Enjoy hours of active indoor play!

One2go™ Wiggleboards™ [2] by Hearthsong® are great for children as they can safely ride them outside and around their neighborhood. Kids can kneel, crouch, sit or stand on the Wiggleboard. Its size makes it easy to ride in a variety of ways: a great way to strengthen the core of the body. This also helps make the Wiggleboard a safer alternative for children compared to riding a skateboard or longboard. The Wiggleboards maneuver easily; each wheel rotates 360 degrees. This fun outdoor toy encourages active play.

Bring out the new in what your child can do with our 2-in-1 Adjustable Gymnastics Training Bar and Ring Set [3] by Hearthsong®. This safe equipment is perfect for beginner and intermediate gymnasts (and otherwise active kids) to practice their skills and just feel the joy of play, all from the comfort of your own home. Plus, the mint green color freshens up a bedroom or playroom. A sturdy bar frame adjusts to five heights from 35” to 51” as your children grow. Use the included set of rings or just flip around the bar itself. The training bar is 38” wide, so it offers plenty of room. The structure is lightweight and folds quickly for storage. Add a nice, padded mat beneath or just some pillows and couch cushions!

Make any pair of sneakers a new pair of skates with the Flash Roller [4] by HQ Kites and Designs. Features two wheels for each shoe to make for easy balance and effortless skating. Easy to take on and off and will be adjustable to any size sneaker. Will be fun to take on the go as kids can now make anywhere their own personal skate rink. Just push and glide. One size fits all. ABEC 5 high-quality bearings. We advise that usual helmets and protective gear are worn when skating.

Are your kids stuck inside and running out of activities? This Playzone-fit Kidtrix™ Doorway Swing Set [5] by BolderPlay is just the solution! The sturdy alloy steel bar holds up to 150 pounds, acting as the doorway anchor. This swing can support even the liveliest swinger, providing a solid swing attachment for either the gym ring bar, the classic swing, or the soft, sensory hammock. The classic swing seat which clips onto the bar is adjustable to a variety of heights. Enjoy hours of active indoor play!

s you are working with older children, sometimes you just need some different activities to keep the little ones occupied. Here are a few ideas for you to either pull out at certain times or have on hand for toddlers and younger children to grab and explore at their leisure.

Lacing Cards [1] by eeBoo are great for building hand-eye coordination and possibly even instilling a desire to sew. These lacing card sets feature boards made from recycled materials and vegetable-based inks. There are four different sets: Good Deeds, Occupations, Counting & Sorting, and Woodland Friends. Each set includes five lacing cards that feature cute animals and colorful laces for weaving.

Encourage children to explore and create as they play with one of these Sensory Activity Kits [2] by Hand2Mind®. Sensory play is essential for children to build fine motor and problem-solving skills. Each kit arrives in a sturdy wooden storage case with an easy-to-open sliding lid. Colorful double-sided play mats, beads, gems, modeling clay, shape cutters, a wooden clay roller, and more fill the inside compartments! An included guide provides suggestions to guide student learning, but these fabulous kits offer an amazing opportunity for creative free exploration, not to mention the development of motor skills and critical thinking. Best of all, the components are reusable, allowing children to create again and again as they think of new ideas! Choose from Wonders of Space, Into the Garden, or Counting and Sorting.

Sensory Squish Bags [3] by Creativity for Kids® are a quiet and calming activity to keep toddlers occupied when helping older students. Available in a butterfly garden or ocean adventure theme, the backgrounds have cute and colorful themed designs. It looks like a placemat or a large zip-close bag with gel and wee objects inside. Add water to the magic mix and once it becomes gel, pour into your bag. The bag seals tight and little fingers can work to move the objects around.

Introduce your little ones to simple machines with Wooden Gear Puzzles [4] by Melissa & Doug®. These unique wooden tray puzzles, when pieced together correctly, create mechanical gears that can interlock and be spun together. The designs on the floor puzzles feature playful animal scenes. Piece count varies depending on the puzzle.

A fun twist on the traditional shape sorter, Pop & Discover Activity Cube [5] by Learning Journey offers little ones a fresh way to develop problem-solving and motor skills. This six-sided activity cube has two sides for sorting the included plastic shapes, two sides with silicone bubble poppers in different sizes and patterns, and two sides with elastic bands for free exploration.

Arctic Polar Bear Stacking Blocks [6] by HaPe International provide a great way to keep little hands busy. The arctic polar bear blocks can be arranged in different ways to create a variety of attractive arctic scenes. Young children will love having creative freedom with the building blocks that also include two adorable polar bear figures.

Made of high-quality, food-grade silicone, Dena Magic Flip Sets [7] by Dena keep children entertained by flipping the shapes inside out so they take on exciting new forms. These shapes can also be stacked on top of each other to make new creations. Each set includes a portable travel bag so children can have fun on the go. Available in neon or pastel colors.

ant to help little ones build fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and hand-eye coordination? Koala Walla Bing Bang Game [8] (even the name sounds fun) by Roo™ Games is for ages four and up and can be played with two to six players. When you roll the dice and get a 1 or 2, you will move Wally up a segment on the tree. If you roll a “bang” you have to perform a task from the task cards pile before Wally slides down to the bottom of the tree and goes BANG! There are three bang tiles, so the goal is to get Wally to the top before using all three bang tiles. The game comes with twenty-five playing cards, three wooden bang pieces, a wooden die, wooden Koala, and tree pole.

Little Bakers [9] or Little Astronauts [10] card games by Professor Puzzles are designed for ages four and up; kids and parents can enjoy playing together. Players race to collect cards to complete their ingredient list for certain recipes or complete their solar system in the correct order while learning fun facts about each planet. Gameplay takes about 10 minutes depending on the players.

Another game for young players ages five to seven, Jungle of Riddles (Exit the Game Kids®) [11] by Thames and Kosmos is a cooperative game that has kids solving riddles and brainteasers to open the treasure chest. With a fun animal theme and minimal reading skills required, younger children will help the animals complete different tasks in their quest for treasure. With numerous task combinations and non-consumable components, the game is playable multiple times. Playtime is approximately 20 minutes, one to four players.

or slightly older children (ages eight and up), Less Chess™ – New Take on Chess [12] by Spin Master™ can be fun for both children and adults as it provides an adaptation of chess that makes for a quick and exciting game. Each player starts out with one piece on the game board and draws a card to see what piece they receive next. When a player can attack an opponent’s king with three pieces at once then they win! A round will only take around five minutes, so players can quickly rotate in and out and have many fast-paced matches.

Zensu Game [13] by Outset Media® is also a game for ages eight and up. Similar to chess and checkers, this game features a board with square spaces and twenty-four wooden pawns. There are twelve red pawns and twelve green pawns. Players start all their pieces on their own end of the board. Each piece shows how many spaces it can be moved in any direction. Players must move pieces the total number of spaces listed and cannot land on any of their own. If a piece moves over or lands on any opponent pieces, those pieces are moved off the board and eliminated from the game. The first player to reach the other side of the game board wins! Playtime is usually 30-45 minutes.

inner of numerous game awards, Word Witt™ [1] by Darling LLC is quick, fun, and educational! The whole family can join in on the fun or you can play in solitude. Roll the vowel dice and flip over a consonant card. Each player has 60 seconds to come up with as many words as possible using the vowels displayed on the dice and the specific consonants on the card. Each player adds up the points earned based on the words they created. Start another round by rolling the dice again and flipping over a new card. The first player to reach 100 points wins the game! Besides being an enjoyable game, this would also make an excellent supplement to your language arts curriculum! For ages six and up.

Lily Pad Letter Hop [2] by Hand2Mind® helps children improve their spelling and vocabulary. Each player takes turns launching frogs into the lily pads that will reveal different letters for them to use and make words out of. The goal is to form three-letter words; the first player to a certain number of words wins the game. For ages five and up. One to four players.

A quiet dice game? Yes, please! Pop the Box [3] by Blue Orange™ is small, portable, quiet, and can be played by one or two players, ages seven and up. Practice number recognition from 1-9 using the two dice and enjoying playing several different ways. Two instruction sheets are included, but you can also come up with your own creative games.

Practice counting using addition and subtraction through twenty with Math Island [4] by Learning Resources®. For ages six and up, this fun game is filled with risks, from crumbling bridges and quicksand to the temple guards! Gameplay is straightforward, but watch out for the erupting volcano! Be the first to leave Math Island in this fast-paced game that is fun for the whole family! For two to four players.

Scout it Out! [5] by Skillmatics® has you building your geography skills with interactive play. Each game features a game board with a map on it. The game cards include six facts about a specific country or state (depending on the game), and players must take turns rolling the dice for clues until they are able to identify the location on the map. The player who correctly identifies the location gets to keep that card and receive a bonus token. Bonus tokens can be played before each round to get additional clues. The first player to collect five cards wins the game! Provides fun and education for ages seven and up. For three to six players; 30-minute playtime.

his spring, take advantage of the season to do some bird-watching. With nest building, egg laying and hatching, and the different bird calls, you can even create a unit study using different resources.

Enjoy a close-up view of your favorite feathered friends with the Window Bird Feeder [6] by HaPe International. Strong and sturdy suction cups ensure that the bird feeder will support the weight of birdseed and common songbirds, even staying securely attached to your window through seasonal weather changes like gusty winds. The design includes drainage gutters to funnel rain away from the feeder and a roof to discourage squirrels! Made of sustainable bamboo, this eco-friendly window feeder provides an excellent opportunity to bird watch from the comfort of your own home. Also included is a small format, fold-out bird log to introduce children to journaling their observations.

Birdwatcher [7] by Renegade Game Studios allows you to capture the wonder and excitement of all that birding has to offer. Call Sicklebill birds to your forest, place them in your journal, and earn points for having the largest Sicklebill collection at the end of the game. Earn citation points for your bird collections. Then choose and publish books that reward you for specific numbers and types of birds in your photo journal or that provide immediate rewards. This beautiful game is fast-paced. Once you are familiar with the rules, it can be played in 30 to 45 minutes. Each card also has the common and scientific name for each bird depicted as well as a phonetic spelling of the bird call it makes. When any player collects the specified number of cards in their journal, the game ends, and the person with the most points wins! There is a guide to ethical birding, photography, and facts about Birds-of-Paradise in the game manual. A solo mode is included. For one to five players.

Mix the game play of Go Fish with birds and you get the Bird Families Card Game [8] by Laurence King. There are forty-four cards with four cards representing eleven different bird families. The object is to get all four cards of a family and lay them down. The player with the most completed bird families at the end of the game is the winner!

The Earth Aware Conservation Series brings you the Field Guide to Magnificent Birds Jigsaw Puzzle [9] by Insight Editions. From the American White Pelican to the Wandering Albatross, this 500-piece puzzle features intricately designed and colorful pieces. Includes a 32-page pocket guide to various birds around the world! Perfectly balanced between challenging and relaxing, this puzzle is sure to delight the first-time puzzler as much as the experienced puzzle fan. 19.7”x 13.76” is the completed size. Recommended for ages twelve and up.

xploring rocks and gems is a fun, yet educational, activity for all ages.

Get creative with the Glow in the Dark Rock Painting Kit [1] by Buddy & Barney and make colorful designs that will make these rocks glow in the dark! This set includes bright neon paint colors along with two brushes and five rocks. An enclosed manual contains step-by-step instructions for painting different designs on your rocks that include a unicorn, mummy, donut, and more. This kit will provide a fun art activity for children or adults and includes everything you need to get started painting!

A perfect gift for the rock lovers in your life, this Ultimate Gemstone & Dig Kit [2] by Klutz features thirty rolled, shiny stones that would fit well in any rock collection! Of the thirty stones, twelve of them are birthstones. Also, one of the stones is a mystery stone hidden inside of a dig kit that the user can uncover and discover! Included with the kit are dig tools and a 32-page guidebook with activities to complete.

Why dig into any ole dig brick, when you can experience one of the world’s greatest geological treasures with Wonders of the World Dig Kits [3] by HaPe International. Aspiring geologists of all ages will enjoy excavating gemstones in these themed kits. Simply spray a little water on the structured dig brick to soften it. Once the brick begins to soften, gently dig up the beautiful gemstones with the included kid-sized excavation tools. Brush lightly and discover the beauty of the excavated gems, just like a real geologist! Kits include the digging brick, display block, mallet, brush, spray bottle, gemstones, and a world wonders map.

Fossilis Board Game [4] by Kids Table Board Gaming allows you to capture the excitement of arriving at a prehistoric dig site in the role of a paleontologist where a large deposit of dinosaur fossils is waiting to be excavated. Claim special tools and supplies cards that provide resources and points by removing tiles that cover the dig site. Learn about the environments that specific dinosaurs lived in as well as the types of foods they ate by discovering their bones, excavating them, and pairing them with dinosaur cards to earn game points. Plaster is needed to excavate the discovered bones; once that resource is depleted, game-end is triggered. The player with the most points wins! Kids will learn long-term planning as well as tactical skills. This game can be played with two to five players and takes less than an hour.

ina Burmeier and her husband homeschooled their three kids using many Charlotte Mason and classical programs. Realizing all three kids were very different, taking an eclectic approach gave them a great opportunity to meet all their children’s needs. For years, they traveled together as a family to homeschool conventions representing Rainbow Resource Center. She has thoroughly enjoyed meeting and talking with many homeschoolers over the years. With all three kids now college graduates, she is a consultant in the office at Rainbow and continues to enjoy helping homeschoolers with curriculum questions. She is very passionate about researching curriculum and learning styles as she helps other homeschoolers find the best fit for their children.

mber Garcia studied Elementary Education and music at Bible college. There she met her husband and began the journey of ministry and family. Giving their four children a Christian education became the focus and they purposed making that happen by putting them in a Christian school where they were teaching some years and homeschooling other years. Now Amber is a homeschool consultant at Rainbow Resource Center helping other homeschoolers with curriculum questions. Amber loves finding the key to help each student learn in their own way.