Teach Math with Thanksgiving Turkey Hand Craft!

How are you going to celebrate this year’s Thanksgiving holiday? Creating DIY decorations is all part of boosting the festivity in your home. Freshen up your crafts-making session with your Blaster by integrating some math learning activities into it!

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You will need a few simple materials:

  • Colored paper (orange, red, pink/yellow, brown/beige, black, and white)
  • Scissors
  • Glue/tape

Start by asking your kid to trace the outline of their hands on the colored papers. Make about 6 hand shapes and cut them out with a pair of scissors. To add a little learning into the activity, ask your kid to do the 5 times table by using the cutout hand shapes. Afterwards, overlap the hand shapes to make a loose fan shape that resembles turkeys’ feathers.

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Then, trace your kid’s feet on beige or brown colored paper and cut them out. Overlap the two feet shape to create a pear shape that resembles the body of a turkey. Decorate the turkey’s body with round oval eyes, a sharp beak, and feet with shapes cut out from colored paper. While you are drawing these shapes and cutting them out, quiz your kid on the names of these shapes.

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This simple and hassle-free craft can both liberate your kid’s creativity while practicing some basic math concepts. Let us know what your thoughts are on this unique genre of learning and comment below!

Deck Out Your Pod

After saving the galaxy from aliens and asteroid fields, it is nice for a Blaster to kick back and relax in their Pod. Not only is it a great place to unwind, but you can decorate your Pod to match your own style. Take a look at some of the fun things you can do with your Pod.

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Go to the store and browse through a ton of different types of furniture. Are you in the mood for a certain theme? Perhaps you like to mix and match styles that fit your particular taste. Pick out various beds, couches, tables, chairs, and electronic devices to give your room a signature look. Once you have purchased your furniture, go into your inventory to place them in your Pod. Give your Pod a welcoming atmosphere with your unique style.

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One of the coolest features about your Pod is the Star Status. Here you can see the progress you have made during your training at the Intergalactic Space Station. Watch in awe as you collect more stars and they begin to form a constellation. As you gain more experience, you can proudly display your Star Status for fellow Blasters to see.

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Finally, relax alongside your Monster Mutt as they can enjoy their very own Mutt Pod. There you can care for your Mutt and decorate its Mutt Pod. Choose the perfect style for your companion that will make them feel right at home.

While you may be floating in outer space, that does not mean you cannot have a place to call home while at the Intergalactic Space Station. Check out all the awesome features your Pod and Mutt Pod have to offer and start giving them a look that exemplifies your personality.

Worksheet of the Week

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Fall-themed Math Activities

What are you going to do with your leftover pumpkins and the excessive amount of candies your Blaster collected when they were trick or treating on Halloween night? Why not use these items to complete a few autumn-themed math activities with your kid! Read on to find some creative ideas to keep your child engaged and excited about learning!

Measuring a Pumpkin

Pick your roundest pumpkin and ask your kid to give you the measurements of all or a few of the following: circumference, weight, height, diameter, area, and volume. This is a fun and practical approach to teach your Blaster the basics of shapes, while teaching your kid the importance of recycling unused materials!

Photo by Elle C.

Photo by Elle C.

Counting Corn Roll

Young children or toddlers particularly enjoy this activity. Create a shape of a corn on yellow and green cardstock, and place it firmly on the table. Place the candy corns, M&Ms, or any other sweet confectionaries your kid hunted down on Halloween in separate bowls. Or you can make it more challenging by mixing all the candies in one bowl and ask your kid to separate it. Prepare two (or three, depending how many kinds of candies you plan to use) dice. Roll each dice once, and tell your young kid to count out the number of candies needed, and arrange it on the corn. Go over the results and enjoy the candies together to clear the corn for another round!

Making Play Dough

This hands-on activity focuses on sensory learning and will definitely keep your kid interested and engaged! This simple recipe allows you make your own play dough at home with your Blaster, while teaching him or her about measurements and rationing. Here is what you need:

  • 2 cups of plain/all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of tartar cream
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ cups of just-boiled water, food coloring or paint
  • Pinch of spices – group cinnamon o grated nutmeg

Mix all the ingredients together, knead until the mixture becomes dough, and ask your kid to start using their creativity to make amazing figures!

Photo by Jason Lander

Photo by Jason Lander

Creating an Autumn Leaf Number Line

If you are looking for a fun and artistic way to get your kid familiar with counting numbers, try making a number line made out of autumn leaves you can find in your backyard or on the streets. It can also double up as a festive decoration for your kid’s room or your home.

Let us know if these fall-themed math activities helped get your kid interested in math and share your experience with us by leaving a comment below!

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