Model of a lighthouse activity to learn the parts of a lighthouse
Create a model lighthouse, play a lighthouse game, read books about lighthouses, “tour” lighthouses using YouTube, and even eat a lighthouse in this fun, hands-on lesson or “play date” activity! I created this “lesson” to do as a two hour “play date” with my young children and some of their friends. Use this fun lesson with your class, preschool, family, or homeschool co-op group!
Obedience
Reenacting Abraham sacrificing Isaac – Image credit: http://firstcumberlandpresbyterian.org/groups/children
- Pray. Read and discuss Proverbs 6:20-23.
- Briefly discuss obedience. Read about Abraham sacrificing Isaac & act out using towel for head, staff, and plastic knife for Abraham, bundle of sticks for Isaac, construction paper ram horns and a leafy branch for the bush for the ram and then simply the voice for God. Discuss obedience to God and compare with Adam and Eve’s obedience.
YOU WILL NEED:
- towel for head, “staff” (a stick or a large Christmas candy cane decoration), a plastic knife, a bundle of sticks, construction paper ram horns, & a leafy branch
- Read “Beacons of Light” by Gail Gibbons.
YOU WILL NEED:
- Beacons of Light by Gail Gibbons or other book introducing lighthouses
Create a Lighthouse
One of the lighthouse models we made
- Briefly discuss what lighthouses are and how ships have to be obedient to signal of danger by lighthouses or else they could crash.
- Review the pictures of lighthouses in the book. Make a model of a lighthouse by following the directions at www.cheslights.org.
YOU WILL NEED: (per child)
- paper plate, 16 oz or larger Styrofoam cup, 1 inch toilet paper roll piece, construction paper, scissors, toothpick, wooden bead or pony bead, glue (foam or tacky glue works best), scotch tape, regular markers, & permanent markers
Play the Lighthouse Game
- Read Abbie Against the Storm by Marcia K. Vaughan.
YOU WILL NEED:
- Play the Lighthouse Game:
- One child gets to be the lighthouse. All the other children get to be ships lost in the dark on a stormy night.
- The child who is the lighthouse will stand on a chair (an “island”).
- All the other children will see where the “lighthouse” is and where the kitchen is. They will be blindfolded, spun around a few times, and set loose to try to find the “safe harbor” (our kitchen).
- The child who is the lighthouse will warn the other children away from himself or herself by constantly making a horn sound.
- The “ships” will have to listen carefully to the lighthouse in order to orient themselves and head to the safe harbor of the kitchen.
- If the weather is nice and you have a safe area to do this, playing this game outdoors is a great option.
- Let each child have a chance at being the lighthouse.
YOU WILL NEED:
- a blindfold for each child
Lighthouse Snack
Making edible lighthouses
- Pass out a container of yogurt to each child. Have a plate of round crackers, mozzarella cheese stick pieces that have been cut into 3/4 inch sections, grapes, and toothpicks. Have the children make an edible lighthouse snack using any of the materials. Now eat the lighthouse!
YOU WILL NEED:
- a lighthouse-shaped container of yogurt (like Yoplait) per child, round crackers, mozzarella cheese sticks that have been cut into 3/4 inch sections, grapes, toothpicks, and a spoon & napkin per child
- Review what you learned about obedience and lighthouses.
More Great Picture Books on Lighthouses
The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift – Book image is from amazon.com
In addition to the books we used in the lesson, we also enjoyed:
- The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge by Hildegarde H. Swift
- The Lighthouse Cat by Sue Stainton
- The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter by Arielle North Olson
- Lighthouse Dog to the Rescue by Angeli Perrow
- Jules The Lighthouse Dog by P.T. Custard
- The Lighthouse Children (I Can Read Book 1) by Syd Hoff
- Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie (On My Own History) by Connie Roop , Peter Roop
- Birdie’s Lighthouse by Deborah Hopkinson
- North American Lighthouses Coloring Book (Dover American History Coloring Books) by John Batchelor
Want more activity ideas? Check out:
- Lighthouses of North America!: Exploring Their History, Lore & Science (Kaleidoscope Kids) by David Trumbauer
- Lighthouses for Kids: History, Science, and Lore with 21 Activities (Volume 26) (For Kids series) by Katherine L. House
Visit Lighthouses on YouTube
Looking for all of my lessons written for preschool school and kindergarten aged children?
Building a birdhouse during the lesson on home construction
Explore horse breeds, gaits, diet, and more through games, cooking, and activities in the lesson on horses. Create a model lighthouse, play a lighthouse game, read books about lighthouses, “tour” lighthouses using YouTube, and even eat a lighthouse in this fun, hands-on lesson on lighthouses. Act like privates while training at boot camp, paint camo-style hats, set up a tent, battle using army men, and more in this exciting lesson the military.
- Fun, FREE Hands-on Preschool Lessons for Kids – Fun, free hands-on Preschool lessons – Learning through Doing: Experiments, Cooking, Dramatizations, Edible Projects, Games, Crafts – Horses, Construction, Attributes of God, Science, Manners, Butterflies, Lighthouses, Ladybugs, Sheep, Japan, Military, Gingerbread Man, Laws & Obedience
- My Science Lessons and Unit Studies (17 unit studies & 90 lessons) – Astronomy, Geology, Biology, Plants, Genetics, CSI, Human Anatomy, Simple Machines, Electricity, Earth Science, Fossils, Weather, Five Senses, & Ecology
- Fun, FREE Hands-on Unit Studies – Looking for all of my lessons and unit studies? Over the years I have posted over 30 science and social-studies based unit studies, compromised of more than 140 lessons. For each lesson I have included activities (with photos), our favorite books and YouTube video clips, lapbook links, and other resources. I posted links to all of my unit studies and lessons at the above link.
- My KONOS Volume I Lessons – Are you using KONOS or curious about what hands-on unit studies look like in real life? Here are my pictures & lessons that describe our adventures as we roll up our sleeves and have F-U-N while learning! I have divided my KONOS co-op lessons in the order presented in KONOS Volume I. You can follow along even if you’re doing these lessons with only your family.
KONOS Curriculum
KONOS Volume I
Konos Curriculum
Would you like to teach this way every day?
I use KONOS Curriculum as a springboard from which to plan my lessons. It’s a wonderful Christian curriculum and was created by moms with active children!
KONOS Home School Mentor – If you’re new to homeschooling or in need of some fresh guidance, I highly recommend KONOS’ HomeSchoolMentor.com program! Watch videos on-line of what to do each day and how to teach it in this great hands-on format!
© 2012 Shannon
Have You Ever Visited a Lighthouse? – Or just leave a note to let me know you dropped by! I love getting feedback from you!
Shannon (author) from Florida on September 15, 2015:
Thank you so much for visiting! Yes, the Donald Duck video is a favorite!
Essie from Southern California on August 02, 2015:
This was a delightful Hub, and I’m thrilled to see a Hub promoting the fun and education of lighthouses! I enjoyed the videos as well. The Donald Duck one has been a long time favorite!
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