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A Crash Course in STEM: 10 Easy Ways to Introduce STEM Learning at Home
- EI Editor Posted On Sep 3, 2015 | Educational Tips
If you’ve got school-aged children or follow educational news, you’ve probably heard about STEM. But what IS STEM, exactly? And why is it suddenly so important? Read on for answers to some of your most pressing STEM questions and ideas for simple STEM activities you can do at home with your kids this STEM-tember.What IS STEM?STEM is an American educational curriculum implemented in 2009 by President Obama, emphasizing Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering in public schools. Rather than teaching these subjects individually, STEM is a blended approach that integrates the subjects into single lessons in an attempt to teach real-world, scientific, problem solving and strategic thinking skills.
Why is STEM important?America grew to be a global super power based, in part, on our superior science and engineering skills. The role STEM careers will play in our country’s continued success is growing exponentially. However, the number of students interested in and qualified to pursue these fields has diminished drastically over the years. By the year 2018, the U.S. will need 8.65 million workers trained in STEM fields*, but currently, according to the U.S. Department of Education, only 16% of American high school seniors are proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career. As a result, there is a push to increase the number of teachers trained in STEM instruction and to encourage students’ interest in pursuing STEM careers, in hopes of enabling America to continue to compete in the future global marketplace. This effort is so important to the U.S. government that the President’s 2015 Fiscal Year Budget Proposal included $170 million in new funding just to support the STEM initiative.
What can I do to reinforce STEM learning at home?There are tons of fun ways you can support STEM learning at home, with FUN being the key word. Introducing the STEM subjects in playful, real-world ways increases the chance that your kids will want to continue to study them through school and beyond. Think scavenger hunt—not flash cards! Below are 10 ideas to get you started:- Block play—Building with blocks is a great way to introduce key STEM principles. How many bricks will you use? Why did the tower topple? How can you build a bridge? An arch?
- Baking—Whipping up a sweet treat isn’t just together-time fun—it’s also an easy way to slip in a yummy lesson on measurement. How much is a tablespoon? A cup? What units do we use to measure liquids? Solids?
- Kitchen chemistry—Kids love to measure, pour, mix, and add some more. Explore the basic principles of chemistry with a kit designed just for little ones, like the GeoSafari® Jr. Jungle Crew Lab Set including 10 hands-on activity cards.
- Active math—Make math fun with movement! Take turns counting your steps or hula hoop spins and timing your races. Subtract to see who wins and by how much.
- Nature collections—Take a walk and collect natural fall objects, like leaves, grass, nuts, and seeds. Discuss where they came from, why they look the way they do, and what purpose they serve. Google any unanswered questions when you get home.
- Board games—Card games are a great way to hone strategic thinking skills. Koala Capers is a fun strategy game for younger kids; Crowded Waters develops problem solving skills and teaches older kids to think a few steps ahead.
- Coding games—Introduce the basic concepts of coding with fun on-line games designed just for kids. Websites like Code.org feature games with familiar characters like Anna and Elsa and tutorials starring Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Angry Birds, and Plants vs. Zombies to lure in older kids.
- Upcycled art—Engineering meets art! Provide a pile of recycled materials and let your kids go crazy building upcycled structures. Be sure to include a variety of materials, from egg cartons and empty milk containers to paper scraps.
- Stargazing—An evening of stargazing is a wonderful way to introduce astronomy. Start simple, by locating the moon through an easy-to-use telescope like Nancy B’s Moonscope, then move on to constellations and planets. Click for 7 Simple Tips for a Night of Stellar Stargazing.
- Marble Runs—Put your kids’ math, engineering, and scientific know-how to the test by building your own marble run! Follow our step-by-step instructions to learn how.
Holiday Gifts for 7- and 8-Year-Olds That Build Self-Confidence
Your elementary-aged kiddo is growing by leaps and bounds! These years are some of the most exciting in your child’s development, as they’re making noticeable advances in language development, social emotional development, and the mastery of academic concepts.
One of the biggest factors impacting your child’s happiness, health, and success is self-confidence. Confident kids are better equipped to deal with frustration, failure, and peer pressure, and to overcome challenges that come their way. You can help boost your kiddo’s self-confidence by choosing holiday gifts that nurture your child’s sense of self-worth. As the holidays approach, the Experts in Play are sharing some of their favorite, confidence-building holiday toys for 7- and 8-year-olds, including:
Artie Max – Build your child’s confidence, encourage creativity, and introduce the wonderful world of coding with this year’s must-have holiday gift! Artie Max, teaches kids to code amazing works of art in five different coding languages, beginning simply and building on what kids learn to tackle more advanced languages. Perfect for who love robots, computers, video games, art, and creating, Artie Max features crystal-clear, step-by-step instructions to engage kids in the wonderful world of coding while building STEM confidence.
Dice of Fury – Build math skills—and math confidence—with this furiously fast, whole-family dice game! Flip a challenge card and all players start rolling (and re-rolling), placing their die in their die holder one by one until they match the card. Players add, subtract, think even and odd, and complete mental math challenges as they play, building math confidence and creating a solid math skills foundation.
Circuit Explorer Deluxe Base Space Station – Help build your space-loving child’s focus and attention with a circuit building construction set they can assemble themselves! Kids follow a series of symbols to assemble the pieces and connect various circuits, activating lights, movement, and sound. When complete, the pieces are perfect for space-themed, imagination-building pretend play.
Kanoodle – Encourage problem solving and critical thinking skills, increase your child’s attention span, and provide opportunities for success with this best-selling, brain-twisting puzzle game. Place the pieces shown in the challenge book, then use your noggin to fit the rest. There are hundreds of possible combinations, but only one completes the puzzle correctly. With 200 challenges to complete, Kanoodle will keep your 7- or 8-year-old engaged all season long.
BrainBolt® Game – It takes focus and attentiveness to remember the order of the flashing light sequence and follow along without breaking the pattern in this mind-melding light-up memory game perfect for holidays at home or holiday travel! With both solo and two-player modes, kids can challenge friends and family to see who can remember the longest sequence.
Nancy B's Science Club Microscope and Activity Journal – Take hands-on exploration to the next level this holiday season! This kid-friendly microscope and activity journal set provides experience with a real, scientific tool and builds scientific confidence that transfers to the classroom. With a 400x zoom microscope, 26-piece scientific tool set, and 22-page activity journal, kids will be building STEM skills that last for years to come.
Nancy B’s Science Club® MoonScope™ & Sky Gazer's Activity Journal – Broaden your budding astronomer’s scope and build their scientific confidence with this 90x magnification stargazing MoonScope and 22 page activity journal packed with engaging activities. Specifically designed to get kids outside to explore the world and stay curious, this MoonScope will make an out-of-this world holiday gift for the special space-lover in your life.
Confidence is one of the biggest gifts a care giver can give a child. This holiday season, choose gifts that do double duty, delighting your big kids AND building the self-esteem and confidence they need to grow and thrive.
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Inspire New Interests with Holiday Gifts for 5- and 6-Year-Olds
Your just-starting-school aged kiddo is doing some pretty amazing growing up! Before your very eyes, your little one is probably becoming more independent; getting better at drawing and coloring; discovering new hobbies (daily?); and getting really curious about the world around them. This holiday season, surprise your 5- or 6-year-old with super fun toys and games that also help them discover new interests and build their kid-confidence. The Experts at Play are here to help with this list of our favorite holiday gifts for 5- and 6-year-olds, including:
PaperCraft Fashion Parade – Your little fashionista will LOVE this oversized paper doll set featuring 24 dolls and 160 outfits to color, mix and match and you’ll love to see them building fine motor skills and expressing their creativity and individuality! Dolls and outfits come in a travel-ready, spiral-round book for fun on the go and easily stick (and unstick) to tables, walls, doors, and floors for a real-life fashion parade.
Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Fire Truck – Great for fans of first responders! Busy builders use a real, working, kid-safe drill to build their very own firetruck, complete with a hinged ladder and fire and water toppers, at the same time building critical fine motor skills! An included Bolt Buddy firefighter, fire chief, and Dalmatian dog pal are perfect for hours of imaginative pretend play fun.
Design & Drill Adventure Circuits – Inspire an interest in engineering, engage your kiddo’s natural curiosity, and encourage problem solving with a DIY circuit set designed specifically for 5-year-olds! Kids use a real, working power drill to drill, bolt, and connect circuits and complete 20 different missions. Kids will not only be totally engaged in STEM learning, they will also feel proud of their problem-solving skills after completing the missions!
Circuit Explorer Rover – Light up the learning this holiday season with a 3-in-1 circuit building, construction play, imagination building set! Kids follow the symbols to assemble the vehicle and connect its circuits all by themselves, then blast into STEM learning and pretend play fun with a Communication Station, rotating Radar Dish, Powered Space Rover, and free-wheeling Space Rover, both with light-up headlights.
The Playfoam Game – Family game night just got squishier! Encourage those social skills, foster creativity, and build fine motor skills and hand strength with The Playfoam Game! Fun for the whole family, players take turns racing against the clock to sculpt or guess a clue using squishy, squashy, non-toxic Playfoam.
GeoSafari Jr. Kidscope – Help your curious kiddo answer some of their most pressing questions about the world around them with this kid-tough microscope featuring 15 slides with 60 amazing images, 200 fun facts, 3x magnification, extra-large eyepieces, and an easy-focus knob. This introductory microscope was designed specifically with kids in mind and is the perfect gift to support STEM learning and scientific discovery.
GeoSafari Jr. Talking Globe –Expose your tiny traveler to the wonders of the world and introduce them to exciting, new places without ever leaving home! With this talking globe, featuring the voice of Wildlife Warrior Bindi Irwin, touch the smart stylus to any spot on the globe to hear a cool fact, measure the distance between two locations, or just explore
GeoSafari Jr. Talking Wildlife Camera – Is your child an animal lover who can’t get enough of furry, scaly, and feathered creatures? Take a photo safari with Wildlife Warrior Robert Irwin! Kids can view 130 built-in high-def images and listen to more than 200 fun facts and quiz questions designed to engage curious kids in the amazing wildlife of the world.
Design & Drill Toolbox – Busy builders can experience the thrill of the drill, using a real, working, kid-safe drill and five manual tools to build patterns and pictures out of colorful bolts. They’ll also be building fine motor skills, practicing early STEM skills, and gaining an understanding of how tools work! When they’re ready for a break, all parts and pieces pack easily into the included tool kit ‘til next time.
This holiday season, help the little ones on your list develop their interests, find new passions, and ignite the spark that keeps them coming back for more!
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