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Slip Into Something a Little STEM-ier! 5 Fun, Science-Based Costume Ideas
- EI Editor Posted On Oct 1, 2015 | Learning Through Play
It’s October! Time for dressing up and tricks and treats. This year, why not steer your kids towards a STEM-themed Halloween costume? Something truly science-inspired? Who knows… it just might stick (kind of like those Starburst Minis you’ll have stuck in your teeth the week after Halloween!).
We’ve seen several variations of this silly, and yes—a little creepy—costume, but the basics involve a lab coat, glasses, crazy hair, and as many scientific tools as your kiddo can carry (consider gluing them to a single sheet of cardboard to make them easier to carry). Ghoulish face paint kicks this crazy costume up a notch. Gloves and tie optional.
To play this fabulous physicist,you’ll need hair—and lots of it. Look for a grey or white wig with matching eyebrows and moustache. Add a collared shirt, sweater or jacket, and tie – neck or bow will do. www.nowtime.xyz If you do it right, you shouldn’t need the E=MC2 sign, but keep it in your back pocket, just in case.
If you’re looking for an out-of-this-world costume, look no further than an astronaut. You’ll need a jumpsuit – silver, white, or orange are best – and a helmet – a bike helmet works, as does a mixing bowl or utility bucket with a window cut out.If you really want to launch this costume to the next level, add a home-made jet pack.
Who could forget OUR favorite scientist, Nancy B? The key to Nancy B is the lab coat, glasses, goggles, and magnifying glass. Oh, and a big smile – don’t forget that. Insider tip: Nancy only writes with purple pens—slide one into your lab coat pocket and you’ll be ultra-authentic.
Mad Scientist
We’ve seen several variations of this silly, and yes—a little creepy—costume, but the basics involve a lab coat, glasses, crazy hair, and as many scientific tools as your kiddo can carry (consider gluing them to a single sheet of cardboard to make them easier to carry). Ghoulish face paint kicks this crazy costume up a notch. Gloves and tie optional.Einstein
To play this fabulous physicist,you’ll need hair—and lots of it. Look for a grey or white wig with matching eyebrows and moustache. Add a collared shirt, sweater or jacket, and tie – neck or bow will do. www.nowtime.xyz If you do it right, you shouldn’t need the E=MC2 sign, but keep it in your back pocket, just in case.Astronaut
If you’re looking for an out-of-this-world costume, look no further than an astronaut. You’ll need a jumpsuit – silver, white, or orange are best – and a helmet – a bike helmet works, as does a mixing bowl or utility bucket with a window cut out.If you really want to launch this costume to the next level, add a home-made jet pack.- Spray paint two empty, clean liter soda bottles silver.
- Cut several pieces of red and orange tissue paper or felt into “flame shapes”, line the inside of the bottle openings with glue, and insert
- Cut holes at the top and bottom of each side of the cardboard and insert webbing, tying under your child’s armpits to make straps.
- Using a hot glue gun, attach both bottles, opening down, to the sheet of cardboard.
Martian
Photo courtesy of ChicaCircle.com - Pauline Molinari
Nancy B
Who could forget OUR favorite scientist, Nancy B? The key to Nancy B is the lab coat, glasses, goggles, and magnifying glass. Oh, and a big smile – don’t forget that. Insider tip: Nancy only writes with purple pens—slide one into your lab coat pocket and you’ll be ultra-authentic. 
Freedom Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization that betters the lives of children, veterans, active duty soldiers, and adults with disabilities by pairing them with custom-trained service dogs, free of charge. The organization rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to open doors, pick things up, pull wheelchairs, get help, turn on lights, and follow more than 50 other helpful commands, and also provides support for the dog’s lifetime.In addition to servicing those with autism, traumatic brain injuries, Cerebral Palsy, spinal cord injuries, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder, Freedom Service Dogs of America also participates in programs for humane education, disabilities awareness, at-risk youth, and rehabilitation therapy.To learn more about Freedom Service Dogs of America or to make a contribution, visit 
For every person on the Earth, there are 1.5 billion bugs. Seriously! And some of them are pretty spectacular. We’ve rounded up a few of the wildest ones for you here, along with some fun facts about each of these crazy creatures. If your kids love bugs as much as we do, check out our 
Habitat – Japan, of course.Height - This bonkers bumble bee is actually about 3 inches long – that’s bigger than your thumb!Fun Fact – When threatened, the hornet shoots poison - in your eye! And if that wasn’t bad enough, the poison doubles as a rally cry, calling more hornets to help! The Puss Moth Caterpillar
Habitat – Europe, Asia, and North AfricaHeight – The caterpillars can be 3 inches or longer; the wingspan of the moth is about 1.5 inches.Fun Fact – The “face” of this creepy caterpillar is actually a form of mimicry intended to scare off predators. The black eye spots and giant mouth are just a ruse to hide the caterpillar’s real head, which rests inside. Oh, and the horns on its back can spray acid! The Spiny Flower Mantis
Habitat – AfricaHeight – This itty bitty beauty stands about 1.5 inches tall.Fun Fact – They may look as sweet as flowers, but the Spiny Flower Mantis is actuallya cannibal – theyeat their own kind, which makes mating particularly difficult! The Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
Habitat – North AmericaHeight – These wanna-be hummingbirds have a wingspan of roughly 2 inches.Fun Fact – This giant moth feeds through its proboscis, which looks a lot like a hummingbird’s beak. The Planthopper Nymph
Habitat – These babies really get around, making their homes all over the globe, including north of the Arctic Circle!Height – See the swirly wrinkles on your fingertips? Planthopper Nymphs are about the size of the center swirl.Fun Fact – These baby Planthoppers have a system of gears in their legs that help synchronize all of their legs when jumping! Oh, and that sparkly stuff on their backsides? It’s made of waterproof wax that slows their descent when falling and also scares away predators. 
Summer’s right around the corner – time for trips to the shore, poolside play, and, of course, backyard barbecues! Check out these tried-and-true tips backyard barbecue game ideas to make your next BBQ as much fun for your little ones as it is for the grown-ups.Let’s Race!Kids love to race! These outdoor summer games for families get kids moving and burn up some excess energy while they wait for their burgers and baked beans!
Story time isn’t just for little kids – older kids love to be read to, too! Elementary school teachers know that reading to their students increases their vocabularies (a proven predictor of academic success), as well as aiding with focus and attention span, and introducing new subjects in a casual, comfortable way.As summer approaches, consider continuing this teacher tradition by reading aloud to your kids at home.The former-teachers on our team have curated a list just for elementary school students, including some of their favorite read-aloud picks. Check out these best books for middle schoolers and choose the ones your kiddos will love!
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst – Your kids have seen the movie – now read the story where it all started! From gum in his hair to a missing dessert, Alexander’s day just gets worse and worse. A terrific anecdote to a rough day. 
The Wingdingdilly by Bill Peet – Scamp the dog is not satisfied with his life… until a witch turns him into a Wingdingdilly and he learns how much worse things could be! A great introduction to gratitude. 
The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf – Teach your kids to stay calm and cool, just like peaceful Ferdinand. Despite his forever frolicking friends, Ferdinand would rather stop and smell the flowers. 
The Arthur Series by Marc Brown – From Arthur’s Underwear to Arthur’s New Puppy and Arthur’s Family Vacation, kids adore Arthur and look forward to every adventure. 
A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon – “Be yourself” is the moral of this colorful story featuring Camilla Cream, a girl who learns first-hand what can happen when you worry too much about what others think. A great conversation starter! 
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen – This sweet story about breaking the rules features librarian Miss Merriweather and a lovable lion whoenjoys attending story time. 
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl – James lives a loathsome life with his terrible aunts until help arrives in the form of an insect brigade living inside a giant peach. Once you’ve told the tale, watch the movie together – it’s just as tasty! 
The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco – Anna learns that nothing is stronger than family and love lasts longer than a lifetime as she and her mother craft a quilt that will span generations. 
The Amazing Boneby William Stieg - Pearl and her talking bone show considerable courage as they outwit a dangerous fox in this tale full of fun language and imagery.Steig’sSylvester & The Magic Pebble and Amos & Boris are wonderful, too. 
Charlotte's Web by E.B. White – A timeless tale of friendship, this classic story of Charlotte the spider and Wilbur the pig includes humor, kindness, and yes, some tears. 
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen – Introduce the solace of nature with this quiet story of a girl and her father on a nighttime owling expedition through the snow. 
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate Di Camillo –New in town, lonely Opal befriends a puppy who opens the door to all kinds of new relationships. A heart-warming tale of friendship and community. And a series…
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner – You may remember the Alden children from your own childhood, on their own but turning their travels into adventures and solving mysteries wherever they go! 
Teachers know that reading to children calms restless and fidgety kids, promotes focus, attention, and listening skills, increases vocabulary, introduces cause and effect, logic, and other strategic thinking skills, and promotes a lifelong love of reading. Plus, preschoolers love story time!As the school year winds down, take a teacher tip and plan to make at-home story time a part of your summer schedule. It’s a wonderful way to spend time with your little one and the benefits are endless. Check out our teacher recommendations for the best books for preschoolers and choose the ones that your child will love!
Clack, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin – The farm animals are making demands – but so is Farmer Brown! Introduce the concepts of compromise and bargaining (if you dare!) with this silly story. 
ChickaChicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault – A tells B, and B tells C, meet me at the top of the coconut tree! Go on an alphabet adventure with this timeless, rhyming classic that’s as much fun to read aloud as it is to hear. 
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff – A little mouse makes a mighty lot of requests in the first of the beloved If You Give series, perfect for beginning readers. If your little ones love it, there are more in the series. 
Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by James Dean and Eric Litwin – Move and groove with ultra-mellow Pete the Cat as he takes a stroll in his brand-new shoes, learning colors along the way. Follow the story up with 
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak – Let the wild rumpus begin! Sent to bed without his supper, naughty Max dons his wolf suit and sets off in pursuit of mischief. Inspire imagination with this not-so-scary story. 
Guess Again by Mac Barnett – Things aren’t always what they seem, especially in this rhyming story featuring surprises hidden behind sneaky silhouettes, lift-the-flaps, and fold-out pages. 
The Elephant and PiggieSeries by Mo Willems – Hilarious back-and-forth read aloud stories, this series features a stressed-out Elephant, Gerald, and his excitable friend Piggie in a series of silly stories you and your child can read together. 
Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats – Follow Peter, star of the classic Snowy Day, as he works through the ins and outs of growing up and accepting a new family member. Perfect for soon-to-be sisters and brothers. 
Stella Luna by Janell Cannon – Look out! Here comes Stella Luna! Separated from her family, Stella is taken in by a family of birds and the baby bat begins to adapt to their bird-like ways. 
