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STEM Learning
Home’s Cool Science: Erupting Apples Experiment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eALfa21BWCI&feature=emb_logo Home's Cool! While we're all working from home, the parents, former teachers, and play experts at EI are sharing some of their favorite educational activities to help keep your family learning and growing. Check out this idea from Michael Sheridan, one of our EI Product Managers!Ages: 5-12Grade: K-6Supplies:
Procedure:
Explanation:This is a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar. In this case, the baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) react to form a gas called carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide created by this reaction escapes in the form of bubbles, causing the eruption you see.
EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
- Baking Soda
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Water
- Vinegar
- Food Coloring (optional)
Procedure:- In a bowl, mix 1 cup of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and 1 teaspoon of water. Use your hands to mix it all together and shape into a ball. If you are adding food coloring, do that now.
- If the ball wants to crumble, add a little more water. If it’s too fluid, add a little more baking soda.
- Place the baking soda ball in the center of a large bowl.
- Slowly pour about ¾ cup of vinegar over the top of the ball. Watch it erupt!
Explanation:This is a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar. In this case, the baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) react to form a gas called carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide created by this reaction escapes in the form of bubbles, causing the eruption you see.
EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
Home’s Cool Science: Erupting Apples Experiment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eALfa21BWCI&feature=emb_logo Home's Cool! While we're all working from home, the parents, former teachers, and play experts at EI are sharing some of their favorite educational activities to help keep your family learning and growing. Check out this idea from Michael Sheridan, one of our EI Product Managers!Ages: 5-12Grade: K-6Supplies:Procedure:Explanation:This is a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar. In this case, the baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) react to form a gas called carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide created by this reaction escapes in the form of bubbles, causing the eruption you see.EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
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- Baking Soda
- Liquid Dish Soap
- Water
- Vinegar
- Food Coloring (optional)
Procedure:- In a bowl, mix 1 cup of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap, and 1 teaspoon of water. Use your hands to mix it all together and shape into a ball. If you are adding food coloring, do that now.
- If the ball wants to crumble, add a little more water. If it’s too fluid, add a little more baking soda.
- Place the baking soda ball in the center of a large bowl.
- Slowly pour about ¾ cup of vinegar over the top of the ball. Watch it erupt!
Explanation:This is a chemical reaction between the baking soda and vinegar. In this case, the baking soda (a base) and vinegar (an acid) react to form a gas called carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide created by this reaction escapes in the form of bubbles, causing the eruption you see.EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
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Home's Cool Learning Activity: Composting Starter Guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OGAvKbCZek&feature=emb_logo Home's Cool! While we're all working from home, the parents, former teachers, and play experts at EI are sharing some of their favorite educational activities to help keep your family learning and growing. Check out this idea from Michael Sheridan, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 5+Grades: K+Supplies:• 1-gallon container (clear is nice so you can see the food breaking down)• soil• food scraps• worms (optional)In the United States, it is estimated that 30-40% of food is wasted. That’s more than 100 billion pounds of wasted food! Composting is a great way to make full use of that food material that would normally be thrown away, reducing waste and enabling a household to create their own, nutrient-rich dirt for gardens and planters.Procedure:1. Find a clear bin to store your starter dirt and fill it about ¾ full. We recommend using a container with a lid to help regulate the temperature and humidity, but it’s not absolutely necessary.2. Add kitchen scraps as you have them.3. Stir your compost every day or two to help distribute the material.Thing to compost:• eggshells• banana and orange peels• apple cores• food trimmings• coffee grounds• teabags• corn cobsOther tips:• Do NOT put meat or dairy products into your compost bin unless you want to attract flies and other pests• If you are adding materials with a lot of moisture (watermelon or squash, for example), add a few dry leaves or bits of finely shredded paper to absorb some of the liquid• Smaller items break down faster, so chop your food waste into small bits if possible• If you would like, you can add earthworms to your compost bin to help break down the food particles you add• You can make it easy on yourself by using the Educational Insights Now You See it, Now You Don’t See-Through Container.[caption id="attachment_6422" align="alignnone" width="1000"]
Now You See It, Now You Don't™ See-Through Compost Container[/caption]Resources:Composting overview: https://www.thespruce.com/tips-for-indoor-composting-2539618Indoor composting overview: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/indoor-composting/ EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
Now You See It, Now You Don't™ See-Through Compost Container[/caption]Resources:Composting overview: https://www.thespruce.com/tips-for-indoor-composting-2539618Indoor composting overview: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/indoor-composting/ EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
Home's Cool Learning Activity: Composting Starter Guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OGAvKbCZek&feature=emb_logo Home's Cool! While we're all working from home, the parents, former teachers, and play experts at EI are sharing some of their favorite educational activities to help keep your family learning and growing. Check out this idea from Michael Sheridan, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 5+Grades: K+Supplies:• 1-gallon container (clear is nice so you can see the food breaking down)• soil• food scraps• worms (optional)In the United States, it is estimated that 30-40% of food is wasted. That’s more than 100 billion pounds of wasted food! Composting is a great way to make full use of that food material that would normally be thrown away, reducing waste and enabling a household to create their own, nutrient-rich dirt for gardens and planters.Procedure:1. Find a clear bin to store your starter dirt and fill it about ¾ full. We recommend using a container with a lid to help regulate the temperature and humidity, but it’s not absolutely necessary.2. Add kitchen scraps as you have them.3. Stir your compost every day or two to help distribute the material.Thing to compost:• eggshells• banana and orange peels• apple cores• food trimmings• coffee grounds• teabags• corn cobsOther tips:• Do NOT put meat or dairy products into your compost bin unless you want to attract flies and other pests• If you are adding materials with a lot of moisture (watermelon or squash, for example), add a few dry leaves or bits of finely shredded paper to absorb some of the liquid• Smaller items break down faster, so chop your food waste into small bits if possible• If you would like, you can add earthworms to your compost bin to help break down the food particles you add• You can make it easy on yourself by using the Educational Insights Now You See it, Now You Don’t See-Through Container.[caption id="attachment_6422" align="alignnone" width="1000"] Now You See It, Now You Don't™ See-Through Compost Container[/caption]Resources:Composting overview: https://www.thespruce.com/tips-for-indoor-composting-2539618Indoor composting overview: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/indoor-composting/ EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
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Now You See It, Now You Don't™ See-Through Compost Container[/caption]Resources:Composting overview: https://www.thespruce.com/tips-for-indoor-composting-2539618Indoor composting overview: https://www.bobvila.com/articles/indoor-composting/ EI Product Manager Michael Sheridan is a jack of all trades! An avid surfer and former international soccer competitor, this outdoor and sporting enthusiast also has a degree in Astrophysics from UCLA and eight years of product development experience in a variety of industries. Prior to helping build EI's science products and brain game lines, Michael developed everything from folding chairs to electric scooters and skateboards!
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Home's Cool Learning Activity: Create an Egg Carton Counter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=UtL6PUpIsXg&feature=emb_logo Home's Cool! While we're all working from home, the parents, former teachers, and play experts at EI are sharing some of their favorite educational activities to help keep your family learning and growing. Check out this idea from Janene Russell, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 3–4Put your egg cartons to good use – and build those early math skills – with a DIY egg carton counter! This math activity encourages counting, number sense, and one to one correspondence.Supplies:• Egg Carton• Markers• Counters (pasta, buttons, sequins, coins, pom poms, etc.)Procedure:1. Write the numerals 1 – 12 in order on the bottom of each slot in the carton.2. On the sides of each slot, draw dots representing that number.3. Together with your child, count out the matching number of counters and place them in the corresponding spots.
A former teacher and current mom of two young children, EI Product Manager Janene Russell has more than 15 years of early learning experience! This So Cal native puts her little kid knowledge to good use, guiding the development of the Bright Basics and GeoSafari Jr. lines, as well as various preschool games and classroom resources.
A former teacher and current mom of two young children, EI Product Manager Janene Russell has more than 15 years of early learning experience! This So Cal native puts her little kid knowledge to good use, guiding the development of the Bright Basics and GeoSafari Jr. lines, as well as various preschool games and classroom resources.
Home's Cool Learning Activity: Create an Egg Carton Counter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=UtL6PUpIsXg&feature=emb_logo Home's Cool! While we're all working from home, the parents, former teachers, and play experts at EI are sharing some of their favorite educational activities to help keep your family learning and growing. Check out this idea from Janene Russell, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 3–4Put your egg cartons to good use – and build those early math skills – with a DIY egg carton counter! This math activity encourages counting, number sense, and one to one correspondence.Supplies:• Egg Carton• Markers• Counters (pasta, buttons, sequins, coins, pom poms, etc.)Procedure:1. Write the numerals 1 – 12 in order on the bottom of each slot in the carton.2. On the sides of each slot, draw dots representing that number.3. Together with your child, count out the matching number of counters and place them in the corresponding spots.A former teacher and current mom of two young children, EI Product Manager Janene Russell has more than 15 years of early learning experience! This So Cal native puts her little kid knowledge to good use, guiding the development of the Bright Basics and GeoSafari Jr. lines, as well as various preschool games and classroom resources.
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A former teacher and current mom of two young children, EI Product Manager Janene Russell has more than 15 years of early learning experience! This So Cal native puts her little kid knowledge to good use, guiding the development of the Bright Basics and GeoSafari Jr. lines, as well as various preschool games and classroom resources.
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Easter Baskets That Bloom with Creativity!
- EI Editor Posted On Mar 5, 2020 | Toys and Games
Photo credit: @themotheroverloadEaster is upon us! This year give the gift of creativity by building a basket designed to inspire imagination, expression, and pretend play, including:Art Supplies and Craft Kits
Art is a wonderful way for young kids to explore and express their own unique ideas and perspectives. Artistic creativity also fosters social/emotional skills, introduces early math concepts, and even encourages scientific exploration. What happens when you mix two colors? When you add water to paint? When you smash clay flat?This Easter, help your kids get creative by packing their Easter basket full of beautiful new art supplies and craft kits, like the reusable Color by Playfoam® Dragon and Unicorn. Provide the materials (check out our well-stocked craft closet post for a list of the basics), create a space where it’s okay for kids to get messy, then stand back and let them do their thing. Resist the urge to direct or interfere with your kids’ creative process. Instead ask them to tell you about what they are doing or what they’ve made.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="615"]
*NEW* Color by Playfoam® Unicorn[/caption]While younger kids enjoy the process of open-ended creativity – choosing a color, the feel of the paint on paper, the sound the brush makes – older kids can use the art supplies to create their own, custom versions of the Easter crafts on our Pinterest board![caption id="attachment_5409" align="alignnone" width="600"]
Photo credit: redtedart.com[/caption]Creativity Inspiring Basket Booty!
- Crayons
- Markers
- Stampers
- Playfoam®
- Watercolor Paints
- Clay
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Sketch Book
- Stickers
Building Sets
From blocks to bricks to construction sets, building play definitely develops STEM skills, logic, and problem solving capabilities, but did you know that it’s also great for inspiring imagination and creativity?This Easter, give the gift of the Design &Drill® Stem Garden and let your little builder place their stems, select and stack their petals to design and grow their very own spring gardens.[caption id="attachment_5410" align="alignnone" width="1029"]
*NEW* Design & Drill® STEM Garden Photo credit: @kayceesworld[/caption]Or maybe the bunny will bring the Design &Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket so your kids can construct their own space craft and engage in hours of out-of-this-world imaginative play with the included astronaut Bolt Buddy and space dog.[caption id="attachment_5412" align="alignnone" width="2000"]
*NEW* Design & Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket[/caption]Collectibles
Speaking of pretend play, collectibles are a wonderful way to encourage imagination and creativity! These pocket-sized cuties are totally portable and perfect for pretend play anywhere, anytime. And, when kids pretend, they are observing reality and imagining their own way to replicate what they see. This requires an incredible amount of creativity – re-purposing various objects to represent the props they need and playing various “roles”. Pretend play also helps kids develop empathy, learn to take turns and cooperate, develop language and communication skills, and foster self-confidence.
*NEW* Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic (Sets of 2, 6 or 10)Pop a Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic pod into your little one’s basket and watch as a fantastical pretend play session unfolds. Kids open the rainbow case to reveal heart-sparkle Playfoam with four magical surprises hidden inside. Find the collective unicorn character, then use the non-toxic Playfoam to sculpt pretend play props for the unicorn friend. Also available in Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad theme.[caption id="attachment_5415" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad 2-Pack (Sets of 2, 6 or 8)[/caption]
Easter Baskets That Bloom with Creativity!
Photo credit: @themotheroverloadEaster is upon us! This year give the gift of creativity by building a basket designed to inspire imagination, expression, and pretend play, including: *NEW* Color by Playfoam® Unicorn[/caption]While younger kids enjoy the process of open-ended creativity – choosing a color, the feel of the paint on paper, the sound the brush makes – older kids can use the art supplies to create their own, custom versions of the Easter crafts on our Pinterest board![caption id="attachment_5409" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo credit: redtedart.com[/caption] *NEW* Design & Drill® STEM Garden Photo credit: @kayceesworld[/caption]Or maybe the bunny will bring the Design &Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket so your kids can construct their own space craft and engage in hours of out-of-this-world imaginative play with the included astronaut Bolt Buddy and space dog.[caption id="attachment_5412" align="alignnone" width="2000"] *NEW* Design & Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket[/caption]*NEW* Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic (Sets of 2, 6 or 10)Pop a Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic pod into your little one’s basket and watch as a fantastical pretend play session unfolds. Kids open the rainbow case to reveal heart-sparkle Playfoam with four magical surprises hidden inside. Find the collective unicorn character, then use the non-toxic Playfoam to sculpt pretend play props for the unicorn friend. Also available in Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad theme.[caption id="attachment_5415" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad 2-Pack (Sets of 2, 6 or 8)[/caption]
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Photo credit: @themotheroverloadEaster is upon us! This year give the gift of creativity by building a basket designed to inspire imagination, expression, and pretend play, including:Art Supplies and Craft Kits
Art is a wonderful way for young kids to explore and express their own unique ideas and perspectives. Artistic creativity also fosters social/emotional skills, introduces early math concepts, and even encourages scientific exploration. What happens when you mix two colors? When you add water to paint? When you smash clay flat?This Easter, help your kids get creative by packing their Easter basket full of beautiful new art supplies and craft kits, like the reusable Color by Playfoam® Dragon and Unicorn. Provide the materials (check out our well-stocked craft closet post for a list of the basics), create a space where it’s okay for kids to get messy, then stand back and let them do their thing. Resist the urge to direct or interfere with your kids’ creative process. Instead ask them to tell you about what they are doing or what they’ve made.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="615"] *NEW* Color by Playfoam® Unicorn[/caption]While younger kids enjoy the process of open-ended creativity – choosing a color, the feel of the paint on paper, the sound the brush makes – older kids can use the art supplies to create their own, custom versions of the Easter crafts on our Pinterest board![caption id="attachment_5409" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo credit: redtedart.com[/caption]Creativity Inspiring Basket Booty!
- Crayons
- Markers
- Stampers
- Playfoam®
- Watercolor Paints
- Clay
- Sidewalk Chalk
- Sketch Book
- Stickers
Building Sets
From blocks to bricks to construction sets, building play definitely develops STEM skills, logic, and problem solving capabilities, but did you know that it’s also great for inspiring imagination and creativity?This Easter, give the gift of the Design &Drill® Stem Garden and let your little builder place their stems, select and stack their petals to design and grow their very own spring gardens.[caption id="attachment_5410" align="alignnone" width="1029"] *NEW* Design & Drill® STEM Garden Photo credit: @kayceesworld[/caption]Or maybe the bunny will bring the Design &Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket so your kids can construct their own space craft and engage in hours of out-of-this-world imaginative play with the included astronaut Bolt Buddy and space dog.[caption id="attachment_5412" align="alignnone" width="2000"] *NEW* Design & Drill® Bolt Buddies™ Rocket[/caption]Collectibles
Speaking of pretend play, collectibles are a wonderful way to encourage imagination and creativity! These pocket-sized cuties are totally portable and perfect for pretend play anywhere, anytime. And, when kids pretend, they are observing reality and imagining their own way to replicate what they see. This requires an incredible amount of creativity – re-purposing various objects to represent the props they need and playing various “roles”. Pretend play also helps kids develop empathy, learn to take turns and cooperate, develop language and communication skills, and foster self-confidence.*NEW* Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic (Sets of 2, 6 or 10)Pop a Playfoam® Pals™ Unicorn Magic pod into your little one’s basket and watch as a fantastical pretend play session unfolds. Kids open the rainbow case to reveal heart-sparkle Playfoam with four magical surprises hidden inside. Find the collective unicorn character, then use the non-toxic Playfoam to sculpt pretend play props for the unicorn friend. Also available in Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad theme.[caption id="attachment_5415" align="alignnone" width="1200"] Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad 2-Pack (Sets of 2, 6 or 8)[/caption]
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What Are You So STEAM’d About?
If you’ve got a little one in school, you’ve likely heard the terms STEM and STEAM enough to wonder what they mean. Simply put, STEM is an academic focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. STEAM adds the all-important artistic aspect – hence, the “A”. For the last 20 years or so, the U.S. has committed to incorporating STEM learning into our kids’ school curriculum, and for good reason![caption id="attachment_5304" align="alignnone" width="724"]
Photo credit: https://www.theedadvocate.org/[/caption]According to the experts at The Edvocate, STEM learning fosters ingenuity and creativity, builds resilience, encourages experimentation and teamwork, promotes knowledge application and the use of technology, teaches problem solving, and encourages kids to adapt what they’ve learned to fit specific problems. All good, right? Even better – it’s never too early to incorporate STEM learning into your at-home play time! Below are some of our favorite, super fun, STEM activities from around the web:
Photo credit: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com[/caption]Get outside and explore! There’s no better teacher than mother nature, so get up and head outdoors! Observe the natural flora and fauna in your area, talk about the seasons, compare and contrast different plants, seeds, twigs, and rocks. Make exploring even more fun with kid-friendly scientific tools like microscopes, telescopes, adventure pens, and binoculars from GeoSafari®![caption id="attachment_5309" align="alignnone" width="530"]
GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars®[/caption]
Photo Credit: learningresources.com[/caption]Draw it out! Kids who love art will go coding crazy for ARTIE 3000™ The Coding Robot! This self-contained unit teaches kids to write computer code line by line and then draws whatever they’ve coded! From shapes and letters to mandalas and custom designs, kids use an easy computer interface (no WIFI required!) with step-by-step instructions to tell ARTIE which way to turn, how many steps to take, and when to lift his pen or put it down. Then they simply click “run” to see their ARTIE execute their coded script on paper.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FyS_4ZTyK4&t=24s
Photo Credit: https://buggyandbuddy.com[/caption]Build, build, build! Wooden blocks, building bricks, and Lincoln Logs are the perfect first engineering experiences. Stack them as high as they’ll go, construct bridges, or – trickier – tunnels. As they play, kids will gain a sense of spatial reasoning, learn about structural integrity (crash!), explore the principles of design, and so much more.[caption id="attachment_5312" align="alignnone" width="909"]
Photo Credit: manzanitakids[/caption]Make a marshmallow man! Encourage your kids to create all kinds of structures using marshmallows and toothpicks. Try making a cube, a curved dome, a two-sided ladder, or, some of these other ideas from our friends at BrainBrigade.org.
Photo credit: https://busytoddler.com[/caption]Make an abacus! Well, sort of. Start with a bowl of multi-colored beads. Help your child find one bead of one color, two beads of another color, etc. Then assist your kiddo in sliding the beads onto a pipe cleaner, bending the ends so the beads don’t slide off. Then practice counting the number of beads on each pipe cleaner. This two-in-one activity from TheImagnationTree.com is also a great way to build fine motor skills ????.Click to learn more about the importance of STEM and for even more at-home ideas for incorporating STEM learning in your everyday play!
Photo credit: https://www.theedadvocate.org/[/caption]According to the experts at The Edvocate, STEM learning fosters ingenuity and creativity, builds resilience, encourages experimentation and teamwork, promotes knowledge application and the use of technology, teaches problem solving, and encourages kids to adapt what they’ve learned to fit specific problems. All good, right? Even better – it’s never too early to incorporate STEM learning into your at-home play time! Below are some of our favorite, super fun, STEM activities from around the web:Science
Make your own bubbles! If you’ve got dish soap, corn syrup, and a straw, you’re ready to mix up your own batch of homemade bubbles. Visit our friends at homesciencetools.com for instructions and a simple scientific explanation.Soak up an oil spill! Bring the bummer of pollution home with this DIY oil spill clean up project from LittleBinsForLittleHands (don’t miss their FREE ocean-themed STEM activity cards!). Fill a pan with water, add some oil, then brainstorm ways to get it out. Try a spoon, paper towels, cotton balls, and finally, Dawn dish soap to demonstrate how difficult it is to recapture spilled oil in the ocean.[caption id="attachment_5308" align="alignnone" width="608"] Photo credit: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com[/caption]Get outside and explore! There’s no better teacher than mother nature, so get up and head outdoors! Observe the natural flora and fauna in your area, talk about the seasons, compare and contrast different plants, seeds, twigs, and rocks. Make exploring even more fun with kid-friendly scientific tools like microscopes, telescopes, adventure pens, and binoculars from GeoSafari®![caption id="attachment_5309" align="alignnone" width="530"] GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars®[/caption]Technology
Speak in code! From verbally programming your walk through the house to talking through tasks, step-by-step, there are lots of low-tech ways to introduce coding to your kids. Visit our blog on coding for some fun and easy at-home ideas!Get cute! 100% screen free and super cute, Coding Critters allow kids to code adorable animal friends following the directions in their new pet’s storybook adventures. Kids simply press buttons on the Critters’ backs to move them left, right, forward, or back, navigating the obstacles in the included pet playsets and introducing this key STEM concept.[caption id="attachment_5310" align="alignnone" width="688"] Photo Credit: learningresources.com[/caption]Draw it out! Kids who love art will go coding crazy for ARTIE 3000™ The Coding Robot! This self-contained unit teaches kids to write computer code line by line and then draws whatever they’ve coded! From shapes and letters to mandalas and custom designs, kids use an easy computer interface (no WIFI required!) with step-by-step instructions to tell ARTIE which way to turn, how many steps to take, and when to lift his pen or put it down. Then they simply click “run” to see their ARTIE execute their coded script on paper.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FyS_4ZTyK4&t=24sEngineering
Ramp it up! Simple machines are the perfect way to slip some engineering into your child’s day and it doesn’t get much simpler than a ramp! Use a cut up the box from your last Amazon delivery, use a cereal box, or a wooden building plank, grab a small ball or toy car, and experiment with different constructions and angles. Find some fun ideas at BuggyandBuddy.com.[caption id="attachment_5311" align="alignnone" width="703"] Photo Credit: https://buggyandbuddy.com[/caption]Build, build, build! Wooden blocks, building bricks, and Lincoln Logs are the perfect first engineering experiences. Stack them as high as they’ll go, construct bridges, or – trickier – tunnels. As they play, kids will gain a sense of spatial reasoning, learn about structural integrity (crash!), explore the principles of design, and so much more.[caption id="attachment_5312" align="alignnone" width="909"] Photo Credit: manzanitakids[/caption]Make a marshmallow man! Encourage your kids to create all kinds of structures using marshmallows and toothpicks. Try making a cube, a curved dome, a two-sided ladder, or, some of these other ideas from our friends at BrainBrigade.org.Math
Count it out! Even little ones can get in on the STEM fun and learning – with counting! Count Cheerios, crackers, steps to the car, anything and everything you can count, count!Match it up! Correlating a digital number with an actual amount is a key early math skill. One simple activity from BusyToddler.com has kids matching numerals 1-9 on sticky notes to sets of the same number of dots on a white board.[caption id="attachment_5315" align="alignnone" width="632"] Photo credit: https://busytoddler.com[/caption]Make an abacus! Well, sort of. Start with a bowl of multi-colored beads. Help your child find one bead of one color, two beads of another color, etc. Then assist your kiddo in sliding the beads onto a pipe cleaner, bending the ends so the beads don’t slide off. Then practice counting the number of beads on each pipe cleaner. This two-in-one activity from TheImagnationTree.com is also a great way to build fine motor skills ????.Click to learn more about the importance of STEM and for even more at-home ideas for incorporating STEM learning in your everyday play!
What Are You So STEAM’d About?
If you’ve got a little one in school, you’ve likely heard the terms STEM and STEAM enough to wonder what they mean. Simply put, STEM is an academic focus on science, technology, engineering, and math. STEAM adds the all-important artistic aspect – hence, the “A”. For the last 20 years or so, the U.S. has committed to incorporating STEM learning into our kids’ school curriculum, and for good reason![caption id="attachment_5304" align="alignnone" width="724"] Photo credit: https://www.theedadvocate.org/[/caption]According to the experts at The Edvocate, STEM learning fosters ingenuity and creativity, builds resilience, encourages experimentation and teamwork, promotes knowledge application and the use of technology, teaches problem solving, and encourages kids to adapt what they’ve learned to fit specific problems. All good, right? Even better – it’s never too early to incorporate STEM learning into your at-home play time! Below are some of our favorite, super fun, STEM activities from around the web: Photo credit: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com[/caption]Get outside and explore! There’s no better teacher than mother nature, so get up and head outdoors! Observe the natural flora and fauna in your area, talk about the seasons, compare and contrast different plants, seeds, twigs, and rocks. Make exploring even more fun with kid-friendly scientific tools like microscopes, telescopes, adventure pens, and binoculars from GeoSafari®![caption id="attachment_5309" align="alignnone" width="530"] GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars®[/caption] Photo Credit: learningresources.com[/caption]Draw it out! Kids who love art will go coding crazy for ARTIE 3000™ The Coding Robot! This self-contained unit teaches kids to write computer code line by line and then draws whatever they’ve coded! From shapes and letters to mandalas and custom designs, kids use an easy computer interface (no WIFI required!) with step-by-step instructions to tell ARTIE which way to turn, how many steps to take, and when to lift his pen or put it down. Then they simply click “run” to see their ARTIE execute their coded script on paper.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FyS_4ZTyK4&t=24s Photo Credit: https://buggyandbuddy.com[/caption]Build, build, build! Wooden blocks, building bricks, and Lincoln Logs are the perfect first engineering experiences. Stack them as high as they’ll go, construct bridges, or – trickier – tunnels. As they play, kids will gain a sense of spatial reasoning, learn about structural integrity (crash!), explore the principles of design, and so much more.[caption id="attachment_5312" align="alignnone" width="909"] Photo Credit: manzanitakids[/caption]Make a marshmallow man! Encourage your kids to create all kinds of structures using marshmallows and toothpicks. Try making a cube, a curved dome, a two-sided ladder, or, some of these other ideas from our friends at BrainBrigade.org. Photo credit: https://busytoddler.com[/caption]Make an abacus! Well, sort of. Start with a bowl of multi-colored beads. Help your child find one bead of one color, two beads of another color, etc. Then assist your kiddo in sliding the beads onto a pipe cleaner, bending the ends so the beads don’t slide off. Then practice counting the number of beads on each pipe cleaner. This two-in-one activity from TheImagnationTree.com is also a great way to build fine motor skills ????.Click to learn more about the importance of STEM and for even more at-home ideas for incorporating STEM learning in your everyday play!
READ MORE
Photo credit: https://www.theedadvocate.org/[/caption]According to the experts at The Edvocate, STEM learning fosters ingenuity and creativity, builds resilience, encourages experimentation and teamwork, promotes knowledge application and the use of technology, teaches problem solving, and encourages kids to adapt what they’ve learned to fit specific problems. All good, right? Even better – it’s never too early to incorporate STEM learning into your at-home play time! Below are some of our favorite, super fun, STEM activities from around the web:Science
Make your own bubbles! If you’ve got dish soap, corn syrup, and a straw, you’re ready to mix up your own batch of homemade bubbles. Visit our friends at homesciencetools.com for instructions and a simple scientific explanation.Soak up an oil spill! Bring the bummer of pollution home with this DIY oil spill clean up project from LittleBinsForLittleHands (don’t miss their FREE ocean-themed STEM activity cards!). Fill a pan with water, add some oil, then brainstorm ways to get it out. Try a spoon, paper towels, cotton balls, and finally, Dawn dish soap to demonstrate how difficult it is to recapture spilled oil in the ocean.[caption id="attachment_5308" align="alignnone" width="608"] Photo credit: https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com[/caption]Get outside and explore! There’s no better teacher than mother nature, so get up and head outdoors! Observe the natural flora and fauna in your area, talk about the seasons, compare and contrast different plants, seeds, twigs, and rocks. Make exploring even more fun with kid-friendly scientific tools like microscopes, telescopes, adventure pens, and binoculars from GeoSafari®![caption id="attachment_5309" align="alignnone" width="530"] GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars®[/caption]Technology
Speak in code! From verbally programming your walk through the house to talking through tasks, step-by-step, there are lots of low-tech ways to introduce coding to your kids. Visit our blog on coding for some fun and easy at-home ideas!Get cute! 100% screen free and super cute, Coding Critters allow kids to code adorable animal friends following the directions in their new pet’s storybook adventures. Kids simply press buttons on the Critters’ backs to move them left, right, forward, or back, navigating the obstacles in the included pet playsets and introducing this key STEM concept.[caption id="attachment_5310" align="alignnone" width="688"] Photo Credit: learningresources.com[/caption]Draw it out! Kids who love art will go coding crazy for ARTIE 3000™ The Coding Robot! This self-contained unit teaches kids to write computer code line by line and then draws whatever they’ve coded! From shapes and letters to mandalas and custom designs, kids use an easy computer interface (no WIFI required!) with step-by-step instructions to tell ARTIE which way to turn, how many steps to take, and when to lift his pen or put it down. Then they simply click “run” to see their ARTIE execute their coded script on paper.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FyS_4ZTyK4&t=24sEngineering
Ramp it up! Simple machines are the perfect way to slip some engineering into your child’s day and it doesn’t get much simpler than a ramp! Use a cut up the box from your last Amazon delivery, use a cereal box, or a wooden building plank, grab a small ball or toy car, and experiment with different constructions and angles. Find some fun ideas at BuggyandBuddy.com.[caption id="attachment_5311" align="alignnone" width="703"] Photo Credit: https://buggyandbuddy.com[/caption]Build, build, build! Wooden blocks, building bricks, and Lincoln Logs are the perfect first engineering experiences. Stack them as high as they’ll go, construct bridges, or – trickier – tunnels. As they play, kids will gain a sense of spatial reasoning, learn about structural integrity (crash!), explore the principles of design, and so much more.[caption id="attachment_5312" align="alignnone" width="909"] Photo Credit: manzanitakids[/caption]Make a marshmallow man! Encourage your kids to create all kinds of structures using marshmallows and toothpicks. Try making a cube, a curved dome, a two-sided ladder, or, some of these other ideas from our friends at BrainBrigade.org.Math
Count it out! Even little ones can get in on the STEM fun and learning – with counting! Count Cheerios, crackers, steps to the car, anything and everything you can count, count!Match it up! Correlating a digital number with an actual amount is a key early math skill. One simple activity from BusyToddler.com has kids matching numerals 1-9 on sticky notes to sets of the same number of dots on a white board.[caption id="attachment_5315" align="alignnone" width="632"] Photo credit: https://busytoddler.com[/caption]Make an abacus! Well, sort of. Start with a bowl of multi-colored beads. Help your child find one bead of one color, two beads of another color, etc. Then assist your kiddo in sliding the beads onto a pipe cleaner, bending the ends so the beads don’t slide off. Then practice counting the number of beads on each pipe cleaner. This two-in-one activity from TheImagnationTree.com is also a great way to build fine motor skills ????.Click to learn more about the importance of STEM and for even more at-home ideas for incorporating STEM learning in your everyday play!
READ MORE
Blast into Legendary Gift Giver Status
EI's Stellar STEM & Space-Themed Toys for Your Good List
Designed to introduce key concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun, low-stress way, STEM toys are super engaging, packed full of brain-building activities, and good for hours of educational fun. And it’s never too early to get started! Educational Insights has you covered, with tons of best-selling, award-winning, STEM and space-themed toys for every age group. Surprise the smarties on your list with gifts they’ll play with again and again, like:STEM Picks for Toddlers:
Bright Basics™ Slide & Splash Seals™ Launch the littlest loves on your list into STEM learning with silly, circus-style fun that introduces the basics of early engineering, cause and effect, and experimentation. Snap the pieces together however you’d like and send the seals-on-wheels soaring. Adjust the pieces for different trajectories. Ages 2-4.
Bright Basics™ Slide & Splash Spouts Turn the bathtub into a learning lab with this 7-piece set including straight pipes, elbow pipes, spinning faucets, and more! Bitty builders set up their suction cup ball runs, drop the ball, and see what happens – building STEM and fine motor skills as they play. Ages 2-5.
STEM Picks for Preschoolers:
Design & Drill® Activity Center Power up your kiddo’s creativity – and their STEM skills! – with this construction play set perfect for busy builders and artists alike! Kids use a kid-safe power drill to attach colorful bolts to a sturdy activity board, following included patterns or creating their own mini-masterpieces. Ages 3-6.
GeoSafari® Jr. My First Telescope Give little star gazers their first glimpse of the universe with this focus-free (frustration-free!) telescope. Kids can see the moon 10x magnified while gaining hands-on experience and confidence with a real scientific tool. Ages 4-6.
STEM Picks For Kindergartners:
Design & Drill® Space Circuits Light up the holidays with this space-themed STEM set! Use a kid-safe drill, sturdy bolts, and specially-wired pieces to construct and complete 20 circuit-building challenges including lights, spinning motors, and more. Ages 5-8.[video width="1080" height="1080" mp4="https://www.educationalinsights.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Comp-1_3.mp4"][/video]Playfoam® Pals Space Squad Galaxy Pack Stuff their stockings with space-age fun and encourage a love of exploration and discovery with these adorable, collectible out-of-this-world creatures. Squish through the Playfoam to find your Pal, sculpt a stellar space scene, and blast into pretend play! Playfoam never dries out so the cosmic creativity never ends. Ages 5-10.
STEM Picks for Big Kids:
Artie 3000™ The Coding Robot Introduce the basics of coding with this programmable robot! Kids use a simple drag-and-drop program to program any shape – then Artie draws it on any sheet of paper! And kids can find tutorials, free downloads and code, and all things Artie on his dedicated website. Ages 7-12.https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=WUPab70Dy0M&feature=emb_logoGeoSafari® Day ‘N’ Night Ant Factory Encourage a lifelong love of life science with this self-contained critter habitat! Kids can watch ants work 24/7 with nutrient-rich farm gel that doubles as food and color-changing LEDs that light up the night! Watch them tunnel, work, eat, and more through three magnification spots. Ages 7-12.
GeoSafari® Motorized Solar System Turn any room into a planetarium with this set of eight rotating planets and brightly lit sun, then turn off the lights and project a star show on the walls and ceiling for the ultimate at-home space experience! Ages 8-12.
For even more STEM and space-themed gift ideas, visit our holiday toy list on Amazon. And be sure to check out our Pinterest board for some fun STEM learning activity ideas!
Blast into Legendary Gift Giver Status
Bright Basics™ Slide & Splash Spouts Turn the bathtub into a learning lab with this 7-piece set including straight pipes, elbow pipes, spinning faucets, and more! Bitty builders set up their suction cup ball runs, drop the ball, and see what happens – building STEM and fine motor skills as they play. Ages 2-5.GeoSafari® Jr. My First Telescope Give little star gazers their first glimpse of the universe with this focus-free (frustration-free!) telescope. Kids can see the moon 10x magnified while gaining hands-on experience and confidence with a real scientific tool. Ages 4-6.GeoSafari® Motorized Solar System Turn any room into a planetarium with this set of eight rotating planets and brightly lit sun, then turn off the lights and project a star show on the walls and ceiling for the ultimate at-home space experience! Ages 8-12.For even more STEM and space-themed gift ideas, visit our holiday toy list on Amazon. And be sure to check out our Pinterest board for some fun STEM learning activity ideas!
READ MORE
EI's Stellar STEM & Space-Themed Toys for Your Good List
Designed to introduce key concepts of science, technology, engineering, and math in a fun, low-stress way, STEM toys are super engaging, packed full of brain-building activities, and good for hours of educational fun. And it’s never too early to get started! Educational Insights has you covered, with tons of best-selling, award-winning, STEM and space-themed toys for every age group. Surprise the smarties on your list with gifts they’ll play with again and again, like:STEM Picks for Toddlers:
Bright Basics™ Slide & Splash Seals™ Launch the littlest loves on your list into STEM learning with silly, circus-style fun that introduces the basics of early engineering, cause and effect, and experimentation. Snap the pieces together however you’d like and send the seals-on-wheels soaring. Adjust the pieces for different trajectories. Ages 2-4.Bright Basics™ Slide & Splash Spouts Turn the bathtub into a learning lab with this 7-piece set including straight pipes, elbow pipes, spinning faucets, and more! Bitty builders set up their suction cup ball runs, drop the ball, and see what happens – building STEM and fine motor skills as they play. Ages 2-5.STEM Picks for Preschoolers:
Design & Drill® Activity Center Power up your kiddo’s creativity – and their STEM skills! – with this construction play set perfect for busy builders and artists alike! Kids use a kid-safe power drill to attach colorful bolts to a sturdy activity board, following included patterns or creating their own mini-masterpieces. Ages 3-6.GeoSafari® Jr. My First Telescope Give little star gazers their first glimpse of the universe with this focus-free (frustration-free!) telescope. Kids can see the moon 10x magnified while gaining hands-on experience and confidence with a real scientific tool. Ages 4-6.STEM Picks For Kindergartners:
Design & Drill® Space Circuits Light up the holidays with this space-themed STEM set! Use a kid-safe drill, sturdy bolts, and specially-wired pieces to construct and complete 20 circuit-building challenges including lights, spinning motors, and more. Ages 5-8.[video width="1080" height="1080" mp4="https://www.educationalinsights.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Comp-1_3.mp4"][/video]Playfoam® Pals Space Squad Galaxy Pack Stuff their stockings with space-age fun and encourage a love of exploration and discovery with these adorable, collectible out-of-this-world creatures. Squish through the Playfoam to find your Pal, sculpt a stellar space scene, and blast into pretend play! Playfoam never dries out so the cosmic creativity never ends. Ages 5-10.STEM Picks for Big Kids:
Artie 3000™ The Coding Robot Introduce the basics of coding with this programmable robot! Kids use a simple drag-and-drop program to program any shape – then Artie draws it on any sheet of paper! And kids can find tutorials, free downloads and code, and all things Artie on his dedicated website. Ages 7-12.https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=WUPab70Dy0M&feature=emb_logoGeoSafari® Day ‘N’ Night Ant Factory Encourage a lifelong love of life science with this self-contained critter habitat! Kids can watch ants work 24/7 with nutrient-rich farm gel that doubles as food and color-changing LEDs that light up the night! Watch them tunnel, work, eat, and more through three magnification spots. Ages 7-12.GeoSafari® Motorized Solar System Turn any room into a planetarium with this set of eight rotating planets and brightly lit sun, then turn off the lights and project a star show on the walls and ceiling for the ultimate at-home space experience! Ages 8-12.For even more STEM and space-themed gift ideas, visit our holiday toy list on Amazon. And be sure to check out our Pinterest board for some fun STEM learning activity ideas!
Gifts That Dazzle and Delight
An Easy Way to Find the Perfect Gift for Every Child on Your List
Attention parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and friends: This is the year that YOUR gift shines above all the rest! Whether you’re looking to create experiences filled with sheer joy or inspire “eureka” moments, EI’s toys and games are packed full of fun, designed to delight, and are certain to satisfy kids’ natural curiosity. We’ve got something that’s just right for each of the special sweeties on your shopping list! SHOP NOW to SAVE 30% - Code:Cyber30. Expires 12/6 at 11:59 p.m.Ages 2+
EI’s Bright Basics™ and My First Games toys give little ones the tools they need to explore their world and develop essential early learning skills, like:- Little animal lovers will have some big time family fun – and build vocabulary, language, and matching skills – with My First Game: Petting Zoo, the hands-on matching game made specifically for toddlers! $24.99
- Bitty builders stack blocks to build Humpty’s wall, then knock it down, load it onto the Bright Basics™ Dumpty Truck, and begin again, somewhere else! Set demonstrates cause and effect, develops fine motor skills, and encourages imaginative play. $19.99
- Take a trip down memory lane with the Bright Basics™ Shape-Sorting Popper, a sweet twist on a classic toddler toy! Sort the forest friends into their beds by matching the shapes on their bottoms to the shapes on the beds, the press the button to make them POP! $21.99
- Little lovers can nurture their nature with a Baby Doux Doll! These European-designed, cloth-body dolls feature realistic baby details, just-like-me skin tones and eye colors, and a soft vanilla scent. $59.99
Ages 3+
- Preschoolers are free to express their creativity – with no mess to clean up afterwards! Non-toxic Playfoam® Combo 8-Pack never dries out – so the squishy, squashy fun never ends – and it doesn’t stick , so kids can get creative on the go. $8.99
- Glow In The Dark Playfoam 8-Pack for the wild child on your list! $8.99
- Construction meets creativity with the Design & Drill Activity Center! Kids use a real, working power drill and colorful bolts to recreate the included patterns or design their very own! $39.99
- The perfect first board game! Little ones get sneaky with The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game, using the Squirrel Squeezers to find and place colored acorns in their logs. This award-winning, no-reading-required, quick-play, color matching game is easyto set up and clean up and fun for the whole family, too. $21.99
AGE 3-4+
- Look, listen, and learn as wildlife warrior, Bindi Irwin, shares kid-friendly facts about nature with GeoSafari® Jr. Talking Microscope! Take a closer look with the only talking microscope for preschoolers packed with photo-quality images and audio about the amazing, up-close world of animals, plants, everyday items and more. $49.99
- Little travel bugs will love learning about the world with the 12” GeoSafari® Jr. Talking Globe. Explore, Find It, and Measure It using the included interactive smart pen packed with more than 1,000 audio facts. $129.99
- Kid-friendly GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars® are perfect for kids who love to explore outdoors! Encourage nature studies and bird watching with focus-free, 2x magnification. $14.99
- Curious kiddos can travel to the moon and back with the GeoSafari® Jr. My First Telescope, a focus-free telescope built specifically for little hands and growing minds. Features 10x magnification providing fantastic views of the moon, while keeping the field of vision wide, which is essential for young children’s understanding of magnified views. $34.99
Ages 5-7
- Support STEM learning with Design & Drill® Space Circuits – a circuit building set with 20 space-themed challenges. Use a kid-safe drill to screw bolts, connectors, and specialty pieces, creating real circuits that activate lights, spin motors, and more. $49.99
- Give double the fun with Playfoam® Pals™ Snowy Friends! Sets of 2, 6, or 12 for your needs. All sets included snow globes hides a pod of squishy, squashy, sculptable Playfoam and a totally adorable collectible animal from the Arctic. They’ll want to collect them all! $7.99 - $47.99.
- One of four alien Pals is hiding inside each Playfoam pod in the Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad Galaxy Pack! Dig through the special, starry Playfoam to find the friends, then use it to sculpt a cosmically-cool space scene with the included accessories and Moon Rover! $19.99
- Transform their room into a personal planetarium with the GeoSafari® Glow-in-the-Dark Solar System. Assemble the sun, 8 planets, and dwarf planet Pluto, then use the included hangers and line to display from their bedroom ceiling! Exposure to daily sunlight makes the sun glow in the dark. $21.99
- Computing meets creativity with Artie 3000™ The Coding Robot! Kids write the code and this Wi-Fi enabled drawing robot draws whatever they’ve coded! Comes pre-programmed with shapes and games, too. $69.99
- Is a kiddo on your list fascinated with creepy crawlies? The GeoSafari® Day 'N' Night Ant Factory lets kids watch ants work – 24/7 – with nutrient rich farm gel that doubles as food and color-changing LEDs that light up the night. $29.99
Age 8+
- Set their sights on outer space with the Nancy B’s Science Club® MoonScope™ & Sky Gazer's Activity Journal. With 18-90x magnification and a built-in, pre-aligned finder scope with glow-in-the-dark ring, budding astronomers get a clear view of the nighttime sky. An included, 22-page Sky Gazers Journal includes stories about the moon and tons of fun activities like writing a moon myth, drawing a man on the moon, and more. $54.99
- Knot the noodle of your favorite, pint-sized puzzler with Kanoodle®, the brain twisting solitaire game with 200+ 2-D and 3-D puzzles! $12.99
- You’ll always have something to play together with the Nowhere to Go® Game. Try to trap your opponent in this step-by-step strategy game for two but be warned – you’ll want to play again and again. $19.99
- Give the gift of family fun with the Freeze Up!® Game. This award-winning pass-around wordplay game features over 170 categories, 2 modes of play, and automatic scoring for hours of unplugged fun. The game asks players to name something that starts with a particular letter – answer quickly or choose another category before you get freezed out! $24.99
- Make it a holiday they’ll never forget with the GeoSafari® Telescope & Microscope Set. Two real, powerful, scientific tools support discovery and observation, introducing astronomy and microbility in an independent, parent-free way! $99.99
for the Whole Family
- Go head-to-head in a portable puzzle challenge for two! Kanoodle® Head-to-Head enhances problem solving skills, develops spatial reasoning, encourages critical thinking, and more, with 80 puzzle challenges and a button function that pops your opponents’ pieces out of place! Ages 7-99. $21.99
- Squish and squash your way into sculpting super-stardom with Sculptapalooza™! This fast-paced, hands-on game paves the way for family fun as teams race against the clock to sculpt their way through hilarious challenges. Ages 10-99. $21.99
- Quick! What word means “partially dried grape”? Be the first to blurt out “raisin” and you’re on your way to winning Blurt!® Word Game, the riotous game of rapid word recall that’s perfect for family game night. Ages 7-99. $21.99
- Go head to head with your brainiest kiddo in the ultimate memory test! Remember and follow the pattern of lights and press each button in sequence to win BrainBolt™ Game Ages 7-99. $21.99
- Mesmerizing for all, Playfoam Pluffle™, never dries out, and offers a totally different feeling from the original Playfoam®. Say so long to Slime and choose from 8 bold colors. They're the perfect stocking stuffer! $15.99 (2-Pack)
Gifts That Dazzle and Delight
EI’s Bright Basics™ and My First Games toys give little ones the tools they need to explore their world and develop essential early learning skills, like:
READ MORE
An Easy Way to Find the Perfect Gift for Every Child on Your List
Attention parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles, and friends: This is the year that YOUR gift shines above all the rest! Whether you’re looking to create experiences filled with sheer joy or inspire “eureka” moments, EI’s toys and games are packed full of fun, designed to delight, and are certain to satisfy kids’ natural curiosity. We’ve got something that’s just right for each of the special sweeties on your shopping list! SHOP NOW to SAVE 30% - Code:Cyber30. Expires 12/6 at 11:59 p.m.Ages 2+
EI’s Bright Basics™ and My First Games toys give little ones the tools they need to explore their world and develop essential early learning skills, like:- Little animal lovers will have some big time family fun – and build vocabulary, language, and matching skills – with My First Game: Petting Zoo, the hands-on matching game made specifically for toddlers! $24.99
- Bitty builders stack blocks to build Humpty’s wall, then knock it down, load it onto the Bright Basics™ Dumpty Truck, and begin again, somewhere else! Set demonstrates cause and effect, develops fine motor skills, and encourages imaginative play. $19.99
- Take a trip down memory lane with the Bright Basics™ Shape-Sorting Popper, a sweet twist on a classic toddler toy! Sort the forest friends into their beds by matching the shapes on their bottoms to the shapes on the beds, the press the button to make them POP! $21.99
- Little lovers can nurture their nature with a Baby Doux Doll! These European-designed, cloth-body dolls feature realistic baby details, just-like-me skin tones and eye colors, and a soft vanilla scent. $59.99
Ages 3+
- Preschoolers are free to express their creativity – with no mess to clean up afterwards! Non-toxic Playfoam® Combo 8-Pack never dries out – so the squishy, squashy fun never ends – and it doesn’t stick , so kids can get creative on the go. $8.99
- Glow In The Dark Playfoam 8-Pack for the wild child on your list! $8.99
- Construction meets creativity with the Design & Drill Activity Center! Kids use a real, working power drill and colorful bolts to recreate the included patterns or design their very own! $39.99
- The perfect first board game! Little ones get sneaky with The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game, using the Squirrel Squeezers to find and place colored acorns in their logs. This award-winning, no-reading-required, quick-play, color matching game is easyto set up and clean up and fun for the whole family, too. $21.99
AGE 3-4+
- Look, listen, and learn as wildlife warrior, Bindi Irwin, shares kid-friendly facts about nature with GeoSafari® Jr. Talking Microscope! Take a closer look with the only talking microscope for preschoolers packed with photo-quality images and audio about the amazing, up-close world of animals, plants, everyday items and more. $49.99
- Little travel bugs will love learning about the world with the 12” GeoSafari® Jr. Talking Globe. Explore, Find It, and Measure It using the included interactive smart pen packed with more than 1,000 audio facts. $129.99
- Kid-friendly GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars® are perfect for kids who love to explore outdoors! Encourage nature studies and bird watching with focus-free, 2x magnification. $14.99
- Curious kiddos can travel to the moon and back with the GeoSafari® Jr. My First Telescope, a focus-free telescope built specifically for little hands and growing minds. Features 10x magnification providing fantastic views of the moon, while keeping the field of vision wide, which is essential for young children’s understanding of magnified views. $34.99
Ages 5-7
- Support STEM learning with Design & Drill® Space Circuits – a circuit building set with 20 space-themed challenges. Use a kid-safe drill to screw bolts, connectors, and specialty pieces, creating real circuits that activate lights, spin motors, and more. $49.99
- Give double the fun with Playfoam® Pals™ Snowy Friends! Sets of 2, 6, or 12 for your needs. All sets included snow globes hides a pod of squishy, squashy, sculptable Playfoam and a totally adorable collectible animal from the Arctic. They’ll want to collect them all! $7.99 - $47.99.
- One of four alien Pals is hiding inside each Playfoam pod in the Playfoam® Pals™ Space Squad Galaxy Pack! Dig through the special, starry Playfoam to find the friends, then use it to sculpt a cosmically-cool space scene with the included accessories and Moon Rover! $19.99
- Transform their room into a personal planetarium with the GeoSafari® Glow-in-the-Dark Solar System. Assemble the sun, 8 planets, and dwarf planet Pluto, then use the included hangers and line to display from their bedroom ceiling! Exposure to daily sunlight makes the sun glow in the dark. $21.99
- Computing meets creativity with Artie 3000™ The Coding Robot! Kids write the code and this Wi-Fi enabled drawing robot draws whatever they’ve coded! Comes pre-programmed with shapes and games, too. $69.99
- Is a kiddo on your list fascinated with creepy crawlies? The GeoSafari® Day 'N' Night Ant Factory lets kids watch ants work – 24/7 – with nutrient rich farm gel that doubles as food and color-changing LEDs that light up the night. $29.99
Age 8+
- Set their sights on outer space with the Nancy B’s Science Club® MoonScope™ & Sky Gazer's Activity Journal. With 18-90x magnification and a built-in, pre-aligned finder scope with glow-in-the-dark ring, budding astronomers get a clear view of the nighttime sky. An included, 22-page Sky Gazers Journal includes stories about the moon and tons of fun activities like writing a moon myth, drawing a man on the moon, and more. $54.99
- Knot the noodle of your favorite, pint-sized puzzler with Kanoodle®, the brain twisting solitaire game with 200+ 2-D and 3-D puzzles! $12.99
- You’ll always have something to play together with the Nowhere to Go® Game. Try to trap your opponent in this step-by-step strategy game for two but be warned – you’ll want to play again and again. $19.99
- Give the gift of family fun with the Freeze Up!® Game. This award-winning pass-around wordplay game features over 170 categories, 2 modes of play, and automatic scoring for hours of unplugged fun. The game asks players to name something that starts with a particular letter – answer quickly or choose another category before you get freezed out! $24.99
- Make it a holiday they’ll never forget with the GeoSafari® Telescope & Microscope Set. Two real, powerful, scientific tools support discovery and observation, introducing astronomy and microbility in an independent, parent-free way! $99.99
for the Whole Family
- Go head-to-head in a portable puzzle challenge for two! Kanoodle® Head-to-Head enhances problem solving skills, develops spatial reasoning, encourages critical thinking, and more, with 80 puzzle challenges and a button function that pops your opponents’ pieces out of place! Ages 7-99. $21.99
- Squish and squash your way into sculpting super-stardom with Sculptapalooza™! This fast-paced, hands-on game paves the way for family fun as teams race against the clock to sculpt their way through hilarious challenges. Ages 10-99. $21.99
- Quick! What word means “partially dried grape”? Be the first to blurt out “raisin” and you’re on your way to winning Blurt!® Word Game, the riotous game of rapid word recall that’s perfect for family game night. Ages 7-99. $21.99
- Go head to head with your brainiest kiddo in the ultimate memory test! Remember and follow the pattern of lights and press each button in sequence to win BrainBolt™ Game Ages 7-99. $21.99
- Mesmerizing for all, Playfoam Pluffle™, never dries out, and offers a totally different feeling from the original Playfoam®. Say so long to Slime and choose from 8 bold colors. They're the perfect stocking stuffer! $15.99 (2-Pack)
Make Your OWN Magnet!
Considered the father of electromagnetism, British scientist Michael Faraday furthered the field of magnetism by leaps and bounds. Although his math skills were barely at the algebraic level, his understanding of electromagnetism and electrochemistry led to big-time scientific breakthroughs in the early 1800’s. Oh, did we mention that he moonlighted as a chemist, discovering Benzene and inventing the Bunsen burner, among other amazing accomplishments?
You can perform Faraday’s famous induction experiment at home with your kids, and introduce them to the magic of magnets and the amazing mysteries that can be solved by scientific exploration. It’s easiest than you might think:so go on, give it a try….First, ask your kids if they think there’s a way to make a non-magnetic object, like a nail, magnetic.Next, gather the following supplies:
You can perform Faraday’s famous induction experiment at home with your kids, and introduce them to the magic of magnets and the amazing mysteries that can be solved by scientific exploration. It’s easiest than you might think:so go on, give it a try….First, ask your kids if they think there’s a way to make a non-magnetic object, like a nail, magnetic.Next, gather the following supplies:- 1 Iron nail – roughly 3" long
- 3’ Thin coated copper wire
- New D battery
- Needle-nosed pliers or wire stripper
- Tape
- Several paper clips or other metal objects
Photo Courtesy Grandadscience.com
- Leaving about 5"loose at the starting end, wrap the wire around the nail, being careful not to overlap anywhere.
- Leaving 8" loose at the other end of the nail,cut the wire.
- Use a wire stripper to peel back the plastic coating from both ends of the wire (many needle-nose pliers have a built-in wire stripper). You’ll only need to peel off about an inch of plastic from the wire – just enough to expose it and enable it to make contact with the ends of the battery.
- Tape one end of the wire to one end of your battery and the other end to the other end of the battery. Be careful – the battery can get hot!
- Point your nail toward the pile of paper clips – it should pick them up!
Photo Courtesy Grandadscience.com
Most magnets are permanent, meaning they are always magnetic (think about the ones on your fridge). This is because of the way their molecules are arranged. Electromagnets, however, are only magnetic when electricity, like what you provided with your battery, is flowing. When electricity is attached to a non-magnetic metal object, the molecules in the object are rearranged so that they are attracted to other metals—in other words, they become magnetic—until the electrical supply is cut off. For this reason, it’s extremely important to keep the wires of an electromagnet away from any electrical outlets.
Congratulations—you just made an electromagnet! Michael Faraday would be proud.
Make Your OWN Magnet!
Considered the father of electromagnetism, British scientist Michael Faraday furthered the field of magnetism by leaps and bounds. Although his math skills were barely at the algebraic level, his understanding of electromagnetism and electrochemistry led to big-time scientific breakthroughs in the early 1800’s. Oh, did we mention that he moonlighted as a chemist, discovering Benzene and inventing the Bunsen burner, among other amazing accomplishments?You can perform Faraday’s famous induction experiment at home with your kids, and introduce them to the magic of magnets and the amazing mysteries that can be solved by scientific exploration. It’s easiest than you might think:so go on, give it a try….First, ask your kids if they think there’s a way to make a non-magnetic object, like a nail, magnetic.Next, gather the following supplies:
You can perform Faraday’s famous induction experiment at home with your kids, and introduce them to the magic of magnets and the amazing mysteries that can be solved by scientific exploration. It’s easiest than you might think:so go on, give it a try….First, ask your kids if they think there’s a way to make a non-magnetic object, like a nail, magnetic.Next, gather the following supplies:- 1 Iron nail – roughly 3" long
- 3’ Thin coated copper wire
- New D battery
- Needle-nosed pliers or wire stripper
- Tape
- Several paper clips or other metal objects
Photo Courtesy Grandadscience.com
- Leaving about 5"loose at the starting end, wrap the wire around the nail, being careful not to overlap anywhere.
- Leaving 8" loose at the other end of the nail,cut the wire.
- Use a wire stripper to peel back the plastic coating from both ends of the wire (many needle-nose pliers have a built-in wire stripper). You’ll only need to peel off about an inch of plastic from the wire – just enough to expose it and enable it to make contact with the ends of the battery.
- Tape one end of the wire to one end of your battery and the other end to the other end of the battery. Be careful – the battery can get hot!
- Point your nail toward the pile of paper clips – it should pick them up!
Photo Courtesy Grandadscience.com
Most magnets are permanent, meaning they are always magnetic (think about the ones on your fridge). This is because of the way their molecules are arranged. Electromagnets, however, are only magnetic when electricity, like what you provided with your battery, is flowing. When electricity is attached to a non-magnetic metal object, the molecules in the object are rearranged so that they are attracted to other metals—in other words, they become magnetic—until the electrical supply is cut off. For this reason, it’s extremely important to keep the wires of an electromagnet away from any electrical outlets.
Congratulations—you just made an electromagnet! Michael Faraday would be proud. READ MORE
