Tagged with 'Exploration'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5U2JQWUt7E&feature=emb_logoHome'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 Sahad Rivera Sonda, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 3-5Supplies:

• Paper
• Design & Drill® Drill with drill bit
• Markers
• Tape

Procedure:

1. Choose a marker and use your tape to secure it to the drill bit.
2. Attach the drill bit to the drill.
3. Turn the drill on and get ready to draw!
4. We’re drawing a lion, so let’s start with the mane. Set the marker down on the paper and activate the drill, creating a large spiraled circle.
5. Next, switch to a different color. Let’s try green so we can draw some trees.
6. Use your yellow marker to draw the outline of your lion’s head, then color it in.
7. Use a brown marker to draw trunks for the trees.
8. Use a black marker to add the lion’s nose, mouth and whiskers.
9. Add googly eyes to finish!

[caption id="attachment_6589" align="alignnone" width="945"] Design & Drill® Bolt-It Bucket™[/caption]Sahad Rivera Sonda has dreamed of being a toy designer since she was a child in Mexico! Her passion for miniatures and other playful oddities (her collection includes everything from a plush churro to a miniature French fry) eventually led her to Otis College of Art and Design in California, where she obtained a degree in Toy Design. Sahad’s dreams came true when she landed a job with EI, designing the look and feel for many of our toys and games, including Playfoam Pals, Design & Drill and our plush line.

A lot of things remain uncertain as we head into the coming school year. One thing that hasn’t changed, whether you’ll be teaching from the front of the room or your living room, is the emphasis on STEM and STEAM learning. As you head back to school in whatever format that looks like for you, EI is here to help support your STEAM lessons with super-cool, ultra-creative, coding activities, courtesy of Artie 3000![caption id="attachment_6563" align="alignnone" width="840"] Visit codewithartie.com for helpful tips-n-tricks and free downloads![/caption]Artie 3000 – the Coding Robot, makes coding simple, fun, and creative, by enabling kids to create code that Artie draws on paper! Equipped with his own WiFi and built-in coding apps, students can use the classroom computer and Artie’s simple UI to drag-and-drop command blocks. Hit the run button and Artie will execute those commands on a sheet of paper for a totally tangible connection to the code. With this simple UI, point & click programming options, and more advanced computer languages for students ready for a coding challenge, Artie adapts to each of your student’s needs, providing a rewarding coding experience and building STEM confidence.And, with four color pens and easy-to-program shapes, words, and designs, Artie is the perfect tool for engaging the creative kids in your classroom in some serious STEM learning. Write the code, execute it on paper, then color it in – Artie is a technology lesson and art project all in one! In fact, our 45 Things To Do with Artie list includes lots of art activity ideas, ranging from making puppets for a puppet show to door hangers featuring students names, coding and coloring wearable hats for Artie, and more.  Artie also offers RC fun. Students can use the arrow keys on the keyboard to control Artie’s path through the classroom (another simple lesson in coding!). Guide him to set off a student-designed chain reaction, patrol the classroom, select a student to answer a question, and so much more.Best of all, with step-by-step instructions, pre-programmed content, free downloadable content, how-to-videos (including student-produced videos!), and activity ideas from partners including Mensa for Kids, Artie is so easy to use that your students can figure it out without you![caption id="attachment_6577" align="alignnone" width="743"] Photo credit: @miss_luluandbiscuit[/caption]Learn more about Artie 3000 – the Coding Robot at www.codewithartie.com or visit Amazon.com to purchase Artie 3000 for the sale price of $54.99 with Prime delivery!

Over the last 15 years or so, STEM learning has weaved its way into the American curriculum, with STEM activities showing up in classes as early as preschool. But what IS STEM? And why is it so important?STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – areas that are growing by leaps and bounds as we become more and more reliant on technology. In fact, while there are millions of jobs in STEM fields around the world, employers are struggling to fill them because, until recently, these subjects were not emphasized in schools. Current thought holds that exposure to these subjects and opportunities to explore them through hands-on learning experiences will excite kids and inspire them to continue to study STEM subjects and then go on to pursue STEM-related careers.Teachers across the country have been working hard to infuse their daily lessons with STEM examples, ideas, conversations, activities, and experiments. And you can, too! The STEM experts at EI are sharing easy ways to introduce and reinforce STEM learning right now, at home![caption id="attachment_6537" align="alignnone" width="840"] GeoSafari® Jr. My First Microscope[/caption]S is for ScienceKids are naturally curious about science and there’s not a rug rat around who doesn’t love an awesome science experiment. Introducing your little ones to the amazing world of science is easy, with the GeoSafari® Jr. My First Microscope! Featuring extra-large, dual eyepieces and a chunky, kid-sized focusing knob, this sturdy microscope is perfect for preschoolers. Kids collect everyday objects, place them on the sample tray, turn on the LED light, and take a peek to see their object magnified up to 8x larger. They can examine everything from a postage stamp to a piece of pizza, gaining an understanding of the physical composition of different objects around them and getting invaluable, hands-on experience with a real, scientific tool! On sale NOW for $14.14 on Amazon Prime. Keep the science fun going with the FREE, downloadable science activities and Home’s Cool Videos on our website, like our beginning science activity cards and erupting apples experiment how-to video![caption id="attachment_6538" align="alignnone" width="840"] Artie 3000™ The Coding Robot[/caption]T is for TechnologyCoding is a key STEM skill and kids as young as 7 years old can get in on the fun, thanks to Artie 3000 the Coding Robot, the creative way to learn to code! Using a computer or tablet, and Artie’s on-board WiFi, kids follow easy instructions to create the code, then Artie draws whatever they’ve coded. Artie’s simple set up and pre-programmed designs are perfect for beginners; more advanced coders can create their own, custom code. From basic shapes to advanced drawings, words, even secret code, Artie grows with your child as their skills advance. Check out this amazing list of 45 fun things to do with Artie 3000 and the awesome Artie Home’s Cool Video series for a visual how-to. Available on Amazon Prime for $54.99.[caption id="attachment_6540" align="alignnone" width="840"] Design & Drill® Space Circuits[/caption]E is for EngineeringKids as young as five years old can explore the incredible world of engineering with Design & Drill® Space Circuits sets! Mini-STEMgineers use a kid-friendly drill to complete 20 space-themed missions, including making lights turn on and off, spinning simple motors, activating buttons and switches, and more, all while building basic problem-solving skills and gaining an understanding of simple circuitry. On sale now on Amazon Prime for just $27.70! Looking for even more building and construction fun? Browse our At-Home Activities page and Home’s School Videos for additional activities including drawing with your drill and practicing simple bolt addition.[caption id="attachment_6541" align="alignnone" width="840"] Hot Dots®[/caption]M is for MathMake math practice WAY more fun, with interactive Hot Dots®! The Hot Dots Jr. Let’s Master Pre-K Math set gives kids a jumpstart on math success with 85 pre-K math lessons, 15 advanced lessons, and a talking pen. Preschoolers press Ace-the Talking, Teaching Dog Pen to any answer dot for an immediate audio and visual response. Silly sounds and fun phrases keep kids engaged and motivated as they tackle lessons on counting, numbers, patterns, time, fractions, and more. Available now on Amazon Prime for $30.14. Kids can also practice counting, numbers, patterns, sequences, shapes, colors, and more with the free, downloadable math activities on our website!With a bit of forethought, sneaking some STEM learning into your at-home play time is simple – and fun!

PART 3

If you’ve enjoyed sprouting your very own seeds and creating a visual demonstration of the photosynthesis process, it’s time to do a double take with a super cool plant cloning exercise. Here’s how:

Seeing Double!

Photo credit: https://www.clickandgrow.comDid you know that you can clone a plant without using a seed? Yup, it’s true. You can take a cutting from an existing plant, place it in water, and it will grow whatever it’s missing. For example, place a plant’s roots in water and it will grow a stem and leaves. Or place a stem and leaves and the plant with grow roots. Demonstrate this natural magic at home with your own plant cuttings!1. Cut 6” pieces from two different plants with at least four leaves each.2. Strip the leaves on the bottom third of the stem and place each stem in a separate cup of water, making sure no leaves are under water.3. Label your plants and place them in a sunny spot.4. Check on them each day, measuring them for growth, checking for new leaves, and comparing and contrasting any differences or similarities between your two cuttings.5. For add on cloning activities, check out this Nancy B Science Project Worksheet!If your kiddos enjoyed this experiment, they’re going to love Nancy B’s Science Club! This line of scientific tools and real-life journaling activities provides hands-on science experiences that get kids comfortable and excited about science, giving them the confidence to pursue science further in school and in life. Science enthusiasts can choose from binoculars, a microscope, telescope, aquascope, compost kit, and more, each including a meaty journal full of activities ranging from discovery and observation to creative writing and drawing. Also, check out the Educational Insights' Discovery & Exploration page for even more curious tools and toys for little and big kids![caption id="attachment_6275" align="alignnone" width="770"] Nancy B’s Science Club® AquaScope™[/caption]

PART 2

If your little green thumb couldn’t get enough of our Let It Grow germination activity, it’s time to get ready, get set, get growing with this fun at-home photosynthesis project! Follow these simple, step-by-step instructions to visually demonstrate this incredible process:

Just Breathe!

Photo credit: sciencewithme.comPhotosynthesis is the process plants use to make their own food. This process requires just three things: carbon dioxide from the air, water, and sunlight.Plants absorb the carbon dioxide through small pores in their leaves. Special chemicals in their leaves allow them to absorb sunlight. And they use their roots to absorb water.Once a plant has absorbed sunlight, it uses that energy to split the water molecules absorbed by the roots into hydrogen and oxygen. The plant uses the hydrogen and the carbon dioxide it’s absorbed from the air to create glucose – or plant food! But what happens to the oxygen? Let’s find out!1. Pick a green leaf from a plant.2. Place it in a container of water and find out! (Psst… the graduated cylinder in the Nancy B’s Science Club® Stir-It-Up Chemistry Lab is perfect for this activity.)3. After about an hour, you’ll see lots of tiny bubbles. This is the oxygen being released from the leaf during the photosynthesis process! Use a magnifying glass for a closer look.Now that you know how plants thrive and grow, check out how they grow hydroponically with our seed germination activity. Click here for simple instructions!If your kiddos enjoyed this experiment, they’re going to love Nancy B’s Science Club! This line of scientific tools and real-life journaling activities provides hands-on science experiences that get kids comfortable and excited about science, giving them the confidence to pursue science further in school and in life. Science enthusiasts can choose from binoculars, a microscope, telescope, aquascope, compost kit, and more, each including a meaty journal full of activities ranging from discovery and observation to creative writing and drawing. Also, check out the Educational Insights' Discovery & Exploration page for even more curious tools and toys for little and big kids!