Tagged with 'Exploration'

PART 1

Plant the seeds of learning with a few of our favorite at-home activities designed to provide hands-on experience with scientific tools and processes! Start with this fun seed germination activity – and don’t worry, if you’re saying ‘seed what?’ we’ve got you covered!Photo credit: https://www.lovethegarden.com/What is germination?  It's the process by which an organism grows from a seed or similar structure. The most common example of germination is the sprouting of a seedling from a seed.

Root It Out!

Inside every seed is a plant just waiting to come out! Seeds can be big or small and come in all shapes and sizes, but the process of germination, or a seed developing out of dormancy, is the same. And you can do it at home!1. Wet a paper towel with water and place four or five seeds (pea or bean seeds are great!) on top.2. Wrap the towel around the seeds, place it in a sealable plastic bag, close the bag, and put it in a warm place, like on the windowsill.3. Wait a few days, then open the bag, unwrap the towel, and check your seeds. Have they germinated? You’ll know if you see the start of small roots coming out of one end of the seed. This means they’re ready to be planted!4. Dig a small hole in the dirt of your garden, drop them in, and pack the dirt around them, and be sure to water them dailyORPlace the germinated seeds in the basket of the Nancy B’s Science Club® Way to Grow Hydroponics Kit, place the baskets in the water-filled flasks, and watch through the water as your plants grow.[caption id="attachment_6211" align="alignnone" width="843"] Nancy B's Science Club® Way to Grow Hydroponics[/caption]If you enjoyed the germination process, you’re going to love our photosynthesis activity – here is a free printable with step-by-step instructions![caption id="attachment_6218" align="alignnone" width="680"] Click to Download[/caption]And if your family can’t get enough of science, 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, 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.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaYPxTcKbPQ&t=17s 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMEC2e8_Km0&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 Stacie Palka, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 4+Supplies:• Waxed paper• Colored Tissue paper• Construction paper• Scissors• Iron (for adult use)• Yarn (to hang your suncatcher)• Hole punch• Glue stickProcedure:1. Use your scissors to cut brightly colored tissue paper into small shapes like hearts, circles, and stars.2. Cut 2 sheets of wax paper to the desired size of your suncatcher.3. Let your child arrange the tissue paper pieces on one piece of the wax paper, leaving a bit of space between each piece.4. When they’re done, place the second piece of wax paper on top.*Adult assistance needed with the below steps.5. Turn the iron to a low setting.6. Place a dishtowel carefully over the wax paper (to protect the iron).7. Slowly run the iron over the dishtowel (placed over the suncatcher).8. After about 2 minutes, lift the dishtowel to see if the wax paper layers have adhered together. If not, continue ironing and checking until the two pieces are stuck together.9. If there is any excess wax paper, trim it off, leaving a little bit of space around the edge.10. Show your child how to cut your sheet of construction paper into four equal strips to make a frame around your suncatcher.11. Let your little one glue the paper frame around the edges of the suncatcher.12. Punch a hole in the top of the frame.13. Use yarn or string to tie a loop and hang your suncatcher in a bright, sunny window!With first-hand experience teaching Kindergarten and first grade and 13 years of product development know-how, EI Product Manager Stacie Palka is uniquely qualified to develop products that spark curiosity and a-ha moments. When she's not coming up with cool (and smart!) new ways to play, So Cal native and board game buff Stacie is caring for her two kids and adorable doggo, Frankie.

[caption id="attachment_6158" align="alignnone" width="1024"] 5 Tips to Help Your Child Make New Friends - Scholastic.com[/caption]In part one of our friendship series we shared the many and compelling ways that making and playing with friends supports your child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development, along with some simple things you can do at home to help your child learn to be a good friend.Now it’s time to talk about helping your child make a new friend! For some kids, making new friends is as easy to sitting down next to a small stranger in the sandbox. For others, making friends is a little bit harder. Whether your little one is outgoing or reserved, the suggestions below will help make their first forays into friendship a smashing success!1. Provide Limited Options – Having a friend over? Put your child’s special toys away, leaving just two choices out – say Playfoam® and Legos – and let the kids choose what to do. If they can’t agree, you may need to intervene with “Let’s let our guest pick first this time, and you’ll choose first next time.” (Talking about how we treat guests in our home before a friend comes over can make this solution go smoother.) Or let them each play what they want, side by side. They may choose to engage as they play or not – either way is okay![caption id="attachment_6150" align="alignnone" width="600"] Playfoam® - photo credit: @playingwithchanel[/caption]2. Keep It Short – Limit the amount of time the toddlers and preschoolers play with one activity to roughly 10 minutes. Unless they both seem really engaged, offer another set of activities to choose from, checking in on that one after another 10 minutes. And keep the play date short, too. Better to end it while the kids are having fun than to wait until someone melts down! An hour together is a good goal for toddlers and two hours is plenty of time for preschoolers.3. Serve Snacks – If the fun starts to stall or things start to get sticky, offer a snack! Snack time is a good distraction and gives the kids a chance to regroup and start fresh when they’re done. Check out our School Lunches and Snacks for Kids Pinterest boards for some super snack and awesome meal ideas! Odds are your child’s friend’s caregiver will stay while the kids play, but if not be sure to ask about any food allergies when they drop off.[caption id="attachment_6151" align="alignnone" width="486"] Photo credit: Kristine's Kitchen[/caption]4. Go Outside – The park, playground, or backyard are perfect places to play – and to burn off some of that endless kid energy! Pack buckets and shovels for sandbox time. When the kids are ready to move on from that, offer outdoor exploration tools like the GeoSafari® Jr. Kidnoculars®, Walkie Talkies, or My First Telescope.5. Stay Close – In some cases you may need to join in the fun to keep things rolling. Play a game like 1-2-3 Froggies™ or My First Game: Bears in Pairs with your kiddo and their pal or doodle along side them as they color in some of their favorite EI characters and scenes using free, downloadable EI coloring pages. Even if you don’t engage directly, stay within earshot so you can quickly intervene if the kids hit a speed bump.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="680"] Unicorn Magic, Sprinkle & Twinkle Coloring Sheet[/caption][caption id="attachment_6156" align="alignnone" width="680"] Dino-mite Crown Activity[/caption]Like anything, making friends takes a bit of practice, but with a little prep and guidance, your kiddo will find just the right friends to share in their adventures! Looking for a bit more perspective? Check out some friendship reflections from the mom of a 10-year-old, in our past blog!

[caption id="attachment_6113" align="alignnone" width="830"] Photo credit: PBS.org -  Helping Young Children Learn To Make Friends[/caption]Grandma wisdom says, “In the cookie of life, friends are the chocolate chips.” As your toddler tootles toward preschool, they’re also headed toward the first of many childhood friendships. And although it feels like a family’s love is all a child needs, these friendships are a positive and necessary milestone in your child’s natural development. They’re the chocolate chips!Baking  delicious cookies is a fool-proof way make a special friend's day! Here's the famous DoubleTree chocolate chip cookie recipe to help! Enjoy baking time with the kiddos while teaching them the spirit of giving and sharing. They will love the warm fuzzy feeling when surprising their friends with a special homemade treat. Adding a little note with Grandma's words of wisdom will add the perfect personal touch.[caption id="attachment_6108" align="alignnone" width="1021"] The infamous DoubleTree by Hilton chocolate chip cookies.[/caption]Building and sustaining friendships develops a child’s confidence and self-esteem. Navigating friendships helps kids understand the concept of loyalty and teaches them about acceptance. Playtime with friends promotes patience, builds decision making skills, enhances communication and language skills, and provides an outlet for imagination, creativity, and energy. Disagreements provide practice with compromise and conflict resolution. Spending time at friends’ homes gives kids a glimpse into other lifestyles and family units, broadening their perspective. And, of course, later on, friends provide a peer group to provide support and encouragement when you are not around.Those are some pretty compelling reasons to nurture your child’s friendships. So how do you go about helping your little one make good friends? The first step is learning how to BE a good friend – and that starts at home. Here's a great kid's book that can help start the conversation. Below are some of our best tips and tricks for modeling and practicing being a good friend:• Talk and Listen – Ask your child a question and really listen to their response. Then ask more questions about what they’ve said, or restate what you heard them say, to show that you are listening and that what they have to say is important to you.• Observe – See something, say something. When you see your child exhibiting positive and friendly behaviors say something out loud! “I love that you let Grampa pick tonight’s story!” or “It was great that you and your brother found something you both wanted to play!”.• Practice – Game play is a great way to practice choosing an activity, deciding who goes first, taking turns, and winning and losing gracefully. Ask your kiddo if they’d like to play a game (you’re modeling how to invite a friend to participate in an activity). Then set out a few favorites, like The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game® or Pancake Pileup!™ Relay Game. Tell your little one that they can either choose the game or go first, but not both, then follow their lead.[caption id="attachment_6109" align="alignnone" width="680"] Photo credit: @my_sensorium[/caption][caption id="attachment_6110" align="alignnone" width="680"] Photo credit: @preferredtherapytoys[/caption]• Keep Things Light – Whether you’ve been sent down the long slide playing Chutes and Ladders or your block tower tumbles, laugh it off and try again. Teaching your child to roll with the punches and be a good sport will make them even more fun to play with.With a little practice and a lot of support, your kiddo will be ready for their first play date in no time! Be on the lookout for part two of this piece, Teaching Your Child to MAKE a Good Friend, including five of our favorite tips for hosting a successful play date.Check out this great article from Popsugar: How to Help Your Child Become a Good Friend for more helpful hints.

https://youtu.be/fSKdbspDO7UHome'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: 5-8Grades: K-3Supplies:• Plastic bottle• Balloon (or rubber glove)• Baking soda• VinegarProcedure:1. Use a funnel to shake 2 tablespoons of baking soda into an uninflated balloon.2. Fill a plastic bottle with ½ cup of white vinegar.3. Remove the funnel and carefully place the open end of the balloon over the mouth of the bottle, without letting the baking soda pour into the bottle.4. When you’re ready, lift the balloon so the baking soda pours into the bottle.5. Watch the balloon fill up with the gas from the baking soda and vinegar reaction! 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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=HhFjZMqeZIE&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 Sahad Rivera Sonda, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 3-5Supplies:• Playfoam• Construction Paper• Tape• Scissors• Marker• Googly EyesProcedure:1. Cut out a head shape, use a marker to draw a nose, mouth, and ears, and add googly eyes.2. Secure the face to the table with tape.3. Start sculpting! Use Playfoam to create silly hairdos. Try pony tails, a perm, or even a mohawk!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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFxThjSZjmU&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: 4-12Grades: pre-K-6Supplies:• Cardboard box• 2 Similar-sized objects• Camera or phone with slow-motion video capabilitiesProcedure:1. Stand a cardboard box on end, with the open flaps facing you.2. Set up your slow-motion camera to record the objects falling.3. Using one hand to support the flap, place both objects on one flap of the cardboard box and make sure they are not moving.4. Start recording on the slow-motion camera.5. Drop the flap on the cardboard box.6. Watch the video of the objects falling. Are they falling at the same speed? Or is one object falling faster than the other? Try dropping other objects! Do you notice any relationship between the shape and how the object falls? How about the size? Or weight?Explanation:The force of gravity is all around us. We experience it every day on Earth, whether or not we think about it. Sir Isaac Newton was the first to develop a mathematical explanation for gravity, which includes the importance of mass and distance. If an object has a lot of mass (is very heavy) then it will impose a larger gravitational force than other, smaller objects experience.When we drop two objects like the ping pong ball and tangerine in the video, they fall to the ground because the force of gravity is pulling them toward the center of the Earth. This gravitational force applies to everything on Earth, from an apple growing on a tree to a car parked on the street, and even planes in the sky.Now it’s time to experiment with dropping different objects! Be sure you aren’t dropping anything that might break. As mentioned in the video, this experiment is ignoring the effects of air resistance. Since we are in our homes and not a science lab, we can see how gravity affects all objects, but we can also see how the shape of an object changes the air resistance it feels as it falls to the ground.For this experiment, we are focusing on Newton’s Second Law, or F = ma.This law says the force an object feels (in this case, the force of gravity from Earth) equals the mass of that object (how heavy it is) multiplied by the acceleration it experiences. Everything on Earth feels the same acceleration toward the center of the Earth.So, what happens if we drop a ping pong ball and a baseball? A baseball weighs about 145 grams but a ping pong ball weighs about 3 grams. The acceleration is the same since both objects are on Earth, so the force the baseball feels is about 50 times as large as the force the ping pong ball feels (because it weighs almost 50 times as much).Why does it look like they reach the ground at the same time? The reason is inertia. Inertia is resistance to acceleration and depends on how much something weighs. If something weighs more, it won’t accelerate as fast. That’s why the ping pong ball starts to fall faster than the baseball.If we repeat this experiment with different-shaped objects, we can see the effects of air resistance. Try this out a piece of paper and a ball. The ball is round so the air can move around it easily, but the paper is a large rectangle, making it difficult for the air to go around it. The air resistance slows down the acceleration of the paper toward the ground, which is why it moves back and forth and reaches the ground after the ball.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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBVHs78XNXs&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 Sahad Rivera Sonda, one of our Product Managers!Ages: 3-7Supplies:• Construction paper• Markers and/or crayons• Playfoam• Tape• Scissors• Pencil• Googly eyes (optional)Procedure:1. Open your Playfoam pod – don’t discard the packaging!2. Trace the circular plastic backer card onto a sheet of paper.3. Draw an alien inside the circle and color it in.4. Cut the circle out…5. And add googly eyes to your character!6. Fold a paper sheet in half and cut out the main body of your rocket.7. Use tape to secure your alien circle to the rocket.8. Place the plastic Playfoam pod over the circle and tape it down securely.9. Tape the whole rocket to a sheet of black paper…10. Squish, squash and sculpt Playfoam to create the rocket fins and other details…11. Then use a white crayon to add stars on the background!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.