Did you know the U.S. Labor Department predicted the 10 fastest growing occupations and nearly all of them are S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. careers? And, unfortunately, America has fallen behind other nations in science and math education (and COVID didn’t help at all, the education gap has been steep) so there is a definite need to motivate young kids to pursue these subjects in order to keep up with the rest of the world. But the good news, it can be really FUN!
To celebrate National S.T.E.M./S.T.E.A.M. Day this November 8th we curated the latest STEAM-based educational toys and products to help families navigate what is in the classroom and what needs to be at home. Our goal is to get kids excited about learning (even if it has to be from mom and dad during these quarantine times) and also to show Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math do not have to be intimidating but rather, they can really be exciting and something used every day, even in the life of a toddler.
FULL S.T.E.A.M. AHEAD WITH EDUCATIONAL INSIGHTS
When talking about S.T.E.A.M. the fundamental principle across all is, “How can I make this work?” Developing problem solving skills and troubleshooting are key. While most probably initially think of coding and circuit boards, they might simultaneously be a little intimidated too… but we don’t have to be… kids as young as three years old can understand engineering thanks to some really cool products from Educational Insights like Circuit Explorer, Bolt Buddies and Artie 3000.
When you see circuits they are generally boards, but Educational Insights wanted to give an off board experience and integrate creative play with their Circuit Explorer sets where your child follows the system lines and can watch vehicles move, dishes spin, lights, sound and more… it’s all about how power works and why. With 90% of parents agreeing it’s important to encourage the development of S.T.E.M. skills in their kids, the Bolt Buddies sets can help lay the foundation for preschoolers. It’s all about the thrill of the drill, in fact you can literally see the gears turning in the drill so when the kids use it, we as parents hope to see the gears turning in their little heads too!
Artie 3000 puts the A in S.T.E.A.M. — this coding robot comes ready to draw with preprogrammed designs, shapes, and games. So other than the satisfaction of completing a sequence, your child gets a tangible art piece after coding too. And don’t worry parents, whether you know how to code or not, your kid will be coding within 5-10 minutes of playing with Artie. It’s no wonder Artie 3000 was nominated for Toy of the Year in 2020.
Space exploration is so captivating at any age, but especially to elementary age kids. GeoSafari’s motorized Solar System is a big hit in our house. Eight planets rotate around a glowing light-up sun. Plus not only can you use the sun as a night light, but you can also turn off the lights, switch the top plate to one with constellations which then will project a star show on your ceiling for the ultimate in-room space experience! Also in the GeoSafari Jr collection, we love the microscope to examine everything from insects and leaves to socks and cookies — yes, make magnifying objects fun! They also have a talking telescope that is the perfect teaching partner at home with 240 fun facts and questions about outer space!
MAKING MATH MAGICAL WITH OSMO
The U.S. has fallen behind other nations in science and math education; we need to motivate young kids to pursue these subjects to keep up with the rest of the world. But all of us can admit math can sometimes get boring especially when you have to complete worksheets. We love that Osmo is making math fun and exciting. Osmo is an app-based system that works with your iPad or Fire Table. From coding to learning math and how to draw your favorite Disney characters, we love that it has a wide-range of games for all ages. Rather than sit in front of the TV, we love that it is a positive screen time option, where they are learning STEAM-based skills and having fun.
In their two newest games Math Wizard, the players use math to help create potions for dragons and help the townspeople. Math Wizard is a new self-paced, curriculum-inspired series that combines hands-on learning with digital adventure, helping children build math confidence and understanding. Osmo works closely with educators to develop the games to make sure they are aligned with traditional curriculum so that children can take what they play on the Osmo game and apply it to the classroom and life. There are settings within the game for parents to set based on their student’s ability. My son begs to play the game daily. He wants to solve the puzzles and he is also able to make the connection between what he is learning as part of his classroom studies with the game.
EXPLORING SCIENCE AT HOME WITH QUARTO
As working parents navigating at home learning, we are always looking for resources to supplement learning but are easy to use! We love Quarto Knows for their great assortment of STEAM-based books and Smart Lab toys. One of our favorites is Animal Exploration Lab by San Diego Zoo Maggie Reinbold. It has 52 family-friendly ideas coupled with the science behind it. We pick out one to two activities per week to try. Another favorite is Chemistry for Kids. Each section highlights the chemists coupled with a project that is inspired by their work. The majority of the projects use items that can be found around the house too which we love. With online learning, it is going to be important to balance time away from the screen Super Science Experiments at Home, Nature Play Workshop, Experiment with Outdoor Science, and The Unplugged Family Activity Book are all great options to get your student learning about science.
They also have Quarto Classroom which is a free video library of Quarto’s creators using their books as teaching tools in educational spaces. Many of the videos also have free printable materials enabling students to follow along and participate in the lesson. We love using resources like this when our children are passionate about a certain subject and they we can deep dive it with one of the experts.
If you are like us and your kids want to do hands-on experiments, but you are at a loss for time, Quarto’s Smart Lab toys is a great option. They are science kits that come packaged with a booklet filled with experiments and the majority of the materials you need to have your own mini science class at home. From tracking the weather with Storm Watcher Weather Lab to mixing up crazy concoctions that you can drink with Crazy Drinks Science Lab there’s sure to be something for whatever your student might be learning.
