It’s been months since LEGO Masters ended and my own little master builder has been dying for building inspiration. I’ve noticed he studies instructions in-depth and reads through them over and over to make sure he precisely follows each step. He has an eye for the details and wants to know just how things work. While we’ve been home this summer, I’ve found a few ways to encourage his interest in STEM activities.
4 Ways to Encourage STEM Education at Home
- BattleBots :: BattleBots has taken over our lives. Teams come together to build and fight their remote-controlled robots in the Battle Box. My 5-year-old loves watching these robots destroy each other in the ring. He remembers which robots have lost battles and knows each bot’s primary weapon. He lives for this robot competition; every toy and stuffed animal turns into a BattleBot. He can tell you the details of what the bots are made of, how they move, and what keeps the robots balanced.
- Snap Circuits from Elenco Electronics :: If you want to help your child learn to build an electronic device or machine, you will want one of these snap circuits. Elenco has snap circuits for all ages and skill levels, from an FM radio to computer interfaced projects, that fit together and snap into place. Snap circuits are a simple way to lay the foundation for a budding interest in engineering and technology.
- Science Max :: We have just recently discovered Science Max. If your child is mesmerized by at-home science experiments, Phil with Science Max takes it up a notch by “turbocharging” the experiment and making it giant. He’s hilarious, engaging, and finds a way to make science concepts incredibly understandable. You’ll even be able to point out examples of density, force, and gravity in everyday interactions around your home.
- Good Eats: Reloaded :: Alton Brown is the chef who taught us why things taste good. He’s known for explaining the science behind our recipes. Reloaded goes back and rights some wrongs, replaces new techniques for old ones, and will help your child discover science even exists in the foods we eat. My son has been inspired to create and make his own recipes since we watched Reloaded. One or two of them might even have been edible!
At this point, STEM activities are still super cool to my 5-year-old, and I want to find ways to make him realize he will always use these skills.
