Summer Learning With The Electric Motors Catalyst

The ultimate kit for young tinkerers to think outside the box

              I received a STEM learning kit to facilitate this post.

 School may be out for the summer but that does not have to be the end of learning. They say that when kids take a long break from school it can hurt their learning as they forget what they learned in school. So I like to keep my kids learning during the summer break. I want my kids to succeed in school and that to me means providing my kids with opportunities to keep learning. Summer learning does not have to be boring for kids with books and worksheets. There are many ways to make learning fun for kids with activities and STEM learning kits. I make learning fun for boys so they will want to engage with the materials that I provide them. My boys love robotics and creating things. My youngest has a knack for building things and wants to invent things. He was to be an inventor or engineer when he grows up.

Check out some of the ways I help my child succeed in school

https://www.momknowsbest.net/2018/08/helping-your-child-succeed-in-school.html

 One of the fun summer learning activity that I have for my boys this summer is a fun hands-on-STEM kit. The Electric Motor Catalyst kit from Tinkering Labs will teach my boys science, technology, engineering, and math. This exciting learning kit has over 50 parts in it and allows my boys to use their creativity to create over 16 inventions. The best part is the inventions don't take long to build everything is included in the box, even batteries. The STEM kit has examples that show kids what to build but it also allows for kids to build beyond those inventions.

Ten Challenges to get minds moving

 The STEM kit includes ten challenge cards with ideas to help kids think outside the box and take the include parts to make something like a machine to scramble an egg. I love that the challenges take 30-60 minutes to create as any longer seems to frustrate my boys. The ideas do not require kids to have any tinkering experience and are designed to get their hands and minds moving. 

A box of fun that teaches

 My boys were super excited to start creating with the Electric Motors Catalyst kit. The instructions were super easy for them and they did not need my help. I loved that they were able to work together and have fun. My boys stay busy for a long time and I loved that they were not on electric devices all morning. I was able to get work done while they created some cool machines that did everything from scrambling an egg to drawing a picture. Their gifted teacher would be proud to know that they were enriching their minds with learning during their summer break. This kit is just one of the many activities that my boys will do this summer to enrich their learning. We will also be visiting the children's Explora museum several times as we have a family membership. 

Storage bag included

 I loved that the learning kit came with a cloth storage bag so clean-up was easy. All the parts were available for my boy's next invention. The bag of parts then was easy to store in the box with the instruction books. The bag of parts was just the beginning of my boy's creation as they used their creative minds beyond the box and started adding other things to their inventions. Every time that my boys played with the Electric Motors Catalyst they came up with different ideas on how to build with the 50+ parts. 

What learning activities do your kids do in the summer?

What To Pack For A Fitness Conference

Sponsored post

  I am heading to California next month for a wonderful fitness conference and I am so excited. This conference is all about fitness and nutrition, some of my passions. SHINE is the newest Influencer event by IDEA Heath + Fitness Association. This event replaces Blogfest and will be held in Anaheim this year. I attended Blogfest in 2017 when it was held in Las Vegas and it was an amazing conference for bloggers who write about fitness, wellness, and nutrition. The Shine blogger conference is a great way for us influencers to light up our purpose and passions. It is also a great event to network with other influencers and brands who have the same passions of helping people take control of their health.


What do I pack?

 Shine is different than any other blogging conference, even those designed for healthy living bloggers so you will be packing things like workout clothes. This is the conference that you get to live in your fitness attire as you will be attending exercise classes and trying out all the newest fitness equipment. It is the one time that wearing yoga pants will make a great first impression. So pack your best workout clothes. This fitness conference is the perfect excuse to buy some new fitness clothes and some cute fitness socks.  It is also the best time to splurge on a new pair of running shoes. Of course, there are many other items that you will need to bring to this event and I have a great list of things that came in handy for me at my last fitness conference.

Fitness Clothes
 Since you will be attending a fitness conference for 4 days, make sure to pack enough exercise clothes for four days. I like to mix things up and I pack a couple pairs of yoga pants, some running skirts and a couple pairs of running shorts. I also pack things like tank tops, running bras, and cute matching knee-high socks. I also pack a pair of running shoes. I discovered this wonderful website that sells fun knee-high socks. Chrissy's Knee High Socks has a wide selection of custom socks that offer endless possibilities when it comes to putting together outfits with knee-high socks. There are so many ways to match socks to any outfits and Chrissy's Knee High Socks even has 185+ photos to show how to achieve the perfect look with knee-high socks. It seems that knee-high socks are the current trend for runners so I need to grab me some cute socks. I really love the pink socks with ice cream cones and the watermelon socks. These socks will look so cute with my running skirts. These knee-high socks are the perfect sports socks. I love that these socks are made in the USA! Chrissy's Knee High Socks has so many cute socks that I will have a hard time selecting which pairs of knee-high socks to purchase.

Other Clothes
 I like to also pack a couple other outfits beyond fitness clothes. The conference has a fun party on the first night so I will be packing a cute dress and sandals for this party. I will also pack the standards like pajamas, swimsuit, undies, and outfits to wear while traveling. Since I will be arriving a day early, I will be packing some shorts and a top so I can explore the area. This will be a perfect excuse to buy some cute knee-high socks that will match my shorts as I will make sure to wear my gym shoes when walking around town. These knee-high socks are the best casual socks for any day. I traveled to Anaheim last fall and I made the mistake of walking from the hotel to downtown Disney. That long walk gave me some blisters on my feet. So I will be wearing my running shoes and my cute knee-high socks when I go exploring the area.

Backpack or Bag
I like to bring a small bag or backpack when I attend conferences so I have something to carry my items like a water bottle, snacks, and phone. Since I am staying in a hotel that is a mile away from the conference, a backpack will come in handy for the walk to carry all the things that I will need for the day. I recently bought this cute tropical backpack and I used it on a train trip that my family took to visit my mom. This smaller bag has plenty of pockets so I can easily find my phone and business cards.

Phone and Charger

 Make sure to bring your phone and charger along with charging cords to the fitness retreat as you will want to take lots of pictures. Since you will on social media part of the time showing new products to your followers, make sure to bring a phone charger so your battery does not fail you. That way you don't have to be a wall hugger. I really like the lightweight phone charger that I featured on my fitness gift guide last year as it charges my phone up to 6 times.

Water Bottle
Since you will be exercising at a fitness conference, a water bottle is a must. You will be participating in exercise classes so you will need to drink plenty of water to replenish all that healthy sweating that you will be doing. Did you know that sweating is good for you? That way you can refill it often from the water stations. I received the best reusable water bottle in my swag bag from Blogfest and that is my favorite water bottle to bring to conferences. This metal water bottle keeps my water cold all day and is so easy to refill.

Snacks
 Since you will be more active at a fitness conference, it is a must to pack healthy snacks. I like to pack snacks with protein and carbs so I have plenty of energy to participate in the workout sessions. Some of my favorite snacks to pack are dried fruit, nuts, and vegan protein powder. I always pack a shaker bottle so I can easily mix up my protein drink for lunch or after a workout. My favorite protein powder is dairy-free and tastes great when mixed in water. I love packing the Nuzest Real Coffee protein powder in my bag for traveling so I get my caffeine and 20 grams of protein in one delicious creamy drink. When you buy Nuzest through my link, you can save 15% off your order. 

The one product that I always pack when traveling



 Traveling always seems to mess with my potty habits as my eating is not always the same. That can lead to constipation and who has time for that? So I always pack my favorite prebiotic fiber supplement in my travel bag.  I just sprinkle the tasteless powder over my food or mix into a drink once a day and my gut is happy. The packets are so easy to pack!

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Business Cards
  Since I will be attending a blogger conference, I will be networking with brands so business cards are a must. Make sure that your name and contact info is on your cards so the brands can reach out to you later. 

Pen and Note Pad
 I always get some get information from the sessions that I attend at blogger conferences so I like to bring a small note pad to write it all down. Sure a computer would come in handy for note taking but I like to pack light for fitness conferences as you tend to move around to different rooms throughout the day.



Running Belt
 My favorite accessory to wear to a fitness event is a running belt so I have somewhere to stash my phone, money, and hotel key. When I participate in the exercise classes, I don't have to worry about these items when I park my backpack in the room. The running belt also makes it so easy to grab my phone for taking pictures as it is right there on my waist.

Small Towel
 Since you will be working out and sweating, a small towel is good to have in your backpack. Other items that would come in handy are moist wipes, natural deodorant, and a hair tye. If your feet tend to sweat, an extra pair of socks is always a good thing to pack in your bag for the fitness conference. That gives you another reason to buy several pairs of these chic comfortable sporty knee-high socks from Chrissy's Knee High Socks.  I have so many favorites of these socks that I am having a hard time deciding which pairs to buy for this fitness conference. I really love that knee-high socks can be worn with almost any outfit. These cute socks would look great with shorts, skirts, and pants. I really love the pairs of knee-high socks with the ice cream cones and the ones that look like watermelons would go great with my watermelon leggings. So many awesome choices of socks!

Which pair of knee-high socks would you purchase?

Interactive Learning In The Kitchen With Eat2explore

Make learning fun with cooking

      I received a food subscription box from Eat2explore to facilitate this post.

  As a mom to five kids, I have learned that the best way to help kids learn is to make it exciting and fun. That way kids will have no clue that they are learning. I am that mom who wants to help my child to succeed in school so they can get a good job later on. One way that I like to teach my kids is through cooking. Cooking can teach kids not only the skills that they need but also teach them math, science, and even history. Yes, you can teach kids history through cooking and make your kitchen an interactive learning place. You can make learning history fun for kids with Eat2explore. Eat2Explore is a fun subscription box for kids that includes tasting ingredients from other countries as well as fun learning materials so you can create delicious recipes with your kids while learning about other cultures. The best part is eating food dishes from other countries without having to hop on a plane.



Cooking Subscription Box for Families
 My boys were sent a food subscription box from Eat2explore and the theme for the month was Japan. This monthly subscription box was a great weekend activity for some quality time with my boys. My boys are starting to enjoy cooking and this food craft box is something that they look forward to just like the delicious Gramma dessert boxes that we get every month. The Gramma subscription boxes have helped my boys learn how to make cookies and the Eat2explore boxes will help them learn how to make healthy meals. My boys will one day move out and will have to cook so learning how to make healthy food is always a good thing.

What is eat2explore and is in the cooking subscription box?
Eat2explore is a monthly cooking subscription box that contains food from around the world so experience food from another country along with a history lesson. Your kids will learn about other cultures while tasting new food. This subscription box is the beginning of learning about people around the world.



What is in the box:
3 recipes (4 servings each)
essential spice/sauce mixes
shopping list for fresh ingredients
educational country brochures
educational activity sheets
fun cooking tools
flag pins, stickers, passport

Learning so much through cooking
 Kids learn so much through cooking. Cooking teaches kids math as they have to measure the ingredients. Cooking also teaches kids many basic skills like how to use a knife safely and how to use a stove. Kids also expand their reading with cooking as they read the recipes. The activity sheets that were included in the box will give my boys some learning like math, science, social studies, and science. My boys can do the activities while waiting for the food to cook. There is even a word search and a Hiragana Chart so my boys could learn how to write in Japanese.

Okonomiyaki


Trying new foods
 The Eat2explore box included just the spices and sauce that we needed to make the international dishes so we had to head to the store to buy other ingredients like soba, salmon and green cabbage. These are new foods to my boys so they were excited to try them. Some of the recipes also called for meat but I liked that one had a vegetarian option. Since we don't eat meat, I will substitute fish for the chicken in one of the recipes and that way we can still experience the flavors from the sauces and seasonings. I really like that the recipe cards have pictures on them. This month the boys and I made the Okonomiyaki which is a Japanese cabbage pizza. It was super easy to make. The included sauces made this cabbage pizza so yummy. This pizza reminded me of tempura veggies that were made into a pancake. The recipe called for shredded cabbage but I made it easier and used a coleslaw mix. I also did not add the bacon. I do declare that our recipe looks very similar to the photo above that was included in the box. The boys are excited to cook the Salmon teriyaki with the toasted nori and Japanese sticky rice. We will cook this recipe next.

Where can I try out eat2explore?
You can find more information about the Eat2explore subscription box from around the world boxes and their monthly subscriptions on their WEBSITE. This box is a great way for the whole family to learn about other cultures.

What country would you like to learn more about?