Teaching Kids Science And Stem With Thames & Kosmos

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  Five months ago when schools closed, I have learned a lot about how to home school. The biggest thing that I have learned is teachers are amazing. I have also learned that I do not want to home school my kids. That may sound mean but my boys don't want me to be their teacher either. These past five months have been stressful and I am so ready for this virus pandemic to be over. I am ready to send my kids back to school. I am ready to take off my home school mom hat. 

When I started preparing for the respiratory virus pandemic, I forgot to prepare for teaching my kids at home. I thought that my boys would enjoy doing online school but in reality, they were super bored as it was too easy. So I tried supplementing their home learning with fun online math games that were supposed to make learning math fun. The math games got boring for my boys and they were wishing that they could be at school hanging out with their friends. So then I tried using baking for home school lessons and my boys enjoyed making frog bread. Even making focaccia bread flowers and painting rocks made me feel like I was teaching an art class. Eventually, my boys grew tired of my attempts to teach them school at home. The only class that my boys are enjoying with me being their teacher in gym class. I am glad that my teen boys still want to go running with me. 

Learning to be creative with at-home learning 

 I have learned that if I want my boys to learn, I have to make my school lessons not feel like school. So I am allowing my boys to cook dinner and telling myself that I am teaching them home ec. When my boys decide what they want to eat for breakfast and lunch with healthy foods, I remind myself that they are learning nutrition. Giving my boys chores of folding laundry and taking out the trash is teaching them responsibility. Doing yard work for friends helps my boys learn other life skills. So maybe right now, my boys are learning and I can take away the mom guilt.

Using STEM kits to teach science

 At home school and learning do not have have to be like traditional school lessons and I have realized that my kids are still learning even without me having to make lesson plans. I have learned to utilize fun STEM Science Experiment Kits that make learning fun. I have discovered some science kids that engaged my boys in educational fun so the school learning can begin even before my boys go back to school. While online school is set to start next week, the in-person school may or may not happen a month later.

 When the science kits from Thames & Kosmos arrived at our house, the boys got excited and read the outside of the boxes. So I was teaching the language arts and also patience as they had to wait until picture day to explore the inside of the science learning kit boxes. The life of being a kid to a blogger mom means that you have to wait to enjoy the contents of most boxes that arrive at your front door. A day in the life of a blogger may mean checking out some cool new toys and tasty healthy snacks but it also means that mom has to first take pictures of the products. Blogging is a full-time job for me and yes, I make money blogging.    

 Ooze Labs: Colorful Crystal Lab

 Explore the natural beauty and wonder of crystals by growing them yourself in many different shapes and colors! Set up your lab station — complete with beakers, test tubes, centrifuge, display dome, and more — and use safe, non-toxic crystal salts to conduct more than ten experiments in crystal formation. You can even make red, pink, blue, purple, and clear crystals using the spinning centrifuge! After you’ve completed the experiments in the kit, continue your crystal growing adventures using the cool lab setup and common materials from around your home.

 My boys were excited to make crystals and this cool educational kit that teaches science has over 11 science experiments in one box. I liked that the science projects used safe non-toxic crystal salts and I did not have to worry about them blowing up the house. I also loved that the kit for STEM learning include almost everything that they needed to make colorful crystals. We had all the additional items so I did not have to purchase anything other than the Ooze Labs: Colorful Crystal Lab kit. My boys were learning about chemical reactions and how crystals form. 

Crystals, Rocks & Minerals Science Experiment Kit

Unearth the secrets of geology as you dig deep into the science of rocks and minerals and the crystals that form them. Through 18 hands-on experiments, kids will discover some pretty amazing things about geology, mineralogy, and crystal growing. Become a geologist-in-training as you mold your own crystal geode and grow three different types of crystals that vary in color and shape. Work with real mineral specimens to learn how to determine a mineral’s chemical properties such as color, luster, streak color, hardness, density, magnetic properties, and carbon, sulfur, or iron content and use your findings to identify unknown minerals. As you explore, you’ll get an overview of the geologic rock cycle and discover how the three main categories of rock — igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic — are formed, altered, destroyed, and formed again. 

This STEM experiment kit was teaching my boys geology, mineralogy, and how to grow crystals. My boys were also learning about the properties of rocks and crystals. I was amazed at all that was inside this box of science experiments as it had 41 pieces. The science kit also taught 18 experiments. This science box was definitely for the older kids as it was label 8+ for use under adult supervision. My boys are 12 and 13 so I knew that they could safely explore the Crystals, Rocks & Minerals Science Experiment Kit by themselves. The kit included safety goggles and I instructed my boys to read the 32-page manual as this STEM learning kit has chemicals like potassium hexacyanoferrate and copper sulfate. So I loved that my boys were learning about chemical properties.

 My boys had plenty of fun with these science lab kits and they were learning new things. I was succeeding in homeschooling and my boys were getting an educational experience. I am hopeful for the new school year as the teachers have had 5 months to prepare for teaching online school. I am sure that there will be plenty of online instruction from the teachers and I am also hoping that there will be homework that does not involve the computer. My boys have had way too much computer time this summer and need homework that involves writing and math. It would be cool if the teachers could do Google Meets with science kits. Maybe the state needs to increase the school budget so the schools can give every student an at-home science kit.

Check out the crystal that my son grew!

How To Prevent The Covid Slide In Kids Of All Ages

The COVID Slide is real so parents need to prevent it

This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  

I received samples of the mentioned products.

 This summer is going to be a long one and I am not sure that I am going to like that. I used to look forward to summer but I am not sure I am looking forward to this summer. It seems that summer vacation began 10 weeks ago with my kids and I am not sure when this vacation is going to end. It is hard to call this time off from school as a vacation because we are stuck at home not being able to do the fun stuff that we normally do every summer. The pools are closed. Museums are off-limits and even the free lunch at our park, that my boys look forward to, has changed. So my boys will not have the typical fun summer of playing with their friends at the park and instead have to stay at home entertaining themselves. I am thankful that the weather is warmer and my boys have each other but I am worried about the Covid Slide.


Beware of the Covid Slide 

 The Covid Slide is a real thing and it has parents across the world concerned that their kids are going to catch it. Previously known as the summer slide, this parental concern has been happening at my house for the past 10 weeks and I am worried that it is going to be worse as I was not made to homeschool my boys. I fear the setbacks that are happening to my boys and their brains are not getting the learning that they need. My boys are not liking my homeschool lessons of cleaning, baking one bowl peanut butter cookies, and yard work of moving rocks and natural ways to rid the yard of weeds even though it was an effective science experiment. The boys were not even excited about the science lesson of watching the anthill video that I made during our gym class-ie running time. The only class that I succeeded in so far has been my art class of painting rocks.

 I am ready to give this job back to the teachers and I am sure that the teachers are ready to return to school. Unfortunately, this new way of learning is here for a while so we parents have to figure out ways to teach our kids to succeed in school without going crazy. We parents need creative ways to teach our kids.

Teaching kids with toys 

 Parents are ready for a break from their new job of homeschool teaching and they need a break. Even real teachers don't work 24/7. So I discovered some products that can keep kids engaged with learning and prepare them for when they do get to go back to school. These products teach kids STEAM and the kids won't even realize that they are learning math, science, art, and more. These toys that teach STEM will keep kids busy hopefully long enough so mom or dad can have a much-needed coffee break.


A deck of cards can teach math and more

 Who knew that my boys would be excited to receive several decks of cards. My boys have rediscovered card games during this shelter at home time and I love that it is a form of entertainment that requires no electric devices. My boys are learning about math and critical thinking when they play poker with their older brothers every Saturday night. The boys have also taught themselves how to play solitaire and how to make card stacking houses(learning gravity and balance.) They even created a new way to play 52 card pick-up so they have been expanding their imagination and small motor skills. There might even be some language learning when they went online to learn other card games to play.

 Do you remember learning your first card game? How about winning at an old-fashioned game of solitaire? Or that holiday tradition of Gin Rummy after dinner? Since 1885, Bicycle playing cards have been a part of household gaming. Known for its quality and rich heritage, Bicycle® playing cards have been bringing people together for generations. Every Bicycle® playing card deck is specially crafted so that you can trust Bicycle® cards performance, hand after hand. Great for all card games. Great for all players.

Bicycle® Standard Index Playing Cards



Solar-Powered cars that teach science

 My boys love activities that involve engineering especially when the end result is a car that is powered by the sun. I like that this STEAM kit uses no batteries and has my boys using their brains. My boys are learning science and technology as well as critical thinking. This cool solar-powered rover kit has kept my boys busy for several days as they keep trying out different ways to build the rovers. The fun part is seeing their creation move around the yard with them felling victory that they made the right connections to make the solar car move by the sun. My boys enjoyed this STEM experiment kit and are already requesting which one I should buy next.

Want to build fun solar-powered vehicles and devices that move using electricity generated directly from sunlight? With this kit, you can construct five motorized models. Build three types of solar cars, a solar fan, and a solar robot model. Conduct science experiments with each model to learn about gear ratios, solar cells, and more. The ultralight materials, including strong bamboo rods, make your models speedy and durable. A modular gearing system lets you test out three different gear ratios. Experiment with a solar cell, electric motor, gears, and ultralight materials. Build five different solar-powered models. Learn about how solar cells work and about the energy from the sun. Ages 8+

Solar-Powered Rovers

Stick-O City for toddler learning

 Even the grandbaby is getting some learning in when she comes to visit. My grandbaby likes playing with the big colorful magnets and is getting some small motor skills in with tactile experiences. She loves when my boys create cars for her with the big bright magnetic pieces. The fun starts when my boys make the cars go fast and the grandbaby chases after them. The Stic-O pieces are big and they stick together instantly so toddlers do not get frustrated. We received a kit that builds a car and a plane but there are many other Magformers activity kits to purchase.

From Magformers, Stick-O encourages toddlers to explore tactile learning through hands-on magnetic play. Each Stick-O shape contains magnets that rotate so toddlers' creations always stick together for a frustration-free play experience. Stick-O’s unique 3D shapes contain a magnet pocket, designed so the magnet can find the right magnetic direction to stick to every time. Stick-O magnets are completely encased inside BPA-free, ABS plastic to ensure children’s safety. With the Stick-O City 16 Piece Set, kids can construct their very own busy city. Toddlers can build a car, racer, airplane, and more with the City 16Pc Set. Included in this kit are 1 Sphere, 2 Stick, 3 Long Stick, and magnetic accessories including vehicle wheels, wings, and propellers.  ages 36m+.



So these are fun ways to keep your kids engaged this summer with learning. The learning does not have to stop just because the kids are not in school. These STEAM toys will give parents a break from the stress of homeschool learning and keep kids busy. The best part of these STEM activities is the kids won't even realize that they are learning. After the kids are done learning for the day, reward them with some outdoor fun that involves playing with their food in a good way. Go check out 2 ways that kids can have fun with marshmallows. Then spend some time in the yard as a family. The summer can be simply enjoyed and the kids will be just fine when they return to school in the fall. So make those summer memories and enjoy the nice weather.

Protect the teen's eyes

 Kids are getting more screen time with online school and activities. All these hours on computers and phones can strain their eyes, resulting in irritation, dryness, fatigue, or blurred vision. We all know kids are quickly becoming more tech-savvy each day, and that’s not changing, but their eyes may suffer because of it. They need support. That’s where Screen Shield™ Teen can help! EyePromise Screen Shield is specifically formulated for reducing the effects of screen time on children ages 4-17.

 This once-a-day, fruit punch flavored chewable eye vitamin is designed to help support your child's vision from the inside out. With 5 mg of dietary zeaxanthin and 2.5 mg of lutein, this leading eye health vitamin is guaranteed to help increase the eyes' natural protective barrier that defends our source of vision while also protecting it from the effects of increased screen time. My boys love the taste of this eye supplement and I love that their eyes are getting some protection from the devices.

These are just some of the ways that I am helping my kids avoid the Covid slide. Other learning activities that I am doing with my boys is baking bread. My boys discovered Frog bread and asked if they could make it. I said yes as baking involves math, science, and art. I am anxious for the boys to go back to school but for now, I will have to be creative in finding ways to keep their minds learning.

Greg Landry Homeschool Science Resources

This post is sponsored by College Prep Science.

 So many of my friends are homeschooling their kids and I admire them. The homeschool community is growing and I am amazed at all the resources that are available to parents. Greg Landry a veteran in the homeschooling community and this below article is a must-read for parents and educators.

 Greg Landry is a homeschool science pioneer and offers online classes (for science leaning students and “non-science” students, science labs, ACT prep, a podcast for homeschool moms, and homeschool student-produced print publications.

 Greg says he is first and foremost grateful. "The Lord has made me very aware of my need for a grateful heart. I'm grateful for a God who knows me and loves me (with all of my faults), for my family, for the thousands of homeschooling families I've had the privilege of  working with over the past 20 years, for the magnificence of His Creation, and for the trials in my life (James 1:2-4 ) that shape and mold me, humble me, produce perseverance, and mature me in my faith."
Greg is a husband to his bride of 30+ years, a homeschool dad, and a former college professor. He and his wife homeschooled their two daughters. Both of them have graduated from college, and Greg says, "most importantly, both of them love Jesus. For that, we are very grateful."  He grew up in French / Acadian South Louisiana (three of his grandparents were French speakers) and he loves the South Louisiana culture. At age 18 was invited to tryout with the Philadelphia Phillies baseball organization. He played baseball and football in college and holds a master of science degree from LSU (Louisiana State University).

 He has a heart for students and a passion for science... but more specifically a passion for teaching students to see God's hand in every aspect of His creation that surrounds us. His goal is to help them see that God's creation didn't just happen by chance - it wasn't an accident, a fluke of nature.
Greg has spent the past 20+ years teaching science. He taught at a university, taught thousands of homeschooled students, has mentored students planning to pursue science / pre-med degrees, has designed and directed a university anatomy and physiology/biology cadaver lab, has published and presented scientific research, has academically counseled hundreds of college pre-professional (pre-med, pre-dental, pre-physical therapy, etc.) sophomores and juniors, has designed science labs for homeschooled students and has written science lab manuals.

 Ten years ago he originated the "pre" classes (Pre-Biology, Pre-Anatomy & Physiology, Pre-Chemistry, and Pre-Physics) as a means of minimizing the intimidation of high school level science and preparing middle school age students for specific high school level classes. As one homeschool mom described it, "Greg has a unique ability to pull out the most important information and present it in a way that's interesting and easy to understand."

 The thrust of Greg Landry homeschool science is to give homeschooled students access to Christian Worldview science that is focused on scientific inquiry, critical thinking, process reasoning, data collection, and the graphical and written representation of research. Greg says, "we want to prepare competent, confident students for their remaining high school years, their college years, and life.

Greg and his wife live near Nashville, TN. His desire is to follow the Lord's leading in teaching students to illuminate the incredible creation the Lord has put all around us. It reveals His glory!
​Homeschool dad, scientist, and former college professor, Greg Landry, offers live, online homeschool science classes, Homeschool ACT Prep Bootcamp, the Homeschool Mom’s Science Podcast, in-person two-day science lab intensives nationwide, freebies for homeschool moms, and student-produced homeschool print publications.

Kids Can Defy Gravity With Air-Walker

Learning can be fun

I received a STEM experiment kit to facilitate this post.
This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

 When I tell my boys that they need to be learning during summer break, they tend to complain. They think learning is all about reading, math problems, writing, and boring. So I have to look for creative ways to keep my boy's minds sharp and not let the learning stop just because they have no school. I want my boys to succeed in school and get good jobs when they are older. So I look for fun ways to teach my children so they won't think they are learning. To keep my kids engaged and learning I do many things. We visit our local kid's science and children's museum several times during the summer. I am glad that the school gave the students a free membership as this museum is an awesome hands-on learning place that my boys love to visit. My boys learned math when they helped me make my delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. When we have to shop for groceries, I have my boy's write the list for writing skills and while we are in the store, I have them doing math through price comparison and adding up the items in the cart. If the store has something on sale and it is 30 % off, my boys have to guess what the price is to be able to buy the item. We also visit the library a lot and participate in their summer reading program. My youngest loves to create science projects like baking soda volcanos and make slime. The boys love when they get STEM experiment kits, especially when they can build a robot. 



Helping Your Child Succeed In School

Kids Can Defy Gravity With An Air-Walker Robot

My boys love hands-on learning and get excited about STEM learning. The local children's museum has plenty of activity that teaches my boys science, technology, engineering, and math. They also have a cool gift shop that has science kits and other learning kids so you can take the learning home. The last time the boys and I looking in the museum gift shop, they wanted to buy a kit to build a robot. I thought the robot making kit would be something that would keep them occupied for several hours and teach them STEM. I love STEM kits as my boys are able to have fun learning without me having to help them. That way I can get some work done. So I told the boys that I would look into getting them a Robot kit on Amazon.




A robot that defies gravity?

 My boys were so excited several weeks when a four-legged bot named Air-Walker showed up in the pile of packages. They could not wait to start building this robot that could climb walls. My boys opened up the STEM kit and started pulling out all the pieces. I advised them to read the instructions first so they did not build the robot wrong. See how I got them to read! The hands-on construction kit came with 75 pieces and a 24-page, full-color manual guide with clear step-by-step illustrated instructions so I knew that my boys would have no trouble building one of the five experiments.

 Bring engineering and physics to life 

 This robot building kit brings engineering and physics to life as it demonstrates the power of air pressure at work. The robot uses an ingenious system of suction cups and pumps so it can crawl along smooth vertical surfaces like windows. My boys quickly learned how to make the Air-Walker robot crawl to the left and right and make its head move back and forth. My boys learned how suction and mechanical devices worked liked a vacuum-suction machine. They were also learning about air pressure.



The robot walked all over the window

 It was fun watching the robot walk up and down the window. As I was watching the STEM robot move, I thought to myself this robot should be able to wash my windows at the same time. STEM kits and science experiment kits are so fun for my boys and they help them to keep learning while they are on summer break. Soon the boys will be heading back to school and the intense learning of middle school and gifted class will begin. So I want to keep summer fun and make it a time to recharge their brains so I am glad that there are fun STEM kits like the Air-Walker robot that make learning fun. This hands-on construction kit did a great job of teaching my boys things like engineering and physics. This learning STEM kit is made for kids ages 8+ but younger kids could enjoy it with help from an older person as it involved plenty of building. You can find this science kit in stores Lakeshore, Michaels and also online at Amazon.




Check out a video of the Air-Walker in action.

Check out other toys that my boys are enjoying this summer.

A unique toy that whistles as it soars through the air
https://www.momknowsbest.net/2019/08/zing-toys-are-perfect-for-backyard-fun.html

Some awesome dart blasters
https://www.momknowsbest.net/2019/08/transformative-dart-blasters-from-buzz.html

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?