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25 Easy STEM Activities For Homeschoolers

Posted on November 8, 2016 | Filed Under: DIY, Science, STEM | 8 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

My children love doing STEM activities (science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)!  One moment you may find my daughter making magic potions in the bathtub, while another minute she is begging me to help her with her Snap Circuits or doing an experiment from her Magic School Bus Engineering Lab Kit.

Are you a homeschool parent? Check out these 25 science projects for homeschoolers that are easy for homeschoolers to do at home and with limited supplies.

I like to support my children in all of their efforts, especially when it comes to science and engineering.  Therefore, these 25 STEM Activties for Homeschoolers are sure to keep your little scientist engaged, learning and well-prepared for the 21st century.  Not only are these 25 easy STEM activities great for homeschoolers, but they are also useful for classroom science experiments and after school science clubs.

And if you’re looking for even more science fun, try one of these 13 Outdoor Science Experiments For Homeschoolers or 15 Spring STEM Projects For Kids.

Happy STEM-inventing!

Jilleen

25 STEM Activities For Homeschoolers

Are you a homeschool parent? Check out these 25 science projects for homeschoolers that are easy for homeschoolers to do at home and with limited supplies.

Simple Science: How to Make a Volcano with Kids – Happy Brown House

Are you a homeschool parent? Check out these 25 science projects for homeschoolers that are easy for homeschoolers to do at home and with limited supplies.

Can You Build the Fastest Wind Powered Car? – Handmade Kids Art

Are you a homeschool parent? Check out these 25 science projects for homeschoolers that are easy for homeschoolers to do at home and with limited supplies.

STEM Activities for Kids Using Household Items – Mama Smiles

Are you a homeschool parent? Check out these 25 science projects for homeschoolers that are easy for homeschoolers to do at home and with limited supplies.

Building Block STEM Challenge Cards – Life Over C’s

[Read more…]

SUMMER FUN: Children’s Museums in Southern California

Posted on June 25, 2014 | Filed Under: Family Outings in Orange County, Family Outings in Riverside, Family Outings in San Diego, Family Outings in Santa Barbara, Family Outings in Ventura, Field trips in Los Angeles, Field Trips in Orange County, Field Trips in Riverside, Field Trips in San Diego, Field Trips in Santa Barbara, Field Trips In Ventura, Museums, Science, STEM, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALL

THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUMS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA!

Child exploring simulated fire station (Children's Museum of Denver, 2009)

Where do families go in Southern California to escape the heat?  To a local children’s museum, of course.

The first children’s museum, called the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, was founded in 1899.

Brooklyn Children's Museum

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

The Association of Children’s Museums says that “Children’s museums are places where children learn through play and exploration in environments designed just for them.  Reflecting their diverse communities, children’s museums create playful, interactive learning experiences.  In an increasingly complex world, children’s museums provide a place where all kids can learn through play with the caring adults in their lives.”

Temporary children's play area at the National Museum of Singapore - 20100626

Children’s museums are perfect for families with young children.  They provide a safe place for children to explore, use their creativity and dive deep into imaginary play.  The words “touch, feel and see” are always welcomed.

Children’s Museums also host a variety of special events and programs throughout the year to encourage family togetherness, community involvement and volunteerism.

In Southern California, we are lucky to have over 10 children’s museums within a few hours from any city in the southland, including Barstow!  Just take a look at our list below.

Children Museum Amman 3Los Angeles County

Kidspace Museum, Pasadena

Kidspace Museum’s believes that “when learning becomes fun, the learner does so willingly.”  They offer an expansive outdoor play area that features hands-on arts & science exhibits.  The first Tuesday of every month is FREE Family Night.

Noah’s Ark at The Skirball Museum, Los Angeles

Noah’s Ark is a special space within The Skirball Museum dedicated especially to children.  The space features a floor-to-ceiling wooden ark filled with a variety of animals, where children can play, build, climb, explore, make music and more.  Admission is FREE.

Zimmer Children’s Museum, Los Angeles

The Zimmer Children’s Museum’s mission is to make a better society through interactive learning, creative self-expression and art experiences for children and families.  They serve children specifically ages 0-8.  In addition to their regular hours, the museum will be open every Monday in July and August.

Orange County

La Habra Children’s Museum, La Habra

La Habra Children’s Museum’s exhibits include a hand-carved carousel and a classic 1942 railroad car.  On certain Sundays throughout the year, the museum offers FREE admission and family programming, sponsored by Target.

Pretend City, Irvine

Pretend City Children’s Museum features a small, interconnected city designed to “build better brains” through purposeful play, hands-on learning experiences, role-playing, and educational programming.  Visit their new summer exhibit The Ultimate Recycling Machine Challenge now through August 1.

Ultimate Recycling Challenge @ Pretend City

Ultimate Recycling Machine Challenge at Pretend City (2014)

Discovery Science Center, Santa Ana

The Discovery Science Center is a children’s science museum with more than 100 hands-on science exhibits designed to spark children’s natural curiosity.

Their current exhibit, Mythbusters – The Explosive Exhibit, is bound to be a summer hit.

Field Trip Boy Exploring One Of The MythBusters Exhibits At The Discovery Science Center

Field Trip Boy Checking Out The MythBusters Exhibit @ The Discovery Science Center (2014)

Bowers Kidseum, Santa Ana

Bowers Kidseum, both an interactive children’s museum and learning center, offers multi-faceted art and cultural experiences for young children, their families and the community.  The museum is primarily dedicated to the pre-school and early elementary age children.  Visitors can enjoy free access to the museum and all activities on the first Sunday of every month, thanks to the Target Corporation.

Field Trip Girl At The Kidseum in Santa Ana

Field Trip Girl At Bowers Kidseum (2012)

Riverside / San Bernardino Counties

Chino Youth Museum, Chino

The Chino Youth Museum’s mission statement is to provide an interactive learning environment to foster a better understand of tomorrow through an appreciation of yesterday and today.  On the first Friday of every month they host a FREE family event that features an entertainer, craft and a healthy snack. 

Pennypickle’s Workshop, Temecula Children’s Museum, Temecula

At Pennypickle’s Workshop, kids don’t even know they are learning as they explore over 7500 square feet of hands-on inventions, gadgets and experiments.  On June 28, the museum is hosting a FREE family workshop called Building-Crazy-Contraptions, sponsored by Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Children’s Discovery Museum Of The Desert, Rancho Mirage

At the Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert kids are encouraged to touch, feel, learn, think, and play.  It’s an interactive and engaging museum for children with more than 40 hands-on learning exhibits in an environment that sparks imagination and curiosity.  The museum serves children of all ages with particular emphasis on primary school age children of the Coachella Valley.

Fingerprints Youth Museum, Hemet

Fingerprints Youth Museum has a flair for exciting the imagination of a child and offers the most trendiest interactive exhibits for children in Riverside County.  To take a virtual, visit  http://fingerprintsmuseum.com/exhibits.aspx

San Diego County

San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, Escondido

The mission of the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum is to inspire children to learn about our world through exploration, imagination, and experimentation.  Serving children ages 0-10, SDCDM focuses on these critical years of child development while also encouraging families to learn together.  Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, they are offering FREE admission for Active Duty Military and Veteran Families.

The New Children’s Museum, San Diego

The New Children’s Museum is an arts-based children’s museum that commissions contemporary artists to create pieces with tactile, physical and participatory elements, opening up a world of art to children through opportunities to observe and create.  Join the museum for their 2nd Annual Superheroes’ Night Out family party on Saturday, July 12.

Ventura County

Gull Wings Children’s Museum, Oxnard

Gull Wings is a hands on museum for children aged 2 – 8 that offers weekly art, music and science programs.  Their exciting exhibits include a marine animal touch tank, model train display, Lego-a-Go-Go Room, Orion Space Station and exotic animals (think tarantula!).

If you know of a great children’s museum in the area that should be added to our list, please let us know at jilleen@jilleen.com.

Happy Summer Field Tripping,

Jilleen

Disclosure:  This is not a sponsored post.  All opinions and points of view are our own.  Images used by permission via Wikimedia commons.

 

The Ultimate Recycling Machine Challenge @ Pretend City

Posted on June 14, 2014 | Filed Under: Family Outings in Orange County, Field Trips in Orange County, Science, STEM, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

The Ultimate Recycling Machine Challenge

Opens June 3rd at Pretend City

Ultimate Recycling Challenge @ Pretend City

Ultimate Recycling Challenge @ Pretend City

Last Thursday, my children and I had the opportunity to visit with our friends at Pretend City and experience their new exhibit called the Ultimate Recycling Machine.

The Ultimate Recycling Machine is specifically geared towards school-aged children (6+) and combines engineering, collaboration, and sustainability together in one very unique challenge.

The challenge could be to design and build a machine,“the Ultimate Recycling Invention” that transports a plastic bottle into a recycling bin.  Or to create a roller coaster that carries a ball down a specific pathway.  It always looks different, with combinations of tube structures, zip lines, pulleys, pendulums, and more.

Our challenge for the day was to create a roller coaster.

This is just a small sample of all the cool recyclable materials we got to use for our challenge.

Pretend City

My 4 year old daughter decided to build a fantastic roller coaster that went straight down.  It was simple and to the point!

Field Trip Girl Shows Off Her Roller Coaster

Field Trip Girl’s Fancy Roller Coaster

First she built the core of the coaster.  Then she declared that “it needs to look fancy” and decorated her masterpiece with all sorts of buttons and a whole lot of string.

Field Trip Girl Decorating Her Roller Coaster

Field Trip Girl Decorating Her Roller Coaster

Pretend City's Friendly Staff Helping Field Trip Girl Build A Roller Coaster

Pretend City’s Staff Helps Field Trip Girl Build Her Roller Coaster

In sharp contrast to his sister, Field Trip Boy focused on the logistics of building his roller coaster.  By nature, his two favorite subjects at school are science and technology.

Field Trip Boy Building A Roller Coaster

Field Trip Boy Working With The Volunteers At Pretend City

Pretend City’s Ultimate Recycling challenge is ideal for inter-generational participation.  Grown-ups and children alike will be fully engaged.  I know we were!  In fact, Field Trip Girl gave it two high fives!

Field Trip Girl Gives Pretend City Two High Fives!

Pretend City is located at 29 Hubble in Irvine.

To learn more about The Ultimate Recycling Challenge, please visit http://pretendcity.org/ultimate-recycling-machine/

Happy Field Tripping,

Jilleen

Disclosure:  This is a sponsored event.  We received complimentary admission to Pretend City to experience the Ultimate Recycling Challenge.  All views are our own.  Images used by permission.

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