STEM Archives - SoCal Field Trips

Do-It-Yourself Summer Camp At Home Planner

Posted on June 16, 2020 | Filed Under: DIY, STEM, Summer | 2 Comments

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Kids don’t have to go to an expensive camp to have a blast this summer! Bust summer boredom with this free Do-It-Yourself Summer Camp At Home Planner filled with classic camp-inspired activities and crafts you can do at home with your kids.

For me, after a lot of trial and error, I finally got summer right for my kids. Usually in July, we go on a family vacation or travel to Northern California to see relatives. But, in June and August my kids are either bored or stressed out. One year, I planned no activities and we just lounged around the pool. After a few weeks, my kids were bored out of their minds and begging me for more time on their devices. I was about to pull my hair out that summer!

The next year, I tried the opposite and signed my kids up for so many camps, that I felt like an Uber driver with no tips! What was the point in wasting so much time and money on mediocre camps, while stressing out my entire family trying to get to certain places at certain times.

Last summer, I finally struck out on my own and found the right balance! Now we do one or two summer camps in the community, a few playdates at the pool and the rest of the time I host my own summer camp at home! I like to call it “Butler Camp Adventures”.

How To Host A Summer Camp At Home

The best part about summer camp at home is spending time together as a family, getting your wiggles out and being creative. Families can call their camp whatever name they like. I recommend having a brainstorming session and voting on which name your family likes the best.

Now that you’ve come up with a camp name, you need to develop a plan. Together, you can brainstorm a list of activities that are good to do each day to keep your bodies and brains active. Think of it as a bucket list of fun activities you’d like to do together!

I recommend setting up a daily schedule for your summer camp. Some things to consider are when will your camp begin, how long is each session, what will you serve to eat, etc.?

Summer Camp At Home Weekly Themes

But if you’re like me and prefer to follow a more structured summer camp schedule, then I have the perfect option for you! Check out this Do-It-Yourself Summer Camp At Home Planner! Each week is already planned out for you with themes and activities that you can implement right away including:

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30 Summer STEM Activities Challenge

Posted on June 3, 2020 | Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, DIY, STEM | 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Summer is a wonderful time to take learning outside and explore more with Summer STEM Activities. You can use all sorts of materials found in nature like leaves, trees, flowers, sea shells, and sand to build and create magnificent STEM projects. While children learn, they can exercise their bodies outside in the fresh air. So, to make sure all of our fun plans happen this summer, I created a Summer STEM Activities Challenge with a free calendar.

30 Summer STEM Activities Challenge

This calendar is filled with all sorts of fun things you can do with your kids including making a tower of red cups, doing the egg drop challenge or building something different with only one cup of legos. Some of these activities we have done before and want to repeat again this year, while others are new to us.

Download: 30 Summer STEM Activities Challenge Calendar

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15 Out Of This World Space Crafts For Kids

Posted on May 6, 2020 | Filed Under: Arts & Crafts, DIY, STEM | 1 Comment

If you’re a parent, it’s likely your child has asked you more than once – “how many stars are in the sky?”, “how big is the moon?” and several other space related questions. Sometimes I will look up the answers on the internet and we will read them together, while other times I will take my kids on a virtual field trip or visit our local space museum to explore some more.

At home, I will set up a craft or STEM project for my kids to engage in. That’s the magic of STEM – you can choose to teach your children about any subject you want any way you want. The more hands-on the better!

With these 15 Out of This World Space Crafts For Kids, your children can learn about the stars, the solar system or the planets without ever leaving your home! With your help, they can make a mighty impressive jar of midnight galaxy slime, paint the planets with beautiful watercolors or blast off to outer space in their new paper roll rocket!

The opportunity to explore and dream with these wildly fun space crafts are endless! They are also perfect for Show and Tell and Summer Craft Projects!

15 Out of This World Space Crafts For Kids

Simple & Fun Rocket Craft For Kids from Simple Every Day Mom

This is a great art project for kindergarten or elementary aged kids and fits perfectly in with space unit themes.

Watercolor Planets from Rainy Day Mum

These watercolor planets are fun for kids to make, and perfect for exploring the solar system.

Galaxy Glitter Jars from Fireflies and Mud Pies

Making a calming glitter jar is a beautiful, easy, and fun activity for kids, and these Galaxy Glitter Jars may be my favorite yet!

Paper Quilled Solar System Model from Steam Powered Family

Quilled crafting is such fun, and this quilled solar system craft is a great way to get creative while learning about the solar system.

Paper Alien Spaceship Craft from Artsy Craftsy Mom

This cute paper alien spaceship craft is just what your little alien friend needs to come visit you! Easily made with craft paper and quilling strips.

Spinning paper earth craft from The Craft Train

Create a spinning paper earth craft using a printable template. This is a fun craft idea for Earth Day, or for learning more about our planet.

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25 Easy STEM Activities For Homeschoolers

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

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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.

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

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

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

STEM Activities for Kids Using Household Items – Mama Smiles

Building Block STEM Challenge Cards – Life Over C’s

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Giveaway: Enter to win a Green Kid Crafts Discovery Box + Video Review

Posted on April 6, 2015 | Filed Under: Giveaways, Products, STEM | 13 Comments

This post contains an affiliate link.

As a blogger, I have the opportunity to work with some very unique companies that design children’s products. As a mom, whenever I come across a product that is both educational in nature and fun, I tend to purchase it for my children. So when Green Kid Crafts approached me about doing a review of one of their Discovery Boxes, I gladly accepted!

Green Kid Crafts delights over ten thousand kids across North America each month with fun, creative and eco-friendly craft and STEM activities (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), delivered right to their door through the company’s subscription program! Every month’s Discovery Box is packed with 3-4 unique and engaging activity kits designed to foster a child’s creativity.

We obviously do a lot of crafts at home. On any given day, you may find Field Trip Girl coloring at the table or Field Trip Boy drawing a new Minecraft character after watching a clip on YouTube.

The first thing I noticed when I opened our Green Kid Crafts The Music: The Science of Sound Discovery Box was how organized it was. Each individual craft was put together nicely in a small zip lock bag. All the activities were planned out and prepped and ready to go. Hence, I didn’t have to run out to the craft store to get supplies for our next project. All I had to do was open up the box and explain the easy-to-understand directions to my children.

In addition to the prepared materials, you’ll find several extension activities listed on the back of the activity cards. Plus you’ll also find a link to download a FREE activity guide with even more fun ideas!

Green Kid Crafts are hands-on, award-winning, and eco-friendly. We even got to use the shipping box in two of our crafts! Green Kid Crafts’ Discovery Boxes are best for children ages 3-10 years old.

Even Mr. SoCal Field Trips and Field Trip Dog got in on our family jam session!

With The Music: The Science of Sound Discovery Box, my children got to learn about:

vibration and pitch by creating two different types of kazoos
sound waves and volume by making maracas and a balloon rattle
rhythm by designing their own finger cymbals, box guitar, and rhythm bells

The Music: The Science of Sound Discovery Box has the following 7 projects in it:

Ankle Bells

Field Trip Girl put together this cute ankle bracelet by only using lacing chord, bells and wooden beads. Everything was premeasured and precut to fit together. All I had to do was help Field Trip Girl tie a knot at the end.

Box Guitar

Field Trip Boy got right to work on this craft! With only 5 stretchy rubber bands and the shipping box, he created a guitar and strum to his own beat. He even discovered why the rubber bands made different types of sounds.

Balloon Rattle

After Field Trip Boy made his box guitar, he jammed out on the balloon rattle. He needed a little bit of assistance from Mr. SoCal Field Trips to make it, because you have to pour the provided salt packet into the latex balloon. It requires a steady hand and a little bit of patience.

Finger Cymbals

Field Trip Girl made finger cymbals out of the empty shipping box (reuse, renew, recycle!), four bottle caps and glue dots. I personally liked the fact that the bottle caps were flattened out and had smooth edges.

Maracas

Field Trip Boy tried out the maracas and declared that they were easy to make. With only two wooden spoons, tape, a plastic egg and a handful of dried pinto beans, Field Trip Boy got the party started!

Tube Kazoo

Field Trip Boy made this personal kazoo out of a tube, waxed paper and a rubber band. He said it was fun to play!

Straw Kazoo

With a little bit of creativity, Field Trip Girl made and played her own homemade straw kazoo!

With each monthly subscription comes a new Green Kid crafts theme! Past themes have included Mad Scientist, Around the World, Creativity Art Box and Kitchen Science.

Green Kid Crafts Subscriptions are available in month-to-month, 3, 6 and 12 month durations, and also make great gifts! Subscriptions start as low as $17.95 / month, and sibling subscriptions are also available.

You can view Green Kid Crafts full line up of Discovery Boxes at www.greenkidcrafts.com.

Now enter for your chance to win (1) Green Kid Crafts Discovery Box!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Creativity Time!

Jilleen

Disclosure: We received a complimentary Green Kid Crafts Discovery Box for review purposes. All points of view are my own.