I was a nerd long before I had kids. My dad had me making crystal radios in 5th grade (actually, my mom, dad and I made the parts for about 100 of them for my whole grade–then he got us all to assemble them…long story). And then I was talking quantum theory with my philosophy teacher in junior college and–well, my parents made sure I was heavily STEM-packed as a kid. LOL! But, now that I’m a mom, I feel like I should do that for my kids. But When to Start Doing STEM Projects with Kids? I think I’ve got it figured out…
When Do You Start Doing STEM Projects with Kids?
First, you start them as young as you possibly can–like you do with the ABC’s and 123’s. You talk about the stars and the moon–you read them books like Cat in the Hat (a million times) and you talk about how silly it is. All stuff you’ve already been doing.
But what about projects? Well, here’s the catch–you start when you feel like their ready. I’m not handing my toddler a soldering iron today. But, I will make her some Star Wars Obleek and let her learn all about non-Newtonian fluids. And though she probably won’t remember the word “non-Newtonian” next week, she will remember that fun experiment we did.
So, baby steps. And work them up to soldering–which is the level my 14 year old is at. Yes, my 14 year old knows how to solder and does a pretty good job of it. LOL!
How to Start Doing STEM Projects with Kids?
I THOUGHT the easiest way to start doing STEM projects with my toddlers and teen was to go a-hunting on Pinterest and find some cool stuff and just do it. But, I’ve found that this is not always the most expedient of ideas.
Seriously–I don’t have beakers and test tubes, or even basic stuff laying around the house. And I also am going to forget in 2 days, when a box shows-up on my doorstep, what I ordered all that stuff online for. I need a little more structure to make sure my kids are getting this STEM enrichment…
So, I signed-up for Creation Crate. It’s cool. You just sign-up and they send you all the components, instructions, and all the materials you need to do a new project every month. And it’s no experience necessary, so pretty much anyone can make these awesome electronic devices.
A Giveaway of a 3-Month Subscription to Creation Crate
Nerdy Mamma + Creation Crate 3 Month Giveaway Contest – Up to 3 Winners!
But, if you miss-out on the contest, you can ALWAYS get 10% off your first Creation Crate here. And, be sure to pin this so your friends can find out the answer to every nerdy-mom’s question: when do you start doing STEM projects with your kids? LOL!
