September 14, 2016 by Megan Schiller

Got STEAM?

You probably know by now that I’m all about art, design, and child-led learning, but there’s one hot topic where I feel sadly inadequate when it comes to working with kids. That topic is STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math). Thankfully, the new STE(A)M initiatives have added the A for Art so I’m not at a total loss! I have been learning more about how to engage my kids in STEAM activities and am excited to share a new resource that is helping me do this.

(I am an affiliate of the book, STEAM Kids, and received a free review copy, but all opinions expressed are my own. Thanks for the support!).

STEAM Kids

This new book STEAM Kids, couldn’t have come at a better time. We are trying out homeschooling for Karuna, our 8 year old, this year (more on that in another post!) and I have been looking for a way to engage her in subjects such as science and math. Mix in engineering, technology, and art and this book gives me 52 days worth of super fun learning projects.

I love that this book was written by 11 incredible authors who are clearly passionate about STEAM and know how to get kids excited about learning. It is thorough, easy to navigate, and includes tons of inspiring photos. I couldn’t be happier to share it with you, so when they asked me to be an affiliate for their book, I knew it was something I could truly get behind.

If you want to hear more straight from the authors, they have all of the information on their launch page here, including a fun video. (European Union readers: Click here for a special link to purchase that complies with VAT tax laws)

Or you can keep reading below to find out how Karuna destroyed me on our first STEAM challenge.

STEAM Challenge

The first activity that Karuna and I tried from the book was the “Egg Drop Challenge,” because she loves a little friendly competition. The challenge was to see if we could build a contraption that would protect a raw egg from a high fall.

We decided that we could use any item found in the studio to build our contraption, which included tape, tools, and plenty of items from our recycle and scrap bins.

Karuna used a toilet paper roll as a base and added cushioning and tape.

I used some sturdier cardboard rolls, yarn for cushioning, tape, and some plastic flower pieces to hold the egg in.

Here is Karuna holding both of our contraptions and then dropping hers for the test.

Mine made a popping sound as soon as I dropped it and began dripping egg right through the plastic flower stem! Karuna’s came out unscathed.

A few days later, I came home to find Karuna, Ora (4 yrs), their friend (8 yrs), and their cousin (9 yrs) all working hard in the studio. They said, “We’re doing the egg challenge!” When they finished building their contraptions, they ran outside to see who would win. I loved that they weren’t just sitting around listening to music as they often do during playdates, but were so engaged in building and experimenting.

About STEAM Kids

If you want to get started doing more STEAM projects, this book will make it so easy for you. I was particularly impressed by the layout of each project and how the authors have included so much information in a simple format that is easy to follow. They include difficulty level, estimated project time, materials, instructions, the STEAM behind each project, project extension ideas, and inspiring photos. The recommended age range for these projects is 4-10 years old. It comes as an e-book PDF or as a printed book.