February is STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) month! And as the mother of a girl who LOVES science, I'm all about finding her materials, toys, and opportunities that nurture her interest. Given the fact that women make up only 24% of the workers in STEM fields, I believe parents and educators really need to encourage their female students who are passionate about these subjects.
SO, I was super excited to find out about this exclusive GoldieBlox Sale that starts TODAY on Educents! I'm sure you've heard about this company that focuses on creating STEM toys for girls. Below is just one of the excellent kits you'll find up to 30% off now through Wednesday, Feb 15th.
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What is it?
GoldieBlox (aff): Construction toy featuring the world's first girl engineer character, Goldie Blox! This kit introduces the real-life STEM concept of prototyping. Designed for tinkering and creative exploration, GoldieBlox toys build spatial skills, eye-hand coordination, and confidence in problem-solving.
Why is it cool?
All GoldieBlox toys are inter-compatible with existing sets and perfect for curious and crafty kids ages 6+. The kit comes with 275+ pieces, a poster full of engineering terms and exciting build ideas, a caterpillar, bouncing robot, and a catapult! Hundreds of how-to building videos can be found online to help spark creativity in young engineers.
The Craft-Struction Box combines the best of crafting and construction for the ultimate open-ended play experience! Kids will think like Goldie to prototype and problem-solve, and with over 275 pieces the possibilities are endless!
Additional Suggestions for Use:
GoldieBox Craft-Struction naturally lends itself to following step-by-step directions included in the kit.
But, here’s how your child can extend the use of this construction toy with the STEM philosophy in mind:
- Give your child specific directions to help solve a problem with only a select few pieces. For example, using only 50 pieces, build a bridge that can hold the weight of a medium-sized potato.
- Have your child create a short animation of a creature they build.
- After building a tower, have your child design the blueprint with directions for the tower. Then, have someone else follow the steps to build the tower. How accurate were the directions? The design? Talk about why it’s important to be precise with directions and designs. Have your child made revisions accordingly.
- Have your child take photographs as they build a structure and put together a “how to” picture book for siblings.
- Have your child find the perimeter, area, and volume of the structure they build. Talk about the 2D and 3D geometric shapes and solids they find in their creations.
Other awesome sets include:
