One of my biggest challenges during the summer is keeping my kids off tech. That means finding projects to keep them busy. If this sounds familiar to you, then you'll enjoy my posts this week with ideas and products that are geared to challenge and engage!!
I'm listing these in order of age range, starting with products that the youngest kids can enjoy.
This post contains affiliate links.
Lincoln Logs 100th Anniversary Tin (Ages 4+)
I can't believe that Lincoln Logs have been around for 100 years! That just proves how special this product is. This set is made entirely of wood, just like the originals.
If there's one thing that doesn't change, it's history... and Old West play! This gift tin is perfect not only for this generation, but the sturdy logs can be passed down! Start a family tradition, or add onto a classic set, because these Lincoln Logs are compatible with other Lincoln Logs sets. The included design is for the old Meeting House from 1925. A thriving frontier town needs a great log-built Meeting House. Get the roof in place before winter storms and torrential rains hit the village! Put together hitching posts so the horses don't wander off into the wilderness.
---
GoldieBlox and the Dunk Tank (aff) (Ages 4+)
Do you have a younger engineer you want to encourage? Think GoldiBlox! In this kit, Goldie has to find a way to give her dog, Nacho, a bath. One problem: Nacho hates water and loves being a dirty dog. After many tries, Goldie finally comes up with the perfect contraption: A dunk tank! Introduces the real-life STEM concept of hinges and levers. Designed for tinkering and creative exploration, GoldieBlox toys build spatial skills and confidence in problem-solving. All GoldieBlox toys are inter-compatible.
Ruby Rails Sky-High Cable Car (aff) (Ages 6+)
Help Ruby Rails, Goldie’s BFF, build a gondola ride and soar high above Bloxtown! Combine plastic construction pieces and durable chipboard to construct the two towers, and connect them with a pulley to send Ruby swinging right over the kitchen sink. Introduces the real-life STEM concept of tension.
Designed for tinkering and creative exploration, GoldieBlox toys build spatial skills and confidence in problem-solving. All GoldieBlox toys are inter-compatible. Comes with 32 pieces, including Ruby mini-figurine. Hundreds of how-to building videos online to help spark creativity in young engineers.
---
14-in-1 Educational Solar Robot Kit (Ages 8+)
This kit is recipient of the "Best Green Products Award 2013" from Dr Toy and Creative Child Magazine has anointed it with "Top Toy of the Year Award" and "Kids Product of the Year Award." This robot can be transformed into 14 different robot modes which include a multitude of comical and functional movements. The user can easily change from a Wagging-Tail Dog to Running Beetle to Walking Crab to Surfer to Speedster to Zombie Chaser! The robot kit provides unique accessories and parts that make the robot move on land and water.
---
STRUCTURES: Buildings and Bridges Set (Ages 8+)
Learn all about buildings and how they literally support our lives! Construct different types of bridges and find out how their architecture design provides massive weight support. Discover all the types of forces applied and how engineers manage to reduce their effects.
Build 9 working models such as a house, a pyramid and various types of bridges: beam, arch, truss, cable-stayed and suspension bridge.
Simple Machines (Ages 8+)
The SIMPLE MACHINES set is a combination of the basic 5 sets of "Discovering STEM" series and covers all Simple Machines mechanisms. These mechanisms offer a mechanical advantage and are crucial elements of many machines and devices. They are designed to multiply or reduce force, increase or decrease speed and convert one type of motion to another.
Build 60 working models that cover the subjects of levers, the wedge, the wheel and axle, the screw, the inclined plane, the pulley, as well as the more advanced gears and linkages!
Gears and Worm Drives (Ages 8+)
Learn how Gears can easily reduce or increase speed, change force or transfer motion from one position to another. Discover how Worm drives are used to greatly reduce rotational speed and how screws can convert rotational motion to linear, while greatly increasing force.
Build 12 working models such as an experimental crane, a gearbox, a carousel, a helicopter, a screw press and a crane with a rotating arm.