Fun from home – Page 2

KID Museum launches Maker Girls for 4th-8th grade girls

March 18, 2021

STEM Women Leaders and AAAS IF/THEN Ambassadors Karina Popovich, Danielle Twum, Dr. Corinna Lathan, Sarah Wilson, and Davina Durgana will be connected with 4th-8th grade girls for interactive, hands-on challenges in KID Museum’s MAKER GIRLS Live Event and workshops.

To celebrate the trailblazing contributions to the world by women in STEM fields this month, KID Museum, a pioneering experiential museum and educational makerspace, is launching Maker Girls, a series of hands-on, invention-based workshops for 4th-8th grade girls. A live, interactive virtual event on Thursday, March 25 from 4-5 PM ET will kick off the program, in partnership with AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassadors program, with a diverse set of top female STEM leaders — from a statistician featured in the book “Wonder Women of Science” and a biomechanical engineer studying 3D sports movement, to a cancer immunologist and the college-student founder of Makers for COVID-19. The event will feature a “Shark Tank”-style pitch event and a virtual tour of KID Museum’s new online Maker Playground.

“With Women’s History Month celebrating those who have challenged gender stereotypes and left a lasting legacy, Maker Girls is empowering the next generation of female leaders with maker skills, experiences and mindsets to invent the future,” said Cara Lesser, the Founder and Executive Director of KID Museum. “Lyda Hill Philanthropy and AAAS IF/THEN Ambassadors exemplify positive female professional role models in STEM for young girls. Partnering with them brings our commitment to girls to life, and challenges girls to be active makers while they interact with and solve problems with successful women STEM leaders.”

Hosted by Dr. Corinna Lathan, a neuroscientist, technology pioneer, social advocate, and IF/THEN Ambassador, along with 11-year-old maker Zuri Davis, the live, virtual event will be highly interactive. Girls will hear from IF/THEN Ambassadors who will share examples of “How I Failed” and the lessons they learned; girls will experience new Maker Playground activities; and girls will serve as advisors to KID Museum in helping shape the direction of deeper dive workshops to be offered later this spring.

In a “Shark Tank” style pitch showcasing a range of STEM-based activities, girls will serve as the ultimate decision-makers, investigating topics and voting for those they’d like to see turned into the workshops they can join later in the spring.

Ambassadors include:

Davina Durgana – Award-winning international human rights statistician who has developed leading global models to assess vulnerability to modern slavery. She was a Forbes Top 30 Under 30 in Science (2017), and is featured in the children’s book, “Wonder Women of Science: Twelve Amazing STEM Geniuses Who Are Currently Rocking the World.”
Danielle Twum – Cancer immunologist hailing from Ghana who blends scientific knowledge with social media influence to ignite interest in STEM careers for young people, especially minorities.
Sarah Wilson – Mechanical engineer and former professional freeride skier who has made a career of “crashing STEM into her hobbies,” most recently using wearable technologies to measure athlete movements in 3D.
Karina Popovich – 21-year-old Head of Education and Policy at Women in 3D Printing, Founder of Makers for COVID-19, Cornell University student, KPMG Future Leader 2019, Amazon Future Engineer 2019 and Technovation Regional Pitch Competition Winner.

Workshops:

The live, no-cost, interactive virtual Maker Girls workshops offer 4th through 8th grade girls the chance to join in hands-on, invention-based challenges covering topics such as game design, robotics, space exploration, cybersecurity, and science experiments.

Each of the three workshops taking place in April and May is capped at 24 students to encourage side-by-side interaction with the Ambassadors, whose backgrounds range from engineering and astrophysics to computer programming and biology. Together, the Ambassadors and students will brainstorm, design, and prototype solutions to real-world, STEM-inspired challenges.

Maker Playground:

Maker Playground is designed to engage youth and families in experiences and activities inspired by real-life women inventors, engineers, and scientists; and then use maker skills and concepts to experiment, invent, and create something on their own. Concepts explore the “art of STEM,” “robot explorers,” “sports and STEM,” “animal allies,” and “games for good,” with activities for kids to prototype a technology that improves athletic performance, create a digital 3D model of a robot that explores the unknown, design a game, and more.

About KID Museum:

KID Museum is the region’s pioneering experiential museum and educational makerspace. They foster the “Mind of a Maker” and empower the next generation with the skills to invent the future. Through hands-on programs, they challenge young people to be active makers, building agency, confidence, and creative problem-solving skills. They design and deliver programs across the full continuum of learning for kids in pre-k through middle school in partnership with educators and schools. Weekend onsite programs, community events, and live, virtual sessions encourage families to learn and explore together. They are part of a growing movement to remake education for every young person, putting them in the driver’s seat of their learning and trusting them to be agents of change.

Spy Academy and The Lost Treasures of Atlantis; an immersive online theatre experience

March 13, 2021

Not too long ago we were going to local performances at our favorite theatres, exposing our children to the arts. We are so happy Imagination Stage has adapted their art into something we can watch from home, for now and in this latest show, they definitely completed the mission!

For its second foray into the world of virtual theatre, Imagination Stage meets this unique moment with Spy Academy & the Lost Treasures of Atlantis, an immersive online experience best for children ages 5+. The show–part escape room, part spy adventure, and part online game–engages children in an interactive performance as meaningful as it is delightful. Our children– excuse me, Cadet Cheese and Cadet Spygirl are ages 6 and 9 and both really enjoyed this performance as it was interactive and suspenseful all while observing the actors in their element which was silly and entertaining. This was a Zoom they were actually engaged in and fit the bill for something they had been missing.

The audience which has no more than 15 households per performance, takes on the role of cadets at a spy academy. They are being taught by Pat, a live facilitator. When Pat gets notification that some of the academy’s adult spies need help evading the villainous Dr. Levinious as they search for the Heart of the Dragon, Pat recruits all of the cadets to help them by solving various puzzles and problems. Enter your household! Pat is played by nimble and comedic improvisational actors Jasmine Jones, Matthew Pauli or Amanda Haddock (at different performances), and directly urges the participation of the cadets in a “create your own adventure”-style exploration of numerous challenges. (Ssshhh: the adults in the household will have received instructions in advance to secretly prepare some key props to have nearby for their cadets.)

We were emailed documents to print out including an introductory letter to the cadets, activities and clues to use during the performance, and a certificate to be awarded to the cadets after the mission is completed. We put these in envelopes or hid them throughout our house. Silly enough, it was something my husband and I actually had fun doing as we knew this was so unique that our kids would be shocked to find these in real time as they watched the show– at one point Pat told viewers to check their front door for a package and to our kids surprise there was a small package waiting there for them to use with the show! Our kids think it was a ‘black bag job’ and didn’t ask if it was up who left the materials for them, which made it fun. However, if you do not have a printer Pat does an amazing job to share everything on screen and reassure those who may not have the items at home to have no fear and presents alternatives.

The artfully filmed segments of the spies getting into and out of jams in far-flung locations were filmed in all the nooks and crannies of Imagination Stage’s Bethesda facility, including against the back wall of the stage, which was transformed into an enormous green screen to allow for exciting special effects. Our cadets were amazed when we told them where it was filmed and how. They are eager to get back to seeing performances in-person but they both agreed that this was an amazing alternative!

Details:
Spy Academy & the Lost Treasures of Atlantis runs through May 23, 2021

Ticket cost: $25 per household

Run time: Roughly 45 minutes

You can even purchase a private performance if you have a cadet’s birthday approaching! Call the Box Office for more details 301-280-1660.

Cast and Creative Team:
Edima Essien- Newscaster
Danielle Gallo-Tank
Amanda Haddock-Facilitator
Jasmine Jones-Facilitator (swing)
Miss Kitty-Specs
Matthew Pauli-Facilitator
Ryan Sellers-Levinious/Locksmith
Strother Gaines-Concept and Co-Director
Doug Robinson-Playwright
Jeffrey Eagle-Co-Director and Producer
Chris Mariles-Director of Photography
Ted Hogeman-Sound Operator
Paige Smith Lee-Editor
Madison Booth-Costume Designer
Katie Moshier-Stage Manager

Also, be sure to check out Imagination Stage Summer Camp!

What’s the spread? At home Super Bowl eats, decor and more!

February 4, 2021

What is the Super Bowl without a party?! Welp, as the pandemic approaches a year, it only seems fitting that we will be watching at home as a family and having some Zoom calls to talk trash with family and friends while also betting on football squares. My favorite part aside from the half-time show and commercials are the delicious appetizers and Pinterest inspired food! Just like everything in 2020, I plan to make this a memorable event for our Bambinos with decor and fun food.

Decor:
-Kansas City Chiefs decor and Bucs decor
-Super Bowl supplies (including a football squares board)
-Super Bowl decor (includes a cute banner)
-Keep it simple with this tablecloth and grab a few of these cups
-Get inspired by Living with Landyn’s DIY display

Food:
–Delish has a great 80+ list of Super Bowl food to make
-Grab Kansas City cupcake rings to add to a basic cupcake and Tampa Bay
-This is the dessert my kids look forward to each Super Bowl
-Use these fun football bags to serve snacks

Fun:
-Grab this free printable bingo card or buy this fun family-friendly printable game from ETSY
-Surprise them with photo booth props
-Everyone loves a piñata
-For the crafty person, Good Housekeeping has a list of Super Bowl DIY crafts
-Pure Wow has a great post 15 Super Bowl party games

Local:
–Henry’s Sweet Retreat has cookie decorating boxes; choose your home team and have a blast!
-More to come….check back!

Recent posts:
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Valentine’s Day Chocolates

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.

Celebrate The Season With A Free, Virtual Holiday Crafting Workshop With The Station At Riverdale Park!

December 14, 2020

WHAT: Following the speedy sell-out of their first holiday crafting session, join The Station at Riverdale Park for a Letter to Santa Watercolor Workshop. Santa is pulling into The Station! Join Santa’s crafting workshop and unleash your inner elf with a Letter to Santa watercolor workshop. Pick up your complimentary crafting kit at The Station PLUS a $10 gift card from participating restaurants at The Station.

WHEN: Pick up your free watercolor kit at The Station (6621 Baltimore Avenue, Riverdale Park, MD 20737) on Saturday, December 19 from 11am – 2pm and then tune in for a Zoom workshop at 4pm with local artist and maker, Serena Martin Designs. Can’t make the workshop live? They’ll send a recording to all registrants.

HOW: This activation is free and open to the public, registration required. Click here to register.

Thanksgiving books, crafts, games and volunteer opportunities for families

November 19, 2020

Thanksgiving themed books-
Balloons Over Broadway
Thank You, Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving
How To Catch A Turkey
The Great Thanksgiving Escape
The Story of Pilgrims
Would You Rather? Thanksgiving Edition
Thanksgiving on Thursday: Magic Treehouse
Thanksgiving Activity Book

Crafts & games-
We have added some fun activities and games to our Pinterest page to get your kids thinking about what they are grateful for. Our family will be creating a grateful tree and I love the idea of having them create a handprint runner and decorating it for our dinner on a long sheet of inside out wrapping paper. A few more of my favorites that are on our Pinterest page are:
-Disguise the Turkey
-Thankful Banner
-Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

Need last minute Thanksgiving decor? Check out Caravan Shoppe for downloadable (send to a local print shop) interactive decorations!

Volunteer opportunities are a bit different this year but nonetheless more important than ever.

Subscription boxes make a great gift for kids

November 16, 2020

I love giving my children (and to others as these subscription boxes make for a great gift!) experiences rather than another toy for the holiday. Especially since we are stuck at home so much now, these boxes are even more useful. Subscription boxes have become a great way for kids to make memories, stay busy creating something hands-on while having an experience where all of the necessary materials come delivered to their doorstep. Choose a topic that interests your child and order a box before committing to receiving one every month. Many of these subscription services offer first time sign-up deals as you visit the homepage which is an added bonus. We have personally tried the first 6 and highly recommend them- happy to answer any questions.

KiwiCo believes that children learn by playing and doing and children are naturally curious and creative. KiwiCo was created to give children exposure to new materials, new tools, new techniques, and new concepts that encourage hands-on learning and fun. They are dedicated to inspiring these young scientists, artists, explorers. Below are the various crates they offer-

Panda Crate Explore & Discover (Ages 0-24mo)
Koala Crate Play & Learn (Ages 2-4)
Kiwi Crate Science, Art & More (Ages 5-8)
Atlas Crate Geography & Culture (Ages 6-11)
Doodle Crate Create & Craft (Ages 9-16+)
Tinker Crate Science & Engineering (Ages 9-16+)
Maker Crate Art & Design (Ages14-104)
Eureka Crate Engineering & Design (Ages 14-104)

Bookroo is a monthly subscription for kids ages 0-10 that helps them fall {even more} in love with reading by combining the excitement of opening a gift with the discovery of a new, wrapped, treasured book! The mission is to enable and empower parents to build their children’s book collections in an affordable and exciting way through curated monthly book deliveries. Bookroo believes in the power and impact of the written word in the life of a child and believe it’s never too early to start reading to children. Use this link to get 15% off your first order. We’ve raved about Bookroo before and here again and will continue to do so because literacy is so important and receiving books as a gift is sure to bring a smile to Bambinos faces.

Bonus: Book of the Month for the adults in your life! They can choose from a variety of books each month to be delivered to their door.

Rosie Riveters
Rosie Riveters is a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is to equip and empower girls ages 4-14 to be strong, confident, and competent in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by providing a fun space for to imagine, learn, build, and play.

CookKitz
Cook Kitz delivers all inclusive, educational and delicious cooking projects to your doorstep in the DC area. What began as a way to keep your family deliciously occupied during quarantine, has now become a household staple- there’s always a reason to have a COOK KITZ on hand! Each KITZ focuses on a main recipe with “choose-your-own-adventure” elements to encourage culinary imagination and recipe versatility.

District Dabble Lab
District DabbleLab is a space that seeks to inspire imagination, develop skills, spark curiosity, and promote creativity. DabbleBox is a new subscription box for artsy craftsy kids, delivered monthly with four projects and Emily instructing your child step-by-step via videos!

Sensory TheraPlay Box are toys to help develop important sensory motor skills and stimulate the senses. Engage your child in fun, silly sensory play! Items are therapeutic and can be calming or help manage anxiety. Curated for children with autism/ sensory needs in mind, but suitable for children of all abilities by a Pediatric OT. Each month’s box is carefully curated by a licensed occupational therapist and includes a description card inside.

Skip & Play is a monthly subscription boxes for babies, toddlers, and kids includes the very best, award-winning toys that encourage learning and development. Each month hand-selected toys will arrive which are matched up with the child’s age and stage of development. In the early years, there are toys including teething toys, a tummy time mat, bath toys, and other great items that your baby needs in their first year of growth. As they enter the second year the toys grow to match their curiosity, with shapes, colors, stackers, puzzles, and more. By ages 3, 4, and 5, there are pretend play sets, advanced puzzles, early writing tools, drawing pads, and more!

Bits Box provides monthly coding projects that teach elementary aged children how to program apps. Kids look through the materials and pick an app. Every box comes with dozens of coding projects, ranging from simple to more advanced. Kids type the app into the Bitsbox website and start with the code from the book, then change it to make it their own. Kids use and share their apps on any mobile device. Bitsbox apps run on any computer, tablet, or phone with a web browser.

Girls Can! Create inspires girls to BE and DO anything by introducing them to fearless women who made the world better. The company believes that real women make the very best heroes and every month, as a subscription service, they deliver them to girls 5-10 years old. Each crate or mini-mailer celebrates the life and work of one woman who changed the world through story, activities, play props, and more. Each month, meet a fearless woman who changed the world. Discover her in a 20-page book filled with games, fun and experiments. Explore her field with 2-3 fun science, engineering or art activities. Play props stickers and more.

Steve Spangler Science Club allows you to choose hands-on science kits. A new theme will be explored every month such as kitchen chemistry, glowing germs, the power of air or bubbling potions, electricity and more. Ideal for kids ages 5-12. Ignite the spark of science and creativity in your child. Learn the real science behind each amazing experiment.

Little Passports is a global adventure. They create award-winning subscriptions for kids that inspire them to learn about the world. Get 15% off all subscriptions using code: JOLLY

Early Explorers (Ages 3-5)
Science Junior (Ages 5-8)
World Edition (Ages 6-10)
USA Edition (Ages 7-12)
Science Expeditions (Ages 9+)

DIY Halloween fun at home with Kiwi Co

October 20, 2020

You’ve seen us post several times about our love for Kiwi Co and the amazing boxes we have ordered. You can order just one box and see which line you like best or subscribe to receive one each month. Boxes range from exciting STEM crafts to a doodle crate and everything in between. I love saving our Kiwi boxes for rainy or cold days. A few boxes my kids have loved are making soap and creating a paint pendulum. You can save $10 by using this link to place an order.

Check out these fun at-home ideas for making Halloween crafts & experiments. My kids are eager to make the 3-D yarn spiderweb. Extend the at-home crafts with these Fall ideas too!

COOK KITZ delivers weekly themed cooking boxes to your doorstep

September 15, 2020

COOK KITZ delivers all-inclusive, educational and delicious family cooking projects to your doorstep for all ages. What began as a way to keep your family deliciously occupied during quarantine, has now become a household staple- there’s always a reason to have a COOK KITZ on hand!

Each themed KITZ provides “choose-your-own-adventure” elements that teach basic cooking techniques paired with culinary imagination and recipe versatility! This service provides a fun, family activity that does not require any pre-planning and is fully curated, scripted and totally flexible for when you need something to do!

Each delivery includes all pantry and fridge ingredients, detailed instructions and overviews for each recipe and any specialty tools or equipment needed for the project. You also have the option to pickup the kits.

Past KITZ have included; Go Crazy for Cookie Dough, Popsicle Party, “Grow’ Your Own Focaccia Garden and more.

This fall, COOK KITZ launched their first 4-in-1 KITZ series in partnership with Creative Enrichment. The series gives kid chefs an inside look at the baking process and how using different ingredients impacts rise, taste and texture of baked goods. Click here to purchase a kit!!

My kids made the current KITZ which is biscuits + strawberries + cream. What I loved about this box was that there were instructions for each age group. My nine year old could make the recipe by himself while reading through it with his younger sister who also was a part of the cooking. The instructions are age appropriate and easy to follow with just the right amount of information. We will definitely be ordering from COOK KITZ as a way to intertwine math, reading, cooking and togetherness this school year. The best part is, I get to reap the benefits of this tasty new service.