Textbooks and workbooks can only go so far in getting your kids interested in STEM education. Of course, they are essential to excel in the STEM field. But they have their limits.
As a parent, you have all the right to desire something better than a dry learning environment for your kids that’s often dominated by uninteresting books. Or else there’s the risk of kids getting disengaged and wandering away from the STEM learning path that also includes robotics for kids and coding for kids.
A situation such as this allows you to make your presence felt and help your kids get better in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through problem-solving and creative thinking in a playful way.
You are on the Play Computer website, so you already know learning can be much more effective and fun once play is built into it. We have a range of offerings developed on the principle of playful learning. But there are plenty of other resources that you can use and make learning at home fun for kids.
Robotic Play Kits
Educational toys and play kits are an excellent resource for STEM and robotics learning for kids. They can double up as at-home robotics classes for kids. Unlike traditional toys where kids outgrow them, robotics play kits, such as our Play Computer robotics kit, can be used by kids even when they grow up.
The versatility of the Play Computer allows kids to create a range of robotics projects, from basic to advanced ones. It can be used even when they reach adulthood. So, it remains a lifelong friend even when your seven-year-old turns 70 sometime in the future.
When kids create their robot toys, they constantly experiment and tinker with the accessories. This process is very similar to playing; kids learn the most when playing. It also helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities that can turn kids into innovators.
The kit also includes 30 free video tutorials that kids can easily follow to build their robotics projects.
Spend some time with your kid to ideate and build these robotics projects and let your kid grow in the robotics learning path while playing and having fun
Another advantage of playing with robotics kits is that kids learn to code by programming the robots to execute necessary actions.
With play computer, kids learn to code using its companion app Plode. It offers a tiered learning experience, from basic visual coding to advanced textual coding. It allows kids to gain unique perspectives at each stage without getting overwhelmed.
Online STEM learning portal
Today, when online learning is more of a norm than an exception, finding a good STEM learning portal for your kid becomes essential. These portals are a good resource for learning at home at one’s pace and time.
You can find many of them on the web; one such exciting portal is Tinker Bunker.
It’s a freemium portal that hosts a wide variety of STEM lessons that cover almost every aspect of STEM. It covers the subjects of physics, electronics, robotics, mathematics, coding and so on.
What makes it fun is that it’s a community learning platform that allows your kid to interact with other members on the website—this facilitates more effective peer learning. To spice up the fun quotient, there are also regular quizzes and contests in which kids can take part and win tinker coins and other prizes.
The tinker coins can purchase premium lessons and buy cool gadgets such as telescopes and drones.
As a parent, you must register your kid on the website, and your kids will be on their way to the STEM learning journey.
STEM Experiments at Home
Your home can easily be turned into a STEM lab to execute experiments that are easy to do and fun. It’s not as difficult as it seems. You only require a few household items and you will be ready to go.
The experiments can range from simple to complex and can be safely performed in the backyard of your house. Such outdoor STEM experiments are a great way not only to learn the applications of stem subjects but also enable you to forge strong bonds with your kids.
Steamsational.com is a good resource that hosts a variety of STEM experiments that can be easily performed. Children learn as they play while having fun with reactions, colours, and miniature explosions because the instructions for the experiments are combined with simple-to-understand information on the science involved.
The portal has STEM activities that are segregated based on age, STEM subject and seasons, so you can opt for the most appropriate activity.
Try Quizzes
National Geographic has plenty of quizzes on almost any topic under the sun. Answering a quiz is a surefire way of injecting some excitement into learning. Sit with your kids and help them tick the correct options.
These not only allow your children to reinforce what they already know and engage in healthy competition with friends (and parents! ), but they also teach them a tonne of information along the road, feeding their desire to study.
The portal contains enough questions to keep your kid occupied for several hours. Doing one quiz daily is enough to keep the kid busy for months. It’s also a great daily moment to spend with your child and learn together, not just an excellent routine activity.
Adopting playful learning at home for your kid also prepares the ground for active parenting and a good relationship with your kids. Helping your kids with their studies is a productive pastime for parents to be available to kids.
According to studies, parents who talk to their children frequently and encourage them to share their experiences help them retain their memories of such experiences more readily. Children who regularly communicate with their parents become more emotionally intelligent as well as more sensitive to the feelings of others.
Provide your kid with positive associations and memories through playful learning, and you will enjoy lifelong fruitful and positive relationships with your kids while they soar in their career.
