My son has been trying out new STEM toys recently. This is the second kit Technology Will Save Us sent us: DIY Electro Dough Kit. He also tried out the DIY Gamer Kit , ARCKit, Snap Circuits, and Sphero. Out of all these kits, I think my son liked the DIY Electro Dough Kit the most. It’s…
Author: Pragmatic Mom
Diversity Picture Books for 6th Grade
I consulted my 8th grader, PickyKidPix, about her middle school curriculum. She pays attention to everything going on so she remembers what she studied and notices what other grades are doing. She said that her teachers have generally covered the same curriculum they have always done which seemed to naturally follow Common Core but that…
STEM Engineering Toy Car to Build
My son tried out the Meccano Mountain Rally 25 Model Set. He likes to assemble things but hasn’t really had a lot of opportunity to use tools so I thought that would be fun for him. It’s a kit with a lot mechanical pieces and a detailed instruction manual on how to assemble it. My son…
The Magic of Kinetic Sand
Kinetic Sand is a three-dimensional building toy made of 98% sand and 2% polydimethylsiloxane that mimics the physical properties of wet sand. Think of it as a concoction of sand + Silly Putty. That’s actually what it is. It has an addicting “feel” quality to it. It looks like brown sugar but you can use…
Processing: Coding for Kids
This week is Computer Science Education Week! I have been trying to get my 11-year-old son to program as a way to combat his love of screen time. It turns out that he likes making his own games so it’s a win-win situation. We started off when he was in third grade — he’s now in…
Stock up and Save on Kimberly Clark at Walmart
Thank you to Cottonelle, Kleenex, Scott and Viva for sponsoring this post. You can find great deals on all these products for the holidays at your local Walmart via the Ibotta app. I’m way over due hosting my neighborhood moms’ book club. I had it all scheduled a year ago, only to find myself at…
Diversity Picture Books for 5th Grade
I spent more time in my kids’ 5th grade classroom because I was the parent coordinator for our PTO Creative Arts and Sciences. I know that there are always shifts in curriculum due to Common Core but leeway, as well, for teachers to cover what they typically have done in the past. My kids studied…