Discover monthly STEM

This is just a little bonus. I like to do projects with my kids. I get tired of them sitting in front of the tv or some other electronic device. So I created monthly STEM and art challenges. If you don't know what STEM stands for- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Maybe you are looking to get out of your routine rut or maybe you just want to inspire your kids a little. You can google these ideas, but I like to see what my kids come up with on their own. Be prepared to provide some kind of direction.

January: all about snow:
Build a snowman: not with snow
Design a snowflake- no two are the same :)

Build an igloo- out of sugar cubes or make a big one that you can fit in
Make your own snow- Cut open an unused baby diaper, dump out the inside, add water and watch snow grow.

February: all about the heart:
Delivery zipline- how can you get valentines to your love?
Bow & Arrow- think cupid!
Candy box- you know you have to do it for school anyway!
Heart pump- how does a heart pump? Can you make one?

March: all about wind:
make a wind powered car or boat- They need to have a sail
build a windmill- handheld or how large can you make it
homemade kites are the best
What would wind look like- paint or draw what wind looks like.

here are two versions of what wind would look like

April: all about earth:
Solar oven- check here solar oven for an idea
earthquake resistance- can you make a structure out of blocks that can withstand shaking?
Hiking stick- find a stick the right size and decorate it up for your next hike
Water filtration- check here water filtration for an idea.

May: all about seeds:
birdfeeder- wood, plastic, or metal. whatever material they want
mini greenhouse- Two liter bottles are great for this whole month
Seed dispersal model- do you want lots of seeds or just a few.
seed art- seeds come in many colors and textures. Add some glue and it makes for great art.

June: all about growth:
Potato powered light bulb
Dye Flowers-what colors work the best?
egg drop test- who can make the best parachute for an egg?  

July: all about water:
Waterslide- a little plastic sheeting, water, foam, bubbles you name it
Dry Ice- Add warm water, bubbles, coke, or what you find around the house. Make some dry ice bubbles check out here. I just used a glass bottle.

Water pipeline- how to get water from the source to plants or people
Water painting- watercolors, water balloons filled with dyed water, squirt gun painting. There is so many options.

This post is getting too long. I usually just pick one day a week to implement these activities. It usually isn't about the final product, but about the process. Does that sound cliche? Maybe, but it is true. You learn way more from making mistakes than doing it perfect every time. So let your kids struggle through these for at least a little bit.

Discover Listening

Are you ever driving in your car (if you're a mom then you spend half your life here) and the radio just isn't playing anything worth listening to? Your kids are in the back of the car making a lot of noise, or you are by yourself and you start talking to yourself. You are not alone. This is almost a daily occurrence for me. Well, we wanted to discover new things to listen to so we could reduce the number of board driving hours or just to make us think a little different about life.

Everyone came with a couple ideas. I love our list because it reflects our individual interests. 

Here are a few particular ones that were suggested:

How I Built This (not how I made it :))- "This is a podcast about innovators, entrepreneurs, and idealists, and the stories behind the movements they built." It discusses how different companies came to be. Start with the Crate and Barrel episode.

Anything by Brene Brown- She has a couple TED talks and has been featured on different podcasts. Just search her. Her videos or talks will change how you feel about relationships. Setting boundaries, being vulnerable, rejection, perfectionism, ect...

This american Life- They have radio, podcasts, or tv episodes that discuss anything about american life

TED radio hour- Love this one! They combine a few different TED talks so discuss some point of view. One of my favorites: Slowing Down.

Revisionist History- "Because sometimes the past deserves a second chance." 

Extreme Genes- all about family history. 

Invisibilia- Why do you dress like you do? Can you really fake it until you make it? This podcast is a look at invisible forces that shape human behavior.

Short and Curly- This is a great podcast to listen to with kids. It asks questions such as "Is Dumbledore really a good person?" "Do you have to love your siblings?". It has created great discussions with my kiddos. 

For uplifting religious talks:

Legacy

BYU speeches. 

These cover a range of topics that will inspire you to be better. 

Go learn something new. Think about life a little deeper. Be inspired!