Archives for January 2018

Easy Toys For Kids To Make

January 31, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

There’s no denying the fact that kids love toys.

And that’s not a bad thing. As a parent, you probably know that play is incredibly important to your child’s development and growth!

Still, there may be times when you’ve watched them play with a toy – one that doesn’t require much imagination – and wondered whether they were actually getting anything out of the interaction.

If you’ve gotten to this point, you might consider suggesting to your child that they make their own brand new toy. Fortunately, making your own toy is easier than you think!

Here, we’ll take a look at three toy- or game-building activities you can do with your child that will leave them excited and asking for more. As we discuss each, we’ll explain the materials needed, the process for making the project, and the educational benefits of each project.

Let’s get started. [Read more…]

Fun Chemistry Projects

January 26, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

All children are natural scientists.

Whenever you catch your kid jumping in puddles, banging on pots and pans, or watching their ice cream cone drip slowly onto your brand new couch…just try to keep in mind that they’re simply experimenting with the world around them, and trying to learn something in the process.

Of course, it can benefit your child’s education (and your sanity) to bring some structure into the scientific process at times, as well. While you might think “chemistry” is a subject reserved for high school and college-age students, the truth is chemistry is all around us – and should be explored as early as possible.

With that in mind, here are three fun experiments you can do with your young one to introduce them to a variety of chemistry-related concepts and ideas. [Read more…]

Emergency Medicine Learning Objectives

January 19, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

Does your child know what to do in a medical emergency? Most likely not, but they’re not alone. Both children and adults often do not know how to react when faced with an emergency situation. However, you’re never too young or old to begin to learn the basics!

As you begin to teach your child some basics of emergency medicine, your learning objectives to begin a basic study of medicine should include the following. [Read more…]

Educational Sites For Kids Interested In Robotics

January 17, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

People love robots. Whether it’s the amazing way they move independently or the dream of having a robot butler to serve your every whim, the fascination is universal. And kids always think robots are cool! If you’ve got kids who are curious or even obsessed, here are some websites and apps to teach and entertain them with everything robot. [Read more…]

Guide To Being An Emergency Vet

January 15, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

Many kids who love animals decide they want to become veterinarians when they get older. Some kids, especially those who have dealt with an ill pet, may even aspire to be an emergency vet. But what is involved in that career? And what kind of education will they need? Are there things they can do now to start working toward that goal? [Read more…]

Best Video Game Making Tools

January 12, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

I’m going to take a wild guess and assume your child is (and perhaps you are) absolutely enthralled with video games.

Whether we’re talking free-to-play apps or AAA blockbusters, video games have become an important part of mainstream culture – for kids and adults alike.

While most of us are rather content playing video games designed by other individuals, some of us yearn to understand what goes into actually developing these games in the first place. [Read more…]

Secrets of Hollywood Special Effects

January 10, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

If you’ve been to the movies in the past, oh, fifty years or so, you know one thing’s for sure:

Special effects have come a long way.

From the original Star Wars to…well…pretty much every movie that comes out nowadays, special effects – both audio and visual – have reached the point that they captivate kids and adults alike to the point that they may even forget they’re watching something that isn’t really there.

It’s completely understandable if, when watching a movie or TV show that uses a ton of intricate and mind-blowing special effects, you think to yourself “Jeez, I could never put that kind of stuff together!” However, while special effects experts are, of course, incredibly talented, they aren’t wizards of Hogwarts or anything like that. They’ve simply learned the tricks of the trade that allow them to bring imaginary scenarios to life in a number of ways.

[Read more…]

LEGO® MINDSTORMS Robot Instructions

January 8, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

If you purchased a LEGO® MINDSTORMS set for your young child over the recent holiday season, you’ve done well – even if you aren’t entirely sure what the thing actually does!

It may sound hard to believe (especially if you grew up playing with LEGO bricks that – *gasp* – were just simple pieces of plastic), but MINDSTORMS sets actually allow your kiddo to build, program, and use their very own robot.

The best part? Your child will be so busy enjoying their cool new gadget that they won’t even realize how much they’re learning while using it. While physically building their new robot toy, your child will get an introductory crash course in basic engineering. Once they’ve built their new gadget, they’ll then learn some of the basics of computer programming (and even some coding, if they’re ready). Throughout these processes, your child will also strengthen their ability to follow instructions and persevere through trouble spots, and will also have a number of opportunities to think creatively, as well. [Read more…]

Minecraft Coding Tools For Kids

January 1, 2018 by Club SciKidz Dallas

One of the best things about Minecraft is that it’s an open-ended experience. Although it seems like “just a game” to outsiders, the truth is that it’s a rich environment that can be molded into an infinite number of experiences. Kids can mine for the materials they need, build structures, grow plants and animals, and protect their creations. Even better, they can do it with friends, either in person or online. They can express themselves, build fine motor skills, develop stronger spatial awareness, and strengthen their ability to communicate. Not so bad for a video game, right? But what if there was even more?

For some kids, mining and building simple structures is as far as they will get in Minecraft. And for the uninitiated, that may be all you can see. But Minecraft isn’t just a static video game where you follow a pre-determined course of actions. In fact, Minecraft offers a few options for kids who want to take their worlds to a whole other custom level. [Read more…]

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