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Can you find some materias at home to create a STEM activity? Hint: You can use anything! 

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Can you find some materias at home to create a STEM activity? Hint: You can use anything! 

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Андрей Иванов

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Завтрак медведя Мансура

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If you try any of these fun activities take some pictures and post them in Seesaw for us to see!

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Around December 20 or 21 we celebrate the Winter Solstice every year. The shortest day of the year and officially the first day of winter. Living in Canada winter is a big part of our lives. Maybe not always a favourite, but when winter lasts so long you need to embrace it! To celebrate I have pulled together some of my favourite Winter STEM Activities. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Of course we love to spice things up a bit and include the A for STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. I've chosen a wide variety of articles and activities that touch on various pillars of STEM, while maintaining one common theme: WINTER! Mix and match to create your perfect Winter STEM lesson plans!
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I know these lists can get a little long and hard to navigate. To make things easier I've organized the winter STEM activities into the following categories based on their dominate lesson: Science, Engineering, Technology, Math, plus true STEM that includes extensive use of at least two of the pillars.

Before we get started though, I have some activities that celebrate and explore the seasons. Happy winter learning!

Build a Wheel of the Year - This activity is a wonderful hands-on learning exercise that kids absolutely love! The final product can be used over and over again. It is a wonderful STEM activity that incorporates fractions (dividing into quarters), art (choosing imagery to reflect the seasons), plus engineering (ensuring that it spins).

Solstice Science - Explore how and why our day lengths change throughout the year as we move from summer solstice to winter solstice.

Four Seasons Compound Words Code Breakers - This fun activity helps kids develop critical thinking and decoding skills, while also building vocabulary specific to the seasons.

Ice Lanterns - Engineering an Ice Lantern is a fantastic STEAM activity for winter, especially if you live in cold climates. It incorporates science (states of matter and expansion as water transitions to solid form), engineering, and art to make beautiful final results you can display with pride.

STEM Challenge - How Does Salt Affect Ice? - In this fascinating challenge, we go beyond just seeing that salt helps to melt ice and can be used to create frost, but we use a little technology to record and measure the effects while manipulating variables. A fantastic inquiry based learning experience with spectacular results.

Confetti Cannon - Winter comes with a lot of great celebrations and what is better at a celebration that your very own confetti cannon!

Simple Snow Science - If you fill jars with equal amounts of ice, snow and water, do they really have the same amount of H2O? Find out in this simple science project that often surprises kids with the results!

Melting Snowman Oobleck Challenge - This is such a fun science challenge! Fantastic for doing in teams. Challenge your students to make a snowman with Oobleck. It's a fast paced science experiment where kids work hard to keep up the pressure, and keep that snowman solid, while placing his button eyes and carrot nose!

Frozen Oobleck - Continue your exploration of our favourite non-Newtonian Fluid by creating frozen Oobleck and having some icy cold science fun.

Make It Snow - This is an amazing experiment that can only be done under very specific weather conditions. But when those conditions are right, it's spectacular! Plus kids get to learn about the super cool Mpemba Effect.

Crystal growing - The winter months bring wonderful icy crystal formations as frost and icicles cover the world around us. You can grow your own crystals with this alum crystal experiment that looks like frost, or take it up a notch and grow yourself some gigantic crystals using this secret.

Frozen Bubbles - I am so excited that we finally mastered the frozen bubble challenge! After all of our trial, error and much research into the science behind the perfect frozen bubble, I am beyond excited to share with you all the secrets behind making the perfect frozen bubble!

Winter Play Dough is a fun project teaching kids about the science behind a playtime favourite! Learn how play dough gets it fun texture as you make this DIY play dough recipe, then challenge them to engineer and build a winter themed project.

Crush a Bottle with Science - Can you crush a pop bottle? Can you crush a pop bottle using nothing but your mind (and a little science)? Part science, part magic trick, this activity will have your kids out enjoying the cold weather.

Bath Bomb Chemistry - Winter is a fantastic time to embrace some of the most interesting STEAM projects we have ever done... bath bomb making! The creativity on these is endless. Plus the chemistry lessons are fascinating. Learn about acid-base reactions, emulsifiers and surfactants! Some of our favourite winter bath bomb recipes are Snowball Bath Bombs and Winter Storm Icicle Bath Bombs.

Winter Crystal Science - This is a straight out of the box Chemistry Lab from MEL Science that includes some fascinating experiments with wintery crystal growing. You even get to make your own instant snow! So cool!

Winter Lava Lamps - A fun twist on the traditional homemade lava lamp experiment, incorporating a wintery theme there are a few different variations you can try. Snow storms in a jar or Snowflake Lab.

Expanding Snowman - This one may get messy as your snowman gets bigger and bigger and bigger through a simple chemical reaction.

Google Maps Challenge - Using Google Maps, take a guess where in the world you think it might be snowy. Then zoom around the world through Google Maps and check out the satellite or street view. Were you right? Now check the photos from that area. Are there any snowy pictures? Try another place!

Photography or Videography Challenge - Do you have a young photographer or videographer? Why not take them outside on a snowy but sunny day and have them try to to capture some images. What happens? How can you adjust for the overexposure issues?

NatGeo for Kids has some great information and interactive content for learning about our wintery months.

Research all about the Winter Solstice with Earth Sky.

Spinning Snowflake STEM Card - Kids will love engineering these cards that include a snowflake that spins when the card is opened! A little engineering, a little physics, one WOW Worthy card!

Snow Dough Sensory Science - Not cold enough or snowy enough where you live for some of these science experiments? Try our Snow Dough! This is a fun indoor snowman building challenge using our special, ultra silky moon dough recipe, reimagined into Snow Dough. Build a snowman without the chilly fingers!

Ice Engineering - Build your own ice sculptures and explore the many properties of ice with this cool kit. What amazing sculptures can you create with ice?

Ice Magnifying Glass - Engineer a magnifying glass from ice with this great tutorial.

Catch Snowflakes - Engineer a super simple solution that will allow you to catch snowflakes and examine them without melting. Brilliant!

Snowman Math Logic Puzzles - These cute snowmen are all dressed up for the holidays and ready for some logic math fun inspired by Suduko. Includes free printable.
Happy Winter Solstice! And all the best with your Winter STEM Activities!
Place Value Snowmen - My oldest struggles with place value. For some reason this is a concept that simply doesn't make sense to him and is requiring a lot of repetition and practice. These activity is perfect for a little winter practice on a snowy, wintery day.

Symmetrical Snowflakes - Are you teaching patterning and symmetry? This math activity explores these concepts while also teaching one of the most beautiful aspects of snowflakes, their natural symmetry.

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35+ Winter STEM Activities - Celebrate Winter Solstice

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Around December 20 or 21 we celebrate the Winter Solstice every year. The shortest day of the year and officially the first day of winter. Living in Canada winter is a big part of our lives. Maybe not always a favourite, but when winter lasts so long you need to embrace it!

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Winter clothing is available tor families that attend programming in SoWash Co. 

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Winter clothing is available tor families that attend programming in SoWash Co. 

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Check with your child's teacher for information about how to get on the list.

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Making winter play dough is a great way to have fun when it is cold out.

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With the snow flying outside we are looking for fun indoor activities to keep us busy and one that is always a hit is play dough! This no cook Winter Play Dough recipe will bring hours of fun on a chilly winter day, while also developing finger strength and coordination skills.

No Cook Playdough Recipe - Winter Themed Activity

What you will discover in this article!
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When it gets cold out and playing outside becomes less appealing, I often look for fun ways for us to explore and play indoors. Things that will keep the kids busy and entertained while having fun.

From the time they were very small, play dough was always a go to activity, and recently we have started making our own playdough. It is incredibly easy and so much fun!

One of the ways to make play dough even more interesting is to make your batches around a theme. Since it's been snowing and blizzarding here, we decided to embrace the cold and create a Winter Wonderland inspired play dough.

Not only does this involve special colours, but we also like to add some essential oils that suit our themes, plus sometimes we will add glitter, sequins, buttons and various play dough toys (like snowflake and snowman cookie cutters), to really round out the theme of our play dough.

You can do this with any theme to keep kids engaged and having fun!

Winter Play Dough Recipe (No Cook)

SUPPLIES

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Light blue food coloring
White and blue biodegradeable glitter (optional)*
Essential oil (we used peppermint) (optional)

* A NOTE ON GLITTER - Glitter has become very controversial due to the negative impacts on the environment, but I know many of you still love a little sparkle in your projects! When it comes to glitter, I believe it is always optional. None of my projects require it. But if you decide you do want a little sparkle and shine in your creations, I highly recommend using a biodegradeable glitter. There are lots of fantastic options available. Links have been provided below to some great options.

DIRECTIONS

In a large bowl, add flour, salt and cream of tartar. Whisk well.

Mix in the vegetable oil, essential oil and water. I add the water in about 1/4 cup at a time.

We love adding a bit of essential oil to our playdough, it adds so much to the experience of playing with it. For this recipe we used peppermint so it smelled like a candy cane. Only a few drops is needed.

Split mixture evenly into two bowls.

Add blue food color (start with 3 drops and add more if necessary) and glitter (about 1/2 teaspoon) to one and white glitter to the other.

Take one of the play doughs and knead on a flat, hard surface until smooth. Repeat with the other one.

Play!

Store in an airtight container or Ziplock bag. It should last about a month, however if your children are sick or it is being used in a classroom situation, I recommend changing your play dough batches more frequently.

THE SCIENCE OF PLAY DOUGH

In any recipe, every ingredient serves a purpose. And the same is true for our playdough recipe.

First let's look at the steps and some scientific terminology.

With playdough recipes, the dry ingredients, salt, cream of tartar and flour, are physically combined through mixing to produce what we call a 'mixture.'

Next we add our liquid ingredients, water and vegetable oil, and combine them with the dry ingredients. This new mixture is called a 'solution.'

Heat from the hot water causes a chemical reaction to occur which changes the solution into a new substance, play dough. You can also cook the play dough like we did with our Sunflower Play Dough.

The chemical reaction in play dough making

Now, let's dig into the chemical reaction happening with our ingredients to form that final substance we all know and love, play dough!

Adding water to the flour allows long chain like molecules in the flour (called proteins) to stick together. We learned about this process in our Bread Science activities. This helps to hold the water in place and keep the dough together.

Salt helps in this process by encouraging the proteins to stick together with stronger bonds (it also helps to stop your dough going bad by acting as a preservative).

The oil coats the other ingredients and helps keep the play dough from drying out.

The molecules from the food dye spread out throughout the dough as you knead and give it a colour.

Pretty cool science! Now go and make some winter play dough and have some winter fun!

Once you are done that, try out our Snow Dough Recipe. A taste safe version of our Moon Dough, perfect for making Snowmen!

MORE SCIENCE AND SENSORY FUN!

Winter Play Dough Recipe

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No Cook Winter Play Dough Recipe With A Playdough Science Lesson

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With the snow flying outside we are looking for fun indoor activities to keep us busy and one that is always a hit is play dough! This no cook Winter Play Dough recipe will bring hours of fun on a chilly winter day, while also developing finger strength and coordination skills.

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Check out the Sierra Club for Fun ideas to try in the Winter in Minnesota.

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Expanded Meal Pick-up Hours
FOR WINTER BREAK TIME

SoWashCo will expand meal pick-up times at two sites (Woodbury Middle School and Park High School) to 8 a.m.-12 p.m. to accommodate more families.

As a reminder, the Park High School meal pick-up site will be closed on Friday, Dec. 18 due to a staff shortage. Please check the meal pick-up calendar daily as schedules are subject to change. If you have any questions, contact nutrition services at 651-425-6280.

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  At-Home Apple Experiments                             

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  At-Home Apple Experiments                             

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What do you think of when September rolls around? Rolls, get it! We think of apples and all of the cool apple science experiments and STEM activities there are to try. I love going out to pick apples with my family, and we also love easy science experiments for kids with a fun apple theme!

APPLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS AND STEM ACTIVITIES

APPLE SCIENCE

We love to encourage a love of the sciences here and one fun way to do that is to give your classic science experiments cool themes. For the start of fall we love an apple science experiment or two followed by our real pumpkin science activities!

As always our apple experiments and STEM challenges don't require much to get started but encourage hands-on learning and a little play too.
Looking for easy to print art activities? We have you covered... YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Fall Theme Science Experiments
Encourage young kids to think like scientists while they observe, examine, and explore these cool apple theme science activities below. Using real apples also adds a wonderful sensory component to each activity.

These real science experiments would make also make for a great apples science project.
CHECK OUT: Easy Science Projects For Kids
Click on all links in blue to read about each activity and see the set up and demonstration of the experiment or project.

COOL APPLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS

A must try apple science experiment! Make an apple volcano and explore a cool chemical reaction right in the kitchen.

Why do apples turn brown is a classic apple experiment for kids! Learn all about the oxidation of apples.

Take the great apple taste test and see which apple is your favorite. So simple to set up and includes a free printable worksheet.

Try a classic science experiment and give it a twist perfect for a fall and apple theme lesson.

Race apples and learn about physics for hands-on outdoor fun this fall season.

Explore gravity with real and paper apples for this fun apple STEM project.

Not quite science or STEM but fun math and very hands-on as well as potentially tasty.

Do apples sink or float in water? Check out this and other fun apple STEM challenges.

Learn about non-Newtonian fluids with a fun apple twist on a classic slime recipe. We also made Red Apple Slime!

red apple slime.

APPLE EXPERIMENTS AND STEM CHALLENGES FOR KIDS!

Click on the image below or on the link for more cool science experiments and STEM activities.
Looking for easy to print art activities? We have you covered...

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Apple Experiments For Kids | Little Bins for Little Hands

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What do you think of when September rolls around? Rolls, get it! We think of apples and all of the cool apple science experiments and STEM activities there are to try. I love going out to pick apples with my family, and we also love easy science experiments for kids with a fun apple theme!

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Watch 3-year-olds at play and you'll see them building. On the beach, it's a sandcastle encircled by a moat. In the classroom, it's a towering edifice constructed of cardboard or blocks.

"They're natural engineers with an inclination to design the world around them," said Christine M. Cunningham, founding director of Engineering is Elementary and vice president of the Museum of Science in Boston.

Yet as natural as it comes to the youngest school goers, engineering hasn't been incorporated into the preschool and kindergarten curricula the way it has in the upper grades. The "e" in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) has been largely missing for the youngest learners, at least in any significant way.

"There is some pre-engineering work being done in the early grades, a lot of building is going on, but not all educators are intentional in the way that they discuss those activities with students," said Catherine McCulloch, project director at the nonprofit Education Development Center, who has surveyed the Boston-area landscape for K-12 engineering instruction.

New engineering curricula developed by the Museum of Science in Boston aims to change that. The museum has developed and tested lesson plans for preschoolers ( Wee Engineer) and kindergartners ( Engineering is Elementary for Kindergarten). The preschool curriculum includes four challenges (such as building the noisiest noisemaker) that give students practice with a three-step design process: explore, create, improve. The kindergarten curriculum includes more complex challenges (such as building a trash collector) that guide students through a five-step design process: ask, imagine, plan, create, improve.

According to Cunningham, the activities go beyond advancing children's natural inclination to problem-solve and build. They also develop students' understanding of the human-made world around them early on, before they're exposed to stereotypes about who can and cannot do STEM.

"The curriculum opens them up to a different way of thinking before we've told them 'Engineering is hard' or 'You can't do it because you need to think in a certain way' or 'You have to be super smart,'" Cunningham told Education Week. "Instead, we're trying to build on the idea that 'This is something you can do. You've already solved problems and designed solutions.' It's harder for someone later to convince them that they can't do it."

Little Ones, Start Your Engineering

With a little prodding kids can learn to ask questions about the way things around them work: How does that door knob work? How about that pencil sharpener? The next step is to consider what is important about these things: Is it their color? Is it the materials they're made of?

This is the line of questioning preschoolers follow when tackling the curriculum's engineering challenges. For example, to make the noisiest noisemaker possible, students fill a case with items like pom poms, metal washers, or erasers and shake it to see what happens.

Cunningham said some kids don't consider the material so much when they first begin creating their noisemaker. They might stuff a bunch of soft poms poms into the case simply because they like the colors. Others might stuff the case so that even the metal washers don't move enough to produce much sound. "They start asking, 'Why isn't it making any noise?'" says Cunningham. "But then they look at what other kids are doing and that helps them to realize if they remove some of the stuff it will move. Some of them will realize if the stuff is harder it will make some noise. But not every kid is there. Some just like these colorful, soft pom poms."

It's OK. if the kids aren't there yet, said Jess Jarvis, a preschool teacher at Frances Jacobson Early Childhood Center at Temple Israel, in Boston. She was one of the teachers who piloted the curriculum. "A lot of preschools can be very product oriented, where kids want to do something, finish it, and take it home," Jarvis said in an interview. "The engineering challenges help them see the process doesn't have to end there. They could put a 'save' sign on it, think about it, and go back and revise or improve it some more. It's such a good lesson for them to take away and there hasn't really been anything that allows them to do that. They can't really do that in the block area [at school] because they have to clean up."

Hands-On for All Learners

Dana Romanczyk, a kindergarten inclusion teacher at Richard J. Murphy School in Boston who piloted the new curriculum, said for her kids who struggle academically, the challenges opened up their world and their imagination. "They can't always experience success throughout the school day because they're thinking 'I don't know how to count' or 'I'm still learning to read,'" she told Education Week. "But with the challenges, they know they can come up with ideas and tell you about them. It's nice to see kids shine who don't always get the chance to shine throughout the school day."

One of her students who is learning English and doesn't talk much figured out how to make a super well-functioning trash collector. It was all about the shape. He taped up the sides of a piece of construction paper to make it look more like a shovel and, sure enough, his apparatus, attached to a Popsicle stick, could scoop up more pom poms than the other kids' creations which generally left the construction paper flat. "The other kids were so excited," Romanczyk says. "They were like, 'He made a shovel!' And the student began telling them how they could make the shovel, too."

Later in that same challenge, students figured out what type of material (paper, cheese cloth, or plastic) the trash collector should be made of to pick litter from a pond where Danny the Duck lives. They tested the materials in water to see how they hold up. Romanczyk said her students remained interested throughout because the activity was hands-on, putting all students on equal footing.

Romanczyk was also pleased that her students could apply what they learned in building the trash collector to other situations. "They started thinking about how they can clean up our playground," she said. "The learning transferred over to other parts of the school day and their life. They began to realize that they can make a difference in this world. It was really cool." Romanczyk talks more about her students' experience with the curriculum in the video below.

At first, Jarvis and Romanczyk had worried they wouldn't be up to the challenge of teaching engineering. But they say the curriculum spelled it all out for them. The downside? The curriculum isn't free. For the pre-K curriculum and a design poster, the price is $98. For a kit with all the materials needed to complete the challenges, there is a $498 cost. More information on the program is here. The Museum of Science is working with school districts across the country to secure funding from corporate donors to help whittle down the price tag. Cunningham says there is state and federal funding available for this type of curriculum as well.

Here are sources of free engineering lesson plans for Pre-K through 12th grades:
Photo: A kindergartner tests out a trash collector that she constructed as part of a design challenge in the new Engineering is Elementary curriculum for kindergarten classrooms. (Museum of Science, Boston)

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Putting the 'E' in STEM for the Littlest Learners

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Watch 3-year-olds at play and you'll see them building. On the beach, it's a sandcastle encircled by a moat. In the classroom, it's a towering edifice constructed of cardboard or blocks. "They're natural engineers with an inclination to design the world around them," said Christine M.

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               2020/2021                        Winter Clothing Requests 

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               2020/2021                        Winter Clothing Requests 

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South Washington County Schools Community Education partners with SoWashCo CARES (Community Action Reaching Every Student) to help match students in need, with new donated items from generous community members and organizations.

If you need help providing winter clothing for your child, please fill out this form. (One form per child.)

Winter clothing requests will be delivered to the child's school and you will be notified of their arrival by your school social worker.

If you need a paper copy of this form, you can request one from your school social worker and return it to the front office at your school. For more information please contact sowashcocares@gmail.com or call 651-425-6600.

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It's February - the holidays are well behind us, but winter is far from releasing its grip. This is the time of year in which the luster of cold-weather activities begins to wear off, winter carnivals and events wind down, and you find yourself dreaming about warm spring afternoons. Though you may be tempted to spend the rest of the season in bed, here are our top 20 snow-compatible activities to help you beat the cold and stay positive in the closing weeks of winter.
1. Spend the day ice skating
You can't move in Minnesota without tripping over a frozen lake - they're our greatest treasures! Strap on your skates and enjoy your local watering hole in its solid form. If you don't have your own blades, many rinks offer rental skates. Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, Minnesota rents them for free in all sizes.
2. Visit the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
If the only green thing you've seen in months is your Christmas tree, consider visiting the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in Como Park, St Paul and immersing yourself in lush foliage from around the world. Step into the Tropical Encounters exhibit and feel your skin react with joy to the long-forgotten sensation of humidity. The Fern Room, the Bonsai exhibit, and the North Garden - with its collection of plants that have changed human history - are beautiful, educational, and guaranteed to be over 70° Fahrenheit. There are no entrance fees, only small suggested donations ($3 for adults, $2 for children).
3. Explore Minnesota's parks on snowshoe
If you've always wished you could glide buoyantly across the snow and explore places inaccessible to hiking, snowshoeing might be for you. Whitewater State Park outside of Rochester, Minnesota hosts guided Snowshoe Saturdays twice a month. But if you prefer solo adventuring dozens of Minnesotan parks provide snowshoe rentals to the public. Afterwards you'll want to warm up your extremities with some fancy hot chocolate.
4. Visit an art museum
There's nothing better than exploring an art museum on a gray, sleety day, and we have two excellent ones here in the Twin Cities. The Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts both have extensive collections, the latter of which is largely free to the public. Of particular interest is the ongoing "Nature of Nature" exhibition at the MIA's Target Wing. The Walker Sculpture Garden takes on a completely different aspect in winter, and is worth a look on a sunny day.
5. Indoor or ice climbing
If you're not ready to commit to a gym membership, your local rock gym should offer climbing day passes, which are fun ways to stay active even on the coldest days. Midwest Mountaineering in St. Paul has a free bouldering cave for customers, and is definitely worth a look when you're outfitting your next expedition. If your passion for climbing outdoors can't be contained by the cold, Vertical Endeavors offers monthly Ice Climbing courses in Sandstone, Minnesota. Then, get your crampons over to Casket Quarry in Duluth (don't let the name deter you) and practice your newfound skills!
6. Build a bonfire and roast s'mores
Turn a weeknight into a camping trip by roasting s'mores over a fire pit or grill. If you don't have a space for a bonfire, you can still make s'mores over a gas-lit stove!
7. Go ice fishing
If you've ever thought to yourself, "I like to fish, but I sure hate standing in the cold," ice fishing is still the sport for you. You can rent a shanty on Lake Mille Lacs (yes, that does mean Lake "One Thousand Lakes") near Brainerd for the day and plumb the frozen depths for trout. Some of these "shanties" come equipped with central heating and WiFi, but you can adjust the modern convenience level to your comfort.
8. Treat yourself to some maple taffy
This sticky snow day treat had a cameo in Laura Ingalls Wilder's book about pioneer life in Minnesota, Little House in the Big Woods. It's made by pouring boiled maple syrup over fresh snow and it couldn't be yummier (see recipe here).
9. Cross-country ski
Minnesota may not have as many downhill skiing opportunities as other northern states, but our cross-country scene is on point. The leisurely pace of cross-country skiing facilitates wildlife encounters, conversation and photo opportunities, and most of our parks have well-groomed trails waiting to be explored. For a romantic twist, try a candlelit ski trip with your significant other (BYOB).
10. Tour a brewery
Learn about how beer is made, taste some delicious (and free!) local brews, and support your neighborhood businesses by registering for a brewery tour near you (make sure you have a designated driver or public transportation plan in place). Check out this list of breweries across the state that are open for tours. Afterwards, take what you learned and try crafting your own brew at home - you can buy all the supplies you need at any of these stores.
11. Grow indoor vegetables
The earth outside is frozen, but you don't have to give up on your fresh vegetable game completely. Some veggies that do well in partial sunlight can be grown indoors in the winter without a UV lamp. You can find instructions and a list of good plant candidates for windowsills here. For beginner gardeners, sprouts are easy to grow in even the smallest kitchen!
12. Dash through the snow on a dog sled
You don't have to own 12 purebred huskies to enjoy the thrill of dog sledding. Plenty of lodges near Duluth, Ely and the Boundary Waters offer guided day trips and longer camping trips. If you're not quite ready to take charge of your own wolf pack, there are plenty of opportunities to watch dogsled races around the state, such as Mush for a Cure on Gunflint Lake, Minnesota or Wolftrack Classic in Ely, Minnesota.
13. Rock an evening at a roller derby
With all the grace of an ice dancing show and all the violence of a monster truck rally, roller derby is a sport unlike any other. Ladies, the waitlist to join a beginner's league can be over a year long, but in the meantime you can catch bouts every month at the Roy Wilkins auditorium.
14. Ride the Alpine Roller Coaster at Spirit Mountain
If you can't wait until Valley Fair opens up again in May, check out the Midwest's only alpine roller coaster, located on Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minnesota. Spirit Mountain hosts a variety of wintery analogs to typical summer activities, like fat tire mountain biking and snow tubing, so it's definitely worth a visit!
15. Check out the Minneapolis Home and Garden Show
The Home and Garden Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center runs from February 25th to March 1st and will include an assortment of domestic exhibits, including models of sustainable living and design, "upcycled" furniture, cooking demonstrations and indoor feature gardens to get you in the mood for planting season.
16. Explore winter wildlife watching
Not everything hibernates or flies south in the winter - some species (particularly overwintering birds) are especially active in the colder months. This is a great time to practice identifying animal tracks in the snow, and the wintry landscape can be a beautiful setting for wildlife photography. The DNR has compiled some useful winter wildlife viewing tips and events here.
17. Steam up in an Urban Sauna
Originally a Finnish winter tradition, the sauna lifestyle is currently blowing up in the Twin Cities and beyond. Sauna advocates tout their health benefits, and sitting in a hot, steamy room for hours certainly makes you appreciate the icy breezes outside. Although we still lack a public sauna, groups such as the 612 Sauna Society are dedicated to improving access with mobile and pop-up saunas around the twin cities. Not comfortable using someone else's sauna, and you're good with your hands, consider building your own this winter!
18. Join a broomball league
Broomball is an exciting sport that requires minimal equipment and offers the chance to see your friends and coworkers fall down a lot, so what's not to love? You can start your own league or join an existing one here.
19. Go to a concert
The music won't stop just because it's below freezing out - check out this list of upcoming concerts in the state.
20. Fantasize about Spring
Okay, so you've done everything on this list and... it's still cold outside. There's nothing left to do but plan your summer vegetable garden, draft invites to grilling parties, imagine trips to the lake, and gaze at your collection of jorts in despair. As much as we love Minnesota winters, they do tend to overstay their welcome - but how could we appreciate summer without them?

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It's February - the holidays are well behind us, but winter is far from releasing its grip. This is the time of year in which the luster of cold-weather activities begins to wear off, winter carnivals and events wind down, and you find yourself dreaming about warm spring afternoons.

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Best 11 Apple Orchards In Minnesota To Visit This Fall - Minnetonka Orchards

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We've put together a list of the absolute best apple orchards in Minnesota that you need to check out.

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Family Fun-LIVE! event that will be on Facebook.  What: Up-Cycled Art  When: Wednesday, Dec. 16th from 6-6:30pm  Where: South Washington County Schools Early Learning Facebook Page

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Check out this excellent resource for STEM at HOME from Du Page University. http://www.stemdupage.com/parents/stem-at-home.html

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STEM is all around your home.

Cooking, repairing a bicycle, gardening, helping you fix the toilet, taking care of a fish tank - these are all activities that could be suitable for your child. Think of others that involve observing, asking questions and defining problems, looking for evidence, evaluating information, planning and investigating, measuring, using tools - all practices of scientists and engineers that you can encourage at home. Encourage scientific play in young children. Provide water, vegetable oil, food coloring and a bowl in a "mess allowed" area of the kitchen.

Encourage Questions.

Children are naturally curious. Seek out answers to their questions, together. Model life-long learning. Explore the internet together; take a trip to the library. Look for answers in your yard, a park, a museum.

Provide a good school-study environment, talk about school and start early.

A desk or table space, good lighting and a quiet environment are important for working on homework. Require your child to turn off phones and other electronics. Offer assistance, but know when to leave your child to struggle a bit.

Ask your child to tell you what she is learning in school. Question him about challenges he may be encountering. How can you help? Talk about successes, too.

Research says that middle school is all important for developing engagement, interest and confidence in mathematics and science. Encourage your child's interest and please refrain from comments like "lots of girls are bad in math - I didn't like it either."

Help your child make good educational choices and to see the connections between their science, math and technology classes and future career options - especially important in high school.

You are important in your child's out-of-school education.

Plan family trips to museums, arboreta, and the zoo. Schedule factory tours. When possible include visits to museums and national parks during your out of town vacations to enlarge their world. See the Places to Go page in the Student section of this website.

If you watch TV, watch together and encourage nature, science and technology offerings. Talk about the program you viewed afterward.

Encourage their participation in after school STEM clubs, scouting, nature day camps and other informal learning opportunities. See what your park district or local library have to offer.

More ideas for things you can do at home:

Project ideas for STEM at home:

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STEM at Home | Parent Resources at STEM DuPage

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Cooking, repairing a bicycle, gardening, helping you fix the toilet, taking care of a fish tank - these are all activities that could be suitable for your child. Think of others that involve observing, asking questions and defining problems, looking for evidence, evaluating information, planning and investigating, measuring, using tools - all practices of scientists and engineers that you can encourage at home.

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Check this out for some additional strategies for keeping calm during stressful/uncertain times.

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​​​Fear, uncertainty, and being holed up at home more to slow the spread of COVID-19​ can make it tough for families to keep a sense of calm. But it's important to help children feel safe, keep healthy routines, manage their emotions and behavior and build resilience.

Here are some tips from the American Academy (AAP) to help your family get through the stress of the pandemic. ​

Address children's fears

Children rely on their parents for safety, both physical and emotional. Reassure your children that you are there for them and that your family will get through this together.

Answer questions about the pandemic simply & honestly. Talk with children about any frightening news​ they hear. It is OK to say people are getting sick, but remind them that following safety steps like hand washing , wearing cloth face coverings, and staying home more will help your family stay healthy.

Recognize your child's feelings. Calmly say, for example, "I can see that you are upset because you can't have a sleepover with your friends right now." Guiding questions can help older children and teens work through issues. ("I know it is disappointing not to be able to do some of the things you did before the pandemic. What are some other ways you can have fun with your friends?")

Keep in touch with loved ones. Children may also worry about a grandparent who is living alone or a relative or friend with an increased risk of getting COVID-19. When safe, physically distanced visits aren't possible, video chats can help ease their anxiety.

Model how to manage feelings. Talk through how you are managing your own feelings. ("I am worried about Grandma since I can't go visit her. I will put a reminder on my phone to call her in the morning and the afternoon until it is safe to see her.")

Tell your child before you leave the house for work or essential errands. In a calm and reassuring voice, tell them where you are going, how long you will be gone, when you will return, and that you are taking steps to stay safe.

Look forward. Tell them that scientists are working hard to figure out how to help people who get sick, how to prevent it, and that things will get better.

Keep healthy routines

During the pandemic, it is more important than ever to maintain bedtime and other routines. They create a sense of order to the day that offers reassurance in a very uncertain time. All children, including teens, benefit from routines that are predictable yet flexible enough to meet individual needs.

Structure the day. With the usual routines thrown off, establish new daily schedules. Break up schoolwork when possible. Older children and teens can help with schedules, but they should follow a general order, such as:

wake-up routines, getting dressed, breakfast and some active play in the morning, followed by quiet play and snack to transition into schoolwork.

lunch, chores, exercise, some online social time with friends, and then homework in the afternoon.

family time & reading​ before bed.

Use positive discipline

Everyone is more anxious and worried during the pandemic. Younger children may not have the words to describe their feelings. They're more likely to act out their stress, anxiety or fear through their behavior (which can, in turn, upset parents, particularly if they are already stressed). Older children and teens may be extra irritable as they miss out on normal events they looked forward to and activities they enjoy with their friends.

Some ways you can help your children manage their emotions and behavior:

Redirect bad behavior. Sometimes children misbehave because they are bored or don't know any better. Find something else for them to do.

Creative play. Suggest your children draw pictures of ways your family is staying safe. Make a collage and hang it up to remind everyone. Or, build an indoor fort or castle to keep the germs at bay, bringing in favorite stuffed animals or toys.

Direct your attention. Attention--to reinforce good behaviors and discourage others--is a powerful tool. Notice good behavior and point it out, praising success and good tries. Explaining clear expectations, particularly with older children, can help with this.

Use rewards & privileges to reinforce good behaviors (completing school assignments, chores, getting along with siblings, etc.) that wouldn't normally be given during less stressful times.

Know when not to respond. As long as your child isn't doing something dangerous and gets attention for good behavior, ignoring bad behavior can be an effective way of stopping it.

Use time-outs. This discipline tool works best by warning children they will get a time-out if they don't stop. Remind them what they did wrong in as few words―and with as little emotion―as possible. Then, remove them from the situation for a pre-set length of time (1 minute per year of age is a good guide).

Avoid physical punishment. Spanking, hitting, and other forms of physical or "corporal" punishment risks injury and isn't effective. Physical punishment can increase aggression in children over time, fails to teach them to behave or practice self-control, and can even interfere with normal brain development. Corporal punishment may take away a child's sense of safety and security at home, which are especially needed now.

Take care of yourself. Caregivers also should be sure to take care of themselves physically: eat healthy, exercise and get enough sleep. Find ways to decompress and take breaks. If more than one parent is home, take turns watching the children if possible.

Take a breath. In addition to reaching out to others for help, the AAP recommends parents feeling overwhelmed or especially stressed try to take just a few seconds to ask themselves:

Does the problem represent an immediate danger?

How will I feel about this problem tomorrow?

Is this situation permanent?

In many cases, the answers will deflate the panic and the impulse to lash out physically or verbally at children.​

Reach out to your pediatrician with any concerns you have about your child's behavioral or emotional well-being and managing your family's stress.

​More information

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parenting during coronavirus covid-19~ positive parenting~ how to help kids build resilience and positive behavior schools closed~ positive discipline~ family stress during the pandemic~ helping kids cope

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Parenting in a Pandemic: Tips to Keep the Calm at Home

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​​​Fear, uncertainty, and being holed up at home more to slow the spread of COVID-19​ can make it tough for families to keep a sense of calm. But it's important to help children feel safe, keep healthy routines, manage their emotions and behavior and build resilience.

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    Parenting in a Pandemic Podcast Series (20 episodes)

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    Parenting in a Pandemic Podcast Series (20 episodes)

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Take a look at this podcast series on Parenting in a Pandemic.

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Parenting in a Pandemic is available wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe now to never miss an episode.

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WHY IS STEM IMPORTANT IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD  YEARS?

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WHY IS STEM IMPORTANT IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD  YEARS?

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The rise of the digital age has made science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education more critical than ever. Early STEM education can promote ongoing academic success, and children who learn STEM concepts throughout their education are better prepared to meet increasingly technology-focused professional requirements.

Though there is little disagreement about the importance of STEM education among educators and lawmakers, US schools continue to face challenges related to providing adequate STEM training, particularly to very young students, and many misconceptions about teaching STEM persist.

Misconceptions About STEM Education

STEM education is not limited to building science and math knowledge. At its core, STEM concepts help children develop new ways of thinking, encouraging curiosity and analysis. Establishing these at an early age (infancy through third grade), when young minds are most malleable, establishes lifelong thinking skills. To understand the benefits of STEM education, it helps to dispel some of the myths surrounding it:

Myth: STEM Emphasis Comes at the Expense of Non-STEM Subjects

In fact, STEM is inextricably linked to other fields of study, and STEM training can enhance learning in other disciplines. For example, research has shown a link exists between science instruction and improvement in literacy, language learning, and executive functioning.

Myth: STEM Equals More Computers in the Classroom

Technology is a component of STEM, and students who engage with STEM subjects gain skills that better prepare them for technology-focused roles; but STEM education is not dependent on digital technology, particularly when teaching young children. Block play, gardening, and puzzles are examples of STEM education, as are visits to museums. It can be done anytime with minimal resources. In many classrooms, a STEM curriculum and play are already present, they just need to be emphasized.

Myth: STEM Training Only Happens in the Classroom

Parents who are aware of the benefits of a STEM curriculum are more likely to be supportive of STEM education and encourage activities in the home that develop STEM concepts. Tools available to parents include mobile apps designed to introduce children to STEM and literacy concepts at an early age. Through the Ready to Learn Initiative, a US Department of Education-funded program, PBS has developed games and apps to help children ages two to eight build literacy and science skills.

Myth: STEM Curriculums Are Only for Certain Students

STEM initiatives still face challenges from outmoded ideas held by some policymakers, parents, and teachers concerning gender and race as they relate to aptitude for subjects such as mathematics. In addition, the belief that STEM is for older students has contributed to funding being concentrated in higher grade levels.

STEM vs. STEAM

Although the importance of STEM education is widely accepted, the growing emphasis on STEM curriculum has generated debate. Concerns that STEM does not adequately encourage creativity and innovation has led some educators to push for a broader approach. Embracing many of the concepts championed by STEM advocates - experiential learning, inquiry, problem solving, process-based learning - STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) proponents argue that arts education is just as necessary as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to fully educate students and prepare them for their professional lives.

While there are disagreements over the most effective way to emphasize and integrate individual subjects and concepts, educators on both sides of the STEM vs. STEAM debate share a common goal: moving away from rote memorization and siloed subjects towards a more holistic, project-based curriculum that sparks students' imagination and develops their real-world skills.

Lifelong Benefits of Early STEM Education

Measuring the impact of a STEM curriculum on early development is difficult, but STEM education has been shown to be a predictor of future academic achievement. For example, a study by researchers at the University of California Irvine found that early math skills were the most consistently predictive measure of future academic success among kindergarten to fifth grade students.

The benefits of STEM education are not limited to a student's academic career, however. Efforts in the US to improve STEM education have largely been driven by demand from the private sector, where employers have complained about a lack of qualified candidates for technology-focused jobs. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects 5 percent growth in non-STEM occupations between 2018 and 2028, while the number of STEM-related jobs will grow almost 9 percent, expanding by 10.6 million positions.

Barriers to Better Early STEM Programs

Efforts to improve STEM education in US schools face challenges inside and outside of the classroom. A real or perceived lack of STEM resources along with inadequate training in children's developmental learning progressions as they relate to STEM can leave teachers feeling anxious or uncertain about their role. STEM programs are less likely to be successful if they lack clear expectations, methods for measuring progress, or cooperation across grade levels.

Linking preschool programs to kindergarten through 12th grade curriculums is a particular challenge in early childhood education. A lack of alignment between preschool and first grade STEM curriculums results in some children being left behind while others repeat material during a crucial period of learning development. Adequate training of preschool educators in teaching STEM concepts is critical, but another discrepancy between preschool institutions and kindergarten through 12th grade schools remains a barrier: compensation. Consider the median annual pay for US teachers as reported by the BLS:

High school teachers: $60,320

Kindergarten and elementary school teachers: $57,980

Preschool teachers: $29,780

Such a pay gap has made attracting and retaining highly trained teachers a perennial challenge in preschool education.

Steps Forward

The responsibility to improve STEM fluency does not lie solely with teachers. Administrators and other educators in leadership positions can advocate for STEM resources in the classroom and guide public policy. Steps that policymakers can take to address the STEM challenge include funding new STEM programs, grants, and advisory councils that promote STEM curriculums. Lawmakers in some states have also tried to address problems facing teachers, providing professional development, salary increases, and incentives for specializing in STEM fields. However, STEM education program funding remains concentrated in kindergarten through 12th grade programs, and particularly in middle schools and high schools, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.

Expanding STEM Expertise

Teaching STEM is not as simple as having knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics concepts. Educators must understand how to create lessons that integrate underlying STEM concepts into activities appropriate and effective for specific age groups and development levels, a particular challenge when addressing the needs of very young learners.

Educators interested in STEM preparation, staff development, and continuing education can hone their skills through a program such as American University's Online Master of Arts in Teaching program, which focuses on the STEM skills necessary for tomorrow's most exciting careers. The school's Online Master of Education in Education Policy and Leadership can also be beneficial to educators looking to shape and promote STEM-related policy. Discover other benefits of the programs by requesting information about American University's MAT degree and MEd in Education Policy and Leadership degree.

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Why Is STEM Important in Early Childhood Education? Understanding Child Development and Learning

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The rise of the digital age has made science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education more critical than ever. Early STEM education can promote ongoing academic success, and children who learn STEM concepts throughout their education are better prepared to meet increasingly technology-focused professional requirements.

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                AMAZING!                         Color-Changing Play Dough   

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                AMAZING!                         Color-Changing Play Dough   

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Take your homemade playdough to a whole new level of FUN with this amazing Color Changing Playdough recipe. This is sure to be a hit with toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd grade children alike.

Color Changing Playdough

Get ready to thoroughly impress your kids with this fun play recipe that doubles as both a science activity and kids activity all in one!

This color changing playdough recipe is definitely one of those cool projects for kids you must try. It takes the fun of making creations as you roll the play dough, use cookie cutters, use a kit like a fun factory, roll snakes, make letters, use hands on playdough mats, and strengthening hand muscles to a whole new level! Preschoolers, toddlers, kindergartners, grade 1, and grade 2 age children will have fun playing with this sensory activity that will actually change colors right before their very eyes!

And if you want to turn this into a fun, educational, learning activity - you can even teach them about science of the color changing process.

Thermochromic Recipes

Before you start, you need to decide what your color scheme will be for the playdough. It will start out one color based on the thermochromic pigment you use (when the dough is cold), and change to an alternating color based on the food coloring you used (hot color). You wan to think color wheels when picking your colors as you will see variations of the colors as the hot and cold colors mix....Think color wheel neighbors to make the transition smooth.

Heat Sensitive Playdough

Ready to make your heat sensitive play dough? Mix 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup salt, 2 tablespoons cream of tartar, and 3-5 teaspoons Thermochromic pigment (in the color of your choice) in a bowl.

Color Changing Play Dough

In a second bowl mix 3/4 cup very hot water, 2 tablespoons baby oil (or cooking oil if you prefer), food coloring (for your 2nd color), and a few drops of glycerin ( optional). Now mix dry and wet ingredients together.

Allow the dough to rest for five minutes to absorb all the water.

Cool Playdough Recipes

This is such a fun homemade playdough recipe! Kids will be amazed by how the dough changes colors when they touch it with their warm hands! My kids squealed with delight and amazement!

Fun Playdough Activities

Kids can roll it into balls and slice it in half to see how the interior is colder than the outside and therefore a different color.

If your dough isn't changing colors very much, it could be that your child's hand and the room isn't very different in temperature. Try putting your playdough in the freezer 10-30 minutes and then play!

You could also do the reverse and leave the dough outside in the warm sun. Have your child rub an ice cube on their hand so they are extra chilly and dry thoroughly. Now what happens to the color color changing dough?

This playdough recipe is not only super cool because it changes color as you play, but it is versatile and easy to use with a variety of projects and educational activities.

Free Playdough Mats

Looking for more fun, free printable playdough mats? You will love these:

Color Changing Playdough

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Take your homemade playdough to a whole new level of FUN with this amazing Color Changing Playdough recipe. This is sure to be a hit with toddler, preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, and 2nd grade children alike.