Day 13 Of Finding Empathy.

Summer is just around the corner, and there might be a few parents out there looking to avoid the "I'm bored!" summertime slump. As adults, it's hard to have empathy for kids who whine and complain about having nothing to do! 

However, there is a new way to banish the "I'm bored!" phrase from your kids' summertime vocabulary while still firing up the brain synapses.

Without screentime.

Without spending a ton of money.

Without hours of material prep.

Without scouring the internet for activities.

If your kids love to tinker, try new things, and explore the "why" behind the "what," the STEAM Kids In the Kitchen book is the answer to keep kids engaged and learning all summer long!

It's filled with interesting activities and educational projects like:

Pizza Bubbles
Color Changing Lemonade
DIY Solar Oven
Strawberry DNA Extraction
Green Eggs and Ham
Kitchen Mini Makerspace
And so many more!!!

These projects will have kids:

question like a scientist,
design like a technologist
build like an engineer
create like an artist
deduce like a mathematician

– and, most importantly –

have fun in the kitchen!

There is both a print and ebook available to purchase here.

And until May 23rd with every STEAM Kids in the Kitchen purchase, a STEAM Kids In the Activity Placemat will be included for FREE!

Enjoy cooking up learning with STEAM Kids in the Kitchen and keep the boredom at bay all summer long.

Let me know how you like blowing cheese bubbles and catching sunlight with sun catcher cupcakes!

Until soon friends.

Hey, Friends. I'm going to take a break from this week's Simple + Green theme to chat about Valentine's day. It's more than a few weeks away. However, in our house, we are already talking about how to celebrate the day dedicated to red hearts, boxes of chocolate, and messages of love! Sure, we will be making valentine cards but what else can we do to celebrate cupid's favorite day? Cue up the dramatic music because there is a super cool new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) book for purchase, STEAM Kids Valentines Day. Just like STEAM Kids, STEAM Kids Valentine's Day strives to inspire our next generation of inventors, innovators, and leaders to:

question like a scientist | design like a technologist | build like an engineer

create like an artist | deduce like a mathematician

- and, most importantly -

play like a kid.

STEAM Kids Valentine's Day is packed with 14+ sweet projects perfect for February. All the activities are designed for ages 4-10. They are showcased in an easy to use photo-rich format. Projects include:

Super Sized Crystal Hearts

Magnetic Attraction

Rocket Valentines

LED Roses

Valentine's Day Speakers

And more...

The PDF ebook can be purchased only at steamkidsbooks.com. Watch as kids smile with hearts in their eyes as the sweetness of STEAM Kids Valentine's Day unfolds with each project.

Until tomorrow super cool Valentine!

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Hello! Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Who has been thinking about what to bring the host on the day of the great Thanksgiving Day feast? No, I'm not talking about pie. I'm talking about the gift given to the host that shows she is appreciated for getting up at the crack of dawn to shove a robust bird in the oven and stand on her feet for twelve hours to cook up a showstopper of a meal. If you are like me, I wait until the very last minute to find a host gift. I end up bringing either a festive dish towel or a bottle of just ok wine. Neither of which makes me gitty. I can only imagine the host is also pretty apathetic about the turkey clad dish towel and so so wine. The bottom line is, gift giving takes a certain knack and talent. One has to know a bit about the recipient and then get creative. In this case, creativity is the hard part. Forget that, gift giving is just downright hard.

Today, however, I have researched and dug deep to find a list of "The Ultimate Creative Hostess Gifts For Under $40." In fact, most are under $20. They are unique, useful and creative! Today's project is to get a jump on a host gift and create prepared gratitude by jotting down what your host might love to receive. Here are some suggestions.

1. AmazaPens {affiliate link} are a terrific way to create lovely, colorful and spectacular designs. After all the guests leave and the leftovers are cooling in the fridge, the host will be thrilled when she unwraps her AmazaPens where she can create an artful moment to melt way the holiday stress.

2. STEAM Kids Christmas {affiliate link} is a terrific book that inspires girls (boys too) and adults alike to have fun learning through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) projects. This might seem like an odd host gift but it is bursting at the binding with cool projects the kids can do while the turkey is cooking in the oven. For a short time, the eBook and printed book will come with a STEAM Christmas Coloring eBook too! They will create a much-needed distraction so the turkey can get on the table and the family stay at peace.

3. Glass Macaron Ornament Set From West Elm is an even better gift than an actual box of macaron cookies because she will be able to enjoy these little treats for years to come. Create joy and smiles this holiday and next with these little sparkely gems.

4. Soul Paper Holiday Cards Gift Set is a beautiful way to tell the hostess she's special. This sweet little pack of holiday cards is hand created and professionally printed by artists Alexandra Mathews. What is a better way to tell a hostess she's special than these lovely cards? Plus, they will create a new way for the host to pass on her thanks and holiday spirit to someone else.

5. Herbivore Detox Bath Salts is a perfect way to say thank you for taking care of me for the day! These blue clay, dead sea, bath salts will melt away the stress of the holidays. Your host is bound to fall into a lovely nights sleep after she soaks in these naturally and wonderfully scented lavender and eucalyptus soaking salts. They will create bath heaven!

6. Mariage Frères Esprit de Noël Tea is a lovely way to say to your hostess that she is worth every drop of this festive, beautifully flavored, orange, cinnamon and clove tea. It is a glamours addition to every holiday table and creates the perfect accompaniment to a slice of pumpkin pie.

7. CB2 Trio Vases (not available online currently) are triple the thank you! These pint size vessels will hold just a few perfect flowers and will be darlings at a celebratory table for years to come. They will continue to create memories years into the future and let your host know you appricate all her hard work.

Well, Let me hear how the gifts go over and see you tomorrow wild turkeys. 

This post contains affiliate links.

Season's Greetings to all teachers, parents, educators, penguin lovers and everyone who is a kid at heart! An amazing new book launches today called STEAM Kids Christmas and it is bursting at the binding with great ways to learn and create fun throughout the holiday season. For everyone out there who is saying "What is STEAM?", it's an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. If there are questions why STEAM is important, check out this post from last week: "How To Use Candy To Expand Your Grey Matter." In short, STEAM is about giving kids tools to create and experience learning like a kid.

If You Live in the European Union, Click Here to Get Your Copy Today

Let's get back to the book. It's pages contain 25 days of STEAM projects that will generate holiday fun for kids and adults. Ever have those boring holiday downtimes? This book contains so many interesting learning projects, there won't be time to be hear the dreaded "I'm bored!" In addition to 25 days of projects, there are STEAM challenge cards, project shopping lists, and cool coloring pages. There is even a super fun Penguin Pop Advent Activity which was created by yours truly! Check out how these penguins can turn a boring moment into an ultimate snowball fight in seconds. 

The book was written by a group of amazing bloggers who together are on a mission to get kids to learn through the STEAM experience.

This book is the ultimate way to create, learn, and celebrate through the holiday season. Plus for the first week only, buy the STEAM Kids Christmas eBook or printed book, and you'll get the STEAM Kids Coloring eBook too. This coloring book offers some fantastic activities that offer adults time to bond with all the children in your life.

Are you an Aunt? The kids are going to remember when you Tinkered With Trees together. Are you an Uncle? You are going be the best, most favorite Uncle when you show up with everything needed for the Disappearing Candy Canes project and the STEAM Kids Christmas coloring book. Is it too hard to shop for cousins? Your Aunt will thank you when her kids open these books and she sees her kids create cool STEAM projects while she catches a few moments of peace. Are you a Mom and need a few minutes of free time to make sure the turkey is ready for the big feast? Have the whole family make a 25 days of penguins and an advent calendar is ready to go!

If You Live in the European Union, Click Here to Get Your Copy Today

Today's project is go create something from this book. There is both a hard copy and an eBook available. Give the gift that keeps on giving and watch minds grow. Click below and buy STEAM Kids Christmas and discover why creating like a kid is so much fun!

If You Live in the European Union, Click Here to Get Your Copy Today

Until tomorrow STEAM penguins!

Hey everyone. Our 31 days of creating Halloween madness is over. Most of us are stashing away our witches hats and fake spider webs for next year. As I look around, we have tons and tons of candy lying around. If you have kids, you might even have a gigantic bag of sweet goodness hidden in the freezer this morning. The ultimate question is, after all the Halloween stuff is put away, what do we do with all that left over halloween candy?

We could donate it to a local shelter, create a concoction of mismatched candy Halloween brownies or drop the sweet goodness off at a fire station. However, there is one more option that comes to mind today. What if we use the candy to expand some of our grey matter? In other words, let's use the candy to create fun and fantastic science experiments for kids and grown-ups alike.

If you are like me, I never understood chemistry but I still thought it was interesting. Below you will find 4 experiments that are easy, fun and simple. My three and a half year old had a blast talking about each experiment and thinking about what was happening with each candy. Let's take look.

Experiment #1: Cold Water and Nerds candy. We used cold water and poured it on top of pink nerds. We realized Nerds candy is make up of layers. The first being the coating. The coating melted first and fast in the cold water. About 8 hours later the entire box of nerds had dissolved.

Experiment #2: Warm water and Gobstoppers candy. The warm water made the shiny coating melt faster than the cold water on the nerds. 8 hours later the centers had not yet dissolved. 

Experiment #3: Sweet Tarts and vinegar. The Sweet Tarts fizzled a bit and then 8 hours later they werealmost completely dissolved.

Experiment #4: Milk chocolate, baking soda and vinegar. When mixed the vinegar and baking soda it fizzled a ton and then turned the milk chocolate from dark brown to a lighter brown. 8 hours later, the chocolate was still a solid but falling apart.

Well, scientist, enjoy the experiments and see you tomorrow Marie Curie's in training!