Smart Apps For Kids

Tynker for School- Learn to Code is Free for a Limited Time!! (Save $5.99)

Welcome to Computer Science Week! In celebration of this week, Tynker for school, the full version, is free! What a wonderful app to get kids interested in coding. Perfect for both for use at home and use in the classroom, coding apps do not get better than this. Can your kids code Sphero so that it does not fall off a stack of blocks? Can they help a dragon walk, eat a firefly, and breath fire to remove an obstacle to get to gold? The possibilities are truly endless with Tynker, especially once kids master the basics of visual programming through the amazing variety of puzzles.

20 Exciting Fall Inspired Science Experiments That Kids Will Love!

Fall means leaves are dropping, and Halloween is on its way. It is the perfect time for very interesting science experiments for children. The list we found has 20, and there is definitely something for everyone. 

From the relatively tame pumpkin slime to the more adventurous exploding pumpkin experiment, this list has a huge variety of activities. There is even a Halloween density experiment, a fall leaf experiment, and an activity in which you grow a pumpkin in a pumpkin! 

Science does not have to be boring, and here is the proof. These ideas are perfect for homeschooling, fun at home, or for use in the classroom. You cannot go wrong with these fantastic fall science experiments. Of course, it goes without saying, that several of them need a bit of adult supervision. What fun would they be if that were not true?

What I like best about these activities is that it gives everyone a chance to put down their electronics for a while and do something fun together, and there is no charger required. Also, most of the ingredients required are things you typically have in your house already.

Thanks to Growing a Jeweled Rose for this find. It is truly a gem. It is not to be missed. If you do, you will certainly regret it until next fall.  

Spectacular Fall LEGO Activity Ideas - Including Halloween Fun!

Fall is officially here. The temperatures are gradually going down. The leaves will soon be changing colors. Halloween is just over a month away. What better way to celebrate than with LEGO activities?! 

LEGO bricks come to mind when you think of STEM and fine motor activities, but what about art? This list combines both, which makes it one of my favorites.

Some of the neat ideas include making a pumpkin patch marble maze, creating a small world inside a real pumpkin with LEGO mini figures, building LEGO apples, constructing a fall leaf shadow box, and creating a LEGO stamped pumpkin or LEGO stamped Indian corn. There is plenty of LEGO fall fun to be had with the projects on this list.

14 Awesome and FREE Coding Projects that Kids Can Do Online- All on One Website!!

I have no idea how I missed this gem of a website! Made with Code offers 14 free and fun coding projects for kids, which I may or may not have spent hours playing for "research purposes". Yes, that is it. Research. Made with Code is an Initiative designed to get more girls interested in Computer Science, but of course, this fantastic resource is great for all kids.

Kids use a simplified version of Google's programming language, Blockly, to make a variety of projects. On the simple side, there is Emojify, which is the first one on the page, but beyond that, some projects get a little bit more tricky and fun!

Over 100 of the Best STEM Experiments and Activities For Kids, Including LEGO, That You Don't Want to Miss!

Summer can get long, and at times, a bit mind-numbing for both parent and child. It does not have to and it should not, ideally. Why not look at truly engaging activities that kids can learn from to? They exist, believe it or not, and this post has well over 100 of them. They even include LEGO activities! 

These ideas and activities are seemingly endless. One list has STEM experiments for every month of the year and includes holidays. Another includes essential starter STEM ideas for younger kids. Yet another section is devoted to LEGO ideas, and another to STEM on a budget. The list goes on and on. 

Of all the STEM posts I have seen, this one is by far the most comprehensive. There are instructions, as well as pictures for each activity, too. Everything is clearly spelled out and perfect for children.