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Playful And Mindful STEM At Home And In Nature
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Tag Archives: Spatial awareness activities

Nature Puzzles: A Wonderful Way To Explore Shapes

When we go on walks in the mountains or to the beach we love to bring home little treasures. Stones, shells, sticks… Sometimes we use them right away and sometimes they just sit there waiting to be used for some awesome activity. If you are like us and have piles of treasures lying around your home, we have a wonderful and simple activity you can do with them. So go ahead and gather your materials for a round of nature puzzles. You can also do these puzzles while you are out and about! 

Preparing Your Nature Puzzles

For your nature puzzles you are basically going to need to prepare a frame and then collect materials to fill this frame. It is pretty simple. Here are some suggestions for your frame and fillers:

  • Stick frame to be filled with stones/flowers/leaves
  • Drawing in the sand to be filled with shells/stones
  • Sidewalk chalk drawing to be filled with stones/sticks

Exploring Shapes And Spatial Awareness With Nature Puzzles

The great thing about this activity is that it is full of learning potential. Each time we created a new frame for our puzzle we talked about shapes and I guided (sometimes) with questions like:

  • How many sides do we want our frame to have this time? I wonder what shape that would be?

We built vocabulary and fostered spatial awareness, critical thinking and problem solving: 

  • Do you think we can fill up that space with this piece? 
  • I wonder which stone will fill that space up better? 
  • Can we find anything to go in there?
  • Without overlapping, do you think we can first place big stones and then fill the spaces with the little ones?

The amazing thing is that every time we created a puzzle it was different and beautiful! 

nature puzzles square shapes natural materials
triangle shapes fun nature puzzles
learn shapes with nature puzzles
heart nature puzzle

Important Notes On Guiding The Activity 

I always make sure to not take over the activity and let my kid explore while I observe or engage at her level. It is so important for us parents to let the learning happen at their own pace and only offer occasional observations or questions. When I do ask questions, I make sure that the vocabulary I use involves me as a learning partner and not a teacher/student situation. If you go back to the questions you will notice that I use “we” instead of “you” even though my kid is the one doing the activity. Also, I wonder out loud instead of asking directly. In this way, our kids will get the feeling that we are playing and learning together and that we value their opinion. This has a very positive effect on motivation and learning. 

Hope you enjoy this simple activity and do some nature puzzles with your family.

For other fun nature activties see:

  • Fantastic Outdoor Game With Great Learning Potential
  • Simple Science Project For Kids: Float or Sink
  • Beautiful Hands-on Activities For Preschoolers: STEM Nature Eggs
  • STEM Nature Box: Sort, Categorize, And Learn

Or for more shape activities check these out:

  • STEM Activity: Build a Pyramid and Learn about Shapes
  • Math Art Project For Kids: Easy DIY Shape Stencils

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STEM Activity: Build a Pyramid and Learn about Shapes

I recently made a pyramid in one of my workshops for kids and it was an absolute blast! The kids loved decorating the different parts and figuring out how to put everything together. I realized that it was such a great STEM activity to explore shapes and work on spatial awareness.

STEM activity pyramid shapes spatial awareness

It was also so much fun that I wanted to share it with you and give you a way to create teachable STEM moments at home. I will first give you the process of creating the pyramid and then provide you with an example of how you could introduce the STEM activity and guide it so that some STEM learning happens!

STEM Activity: How to Build a Pyramid

Building a pyramid is quite simple and you probably have all the materials you need at home!

Tools and Materials

Materials you will need:

  • Cardboard – we used an old cardboard box from a recent package I received from an online purchase, I’m sure you have some of those lying around 😉
  • Decoration materials – we stencilled some hieroglyphics on, but you can just decorate however you want. Paint, glitter, stickers, glue some colorful cutout papers, the options are endless

Tools you will need:

  • Scissors to cut the shapes
  • Tape to hold the pyramid together – we used painters tape because it is what I had lying around but you can use duct tape too. Regular cello tape might not hold the pyramid together so well but you can definitely try! The 3-year-olds enjoyed the tape moment and our pyramid ended up covered in pieces of tape too!
  • Ruler to measure
  • Pencil

That’s it! Pretty simple right?

The Preparation

To build a pyramid you are going to basically need a square base and 4 triangles. Here is an image so it’s clearer:

STEM activity pyramid shapes spatial awareness

I have provided the measurements we used but if you want to do your own, smaller or bigger here are the instructions:

  1. First figure out how wide and how tall you want your pyramid
  2. The width will be the measurement of your square base. Draw a square with this measurement
  3. For the triangles, the base will be the width of the pyramid and the height will be the one you chose. Draw the base first and then mark the middle point. From that point, draw a straight perpendicular line (forming a T) measuring the height of your pyramid. Connect the edges to make your triangle. Repeat 4 times

Decorating and putting everything together

We decorated the individual shapes before putting it together. It is easier to do it flat on the ground and it gave it that extra wow factor once you build it but you can do it whenever you want.

To put the pyramid together, lie it flat on the ground and create this shape (decorated-side down):

STEM activity pyramid shapes spatial awareness

Tape the edges of the square and the base of the triangles together. You can also add some paper to make a sturdier connection.

Now bring all the sides up and have someone hold the triangles together at the top while the other person tapes the sides together. And your pyramid is done! You can keep decorating it or put on some music and dance around it!

STEM Learning Guide

This is a great STEM activity if you are working on 3D figures and/or shapes. By drawing their attention to the shapes in the process of creating something.

Introducing the STEM Activity

First, you need to get your children interested and motivated about building a pyramid. Some kids might be excited just by the idea of building it but others might need some input beforehand. What you could do:

  • Show them photos or videos of pyramids and ask if they think you could build one together
  • Show them a cardboard box and a photo of a pyramid and ask them if they think you could transform the box into a pyramid together

Once they are excited and convinced they can build one you could ask some prep questions. Here are a few suggestions:

  • What shapes do you see in a pyramid? (For this it could be interesting to have a small prototype of the pyramid already made so they can look at it and touch it with their hands)
  • What tools do you think we need?
  • What materials could we use to build the pyramid?
  • Where should we start?

During the STEM Activity

Depending on how old your children are you can increase difficulty in the shape drawing part. Things you could do:

  • Draw a T and ask them how they would connect the edges to draw a triangle
  • Draw two parallel lines and ask them how they would connect edges to draw a square
  • Make just one line and ask them to draw the rest of the square (all sides should be the same)
  • Draw the base of the triangle and ask them to draw a triangle that has a specific height

Once all shapes are drawn, cut out and decorated you can ask them to arrange the pieces to construct the pyramid. Again, depending on age you could increase difficulty. Options:

  • Show them the figure it should form and they have to copy it
  • If you made a prototype, let them look at it and figure out how to arrange the pieces themselves. They could even deconstruct the prototype to see how to build it back up

Some follow up Questions for Spatial Awareness and to get their Brains going

  • If the base were a rectangle/triangle, what would we need to change?
  • What could we build with just squares?
  • Why is the pyramid shorter than the height of the triangle sides?

Bonus fun

To add some extra fun and cultural knowledge you could ask them what they think pyramids were used for and find out together. Bury some treasures inside before putting the pyramid together and seal it up for posterity! A follow up activity could be… how can we get our treasures back?!

Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know if you hid any treasures in a pyramid lately or if you have any questions.

For more information about STEM and how to transform your STEM activities at home, check out these posts:

  • 5 tips to transform STEM activities at home
  • What is STEM and why is STEM learning important?

Check out other fun STEM activities to sneak in some STEM learning:

  • STEM experiment: Scientific method float or sink activity
  • DIY math game with playdough
  • STEM challenge: The Tower of Random Things
  • Sensory STEM jello experiment
  • STEM Road Trip Experiment

Happy STEM learning!

STEM activity pyramid shapes spatial awareness
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Hi! We are Anni and Stefan, a mix of engineering with a dash of education and a pinch of social work, blended together and turned into parents who have a passion for creating lightbulb moments. We want to help you bring STEM learning into your home in a way that is fun, educational and challenging enough so that children can develop their thinking skills. ♥

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astemfulmind

Anni | STEM + Nature Learning
Salt dough FOOTPRINTS 🐾 I prepared some footpr Salt dough FOOTPRINTS 🐾
I prepared some footprints out of salt dough and hid them in the forest for the kids to find. The older kids (5 and 6) like scavenger hunts and being on a mission so I even prepared a map and marked the spots where they could find the footprints. 
I didn't tell them what they were looking for so there was a lot of excitement each time they found one, and a lot of conversation about what it could be. There was also teamwork, the older ones found the spot and allowed the younger ones to find the footprint. 
Once they had gathered them all, and had realized what they were, I brought out the animal cards and asked them if they could match them. There was problem solving and discussions, they looked at the different feet/paws and tried to imagine what kind of print they would leave.
To wrap up the activity, I offered them the chance to make their own mud print or follow their own interests. There was a choice, most kids played in the mud with no plan in mind and some made a print and then went off to find something else to do. 
And then all of a sudden, there was stillness. Each child absorbed in their own play. Focused, connected, happy. And I stayed still too, not daring to disturb the magic of free play 💚🐾🌿
The power of reflection 🌿✨ Being able to tak The power of reflection 🌿✨
Being able to take time to reflect on any situation is so important and such a valuable skill for kids to learn.
It is through reflection that we can truly understand what happens around us and how things work. Questions like what went well? Or what went wrong? And deepening these with why? Or what could we have done better? What would happen if we change something? They all lead to discovery and critical thinking. 
And this reflective process keeps us learning about the world around us and about ourselves. It drives us to want to know more, to deepen our knowledge, to try out new things. 
Reflection should be a key component of any learning environment. And it is a lovely way to bring closing to the experience. I've been holding my own Forest School sessions and a lot goes on in them but one of my favorite parts is the reflection at the end.
The children's wonder, attention to detail, curiosity and way of looking at the world will never cease to amaze me. We first find a special spot in nature and take a moment to ourselves, to think, observe, feel and reflect. Then we come together and share (if we want to and without judgement). We start simple, maybe something we liked, and we build on it (I bring in a bit of what I observe throughout the session) and most of the time the conversation will go towards what we learned.
And this is where connections are built, the learning from their hands-on experience is deepened by this simple reflective process and this reflection becomes a practice and this practice is a key driver of life-long learning and critical thinking ✨🌱
Where will the marble roads take you? 🚗🚦🚧 Where will the marble roads take you? 🚗🚦🚧 🧱
One day we set out to make some mazes or marble runs with clay. I thought my kids would each want to do their own but it ended up being a team project and I'm so glad it went that way! Our project turned into Marble city, with roads and many more fun things along the way. 
I drew a road with a start and a finish, a few loops here and there and some intersections so that they could cover it with clay. And then I just let their imagination take the lead. The beauty of open-ended activities and resources is you never know where it will take you. There were trees, mountains, tunnels, bridges and even stop lights! And after it was created there was imaginative play, role play and a lot of marble traffic!
It was fascinating to observe my kids build a world from clay and other resources we had around the house. The process of building it was play and then that play was extended and transformed by actually playing in the world they created 🧡
It is also definitely something that can be done outside. We did it out on our terrace but I'm excited to try it out in nature where there are even more open-ended resources!! 🌿🌰🍂🌸🪨
Learning new things ✨🥰 I have started a new Learning new things ✨🥰
I have started a new journey, training to be a Forest School Leader. I am not exactly sure in which direction it will take me but it was something that felt right. 
The ethos of Forest school and the role of the reflective practitioner just resonates with me, the outdoor, simple and slow child-led playful learning community. It is what I try to do with my own children and it's wonderful to extend and consolidate everything that I have learned over the last years into something that will serve me and my family as well as other families with children. 
I am very excited to show you how I adapt the Forest School practice to my parenting. We have already created some pretty cool indoor shelters, hammocks for dolls with ropes and cloth, and continue to use our natural materials for child-led experiments and activities. I am also learning to observe my children better and reflect on their needs and interests, which is key to their holistic growth and development.
Hope you find this as inspiring as I do and follow along for some reflections and of course for the nature play and wonder 💚🧡
The wonder of simple experimentation ✨ When you The wonder of simple experimentation ✨
When you let the child lead you never know what will happen. Sometimes nothing really happens, and that's ok too. But then there are times when you bring out some materials and "tools", add a bit of water and you suddenly have a full on experiment station on your hands!
I saved some pumpkin seeds from a pumpkin I had baked, thinking they might come in handy some time. I didn't have anything in mind, but when my 5-year-old said she wanted to do an experiment I offered them to her. 
She directly asked for water to check if pumpkin seeds sink or float. So we gathered water, some containers and a few extra tools (just some kitchen utensils). Turns out some actually sink and others float! We discussed why this might be happening and then I asked her if she thought she could find a way to separate them with the tools we had… this led to some critical thinking, some trial and error and a lot of experimentation and conversations. She was engaged, on a mission, and she had initiated the experiment herself. 
💜 I love watching these moments unfold and they just further convince me that experiments don't need to come with flashy reactions, or bright colors. They can be simple, like this one. Experiments should make us think, tickle our minds with questions about what we see and drive us to test possibilities that will reveal answers, solutions or rethink our questions. And childhood is full of moments like these if you look close enough.
The art of noticing the small details 🐚✨ A s The art of noticing the small details 🐚✨
A simple activity with natural materials and a magnifying glass. I just set this up on the table and we started looking at each material and paying attention to what we could see. It made us think and wonder about patterns, irregularities and just other things we might not notice otherwise. 
We learned to pay attention to details and that things might look different depending on how close you look. And these observations lead to questions and these questions lead to a search for answers, discovery, learning. 
And all it takes is a magnifying glass and some nature 🤎🧡
DIY OOBLECK BLOCKS 🧱🌽💧 These Oobleck blo DIY OOBLECK BLOCKS 🧱🌽💧
These Oobleck blocks are so easy to make and were a perfect addition to our dry Oobleck play as it gave us the chance to build structures and create small worlds. 
Materials you'll need:
🌽Cornstarch
💧Water
🧊Ice trays
🧘‍♀️Patience
To prepare the Oobleck you mix 2 parts cornstarch to 1 part water. If you have never tried Oobleck you are in for a fun treat! It is a great sensory experience for kids and really engaging as it behaves both like a solid or fluid depending on the pressure it's under. 
Once you are done experimenting with Oobleck try filling some ice cube trays with it and then let it dry (it can take some days, which can be tricky for little kids but is also a great opportunity to practice patience).
❗A lot of ours cracked and broke so make sure you prepare enough. We made 3 trays.
🧱 That's it! We crushed some of the broken blocks and used the other ones to create, nurturing some STEM skills through play. 
For more ideas for STEM and nature play follow along!
"If children are to keep alive their inborn sense "If children are to keep alive their inborn sense of wonder… they need the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." Rachel Carson
These words truly resonate with me.
Sharing the path of learning and discovery with our children is so beneficial and not only for our kids. It is so positive for us too! It reawakens our inner child, our own sense of wonder. It allows us to slow down, to play. 
We explore together, we seek out the answers to our questions, we experiment and play, we struggle to find solutions, we persevere and through these experiences we learn. About the world, about each other, about ourselves, giving us the chance to bond over something beautiful.
👉 Follow along for inspiration on family activities that nurture curiosity and drive learning
Have you ever let Oobleck dry? ☀️ Letting Oob Have you ever let Oobleck dry? ☀️
Letting Oobleck dry is the best way to clean it up but it also gives you the chance to use it again in a different way. 
I like to leave it in a tray or cooking pan so it spreads out and dries faster. Once it's dry you can just poke it and scrape it out.
It crumbles and cracks nicely between your fingers and has a lovely texture that my kids (and I) really enjoy.
You can keep it dry or combine it again with water to get the gooey, slimy, and fascinating Oobleck back.
👉 I'm also testing a different way to use dry Oobleck so make sure you stay tuned!
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