Put Some STEAM Under Your Tree
Craft kits are perfect for keeping hands busy, especially ones that include some science, technology, engineering, ART and math, STEAM! This list is full of STEAM ideas for kids of all ages.
Craft kits are perfect for keeping hands busy, especially ones that include some science, technology, engineering, ART and math, STEAM! This list is full of STEAM ideas for kids of all ages.
When I shop for kids’ gifts, I look for things that will keep their hands busy. To help with your shopping I’ve curated a few shopping lists, based by age. This list is for your preschool and early elementary aged kids.
Temple Grandin introduced us to the world of visual thinking as it relates to Autism Spectrum Disorders and other forms of neurodivergence in her first book, Thinking in Pictures. It was also made into a movie that does a great job illustrating what it’s like to be a visual thinker. So, I was so excited to hear that she has just released a new book, Visual Thinking.
The fun of vacation and summer adventures are winding down and kids are back in school. This is good news in many ways – but this can also be a source of great frustration for our right-brain students. Sitting still and listening can be hard, especially for kids that need to see, touch and do in order to learn effectively.
Not all children learn the same way. Our left-brain dominant kids are comfortable in the world of language. Our right-brain dominant kids thrive in the world of images. For these students, no seeing means no thinking. No thinking means no learning. Visual art training helps them develop the visual skills that are essential to their learning.
Homework is going to be a part of your child’s school experience for many years. Whether you have a right brain thinker just starting school or an older right brain student, I have found lots of great ways to make homework time easier through the years.
At Young Rembrandts we’ve been interviewing kids that have been drawing with us this past year. For some kids, drawing was a way to continue the classes they were used to at school. For others, it was a way to keep their minds off the stress they were feeling around them.
One big loss from last year was writing. The literal act of writing letters and numbers on paper. This is going to affect all our learners, but especially our kindergarteners and early primary grades. A solid foundation in the early years is essential to learning.
Organization is important for children and adults alike. But, it is essential for right-brain dominant thinkers that struggle with internal order. Now is a great time to get your home organized. Let’s start with their clothes.
As your kids get older, they work more independently, so you may not think talking with the teachers is important, but because they work more independently, finding out what’s happening is even more important, especially for visual and ADD students.