How To Create A Science Station For Kids

When my kids were little, they had toys that encouraged imagination and taught more abstract principles of how things work.  Now that they are 8 and 10, I am trying to get toys that challenge them. I want toys that excite them to learn even more in depth how things work. That is why I was so excited to learn about Lakeshore Learning‘s new Gifts for Growing Minds collection. I was provided with a select a group of products in order to create a science station for kids and facilitate my reviews. I chose science and math learning kits. These are great to help kids with their Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) learning in fun ways. All opinions expressed are my own.

“…it’s more important than ever for our youth to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to solve tough problems, gather and evaluate evidence, and make sense of information. These are the types of skills that students learn by studying science, technology, engineering, and math…”  -U.S. Department of Education

How To Create A Science Station For Kids

Chose Science Kits

My first step in creating a science station for kids was to look through the Lakeshore Learning Gifts for Growing Minds catalog which features unique, high-quality educational products that get kids excited about learning.  I chose several science kits and a math kit that I hoped would get my kids excited about exploring the world around them in new ways.

Science and math resources from Lakeshore Learning that I chose to create our science station for kids:

·         Young Scientist Chemistry Lab

·         Truth or Myth? Science Kit

·         Beginner’s Science Lab

·         How Does Your Body Work? Experiment Kit

·         Fascinating Fact Human Body Game

·         Be a Math Magician

Create A Dedicated Area

My second step was to carve out an area in the kid’s playroom where they could not only store their new science kits but also have plenty of space to set up their chemistry experiments and science projects.  For us, this was a huge project.  I told my children we had some exciting new toys coming but they couldn’t open the box until we all worked together to clean up the toy room, select old toys to give to Good Will, and cleared the table off to create a science station for kids.  Weeks later… no just kidding, but it did take a couple of days… we finished cleaning the toy room, had two boxes of toys ready to donate, and had a nice clear table to work with.

Follow Experiment Instructions

My third step for creating the science station was letting them unpack their new science kits.  Pretty easy, right?

Well, they are loving their new science station.  My daughter who is 10 definitely takes the lead and explores the boxes as her own pace.  My son who is 8 is always on stand by to help with the experiments and ooo and awww at the chemical reactions or to help assemble the materials for the experiments.

I have to tell you that I am totally impressed with all of these science learning kits for many reasons. First of all, the science kit boxes are lasting and providing cool experiment after cool experiment.  And I know they are cool, not just to me, but to my kids because they go back to do more experiments. They even recreate the experiments when their friends come over (the ultimate measure of cool!)

Young Scientist Chemistry Lab

My daughter seems to especially love the Young Scientist Chemistry Lab. I love how they have clearly illustrated cards for each experiment that lead you through the steps and with illustrations, clear directions, and science learnings.

Truth or Myth:  Science Kit

My son seems to especially love the Truth or Myth:  Science Kit.  Questions like, “Is it true? Can you really power a clock with a lemon?” and “Is it true?  If you eat POP ROCKS and drink soda a the same time, your stomach will explode.”   Well, those are the sorts of things he can’t wait to test and see what happens.

Fascinating Facts Human Body Game

The Fascinating Facts Human Body Game is really educational and after playing that with my kids, I feel like they will be so much more prepared for biology class than I ever was.  They were learning fascinating facts about the body in no time.  My son was a bit creeped out by the body model but I just explained that his skin was transparent on one side.

The model was so educational.  He learned all the body parts and he learned where they go in the body cavity and what they all do.  I also like that the questions have an easy and hard level so when I played with my kids I did the hard level (since I was a biology major) and they did the easy level.  The levels also work to keep them learning more from the game as they are ready to progress to the more difficult level.

My kids are absolutely loving their science kits and I am loving how much they are learning and how comfortable it is making them with the concept of science and math being fun.

Inspire A Love Of Math and Science Learning

Lakeshore’s Gifts for Growing Minds collection is an exclusive assortment of educational toys & games that really do get children learning and having fun doing so.  Featuring over 200 items for children from birth through age 11, the new Gifts for Growing Minds collection gives parents a fun way to make education part of children’s daily lives.   These science resources are available now and throughout the 2015 holiday season at www.lakeshorelearning.com/giftsforgrowingminds and Lakeshore Learning Stores nationwide.

I hope you enjoyed these ideas for how to make a science station for kids and how to help make STEM learning fun for kids.  Are your kids having fun with science and math?  How do you celebrate and promote the importance of everyday learning?

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