For Caregivers

Parents and caregivers everywhere are looking for ways to help their children succeed in school and prepare for the future. Working on STEM design challenges as a family is a fun way to build skills that will be important to your child no matter what path they take in life!

Who?

Everyone can solve problems and every problem has more than one solution. That’s the beauty of our EiE Families resources. You can work with the children in your life (especially those aged 4–11) to design your own solutions to our challenges. You might just be surprised at the great ideas you come up with!

What and When?

You may think that an engineering or computer science challenge requires expensive equipment, a deep knowledge of engineering, and tons of time. No way! You and the children in your life can use simple materials around your house to design solutions to our problems. A paper towel roll might just make the perfect tunnel, and some scrap paper might make an ideal sail!

Do you know you’ll be stuck waiting in line somewhere this afternoon? Try an On the Go Activity to pass the time. You and your family might be inspired to keep the conversation going over dinner tonight!

Do you have an hour of family time this weekend? Pick out one of our At Home Activities. You might even have a solution designed in 30 minutes!

If you have more time, you can think about planning a STEM Event at a school or organization that is important to you. We have everything you need to plan, market, and host an event for several families to experience an engineering challenge.

Why?

Working on design challenges with your family is a unique, fun way to practice creative problem-solving skills and collaboration. The whole family will gain confidence, and research shows that family involvement has a significant impact on students’ academic achievement and future goals. Families that learn together have fun together!

Simple, Inexpensive STEM Bin Ideas

You can do a lot of fun STEM activities with your family using materials you likely already have. Still, it’s easier if you’ve collected some things into a bin or drawer so you can find them when you want them. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Popsicle or craft sticks
Empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls
Cardboard – small pieces or boxes
Chenille stems (pipe cleaners)
Tape or glue
Rubber bands
Plastic containers (like yogurt cups or takeout containers)
Scissors
Paper clips and binder clips
Markers, crayons, or pens

Over time, you and your family may find other items to add to your STEM bin.

Get Transcript

At Home Activities

Explore engineering as a family! You’ll be challenged to design solutions to everyday problems. What will you design? A zip line? A speaker? A slow-drip watering system? These activities are a great way for your family to develop skills like critical thinking, communication, creativity, and persistence. They’re also a lot of fun!

Engineering

Bye Bye Bug

Kenji and Emi have a problem. They found a bug crawling in their room! This interactive story introduces the engineering design process as they design a solution to their problem.

Engineering

Pass the Peppers

Andre and Makayla have a problem. They want to bring peppers over to grandma, but taking the stairs is exhausting! This interactive story introduces the engineering design process as they design a solution to their problem.

Computer Science

This Game Rules

Naomi and her family have a problem. Their game always ends the same way—with the youngest person losing! This interactive story shows how they think like computer scientists to design a solution to their problem.

Engineering

Sounds of Celebration

Purna and Ved have a problem. They want to play music for their grandparents, who are coming from India to visit them, but they don’t have any instruments. This interactive story introduces the engineering design process as they design a solution to their problem.

Computer Science

Loopy Moves

Eddie and Tricia have a problem. Writing down all their dance steps is taking a long time! This interactive story shows how they think like computer scientists to design a solution to their problem.

Engineering

Turn It Up!

Bia and Cris have a problem. The music from their grandfather’s cell phone is too quiet! This interactive story introduces the engineering design process as they design a solution to their problem.

Computer Science

A Story to Remember

Nur and Fitri have a problem. How can they put the parts of a story together to make the story have a happy ending? This interactive story shows how they think like computer scientists to design a sequence that solves their problem.

Engineering

Keep It Watered

Luis and Guadalupe have a problem. They are going away for a week, but their tomato plants still need to be watered. This interactive story introduces the engineering design process as they design a solution to their problem.

On the Go Activities

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It takes only a few minutes to engineer some fun! Inspired by classic games like I Spy and Charades, each activity is sure to spark family conversations. Use them while traveling or waiting in line. You’ll learn about the technologies all around us and the types of engineers who design them.