Why Confidence Matters

Confidence

I have been thinking quite a bit about this word lately because this feeling is so important in our lives.   It is such an interesting and thought provoking word.

We all want our kids to be confident and it is why we (as parents) constantly seek programs they will love – it might be music, soccer, gymnastics, dance, baseball, and science.  We want them to find their passion in life and to find it they have to be open to trying things that are hard, challenging, and sometimes scary. 

Confidence give us the courage to try something daunting, it gives us strength in moments of self doubt, it allows us to persevere when others (or our mind) tell us “you can’t”, and it allows us to find our passion. 

It turns out that there is data proving how critical and formative confidence can be in our lives.  What has been found is a concept called “relative deprivation” – basically how we feel about our abilities in relation to our peers. 

“What matters, in determining the likelihood of getting a science degree, is not just how smart you are. It’s how smart you feel relative to the other people in your classroom.”

— Malcolm Gladwell (Best Selling Author of Tipping Point, Blink)

Think about that quote for a second, the likelihood of graduating with a highly sought after degree, depends on how you feel about yourself.   How you feel about your abilities – your self-perception of your academic skills influences your willingness to tackle challenges, finish difficult tasks, and persevere.

And why does that matter? Well, we all want our kids to have a successful and meaningful career.  We cannot convince or motivate them to finish a STEM degree, but we can give them the tools to enjoy it and remain resilient in the face of the obstacles they will encounter.

“More than half of all American students who start out in science, technology, and math programs (STEM) drop out after their first or second year of college. Even though a science degree is just about the most valuable asset a young person can have in the modern economy.

That is a major reason that there is a shortage of qualified educated scientists and engineers in the United States.”

— Malcolm Gladwell (Best Selling Author or Tipping Point, Blink)

Which brings me full circle to Kids Science Labs.  As parents, it is very cool to see the amazing projects our kids create each week and to hear them speak about concepts like “viscosity” & “tension” that they really have a handle on.  What is harder to comprehend are the long term benefits of exposing kids to science and problem solving when they are young and their most creative.  And allowing them to tinker, innovate, make mistakes, and create their own designs.  

There is something about solving a problem that is deeply satisfying – from fixing a leak to understanding integrals.  This can happen during the little moments at home when we encourage our kids to keep trying to solve a problem or finding programs where our kids are both challenged and feel safe to make mistakes.  Confidence to solve problem matters and it can be one of the most valuable investments you make in your children.   

As my 5 yr old daughter said to me one Friday night when I asked her why she wanted to build an airplane, “because Daddy…..I am a builder and a scientist”.   That moment will always be with me as a Dad.

At Home Easy Science Experiments for Kids, That Everyone Can Do!

DIY Home Easy Science Experiments for Kids

It sure is cold in Chicago with -20 degree temperatures outside. Since we are all trapped inside, we thought it would be helpful to share three at home science ideas which will keep your kids off the screens, interested, and learning. When thinking of easy science experiments for kids, we have hundreds to share as family friendly science experiments.

DIY Home Easy Science Experiments for Kids

Let’s start with an easy science experiment that offers families things to do in Chicago with kids.

Fort Building - #1 Easy Science Experiment for Kids

A fort can be a special place to read a book, play games, share stories with friends, or keep us warm in this cold weather.  The cool thing is this project is filled with hidden science (stability, measurement, design trade offs, cross bracing) and most importantly fun.

Build a fort, you can do it! Take some of your blankets, old amazon boxes, nearby furniture, and a cool lantern to create a space that is warm cozy and insulated from the freezing weather outside. It is also a magical place for imagination, creativity, and a place your kids can call their own.

This is a great way to challenge your kids with questions and encourage them to create. Can you make an entrance into your fort without all of the cold seeping in? How can you use your imagination to think about house design - do you want a secret storage area, skylight, retractable roof, windows, different rooms, a living room with a couch and book holder.

P.S. - if you want full instructions on how to create a fort, check out our Nov 2017 blog past

Melt the Cold Snow - #2 Easy Science Experiment for Kids

Have you ever wondered what was in the back of the big snowplows that drive down the snow covered streets?   The trucks are full of salt and sand to not only help give grip to the road so cars don’t slip and slide, but also to help melt the snow (by lowering the freezing temperature of water).  Test it out at home by scooping up some of the cold snow outside in a cup or bowl.  Add small pinches of salt at a time to see what happens to the snow?  Does it stay cold and solid? Does it melt?   What other kitchen items can you melt the snow with?  Should we put ketchup on our streets?

DIY Science Experiment #3: Snowballs are cool, so is playdoh, so here is an Easy Science Experiment for Elementary Students

How about designing your own playdoh? This is a great hands on experiment that won’t mess up the house too much.

If I bring snow in from outside, it would be too cold to play with and melt.  There is something we all can create which is fun to play with that is kind of like snow. Try making a simple dough batter out of Flour, Salt, water and a little oil.  Experiment with the different ratios of flour and water to find the perfect dough.  Can you make a snowman that doesn’t melt?

If you love these ideas, you will love our STEM Programs for Kids and Summer Camps at Kids Science Labs.

If you are looking for more easy science experiments, check them out here:

Kids Science Labs rocks WGN Around Town

#1 Ranked STEM Program for Kids partnered with WGN for Best STEM Program in Chicago

We are proud that for fifteen years we have had the #1 ranked STEM Program for Kids, offering the best summer camps, field trips, spring break camps, and kid’s birthday party places in Chicago. We love making appearances on television and today was not an exception as Around Town with Ana Beleval made its way for some hands-on science with the summer camp chicago experts at Kids Science Labs.

WGN News Loves our STEM Programs for Kids

Today we had a chance to hang out with one of our favorite people, Ana Belaval from WGN and do some hands-on science.  It was a great morning, where we got to explore polymers, water filters, the properties of dry ice, and how strong everyday materials  (cups and cardboard) can be to build a real chair.  

Each and every day, we are looking to enable the next generation of creative thinkers and science is a tremendous vehicle for learning how things work, especially for children 2-14 yrs old.  Every class we teach starts with a question to explore and focus on guiding kids to find answers, instead of just telling them something abstract in a science book.  Bringing science to life with context makes it accessible, fun, and interesting.  

We recognize that having fun is important, and while music, sports, other activities are indeed fantastic, children as young as 2 yrs old can experiment with a popsicle that melts and why viscosity is cool. That's science. That's KSL. 

Check out the STEM Program for Kids video here  via.wgntv.com/hKDYi

Learning how to turn a Cardboard Box into an xBox can make an adventurous Chicago Summer Camp for Kids

Why a CardboArd box is better than an xBox!

It is Friday after Thanksgiving, it's a long weekend and the family is trapped in the house.  Now that sounds like a potential problem, ripe for being bored and getting into trouble.   Rather than break out the video games, why not do something more inspiring…using that natural problem solver inside your kid to make something special.

Fortunately, in your house you have three of the most creative ingredients ever:  you, your kids, and a cardboard box.  That’s right, a cardboard box just might be the most creative material ever. You may have some cardboard boxes lying around after some Black Friday shopping.  They can be put to great use to entertain your kids without “screen time”, all while encouraging their creativity. 

So, let’s build something.  Cardboard boxes can turn into just about anything.  Not only can they enable your kids to design something, they will love constructing the project with you, learn that mistakes and iteration are cool, customize the inside of their very own space, and create a great family memory. 

Even better, this isn’t that time intensive, nor does it require engineering expertise.  

Here are the basic steps

1.  Pick out a space in your house and be prepare to spend 1 hour – designing, laughing, taping, and having fun with your kids.

2.  Come up with potential ideas – often this is the hardest step, some ideas are below.

3.  Start with a drawing.  Any drawing.  Really.  Just draw something

4.  It is ok to make mistakes. 

5. What do you need:  Cardboard boxes, duck tape, scissors, a pensile, paper, a ruler, and a cutting surface.

6. Your final design will not be exactly as you envisioned.  That is good.

7. Add some customization.  Why is this important?  This is where you can allow your children to have their imagination run wild.

Why is this a cool project?  We all love being creative, but often in the rush of our day to day, don’t get the chance.  Halloween is a great example, it allows us to be kids again, to be creative coming up with unique costumes.  That doesn’t need to be constrained to one day a year

Xbox is cool, but creating something is even cooler and more memorable.  Your kids may resist initially, but just wait until they are playing in their box creation 3 hours later. 

Your kids will love their creation because it is theirs.  Their design, their safe place, and place to dream.  Not only does this project engage their creativity, but it allows all of us to practice design thinking, creating something from scratch, to have a vision, to create a prototype, to make mistakes, to use our creativity to problem solve, and to be proud of our creation. 

Let’s design and create.  Ready to build, let’s get rolling.  Here is where to start.  And don't worry, some pro-tips and examples for construction are below

1. Pick out a space in your house and be prepare to spend 1 hour – designing, laughing, taping, and having fun with your kids.

2. Come up with some potential ideas – often this is the hardest step.  Prepared to be surprised.  We have built: (1) rockets with boxes and old car seats,  (2) homes with retracting roofs/lights/doors, (3) A secret escape room with water and food supplies, (4) reading rooms  (5) boats, and (6) castles. 

3. Start with a drawing.  Any drawing.  Really.  Just draw something and have your kids draw something.  It doesn’t need to be perfect and often it is better if it isn’t perfect. 

4. It is ok to make mistakes.  The hardest step is often getting started.  Demonstrating to your kids that you are not a perfect artist or architect it a good thing, it gives them permission to make mistakes in life.

5. What do you need:  Cardboard boxes, duck tape, scissors, a pensile, paper, a ruler, and a cutting surface.

6. Your final design will not be exactly as you envisioned.  That is good.  Welcome to design thinking and innovation.  The first prototype is just that, it is great, imperfect, and teaches us how to do something better. 

7. Add some customization.  Why is this important, this is where you can allow your children to have their imagination run wild.   Crayons and markers can represent TVs, iPads, control panels, doorbells, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, art on a wall. 

8. Helpful tip: have a couple of holes in the ceiling or windows for airflow. 

Keys & Tips

1. Picture how the pieces will fit together

2. Have a cutting surface

3. Measure twice, cut once. 

4. Never cut towards your body or with someone behind you

5. If the box isn’t big enough, no problem.  Here are a couple of solutions  (1) tape existing boxes together (2) home depot sells moving boxes for about $2.50 each (3) dollar tree has 2ft x 3ft foam board for $1.

Here are some pro-tips for building

Lay out of your materials – have a design on paper and in your head

Mark where to cut prior to cutting

Overlapping the boxes and taping with duck tape will keep the house strong.  Duck tape is your friend, tape the bottom, sides and roof of the boxes.

Customization is cool – add roofs (just try something and if it doesn't work, try again)