Pitsco Elementary Stem Explorer Pack

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Science in our house often consists of fun experiments, hands-on activities and kitchen goodies you can eat or drink. However, researching, coming up with ways to engage, and planning often overwhelms this momma. So I usually jump at the chance to shortcut the planning process. Recently, I was asked to review the Elementary STEM Explorer Pack from Pitsco Education. This was the perfect opportunity to teach some science lessons without all the planning and preparation.

Do you want your child to look at the world with great wonder? Make sure to keep reading to find out how to have your children love learning, have fun experimenting, and always find wonder in the world around them.

Pitsco Elementary Stem Explorer Pack Review

What is STEM?

First, in case you don’t know, STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. It was first introduced in 2001 by scientific administrators at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). It was an effort to have more students select science, engineering, and math fields because too few college students were going into those fields.

While I have strong thoughts about those types of initiatives actually producing more science majors, I do believe adding more hands-on exciting experiments and activities to your child’s day is always a great idea.

Boy Playing outside with a plastic bag parachute. Fun Experiments for Science

I believe that no matter what field your child ultimately ends up in as an adult, teaching in a fun fascinating way instills a love of learning that will never be taken away from them. This is my ultimate goal in my homeschool – to teach the love of learning so my children always explore God’s world and all His creation.

Ways to Instill The Love of Learning

Pitsco Education sells Stem Boxes to help you make experimenting enjoyable and memorable. Additionally, this helps your child love learning and view science as boring and dry. Pitsco’s products range from K-12th grade levels to ensure that all children love learning. These boxes are broken down into the following grade ranges:

STEM EXPLORER PACK (K-5)

This pack comes with project books and materials to make mazes, a bird feeder, musical instruments, parachutes, and large structures.

What's inside STEM Explorer box by Pitsco

STEM CREATOR PACK (6-8)

Features project books and supplies for catapults, balloon cars, Da Vinci bridges, inventions, and friction climbers.

STEM INNOVATOR PACK (9-12)

Complete with project books and great hands-on learning experiments include Catapults, Trebuchets, kites, and solar cars.

Each of these immersive, hands-on kits are consumable but are filled with mostly everyday items. Additionally, I found there was more than enough material for multiple children.

Additional product offerings include kits that can be used in the classroom with multiple students or co-op classes. Fun experiments include aerospace, coding, robotics, drafting, structures, and more!

ALL ABOUT ELEMENTARY STEM EXPLORER PACK by Pitsco

First, Jack-Jack and I had fun – and we are not done with the activities and experiments! We will continue to explore our STEM Explorer Pack for the rest of the summer. We have cracked open all of our kits and poked around inside of them.  There are five packs inside this box!

boy making structures at home

EXPLORING BIRD FEEDERS:

This book begins with RESEARCH: exploring your backyard for the birds that live in your area, and what type of bird you want to attract to your feeder. Next, step Two is about BRAINSTORMING: Your child will begin designing the best bird feeder to attract those birds. Finally, you CREATE: In this step your child will actually build the birdhouse. Doesn’t this sound like tons of fun?

Exploring bird feeders by pitsco

EXPLORING MAZES:

Activity One is Designing your maze – this is broken down into manageable tasks. The next activity has you creating the maze you designed. Finally, create a story, design a maze and combine the two.

Expliring Mazes Science Kit by Pitsco and components

EXPLORING PARACHUTES:

First, make a simple parachute from a plastic bag. We used a binder clip. Jack-Jack loved running around outside with his parachute. Activity Two involves building your own parachute from scratch and experimenting with different weights to see how your parachute reacts to each. Finally, design your own parachute. How well do you think your design will work?

Exploring Parachute booklet by Pitsco education

EXPLORING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS:

How does sound work? What is music? Create instruments and make music to understand sound, vibrations, and how noise moves. Create a percussion and stringed instruments, and then design your own unique, one-of-a-kind musical instrument. Have fun with these totally hands-on experiments.

Exploring musical instruments - fun experiments with sound by Pitsco

EXPLORING LARGE STRUCTURES:

Explore shapes and structures. In the beginning, Jack-Jack went totally rogue and instead of just making structures, he also built every letter of the alphabet. Make sure you always allow for creative, free fun.

Making Structures the letter M

Do not squash their enthusiasm because it doesn’t follow the book, experiment or outline! With Activity Two, we hunted for different types of structures. These included structures used as containers, chairs, buildings, and transportation. Finally, we designed our own structures.

STEM Explorers Guide for exploring large structures fun experiments

Does PITSCO EDUCATION HELP MEET MY GOAL?

These fun Stem Boxes provide experiments inspire children to be life-long learners, and that is my ultimate goal. They also help with the “I’m Bored” and “There’s nothing to do” crowd.

Look back through my photos. Does Jack-Jack look engaged? Does he look like he is learning and having a great time while doing that? I can attest to the fact that Jack-Jack, even with autism, even with huge learning delays, can learn and have fun.

He can thrive at home with little preparation. This is a plus in my book!. The box I received has more products than I will use with one child. These kits are great for teaching several children at once.

Boy playing with a homemade maze - fun science experiments

Additional Tips and Hints for Using Pitsco STEM Boxes:

For most children, grades 3 and up, these experiments can be done alone, but don’t let your kids have all the enjoyment by themselves. There is always more engagement and learning when done as a group. Make sure to get in on the fun or save these kits for when dad can explore these concepts with the kids.

Each box has 15 delightful and challenging experiments and activities to keep your child learning for hours. Creating and inventing are things all children love to do. Allow free time to explore and create on their own.

Jack-Jack didn’t call this school (and you don’t have to either). Your child won’t even know they are learning. When your child uses words such as “I’m making…” or “I’m busy,” you will know you hit on a winner!

Boy playing with homemade Kazoo - Fun Experiments with sound

My final thought is to pick up a few reading books from the library to enhance the learning of each pack. Read a book, create a product/experiment and make memories to last a lifetime. 

PITSCO wants you to have a chance to experience STEM Explorer Pack too! They’re giving another kit away now! Just enter on their site before August 31 for your chance to win.

Make sure to check out more reviews for this and other products by Pitsco Education at the Homeschool Review Crew. Just click on the banner below.

STEM At Your Fingertips - Elementary, Middle & High School STEM Kits {Pitsco Education Reviews}
Engaging Science by Pitsco

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