Summer Brain Games – Science for Kids
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. You know we love encouraging learning through play here at Inspiration Laboratories. The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry has an awesome free online science program called Summer Brain Games that will keep kids learning this summer and help prevent summer brain drain. This is our second year trying out their science activities. We hope you’ll like them as much as we do! This year you can make a hydroponic garden, build a water wall, create balloon racers, and more!
Summer Brain Games
Each week the Summer Brain Games will feature a new science experiment or challenge for you to do with your kids. The activities can easily be performed at home with kids of all ages {and with a little adult supervision}. The activity guide is offered in both English and Spanish.
This week is all about growing plants. We followed the instructions in the Summer Brain Games Guide for creating our own hydroponic garden system.
Here’s a video from the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry to help you get started.
Aiden (age 3.5) was able to complete most of the steps by himself. I cut the hole in the yogurt container and threaded the yarn through the hole. Other than that, he did it.
Here’s a better look at the inside.
We’re excited to see if our cilantro seeds will sprout. They probably need to have perlite or something else on top of them before they’ll germinate, and we may need to add more Legos to help support the plants. The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry suggests growing ivy, spider plants, beans, lettuce, or herbs. What will you try?
Week 8’s project is building a water wall. That was the second project Aiden wanted to try. It’s a great way to have fun with science outside!
We just happened to have some leftover pegboard. If you don’t have any, try attaching the bottles to a fence. If you don’t have zip ties, try using twist ties or string. However, you build it, enjoy exploring with your kids!
A Giveaway
The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is giving away a Family Four Pack {valued at $76.00} for you to visit the museum. Tickets are valid through the end of 2013. There are 3 ways you can enter the giveaway {for a total of 3 entries}:
- Leave a comment for 1 entry. {Maybe tell me about a science activity you want to try with your kids this summer?}
- Register for the Summer Brain Games at msichicago.org/summerbrain. Leave a comment telling me you registered. {1 entry}
Bonus! Registration automatically gets you a free ticket to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. - Tweet about the Summer Brain Games using the hashtag, #MSIsummerbrain. Leave a comment telling me you tweeted. {1 entry}
Be sure to leave a valid e-mail address in the e-mail line so I can contact you if you win.
The Rules
Sweepstakes is for 4 tickets valued at $76.00 to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. No purchase necessary. Odds of winning are based on number of entries. Sweepstakes starts on 6/25/13 and ends at 11:59pm CDT on 7/1/13. Three entries allowed per person. Eligible to U.S. residents, 18 and older. I use the plugin And the Winner is to randomly select a winner from the comments. When the giveaway ends, I will contact the winner by e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond before I randomly select a new winner.
More Info about Our Sponsor
The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry is offering a fun and free online science program called Summer Brain Games. The eight-week program lasts from June 17, 2013-August 12, 2013 and features a weekly experiment or science challenge that can easily be performed at home with kids of all ages.
Visit msichicago.org/summerbrain now to register for Summer Brain Games and download your free Summer Brain Games kit. As an added bonus, registering automatically gets you a pass to come to the Museum for free this summer.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.
Linking up here.