Cuisine & Culture the Chinese Family Way
This Christmas, I would like to introduce you to this ultimate gift for car enthusiasts and budding petrol heads! You get to build cool working engines featuring real engine roars with the authentic Haynes Build Your Own Engine sets. The models are the ultimate gifts for dads and petrol heads – ideal for the man who has it all.
Botley is a dynamic coding robot that introduces children to the very basic form of coding and programming. This coding robot is from Learning Resource, a company who believe in creating a quality and fun product for children! Botley The Coding Robot is suitable for aged five to nine years old. This well-built inspirational robot is much-loved in this household! It is easy to operate and fun to play with!
Magformers have been around since 2001 and they are recognised globally as a leader in STEM toys and educational products, with learning and 3D brain development through play at its core. This year, this multiple award-winning brand was officially approved by STEM.org.
MIND Designer is an innovative intelligent robot that introduces children to simple coding and design. It guides your children through the process of learning mathematics, arithmetic and geometry. This is a great first start up robot for young children aged seven onwards. What I like about this set is that the robot is ready to play straight out of the box.
This Meccano Formula 1 Ferrari kit comes with 362 durable metal parts, including stickers, pose-able steering, 2 ergonomic tools and easy-to-follow instructions. Mr C was so happy when he saw this Ferrari SF71H kit. As an avid fan of Formula 1, he loves everything to do with the cars and the racing so he was excited to start building as soon as he got it.
STEM is so important for everyone because it pervades every part of our lives. We are so lucky to have a better understanding of STEM and have greater opportunities to explore the world than what the older generation had.
We were so excited to have received these STEM activity books from Carlton Books for my children. These four books are STEM Activity: Sensational Science, STEM Activity: Terrific Technology, STEM Activity: Extreme Engineering and STEM Activity: Amazing Maths.
Clementoni RoboMaker Pro is a robot making kit that introduces you to robotics and coding. It consists of four different types of play sections. First, you learn how to build five different types of intelligent robots with full instructions through their free app and then learn how to program them through 10 guided activities. You then create and program your own robots and bring the incredibly intelligent robot to life. This is suitable for aged 10 and above.
Nintendo has just launched their third kit – Toy-Con Vehicle Kit in its Labo series of cardboard constructions for Switch, which is now available to buy from good retailers and online. This kit contains materials to build a variety of customisable cardboard creations including a Car, a Submarine, a Plane, a Pedal, two Keys and Spray Can.
This is another innovative kit cleverly designed to educate while entertaining the children with fun activities/games. They also improve children’s knowledge and understanding of a wide range of topics like STEM. By assembling sheets of cardboard into a variety of shapes called Toy-Con, and combining them with the Nintendo Switch console you can bring them to life!
Project Mc2 Perfume Maker is a fancy lookalike laboratory science kit to help your child create their very own perfumes using cosmetic chemistry at home! This is a brand new kit launched this autumn by Netflix original entertainment series show Project Mc2.
Project Mc2 is about a team of super-smart and seriously cool girls who use their science skills to undertake missions for a top-secret organisation. They are real girls with real skills, going full S.T.E.A.M. (that’s science, technology, engineering, art and maths) ahead to save the world. With a range of fashion dolls and S.T.E.A.M focused accessories, Project Mc2 continues to offer smart and savvy science-inspired play like Ultimate Makeover Bag, Ultimate Slumber Party, Ultimate Spy Bag and many more.
Last month, we were so excited to introduce you to the GraviTrax Starter set from Ravensburger. This is a STEM-inspired track system that combines the classic marble run and erector set with modern twists! It allows fans to build their own superb tracks, release the gravity spheres and watch the forces of nature work to create an action-filled adventure!
Today, we are here to introduce you three of their expansion add-on packs to be used with their Starter set: Building Extension, Action Hammer and Action Magnetic Cannon. GraviTrax is suitable for ages eight years and above.
Introducing you to this outstanding interactive STEM track system from Ravensburger’s GraviTrax that is gravity defying! Now fans can use their imagination to build their own superb tracks, release the gravity spheres and watch the forces of nature work to create an action-filled adventure! This STEM system (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) is an ideal set to teach children about gravity, magnetism, kinetic energy and fun. It is suitable for ages eight years and above.
Nintendo Labo is a brand new groundbreaking set of physical toys (in the form of DIY cardboard pieces), partnered with software/games. This new line of interactive make, play and discover experiences are designed to educate while entertaining the children with fun activities/games. They also improve children’s knowledge and understanding of a wide range of topics like STEM. By assembling sheets of cardboard into a variety of shapes called Toy-Con, and combining them with the Nintendo Switch console you can bring them to life!
This is another amazing Engineering & Robotics set from Meccano, the 10-in-1 model Rally Racer with Meccablock Motor! The set comes with 159 durable metal parts, 2 real tools, a Meccablock motor and easy-to-follow instructions for three models. There are a total of 10 different builds packed into one set! The rest of the seven models can be found online only. It is suitable for aged eight and above. This is a novice difficulty level 2, with a construction time of 1-3 hours and is an ideal starter-kit for new builders.
I told you before how important I think it is to help our daughters consider a different area for their future.
Another great way to get girls involved is by inspiring them with strong female role models. EDF Energy is partnering with Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which is now live in cinemas launches in UK cinemas today, with inspirational lead female characters such as Rey and Rose.
We were thrilled to receive the EDF Energy Pretty Curious pack, which includes
During my school days, I never had an opportunity to learn about Technology and Engineering. All the girls at my old school were made to learn home economics like sewing and cookery, whilst the boys were given the opportunity to build their own stuff. I recall a teacher told me that I should choose nursing rather than accounting as it is more suitable for a girl.
The truth is, I always scored the highest for my accounting and maths subjects in my class but I was never encouraged to pursue it. I was never encouraged to look outside the socially acceptable roles and I want to see that changed.
I want my daughter to be given an opportunity to question and know those important skills. As a parent, I want STEM to be made accessible to girls.
STEM should be gender neutral and everyone should have equal opportunities to be able to learn and develop their knowledge. This is why I was especially interested and excited when I first heard about EDF Energy Pretty Curious programme. It focuses on raising awareness of the under-representation of girls in STEM. The programme aims to inspire girls to pursue STEM-related subjects at school and in their future careers. Did you know just one in four people working in core STEM roles in the UK are women?
