There comes a point during summer vacation where you can actually see the hard-won concepts from the recent school year leak out of kids’ ears like a dripping faucet. (For some of us, this occurs during Week Two. Darn you, streaming `80s cartoons!)
Summer Brain Games
All families who register online will receive a voucher for one free museum entry ticket for use this summer.
The Museum of Science and Industry wants to help you combat brain drain with its popular (and seriously fun) Summer Brain Games. This free program of weekly emails sends out hands-on experiments for the budding scientists in your household. (The younger set might need a little backup, but your tweens on up will be golden.)
I spoke with Bryan Wunar, MSI’s director of community initiatives, to get the scoop.
What’s on tap for this summer?
We’re inviting kids to take a voyage of exploration with hands-on science activities related to the theme of travel. Learn about engineering, physics and materials science as you build and launch a glider, move a vehicle with propulsion, engineer a parachute and more.
What’s the best part of this program, in your experience?
Summer Brain Games is a fun way for families with kids of all ages to stay active and enthused as they learn more about the world around them. It emphasizes hands-on learning and reinforces what kids learn in school.
Do you have a favorite experiment or project from summers past?
We love rockets! Every year we have featured some sort of rocket, from water rockets to ones powered by balloons. This year we’ll build and launch a glider.
Which kind of activities get the best responses?
Kids like activities where they can challenge each other, as well as ones where they can tinker and customize their design. A great example is the egg drop challenge–kids use their creativity to design a landing craft for a raw egg, then see whose egg survives from the highest drop.
