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Tagged with 'STEM'

The Busbys' Tips for STEM Success!

Teaching kids STEM skills is important. If you're reading this, you probably already know that; if you're a parent, you also know that it's never too early to start. We've talked before about our commitment to giving our daughters every possible advantage when it comes to developing STEM skills. Part of that commitment involved making sure they found the school that was right for them. When it came time to send the quints to preschool, Danielle and I chose a STEM-focused program that focused on introducing them to fun, accessible skills in science, technology, engineering, and math. We're also making sure that they stay active even when school is out; this summer, the girls will be attending science camp two to three days a week, where they can explore the world and keep their skills sharp at the same time.Busby PuppetThat leaves us with one more question: how do we make sure our girls are learning when they're at home? That part can be tricky, especially for us; finding toys and games that are fun and educational and appealing to each girl's own passions and personality is often a real balancing act. Our biggest successes come when we can find easy, engaging skill-building activities that overlap with the girls' interests. For instance, Hazel loves activities that let her focus, like coloring and sorting, while Ava is really interested in matching and memory games, so sets of flashcards are perfect for helping them learn together. Other times, we focus on each individual girl; Olivia is our little dancer, so games that get her up and moving are always great, even when her sisters are off doing something else.It's pretty rare that we find one toy that appeals to all five quints. That's why we're so excited about Coding Critters. Since the Coding Critters came to our house, each of the girls has found something to love. Hazel loves dinosaurs and Parker loves dogs, so Bumble and Ranger were instant hits. Ava is in charge of laying out the coding cards, while Olivia can't wait to dance along to the critters music and moves. The girls love the critters like real pets, while also building early coding skills every time they play. Busby RumbleThe Critters are especially good for Riley, who's already helping her big sister Blayke code with Botley. Since she's a little ahead of her sisters, playing with Coding Critters gives her the opportunity to help them code their critters during story time while also building her own skills and confidence. With the help of Coding Critters, she'll be ready for coding challenges from Botley and beyond. Whether our girls wind up becoming scientists or not, we're happy with our commitment to helping them lead lives filled with learning and curiosity. It's not just an investment in them; it's a way of ensuring that the future is a little brighter for everyone.   Busby Bee Save it for later!The Busbys’ Tips for STEM Success__pin
The Busbys' Tips for STEM Success! Teaching kids STEM skills is important. If you're reading this, you probably already know that; if you're a parent, you also know that it's never too early to start. We've talked before about our commitment to giving our daughters every possible advantage when it comes to developing STEM skills. Part of that commitment involved making sure they found the school that was right for them. When it came time to send the quints to preschool, Danielle and I chose a STEM-focused program that focused on introducing them to fun, accessible skills in science, technology, engineering, and math. We're also making sure that they stay active even when school is out; this summer, the girls will be attending science camp two to three days a week, where they can explore the world and keep their skills sharp at the same time.Busby PuppetThat leaves us with one more question: how do we make sure our girls are learning when they're at home? That part can be tricky, especially for us; finding toys and games that are fun and educational and appealing to each girl's own passions and personality is often a real balancing act. Our biggest successes come when we can find easy, engaging skill-building activities that overlap with the girls' interests. For instance, Hazel loves activities that let her focus, like coloring and sorting, while Ava is really interested in matching and memory games, so sets of flashcards are perfect for helping them learn together. Other times, we focus on each individual girl; Olivia is our little dancer, so games that get her up and moving are always great, even when her sisters are off doing something else.It's pretty rare that we find one toy that appeals to all five quints. That's why we're so excited about Coding Critters. Since the Coding Critters came to our house, each of the girls has found something to love. Hazel loves dinosaurs and Parker loves dogs, so Bumble and Ranger were instant hits. Ava is in charge of laying out the coding cards, while Olivia can't wait to dance along to the critters music and moves. The girls love the critters like real pets, while also building early coding skills every time they play. Busby RumbleThe Critters are especially good for Riley, who's already helping her big sister Blayke code with Botley. Since she's a little ahead of her sisters, playing with Coding Critters gives her the opportunity to help them code their critters during story time while also building her own skills and confidence. With the help of Coding Critters, she'll be ready for coding challenges from Botley and beyond. Whether our girls wind up becoming scientists or not, we're happy with our commitment to helping them lead lives filled with learning and curiosity. It's not just an investment in them; it's a way of ensuring that the future is a little brighter for everyone.   Busby Bee Save it for later!The Busbys’ Tips for STEM Success__pin READ MORE
Coding Critters: Healthy and Happy Critters Lesson Plan 
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DIY Pool Noodle STEM!
Pool Noodle STEM is an engaging activity for all age levels, and best of all - it’s cost-friendly!
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Day In the Life with The Rancics!

Everyday is Different 

Like many families, there’s almost no such thing as a “typical” day in our house. Thanks to the nature of our work, we split our time between Chicago and Los Angeles, where red carpet season is often a whirlwind of wardrobe fittings, hair and makeup sessions, and long rehearsals. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, we love to have some routines to keep us centered and refreshed on even the most hectic days. For us, that can mean something as simple as taking a walk. Whether we’re taking a family stroll through our neighborhood in Chicago or planning a hike in some of Los Angeles’s beautiful nearby wilderness, I find that taking a few of these short 30-minute breaks each week helps me reset my brain and reconnect with the world.
Although we’re used to traveling for work, we also enjoy traveling for fun and adventure, most recently to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and my hometown of Naples, Italy. For us, there’s no better way to refresh your creativity and broaden your understanding than wandering through a place you’ve never been.
That love of exploring the world also extends to the movies and TV shows that Bill and I watch at home. In the evenings, we’ll often check out some of the latest documentaries, which help us stay engaged and entertain at the same time. A recent documentary we really enjoyed was Free Solo about the captivating journey of Alex Honnold during his free solo climb of El Capitan. As we watch and discuss these shows, we’re not just learning new things ourselves; we’re also setting an example for Duke about how adults feed their love of learning even when they’re not in school.

Love of Learning

Of course, Duke has his own daily routines. As we wrote in our last blog, Duke’s love of learning takes him everywhere from STEM school to the Museum of Science + Industry. From learning new skills in coding class to tinkering with machines to see how they work, Duke loves figuring out the hows and whys of the world around him. Of course, that also includes plenty of play time, whether that’s a trip to basketball practice or an afternoon spent doing experiments with the Beaker Creatures.Most of all, we love the idea that, no matter how busy the day or how packed the schedule, we can always find simple ways to learn a little something new every day.
Day in the Life 
Save it for later!
Day In the Life with The Rancics 
Day In the Life with The Rancics!

Everyday is Different 

Like many families, there’s almost no such thing as a “typical” day in our house. Thanks to the nature of our work, we split our time between Chicago and Los Angeles, where red carpet season is often a whirlwind of wardrobe fittings, hair and makeup sessions, and long rehearsals. No matter where we are or what we’re doing, we love to have some routines to keep us centered and refreshed on even the most hectic days. For us, that can mean something as simple as taking a walk. Whether we’re taking a family stroll through our neighborhood in Chicago or planning a hike in some of Los Angeles’s beautiful nearby wilderness, I find that taking a few of these short 30-minute breaks each week helps me reset my brain and reconnect with the world.
Although we’re used to traveling for work, we also enjoy traveling for fun and adventure, most recently to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and my hometown of Naples, Italy. For us, there’s no better way to refresh your creativity and broaden your understanding than wandering through a place you’ve never been.
That love of exploring the world also extends to the movies and TV shows that Bill and I watch at home. In the evenings, we’ll often check out some of the latest documentaries, which help us stay engaged and entertain at the same time. A recent documentary we really enjoyed was Free Solo about the captivating journey of Alex Honnold during his free solo climb of El Capitan. As we watch and discuss these shows, we’re not just learning new things ourselves; we’re also setting an example for Duke about how adults feed their love of learning even when they’re not in school.

Love of Learning

Of course, Duke has his own daily routines. As we wrote in our last blog, Duke’s love of learning takes him everywhere from STEM school to the Museum of Science + Industry. From learning new skills in coding class to tinkering with machines to see how they work, Duke loves figuring out the hows and whys of the world around him. Of course, that also includes plenty of play time, whether that’s a trip to basketball practice or an afternoon spent doing experiments with the Beaker Creatures.Most of all, we love the idea that, no matter how busy the day or how packed the schedule, we can always find simple ways to learn a little something new every day.
Day in the Life 
Save it for later!
Day In the Life with The Rancics 
READ MORE