Dreams rest in the hearts and minds of children waiting to burst forth. In these formative years, nothing seems unachievable and options lay wide open. And, many of these dreams are birthed and grown in the no limits, safe space of the blanket fort.
Forts offer a world where kids explore interests and personalities while discovering what they want their future to look like. Will it be filled with numbers and calculations? Does it involve mixing materials to prove theories? Do visions of architecture and engineering feats fill their minds?
Today, the fastest growing, best-paid careers are STEM-related. Science, technology, engineering and math prove important to the success of our country’s competitive future and, therefore, our children. The opportunities are endless.
And, forts teach these skills and birth …show more content…
Gather popcorn, Swedish fish or your family’s favorite movie snack. Gather into the fort (even if it is a squeeze!) and watch a movie that inspires kids to dream STEM dreams. Find the film on Apollo XIII and talk about life as an astronaut. Look up a movie on Einstein or a famous astronomer or the story of Ben Carson and dream what it would be like to be a mathematician or surgeon.
Use the solitude of a blanket fort to read age-appropriate biographies of stars in the medical, science, technology, engineering or math fields. Part of the learning and inspiration for kids is exposure to the options which lay before them. After all, your daughter will never want to be a neuroscientist if she does not know the career exists.
As you snuggle little ones into the blanket fort to sleep for the night, ask them the infamous question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Listen to their answers and their reasons. Hear how they change or stay the same over time.
Hold back on any judgment and be cautioned about sharing any limiting comments. There is a time for wise parent-child discussions later in life. But, tonight is just for
Forts offer a world where kids explore interests and personalities while discovering what they want their future to look like. Will it be filled with numbers and calculations? Does it involve mixing materials to prove theories? Do visions of architecture and engineering feats fill their minds?
Today, the fastest growing, best-paid careers are STEM-related. Science, technology, engineering and math prove important to the success of our country’s competitive future and, therefore, our children. The opportunities are endless.
And, forts teach these skills and birth …show more content…
Gather popcorn, Swedish fish or your family’s favorite movie snack. Gather into the fort (even if it is a squeeze!) and watch a movie that inspires kids to dream STEM dreams. Find the film on Apollo XIII and talk about life as an astronaut. Look up a movie on Einstein or a famous astronomer or the story of Ben Carson and dream what it would be like to be a mathematician or surgeon.
Use the solitude of a blanket fort to read age-appropriate biographies of stars in the medical, science, technology, engineering or math fields. Part of the learning and inspiration for kids is exposure to the options which lay before them. After all, your daughter will never want to be a neuroscientist if she does not know the career exists.
As you snuggle little ones into the blanket fort to sleep for the night, ask them the infamous question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Listen to their answers and their reasons. Hear how they change or stay the same over time.
Hold back on any judgment and be cautioned about sharing any limiting comments. There is a time for wise parent-child discussions later in life. But, tonight is just for