Summer Camp is for parents and kids to work together, exploring the world around you with activities that will take you outside, inside, and as far as your imagination will go! Learn more by reading the Welcome to KinderTown Summer Camp! blog post.
Explore building with your family this week with our hands-on activities, and try these apps for learning about virtual building.
For the youngest builder in your house, have your child explore using a saw, measuring, repairing broken items, choosing tools and cutting wood. All tasks that your child may enjoy in a real workshop! This app includes seven action packed mini-games. Your child will enjoy how Grandpa dances and enjoys playing with your child in the workshop. The educational content is mixed into the fun including building workshop vocabulary, measuring, colors, sorting groups, and beginning to identify fractional parts. A delightful app by FairLady Media! Grandpa’s Workshop is $2.99 and appropriate for children ages 3-5.
Ropes, pulleys, belts, and gears to combine and play with! My son really loves the challenge offered by this app, and it has quickly become one of his favorites. I like that it works on problem solving and engineering thinking skills.The app introduces the quirky characters, Pettson and Findus, and they serve as the student’s guide in creating crazy inventions. Each invention challenge involves the use of simple machines. Students must match the pieces up into the correct order to make the machine move and complete a task such as helping the bunny reach the carrots. Each challenge slowly becomes more complex as children understand how each machine part works. A star is earned for every invention that is completed correctly. There is also a “versus” section where two children can challenge each other to complete the task as a timer ticks away. In the settings section, you can increase or decrease the level of difficulty. Children will love this introduction to how simple machines work together. Pettson’s Inventions Deluxe is $2.99 and appropriate for children ages 6-8.
Word Wizard is a Talking Movable Alphabet that uses app technology to enhance traditional writing and spelling activities. Children write sentences and spelling words while Word Wizard helps by saying the sounds of each letter as they are dragged onto the page. After each word is built, Word Wizard speaks the word as it is spelled and highlights it in red if it is spelled in a non-traditional way or in white if it has the correct spelling. Colorful, animated sensory activities provide a refreshing break between spelling lists and have a set time limit that brings the user back to practicing. Word Wizard has a lot of user options, such as 1400 words in a variety of word lists and space for adults to create custom lists for their children. Word Wizard is $2.99 and appropriate for children ages 4-8.
Master Builders Giveaway
Take photos of your family enjoying a summer/building activity at home and upload them to social media with the hashtag #KTbuild or upload them below to enter.
Related Blog Posts
Master Builders: Opening Ceremony
Master Builders: Demme Learning Day
Master Builders: Closing Campfire
Next series: Around the Kitchen.
Master Builders: Opening Ceremony