STEM in the Homeschool - and Top 3 STEM Toys

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My favorite aspect of homeschooling is you can gear the lessons to your child's interests and needs. Due to developmental delays and learning disabilities, several of our children are not wired to succeed with a traditional book and workbook education. However, they thrive with a STEM based education. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. A STEM based education focuses on developing critical thinking skills and using your imagination and innovation to solve real world problems. Our goal of homeschooling has never been to do traditional public school at home, but to encourage collaborative education and lifelong learning. I am not as concerned with my children memorizing a bunch of facts, but more interested in their problem solving and critical thinking skills. 

None of my kids have ever come to me and said, "I would really like to read a book on the different types of insulation and their thermal performance." In fact, none of our kids are huge readers. With dyslexia, reading is difficult and stressful. However, as I was reading our Homestead Science curriculum on building materials, one of our boys suggested we design an experiment to test different materials to use for insulation. At the idea, excitement rapidly grew amongst the children and they were all suggesting different materials to test. That, my friends, is the magic and beauty of homeschooling and where learning happens.

It is not everyday that the children come up with their own experiments or ideas. Sometimes I need to provide some suggestions or tools to prompt exploration, experimentation, and ignite their curiosity. We went many years of homeschooling on a frugal budget. Using nature and everyday household items, you can absolutely provide an abundance of STEM activities. Our son used to take apart his brothers old light up shoes to take out the lights and batteries, would break open old bubble blowers to get the gears and motors, and dig through neighbors discarded piles on their curbs to gather odds and ends he could use on projects. Of course, he was pretty much born to tinker. He went to a mother's day out program when he was three or maybe four years old. At the time he was still nonverbal and barely walking, but the director called me to ask if I could check our son's pocket for the door lock. Sure enough, he had managed to take apart their door knob and brought home the locking mechanism. It wasn't much longer that I went to sit down on a chair only to fall to the ground and discover that he had removed all the screws from the chairs. 

Our other kids have not been quite as naturally curious or resourceful, but like skills, they have learned to be resourceful. However, in the interest of protecting my larger appliances and home in general from destruction, we have provided some STEM kits and aids as they have gotten older. Here are my top 3:

1. HACK PACK SUBSCRIPTION (CRUNCH LABS BUILD BOX when they are younger)

These subscription boxes come once every other month with a new robot to build and code. Each robot comes with some pre-loaded codes, so you do not need to know how to code to begin using your robot. However, this Hack Pack has been our greatest hack in teaching our son to not only code, but also to read. Hack Pack coding is a great motivator with built in rewards (seeing your robot perform successfully). The boxes say "Think Like an Engineer" and that is exactly what this subscription box teaches you to do. The number of codes you can program for any one robot are pretty much endless, so it provides hours and hours of learning and entertainment.

2. TECHNIC MOTORS AND GEARS (taking LEGOS to the next level)

These technics motors and gears are designed to be compatible with legos. If your child loved playing with legos when they were little, they will love making their legos mobile. The motors and gears open up a whole new level of learning and exploration, and again, the possibilities are nearly endless. To go along with our Homestead Science curriculum, the kids were making different farm equipment and trying different wheel ratios and configurations to see how they would drive over different obstacles in the house.

3. SNAP CIRCUITS

This is the newest addition to our homeschool supplies, thanks in large part to funding through Arkansas' Educational Freedom Account. If you are a homeschooler in Arkansas, I recommend looking into the funds that may be available to you through the Learns Act. We were able to purchase a few different snap circuit kits and they were instant hits. Again, in conjunction with our Homestead Science course, the boys were creating a system for showing how many animals were in the pen using the LED light up board, an alarm system for when a predator was in the area (simulated by the closing of a trigger switch), and more! The Bric Structures, My Home, and Green Energy extension packs will be used all year long for helping to understand how important electricity is on a homestead and the many ways to use it. I can't wait to see what kind of experiments they will come up with!

For more homeschool inspiration check out the Homeschool Tab. Let's connect on Instagram @pocketful_of_treasures.

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Birthday Celebration at Lake Ouachita State Park - a campsite review

Campground: Lake Oauchita State Park

Location: Mountain Pine, AR

Site: 43
Hookups: 50 amp electric / water / sewer
Cost: $44/night
Cell Coverage: Little to none with AT&T
Overall Rating by Adults: A-
Overall Rating by Kids: A-

Our weekend trip to Lake Oauchita State Park had a rocky start. Storms rolled through just as we were leaving Little Rock and our windshield wiper broke. Sam was able to come up with a temporary solution, but it delayed our arrival. While we prefer to arrive before dark, we pulled up just in time to catch a glimpse of the sunset and discovered someone was already occupying our reserved site. This was definitely a first for us! We knocked on their door, but no one answered. The Visitor's Center was just a short walk away, but was already closed. The only other thing I could think to do was to call the after hours emergency line, but we did not have any cell service. After walking around I was able to find a spot with just enough service to get a call out. A ranger was able to meet us and in the meantime the occupants of the site arrived. They claimed they too had the site booked, although they did not have a reservation confirmation and we did. Moral of the story: When booking be sure you receive a confirmation and if not call the campground to verify that you are booked. I have had times when I thought I booked a site before, only to find out later that something did not go through. Thankfully, I have always caught these things ahead of time, but I can sympathize with the occupants that thought they had a site. The ranger was able to work things out and get them a different site, but by the time we were all set up it was well after bedtime.

Site 43 was well worth the wait. It is a full hookup, lakeside site with one of the best views of the lake. The sites in general are pretty close together (some of the closest we have seen at a state park). I'm sure they wanted to pack as many lakefront sites in as possible. However, site 43 is on the end and our door opened up to the swim beach and volleyball court. Not only did this make our site seem much larger than it actually was, but the kids could launch their kayaks, play with their RC Motorboats, or play volleyball all while I watched from the comfort of my own rocking chair. The only thing that could have made it better were if there were a place on the site to hang hammocks. 

The swim beach adjacent to us wasn't much of a swim beach since the water level of the lake was so low. It was an extra large sand pit with some seaweed filled, shallow water coming up to it. Perhaps it has potential when the lake is higher, but I definitely do not see how you could do any swimming in the area this time of year. However, the children did love playing in the sand and playing volleyball on the beach court. We did discover another swim beach at the other end of the campground that looked much better and actually had some children swimming and playing in the swim area. 

The marina is located just on the other side of the swim beach, making it easily accessible from our site. Most of our kids have their own kayaks, but we rented a tandem kayak and canoe so that all ten of us could go out exploring together. The cost of rental was very reasonable ($40 for the day, $25 for a half day). At 44,000 acres, one could spend an entire weekend exploring the lake on kayak and never even come close to seeing it all. We spent four hours paddling and covered barely a dot on the map! The wind was pretty strong, which did slow us down quite a bit. Thankfully, as you turn into some of the coves you are protected from the wind. The water is crystal clear, so it appears as if you are looking down into an aquarium. 

The kids enjoyed pulling ashore and exploring several areas. We came across a campfire someone had left burning along the shoreline, and remembering Smokey the Bear and all the fire safety lessons we have taught them, they went to work to put the fire out. They didn't have a bucket, but our problem solving son suggested taking apart the kayak paddles and filling them up with water to dump. While slow going, it worked great and they were proud of their good deed. 

Some of our kids enjoyed climbing on different rock formations, some enjoyed skipping rocks, and some just enjoyed rock hunting. Quartz crystals can be found in abundance along the shorelines and trails, along with some other rocks and gemstones. Regardless of their interests, there was plenty to see and do and explore along the shore.

Since it was our son's birthday weekend, he requested to celebrate with cotton candy. After paddling all morning, it was the perfect time to take a break and enjoy a yummy treat. We love our cotton candy machine, but I'm not a fan of sticky, candy floss blowing around inside our house so it is reserved as a treat for camping (or at least outside). 

After paddling 4 miles on Saturday, we decided we should hike 4 miles on Sunday (total mileage from the campsite ended up being 5 miles). When looking at the map, I thought Caddo Bend trail would be an easy, leisurely walk around the peninsula. Well, the trail was not at all like I was expecting! There is way more elevation change than I would have ever imagined. Up and down, up and down you go through boulder gardens! It's not a difficult hike by any means, but was not easy either. It is, however, an absolutely beautiful hike with stunning views of the lake. We saw a small, brown snake and some birds. One of the gentleman we passed said he saw a baby fawn and mama deer, but we did not. 

I didn't pack any snacks (again, thinking it was going to be a quick, easy, flat hike), but God provided ripe muscadine grapes we foraged along the trail. 

We took some of the side trails down to the lake shore and decided that the next time we do this hike we will bring bathing suits and fishing poles and swim and fish our way around the trail. 

All in all, it was a wonderful weekend and a fun way to celebrate our son's birthday. There were plenty of recreational opportunities and places to explore. The ratings from the kids varied from B- to A. My husband and I also wavered back and forth between a B and an A and settled on A-. Our teenagers definitely did not appreciate not having cell phone service, and it would not be a good location for my husband to work remotely from. The visitor's center does have WiFi you can sometimes connect to from the campsite. Some kids were also disappointed in the swim beach, and I really missed being able to relax in my hammock. However, it is one of the best campgrounds for kayaking. The lake is quieter than some, and there are so many coves to explore. You can't fish from the the campsite, but there are plenty of great fishing spots we were able to reach in the canoe. With water activities, hiking, volleyball, and rock hunting, there was plenty to keep our kids busy and there are still some things we would like to come back and do more of. It's definitely a park I would recommend visiting at least once.

For more of our Travel Adventures, visit the Travel page and follow us on Instagram @pocketful_of_treasures. And be sure to pick up a souvenir from Amazon or a fishing keychain from our Etsy shop to commemorate your trip.

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Petit Jean State Park Campground Review

Campground: Petit Jean State Park

Location: Morrilton, AR

Site: 17
Hookups: 50amp / water / sewer
Cost: $44/night
Cell Coverage: good with AT&T
Overall Rating by Adults: A+
Overall Rating by Kids: A

This State Park has been one of my favorites for many years. It offers so many amenities and recreational opportunities, and has only improved over the years. The park is well maintained and manicured. It is one of the larger state parks, but its paved walking/bike trail connects the campground to the visitor center, lodge, pool, and hiking trails so you never feel cut off from the rest of the state park. We do not pull a tow vehicle, but everything in the State Park was accessible to us. While the park is large, the campground has a small feel to it without much traffic. The kids were able to ride their scooters and roller blade without much worry of vehicles riding through. 

We loved site 17. It is a level pull thru site right on the lake with full hookups. It had a nice, level tent pad for the boys to set up their tent, and lots of trees for hammocks or a Ninja Slackline Obstacle Course. The kids had an absolute blast on their kayaks here. The lake does state "no swimming allowed", however, and we were not able to find out why. While they kids did not intentionally swim in the lake, this was the first place they tried out using their kayaks as paddle boards and there was quite a lot of falling into the lake. You can rent kayaks, but it is done through a private self-pay station and the cost was significantly more than we have seen at other state parks. You can, however, rent canoes and paddle boats from the small marina behind the visitors center for a reasonable price.

Fishing right here in the campground is decent (although we did get some lures stuck), but the best place for fishing is just a short walk away (you can cut through the path by the camping yurts) behind the visitors center. And while you are down that way, you absolutely should check out the brand new visitor's center. 

Hiking is one of our favorite recreational activities at Petit Jean. There are many options to choose from, but because we had recently had rain we chose Cedar Falls as our first hike. From campground to the falls and back, it is a 6-7 mile hike. If you are not up for such a long hike and have a vehicle, you can start at the lodge and it is about 2 miles round trip. We have hiked this trail many, many times and it never disappoints. It is the busiest trail in the park, so be prepared to share the trail and falls with others. 

If you are looking for a quieter hike, check out Seven Hollows Trail. It is a bit longer, but features a natural bridge and grotto falls. If you do not yet have Tim Ernst's Arkansas Waterfalls Guidebook, I highly recommend it.

This trip, however, we chose to bring the kids to Turtle Rocks. From the campground, it is about a 3 mile hike round trip, and definitely a big hit with the little ones. They run up and down the turtle rocks pretending they're on America's Ninja Warrior and have a grand ole time. It is a great spot to have a picnic lunch! You can walk just a bit further down to Rock House Cave and check out the ancient pictographs.

I'd say that the only negative to the State Park is that there is no swimming in the lake. There is a pool, but it costs an extra $5-$6 per person. Still, there is plenty to do here and overall it is one of our favorites! And if you are looking for a luxury weekend of camping, you could even skip cooking and eat your meals at the Lodge Restaurant. I highly recommend Petit Jean bacon and their burgers are the best! And of course, don't forget to collect your Petit Jean souvenir to commemorate your trip or one of these handpainted Arkansas magnets.

For more of out Travel Adventures, visit the Travel Page and follow us on Instagram @pocketful_of_treasures.

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Woolly Hollow State Park Campground Review

Campground: Woolly Hollow State Park 

Location: Greenbrier, AR

Site: 7
Hookups: 50 amp / water / sewer
Cell Coverage: Very Limited to No Service with AT&T
Overall Rating by Adults: B+
Overall Rating by Kids: B+

This State Park is well maintained and manicured. The sites are level with a nice tent pad and had full hookups. The bathhouses were in pristine condition. The roads are in excellent condition and because the camping area is a loop, it is the perfect campground for riding bikes, scooters, or roller blading. As one of the smaller state park campgrounds, there is not a lot of traffic, giving it a quiet, homey feel. There were not a ton of great hammock spots, but we managed to find enough trees to get four of our hammocks hung. 

If you get a lakefront site (which Site 7 is) the lake kisses the campsite. This was so convenient for kayaking! Several of our kids bought kayaks with their hard earned money earlier in the summer, and it has been such a wonderful invested providing hours and hours of fun! They could launch and return whenever they wished, and because the lake is pretty small we were able to have eyes and ears on them for the most part right from the campsite.

The lakeside site would have been good for fishing too, however our fishing lines kept getting caught on weeds, sticks, and other underwater obstacles. Our neighbor had similar difficulties fishing, and was delighted when our kids were able to rescue one of his favorite lures using their kayaks. In fact, the kids found quite a few fishing lines, bobbers, and lures. There is a nice fishing pier down by the visitors center, which is just a short walk away. We didn't catch any fish, but there were tadpoles and frogs in abundance.

By the visitors center there is also a rather large swim beach. The lake isn't exactly the cleanest lake in Arkansas as it is somewhat small and stagnant, but the kids did enjoy cooling off in the water. There is also a small marina where you can rent paddle boats and more.

Huckleberry Trail is an easy 3.5 mile loop that circles the lake and campground. We did not see much wildlife, but we are a pretty loud family. We did see one small box turtle and one itty bitty ring neck snake. 

While we did not do it, there is also a nice looking mountain bike trail that leaves out of the back side of the campground.

As a fun afternoon activity, we hung a tarp over a clothesline (high enough that no one could see over it) and played "Water Balloon Battleship". To play, we divided the family into two teams. Each team was given 60 water balloons. Each person chooses their battle station and has to keep both feet planted at all times. You then take turns throwing water balloons over the tarp, trying to hit members of the other team. When you are hit, you are out. You cannot move your feet, but you can duck and dodge trying to miss the incoming water balloons. 

The park rangers also had an "I Ate a Bug Club" program. We did this many years ago, but since several of our boys have not done the program, we attended again. They all proudly received their "I Ate A Bug" certificate. I was happier eating my s'more, lol!

Overall, it was a fun-filled weekend. Parents and kids rated the campground as a B+. The campground offered plenty of adventures and amenities, while still being tranquil. No cell service is difficult since my husband works remotely and is on call all the time (and my teenagers were not a fan of an entire weekend without internet, but I can't say that I was unhappy about that!). If the lake were a little bit cleaner and clearer, it would be perfect! Be sure to check out my Amazon Affiliate link and grab your souvenir on Amazon, or one of these handpainted Arkansas magnets.

For more of our Travel Adventures, visit the Travel Page and follow us on Instagram @pocketful_of_treasures.

***Pocketful of Treasures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com***

Dam Site Park Campground Review

Campground: Dam Site Park - a COE Campground 

Location: Heber Springs, AR on Greers Ferry Lake

Site: I24

Hookups: 30amp Electric

Cell Coverage: Full service 5G with AT&T

Cost: $22/night

Overall Rating by Adults: C/B-

Overall Rating by Kids: A-

We stayed at Dam Site Park on Greers Ferry Lake over Labor Day weekend. I have said it before, and apparently need to remind myself, that I do NOT recommend staying on a lake over holiday weekends. Quiet time hours were not enforced. Loud music, partying, and the occasional screaming fight continued well on past midnight. Now, if you are looking for a party spot, then this may be the place for you. However, if you are looking for a family friendly environment or a quiet retreat in the woods, then this definitely isn't the place; at least not in the summer, and definitely not on a holiday weekend. The park did slightly redeem itself by Monday morning as it started emptying out.

Site I-24 was very spacious. The driveway was 120ft long leaving plenty of space for our RV (and you could fit a vehicle and boat behind that). The driveway isn't very level, so be prepared to spend some time finding just the right ruts in the driveway to be able to get it close enough to use your levelers. We never got perfectly level, but it wasn't terrible either. The tent pad was spacious and could easily fit two tents. This oversized site has numerous trees for hammocks (we hung 5 and there were still lots of trees to choose from). There is a concrete picnic table and campfire pit. Our site was only a short walk down to the swim beam, and we had a trail through the backside of the campsite down to the lake. While not as convenient as some campgrounds to launch the kayaks from, we were able to carry the kayaks down the trail each morning and back up in the evenings. 

The downside is that most of the sites are pretty primitive, and the campground as a whole is lacking amenities. We only had 30amp electrical hookups. While we can easily camp without sewer for three days, going three days without water is tough. I-loop only has a vault toilet, and honestly the scent of sewage was so strong as we neared it that we couldn't even bring ourselves to check them out. For showers you need to walk either to the bathhouses by the beach or N loop. The showers are not that clean, water pressure also is lacking, and you have to hold down the button for the water to stay on. M and N loops are the only loops with water hookups, but you cannot easily access the lake from those campsites and the sites are significantly smaller. After walking the whole campground we decided that we do have one of the best sites in the entire campground. The campsite next to ours (I-25) appears to be the best of the best. It looks a little more level, has lots of privacy as it is down the hill slightly, and is closer to the water. 

The lake is very busy. The kids loved the fact that there were so many waves to play in, but you can't safely venture too far from shore in kayaks. Fishing is not great from the shoreline (too many rocks to catch the lures on). The lake is very clean and clear. The swim beach, while not very large, has very nice sand. Between the sand and the waves you can almost pretend that you are on a beach vacation. 

(These kids kayaks are our absolute favorite! They pack easily in the RV and provide hours of fun and entertainment. After watching our four year old hijack his sister's and easily take off paddling, we ordered another one for our next trip!)

If you are looking for some exercise, you can hike or run the trails at Josh Park Memorial Trail. The loops were perfect for a family cross country training practice. We even caught sight of some deer. There is also a small fitness station.

We initially rated the campsite a "C" due to difficulty in leveling, lack of water hookups, inability to watch kids on lake from campsite, party atmosphere, and rules not enforced, however come Monday morning when the park was quieter, we boosted our rating to a "B-". The kids rated the campsite an "A-" stating that the lake is one of their favorites due to it being clean and the fun waves. 

For more of our Travel Adventures visit the Travel page and follow us on Instagram @pocketful_of_treasures. And be sure to pick up one of these handpainted Arkansas magnets to commemorate your trip.

***Pocketful of Treasures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com***