What is an Arduino? What is a Raspberry Pi? Development boards can help bring a simple DIY tech project to life. However, when it comes to choosing the appropriate board, understanding how they differ can be difficult. Don’t worry, Thimble’s here to help. Today we’re examining Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Both are primetime tools for beginners, despite being their own unique platforms with …
Science and engineering projects for kids sound anything but simple to busy parents. Visions of poster board, hot glue, and tears flash before their eyes. But simple machine projects for kids really are, well, simple. They’re much easier than many other STEM projects because they involve just the basics of engineering and physics – and very few parts. A simple machine is …
Hi Thimblers, In honor of National STEM Day on November 8th, our team here at Thimble is running a contest to bring our students together and see who has what it takes to create a fun and/or useful project using components in their kits. Eligibility: All Thimble subscribers may register for the Thimble STEM Contest. Register: If you’d like to …
Critics agree: There’s never been a more appropriate time for STEM education. But given the expenses that come with college, there’s bound to be some trepidation behind the viability of a STEM degree and how it equates to opportunities within the global workforce. Let’s take a look at what a STEM degree is, what opportunities it presents, and how you can involve your kids in various STEM …
We live in a world where so much of an educator’s time is spent “teaching to the test,” – leaving precious few minutes for authentic, hands-on learning projects. Throw in pandemic-forced “hybrid” scheduling, and those project-based learning opportunities get even more difficult to integrate. STEM Clubs are a fun and effective way to bridge that gap. STEM Clubs allow students …
A long time ago in a galaxy far far away… We showed you how to make a lightsaber! That’s right, with a bit of innovative engineering, you can create something akin to the infamous blade of light. Don’t expect to be slicing through Darth Maul or going head-to-head with Darth Vader anytime soon, though… …you need the force for that. Ready to get started? …
What’s up with that headline? You can imagine the frustration a parent feels when their child asks them how to build a robot. I think it’s written in the imaginary Handbook for Parenting that every kid asks their parents this question at least one time. (It’s right there in Chapter 6: Unanswerable Questions Every Kid Asks. It’s right beside, “If a …
STEM can be an intimidating topic for parents. What does STEM stand for? The easy answer to that question is to label each letter of the acronym. So let’s do that: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. See? Easy. Done. We can end this blog post. Mic drop. *insert screeching brake sounds** We know what you’re thinking – “Yeah but, what …
Once a kid gets started in STEM, their next goal becomes improving their skills and developing more techniques and understanding. STEM kits are great for improving STEM skills because they come in a variety of difficulty levels, and because many of them include reusable or modular parts that lets kids get creative and try their own unique projects. Here are 8 awesome …