These days were spending a lot more time at home together. Everything is fun and games until one of the kids starts whining about how bored they are.

“Busy boxes” are one way to bust boredom. You can go one step further and create an at-home STEM center (AKA, a makerspace).

This special ‘center’ or space in your home does not have to be large, but it does have to fit the needs and capabilities of you and your kids, and it does have to be where they can reach it.

I recommend situating your STEM center in or near your kitchen for easy clean-up and access to water. Some of the activities do require water as an ‘ingredient’ and sometimes things get messy. Messy fun can be the “funnest”.

Do you have a home-based makerspace or STEM center? What kinds of projects have you and your crew completed? Share some successes and fails. Don’t be shy.

Here’s the STEM Dreams list of supplies that could be included in your center. Some are free (think: repurposed and recycled stuff); but others are very pricey (like a $300 3D printer). There are lots of projects that can fit any budget. Here’s my list on Pinterest of quick low-cost projects to try using recyclables.

Image source: Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash