“Welcome to Backpack Bytes. We are rebooting and inviting you and your family with kids, tweens, and teens to join us on our journey. We love family byte-size fun and creative play: one brick, one swipe, and one click at a time.”
Tammy & Darcy, Co-Founders, Backpack Bytes
Backpack Bytes is Back in Action!
Our STEAM Team loves to play, create, and tackle new challenges with gusto. We will continue to find and share games, toys, activities, places, and spaces with STEM and STEAM experiences.
Now more than ever, we believe that science, technology, engineering, arts, and math are cool and critical to help us sustain a positive growth mindset. As our kids grow, and as they are currently spending more time at home more, we are looking for STEAM family fun in areas of inspiration to keep them motivated to tackle little challenges so they are prepared to take on bigger challenges in the future.
We are always striving to discover new experiences that awaken our inner STEM and inspire future innovators.
Be sure to join us for an Hour of Code! Watch a flashback video on the Hour of Code from our STEAM Team and get ready to code!
Participate in the Hour of Code:
WHAT:
A focal point of Computer Science Education Week from the founders of Code.org
WHEN:
Join in on all the fun the week of December 7th… and anytime really!
WHERE:
Check out the official Hour of Code website for lots of information and activities!
WHO:
Anyone from 4 to 104 who is looking for STEAM family fun and wants to learn to code & create can participate!
WHY:
Be inspired, tinker, discover, design and delight with tons of STEM activities to choose from! Check out our post with more tips on the Hour of Code.
Who’s Ready for some Byte-Size STEAM Family Fun?
Often times, when we think of STEM and STEAM, thoughts of long-hours, time-consuming activities, and maximum focus come to mind.
Well, we are here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that way! Families can enjoy bursts of STEM throughout the day with smaller mini-activities, simple projects, and explorations that you can enjoy without leaving home.
Check out our suggestions below for some byte-size moments of STEAM family fun that you can enjoy for the Hour of Code or at anytime!
Sweet Experiments Made With Candy
Looking for something to do with all that leftover holiday candy that is packed with STEAM family fun? Avoid the sugar rush and put that candy to good use! Try your hand at candy powered catapults, makes, some skittles rainbow designs, or disect a candy bar.
Visit a Museum Virtually
Art inspires innovation and creativity. Go on a virtual visit to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its collection has more than 5,000 years of global art through its three sites in New York City. View its collections and exhibits online. Also check out the episode from National Geographic Kids “Are We There Yet: Met Museum.”
Let Music Be Your Motivation
Need to get things moving with a bit of music? Singing and dancing can be a great way to introduce some STEAM family fun into your day! From counting to creating, music can help take us to fun levels of understanding and engagement. What we’re currently listening to: They Might be Giants – Science is Real
Explore New Digital Worlds
Exploring new worlds is cool – exploring new digital worlds is immersive! Play a Minecraft game on your platform of choice, and then kick off your Hour of Code with Minecraft at home. It allows players to appreciate the game play even more.
Practice Mindfulness
Take care of yourself. We recognize that families are under many stresses and have found these meditations to be helpful. Check out this free trial of Headspace for Kids. Additionally, this is a free mindfulness practice from Mindful; try a breathing exercises for tweens and teens.
Connect With Your Animal Instincts
Interacting with and understanding animals is a great way to immerse yourself in science. Why not connect with animals you may not see every day and watch the Panda Cam at the Atlanta Zoo!
Get a Glow Up
Tweens and under can stream Emily’s Wonder Lab on Netflix. Watch the segment on Glow Sticks to brighten your day and night. The episode showcases fluorescence – why things glow. The main experiment is that kids make their very own fluorescent paint and put it to work.
Learn About Computer Science in 10 Minutes
Teens might enjoy the quick and educational videos by Sciencephile the AI. Check out this one to learn about Computer Science in 10 minutes!
Get Involved
Help bridge the digital divide and raise awareness of the gender and diversity gap in computing and STEM related fields of focus. Girls Who Code is an organization we support. If you have a girl who is in 6th – 12th grade, or if you are a person in a STEM / STEAM field who could mentor or serve as a volunteer instructor for a club near you or for one of their summer camps, please check it out.
About Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code teaches girls about computer science and programming. It exposes girls to the possibility of technology career paths through a range of hands-on group projects. Close to 475 Girls Who Code clubs operate around the United States free of charge for girls in 6th through 12th grade. They also offer immersion programs in the summer for high school juniors and seniors to engage in hands-on instruction in computer science. The camps are offered free of charge in 11 US cities, including New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C., to accepted applicants who have demonstrated interest in computer science. We want to raise visibility of Girls Who Code, as we believe that equity and diversity in STEAM careers is essential for future innovation to flourish.
Summary
Thank you for joining us on our journey, sharing with your friends and family, and supporting STEM all around you. Be sure to bookmark our website, connect with us on social media, and sign-up to get our newsletter where we share lots of STEM information and resources!
We’re always on the hunt for new STEM products, activities, and places to explore! Reach out to us if you have a STEM or STEAM experience for our team to review and share.
Darcy & Tammy & The STEAM Team
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