On Wednesday we took part in a Twitter party for Blaze and the Monster Machines. The children love taking part in Twitter parties and this was a fun one as we got to see the latest Blaze and the Monster Machine toys, as well as take part in some fun STEM activities.
Blaze knows everything about science, technology, engineering and maths. When things get really tough he can use his scientific know-how to transform himself into any machine. During the Twitter party we took part of four educational STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) focussed activities, and played with lots of new Blaze and the Monster Machines toys!
STEM activities with Blaze and the Monster Machines
Science Activity: Easter Egg Surprise Sink and Float Guessing Game
We used plastic eggs and a range of different materials (such as cork, polystyrene, feathers, and a stone) to talk about items which sink or float. We asked everyone if they thought each item would sink or flat. Then I mixed up the eggs so they couldn’t see which material went in which egg. We filled the washing up bowl with water and then placed each egg in the water to onserve what happened. I then opened up the egg to show them what was inside. We talked about each material and if our predictions were right or wrong.
Technology Activity: Blaze Colouring and Quiz Activity
The children tested their knowledge about Blaze and the Monster Machines! Everyone was given Blaze colouring sheets, I asked a series of questions and they had to colour the correct part. For example, the first question was for everyone to colour in brown the items that help Blaze and his friends move along the road. They loved this activity!
Engineering Activity: Blaze and the Monster Machines Assault Course
This activity helped the children be creative and design an assault course fro the awesome Blaze Transforming Jet and die-cast cars. We did this activity outside and used cardboard tubes stuck together with double-sided sticky tape, and made structures from gum drops and wooden skewers for Blaze to race around. They loved making the 3D shapes and we can’t wait to make these again.
Mathematics Activity: Blaze Launcher Races
This activity helped the children learn about momentum plus measurements! We placed two checkered flags at different ends of the living room. We set up the cardboard launcher and each child took one of the die-cast Blaze vehicles to see how far it travelled. We measured the distance each car travelled in centimetres and recorded it all on a sheet of paper. The winner won a fabulous Blaze Transforming Jet toy.
Food Activity: Create a Blaze Monster Truck Wheel
We gave everyone a Wagon Wheel biscuit with the middle cut out. We had sprinkles and tubes of coloured icing so everyone could decorate theirs and make their own Monster Truck Wheel biscuit. When they were dry I placed each one in a cellophane bag so they could be taken home in their goody bags.
We loved the STEM activities, they made a great change from the things we normally do so I will definitely be looking for more ideas. They enjoyed the new Blaze and the Monster Machines toys too.
The Blaze and the Monster Machines toys are part of a new Fisher-Price toy range, which is available at Argos and Smyths Toys Superstores.
Don’t forget you can watch Blaze and the Monster Machine episodes every day on Nick Jr.
As a teacher, it is so hard to get kids engaged in science- so this looks great”
Brilliant ideas, this all looks great fun, especially the water play.