Paper Punk

With just under two weeks left to the unofficial launch of summer (Memorial Day) and school being out in just over a month, you may be wondering how to make sure the kids make the most out of their summer and not get too rusty upstairs. We’ve got three tips to help you make STEM learning this summer fun!

 Take a Field Trip

via GIPHY

There are plenty of cool places around town that are perfect learning opportunities for children. A trip to the local zoo or botanical garden puts the “S” in STEM and is a great way for children to connect with plants, nature, and animals. Getting kids acquainted with concepts like sustainability and the importance of our ecosystem will never be easier. Cultivate their curiosity by exposing them to different environments and activities.

STEM Activities from Home

In addition to going out, there are plenty of activities you can do at home like gardening and cooking. 

Gardening is a great way to help teach children about plants, insects AND nutrition. You could also do something as simple as grabbing something from your pantry and direct all the components and processes that had to go into making that food product. You can easily do that with other objects all around the house. Inspire kids to uncover the context of the built world they live in by asking them questions.

Baking and cooking also provides a way to teach your children STEM related concepts on the sly. Calculating measurements to make that delicious summer treat is good for the brain and sure to provide some joy for everyone. Homemade popsicles anyone? 

Let’s Use Our Hands  

Toys and games can help develop an appreciation for science, the arts, strategic and mind-stimulating activities, and spending time with family and friends. Although school will be out, play doesn’t have to end!

Brands like K’Nex and our very own Paper Punk, provide toys/activities that both excite and educate kids without them even knowing. 

Remember, learning is as fun as you make it! We challenge you to come up with more ways to make STEM learning fun. Let us know how you do by tagging us @PaperPunk.

ICYMI: Our Color + Build kits have been featured in the Toy Insider Spring & Summer Gift Guide.

Check out the gift guide to find other cool STEM toys, like Paper Punk, that will keep the kids entertained for hours on end!

When you think of the idea of “play”, what comes to mind? Video games? Kids? Sports?

What mostly comes to mind when I think of play is children. Much like the picture above, I imagine kids running around with abandon chasing a ball outdoors or finding 100 new ways to engage with the empty box in the recycling bin. Rarely, does anyone ever envision an adult. Gone are the days when our biggest problem/concern was how fast we could eat our lunch in order to have more time to play. Even though play time and aging seem inversely related as we get older, the importance of it to our health and happiness remains the same.

Here is why having some play time is good for you:

It relieves stress.

You ever wonder why people recommend going to the gym to relieve stress? A little chemical called endorphins is released and actually causes you to feel good. Overriding pain and stress, endorphins are a happy chemical.

That same chemical reaction is released when you’re playing games. That feeling of euphoria when you score a goal, complete a hard level of a video game, or make someone pick up 20 cards in UNO is because of our new found friend – endorphins.

Improve brain function – Hello STEM toys!

Another reason why having some play time is important is because it helps improve your brain function. Activities like Paper Punk are meant for you to have fun and be as creative as you can, but what you may not know, is that you’re actually using your STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Mathematic) skills to do so.

By following the numerical pattern and folding each sheet, you end up creating a 3D geometric piece you didn’t even know was there. (Say hello to dimensional thinking skills and good old fashioned geometry!)

Classics like chess and Monopoly help improve your skills as well, but they may also lose you some friends. Not speaking from experience, of course.

Keep you feeling young and energetic.                         

Lastly, setting aside some time for play helps keep you young. Put down the anti-aging cream and pick up some board games.

We're believers in not only taking time out of your day for play, but also continuing to incorporate it into your everyday lives as you grow older.

Without a doubt, Spring is my favorite season. The weather, slowly but surely, gets warmer, birds start chirping, people start smiling, you actually don’t mind walking down the street to meet the new neighbors, etc. While there are various chores and essential things to do in the spring like gardening and pulling out the patio set, we’d recommend mixing it up with an outdoor scavenger hunt. Here are 3 tips to hosting an awesome Scavenger hunt.

Be the neighborhood hero.

You’re not the only one thinking about fun activities to do with your kids, so be the neighborhood hero and organize the hunt. Get other neighbors involved too— they’d be happy to help you, plus having more space to hide clues and more kids to join in the fun will make your scavenger hunt a blast.

Host Paper Punk kit building party.

It’s not a hunt if there’s no treasure, right? Make the pot of gold a pile of Paper Punk kits and the scavenger hunt with a group kit building party, including yummy snacks. Not only will it serve as a great way to get to know the neighborhood kids, it’s also a good way to interact with their parents (your neighbors). The good news is that this party isn’t age restrictive as the kits are meant for anyone 6+, so there is no excuse why everybody can’t join in the fun and #MakeSomething too.

Want to make your scavenger hunt even more fun?

Use a theme.

Most people love a good themed party! Think of a theme for your scavenger hunt and make up some clues to fit. Now that your Easter egg hunts are over, what theme will you come up with? Missing treasure, town exploring, animals? There are a lot of great lists online to get you started with some great idea. 

Bring your animal themed hunt to life using only our animal themed kits, Horn (Unicorn), Ape, Kitty, and Pup to liven up the party. Hide made animal Paper Punks as wild card finds or to create your own domestic safari!

Easter is just around the corner and there are so many fun arts and crafts ideas to get you and the kids in the mood to #MakeSomething!

We know this time of the year can be a busy one with family and friends, but why not incorporate some creativity in the mix to keep things interesting.

Here are some cute DIY project ideas everyone can participate in!

1) Paper Flowers

Paper flowers are likely to be the most popular trend when it comes to DIY arts and crafts for spring and it’s not hard to see why. You can make beautiful flowers of any shape or color and showcase them in an old vase.  The best part, you’ll have them for life!

2) Painting With Water Colors

Since it’s spring, the entire family can enjoy this art and craft in any way, shape, or form because there are so many beautiful things to paint and get creative with. Not to mention, it’s easy, fun, and the water-based paint wont damage furniture or clothes (something parents will appreciate!)

3) Construction Paper Easter Eggs

Construction paper crafts are simple and something kids will be familiar with. The great thing is that construction paper is versatile as there are so many colors to choose from! Scissors and glue are the best friends of this special craft. How cute are these Easter eggs!?

4) Paper Plate Bunnies

Make paper plate bunny rabbits for an Easter craft! Check your kitchen cabinets for some good old paper plates and use that imagination. This adorable rabbit craft uses other materials as well such as googly eyes, cotton balls, and pipe cleaners.

5) Building & Coloring with Paper Punk Color + Build Kits

Paper Punk’s Color + Build Graffiti Kit is a great way to get the mind flowing with positivity and things that make us happy like rainbows, hearts, and smiley face emojis. BONUS: you can add candy and treats in the Graffiti Blocks for even more happiness! The Fashion Designer Kit can inspire your little fashionistas to make cute outfits for spring through imaginative storytelling!

We hope you take the time this Easter to incorporate these fun art and craft activities into your weekend. We’re positive you and your family will not only enjoy the end results but enjoy the quality time spent with one another over the holiday season.

Happy Easter Paper Punk Fans!

Thanksgiving is just two days away and it’s personally one of our favorite holidays. As many people know, the holiday was founded on the idea that we should take a day to give thanks for the blessing of the harvest and for the preceding year. In our family, we go around the table and each of us mentions a couple things we’re most grateful for. It’s really refreshing to hear about my kids’ feelings of gratitude rather than the usual bemoaning of chores. This year, one of the things I’m most grateful for is my fellow crafters and the creative community.

In case you haven’t noticed by now, I take making things pretty seriously. One of the reasons why crafting is so much fun for me is because of the camaraderie you feel when building something with someone else and the feeling of accomplishment whether you get when you complete a challenge yourself or with others. There’s really nothing like that feeling of triumph.

When we think about it, crafting and thanksgiving have a lot in common…

• You should take time to celebrate both. Whether it be that wonderful doodle you’ve posted on your fridge of stick people with a variety of rainbows, hearts, and clouds, or warming up with some cider after tackling that pile of leaves in the backyard, take the time to celebrate the little things.
• Both bring people together. Paper Punk isn’t age specific: young people can do it and older people love it. It can be nice to shut off the television, slow down and create together.
• Both can be a humbling experience. Getting back to making with our hands reminds us of our creative capacity as human beings.

Every craft is like a piece of thanksgiving. We’ll have some of our favorites out to entertain our family and friends while the turkey is in the oven and we hope you do too. We’re grateful to be a part of this community and it makes us happy knowing we’re a part of your thanksgiving too.