This Family Creative Learning workshop features four sessions:

Session 1: Mix It Up - Playing with Mixtures using play-doh and trail mix. Families explored the properties of various types of mixtures. Through science inquiry process, the families observed, questioned, predicted, investigated and shared their thoughts on different types of properties of mixtures. They made their own mixtures by creating their own trail mix and made play dough to take home.

Session 2: Material World - Investigating Material Science by creating clothing with a purpose. Families explored different kinds of materials and discussed their properties. They then had to work together to design and create something for their clothing challenge. The challenges included:

• Design something you could wear to keep you dry from water.
• Design something warm and cozy that you could wear in cold weather.
• Design something tough and protective that could deflect small objects.

Session 3: Stick or Slide - Exploring Force and Motions with ramps. Working together, each family designed and created 3 different types of ramps for a matchbox car to use.

Session 4: Build It Up - Learning about Structures by building a Ruff Ruffman playground. Families learned about different structures and how size, shape and symmetry impact the structure's strength and stability. Families had to build a playground or a house for their Ruff Ruffman Plushie!

Resources

Family Creative Learning is a series of four sessions which are two hours long spanning four consecutive weeks. The Ruff Ruffman Family Creative Learning Workshops are designed for families with children ages 4-8 however; siblings of all ages are welcome.

The Ruff Ruffman Show is a series designed to help kids learn core science concepts through videos, game-play, and hands-on activities. The series stars canine host extraordinaire Ruff Ruffman, who, along with his assistants, Blossom and Chet, answers questions from real kids, takes on challenges, and learns the value of failure—all while modeling science inquiry skills.

The workshops’ content and structure are designed to support and foster collaboration, communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills within the families. The hands-on nature of the projects is an alternative way for families to engage with their children as opposed to the more technology-focused PBS KIDS Scratch Jr Family Creative Learning Workshops.

The workshops are designed to be in a familiar setting and have a routine structure:

• Eat provides dinner for the families so they don’t have to worry about making dinner, and can focus on family bonding. It also gives families the chance to build a sense of community with one another.
• Explore during each session includes an opportunity for hands-on exploration of the week’s theme; it is a time to ask questions, build vocabulary, and foster curiosity to promote scientific inquiry.
• Make is when families work together on the week’s Ruff Ruffman prompt.
• Share lets families learn from one another, share ideas, build confidence, develop vocabulary to discuss their projects and process, and continue to build a sense of community.

Facilitators are available to support the experience by discussing and pointing out the STEM learning as it happens, while providing caregivers the experiences and tools that they can use to support their child’s learning throughout the workshops and beyond.

Facilitators are available to support the experience by discussing and pointing out the STEM learning as it happens while providing caregivers the experiences and tools that they can use to support their child’s learning throughout the workshops and beyond.