If your living room has ever doubled as a rocket launch site, a cardboard laboratory, or ground zero for building a foam cushion fortress – congrats, you’re already nurturing a mini STEM genius! 🎉

Early STEM play isn’t just adorable – it’s powerful. Research shows that young kids naturally engage in scientific thinking, problem-solving, and even engineering through everyday play. And when grown-ups join in, it boosts motivation, confidence, and long-term academic success.

With National STEM Day coming up on November 8^th, it’s the perfect time to celebrate that curiosity and creativity with hands-on, at-home activities. So, grab some household items and your Yourigami play set – and let the STEM-powered adventures begin!

Mission: Spaghetti Structure 🍝🏗️

Turns out, dinner ingredients make for surprisingly great building materials! For this activity, all you need is uncooked spaghetti, marshmallows, and a dash of imagination. Challenge your child to build the tallest tower they can using only these supplies. As they experiment with balance, weight distribution, and structural integrity, they’re actually learning the basics of engineering and design. Bonus points if they use their Yourigami play set as a base or backdrop for their architectural masterpiece!

Pulley Power in Pajamas 🧺🔧

Physics meets playtime with this simple pulley system made from a basket, string, and a sturdy anchor point (like a doorknob or stair railing). Your kids can load toys or snacks into the basket and use the string to lift and lower their cargo. Add a little storytelling – maybe it’s a snack delivery to a stuffed animal on the second floor or a top-secret mission to rescue a missing sock. It’s practical STEM experience, cleverly disguised as everyday fun.

The Great Math Escape! 🧠🧩

Want a bigger challenge? Try a Yourigami Math Maze! Using your play set, create an obstacle course where each station includes a puzzle your child must solve before moving forward.

Start with a jumping section—set a timer for 10 seconds and each jump gets counted. Then, depending on their skill level, add or multiply that by their birth date number (hello, mental math!). Next, lay out cushions in a pattern and ask them to choose the next two in the sequence. It’s mathematics, movement, and memory all rolled into one. For the grand finale, read this riddle:

"I have 3 sides, and you see me as flat.
I can be tall or small—imagine that!
I’m found in pyramids and pizza, too –
Guess my name, it’s your next clue!"

Once they shout “triangle!” have them build a triangle-inspired fort using Yourigami pieces—reinforcing kinesthetic learning through creative play.

Through every puzzle solved and cushion conquered, your kids won’t just be playing – but thinking, moving, and developing their cognitive abilities. Now that’s a-maze-ing learning!