Pesach STEM Challenge: Building a Basket for Baby Moshe

Truth be told, there is a lot to do indoors as the holiday of Pesach draws near. And it is also true that getting those tasks accomplished with kids in the home can be quite challenging! I see getting outside with these boy as a productivity investment plan. They get the fresh air, exercise and healthy dose of vitamin N[ature] in (so do I) and we can all get a lot more done afterward.
Even more important than all of the daunting tasks that we take on each year to prepare for the holiday is the meaning and significance of this occasion to our kids. This is the time of year we want our children to ask "why" over and over and over again. This holiday is not just about our ancestors and it is not just about us; it is about our children and the future of the Jewish people as a whole. So learning about it at school and at home and engaging in meaningful play activities about Pesach are integral parts of the preparation process--just as much as the cleaning, shopping, and eating of copious amounts of carbohydrates before it begins.

I love a nice STEM challenge. I also love emptying my recycling bin. We did a similar activity to this one last year inside the house and this year I thought it would be extra fun to get outside and build! The boys were greeted at our I Wonder Station with a basket containing two water safe baby dolls and a sign reading "What can you build to carry Baby Moshe across the river?" Below the hook and basket, I set a bin of recycled materials, some craft supplies, masking tape, even tin foil. They sensory table was filled with water, the boys could use the materials in the basket and whatever else was already outside. Their challenge was to build something that could get their baby to float (or even sink) while staying dry. All kinds of brainstorming and creativity ensued...

this container closed over top and provided all around protection until..the water seeped in through the drainage holes in the bottom of it! Oh no!

This container was solid at the bottom, no holes. But...the baby was a little bit too heavy and it toppled over!

Nothing a little sunbathing won't dry off...

Parts were connected, assembled, dismantled and reassembled. Soon, even things in the yard that weren't broken needed fixing! One eager carpenter and his apprentice got busy at work repairing a wheelbarrow handle...

You don't need a lot of fancy toys and materials to carry out a fun and meaningful activity. Even though we did a similar one last year, the boys have grown a whole year older--and wiser--in their understanding of buoyancy. Even Y could now recognize items sinking and floating in the "river." (He tested quite a few!)

And the great outdoors is a wonderful place for building together, whether you're working on the best basket for baby Moshe, building pyramids with plastic mega blocks or woodworking.




So take a little break from wrapping the whole house in tinfoil, maybe bring the roll outside with you along with the contents of your recycling bin and happy playing for Pesach and all year round!