Fall Highlight: Family fun at Pedernales Falls

Dozens of nature lovers joined us on October 26 for the free Science Outside family workshop at Pedernales Falls State Park. We had a wonderful day of hiking, spotting wildlife and even fossils. (Missed the event? The State Park has some fun resources for a future visit.) 

This was the culminating event for our year-long Science Outside program, presented in partnership with Texas Parks and Wildlife. In spring 2019, 4th-7th graders from Blanco and Burnet counties joined us for the Science Outside Club. Kids conducted science activities and experiments in nature, using technology toolkits they received for free. A series of special events amplified the club sessions, including a week-long STEM Career Immersion camp, an overnight stay at Bamberger Ranch for bat watching and stargazing, and field trips to local state parks. 

Families got in on the Science Outside fun through two all-day workshops. Here’s what participants at the October 26 event had to say:

The microscope kits were amazing! Thank you for having the binoculars available to use
– Mary

[We had] fun collecting specimens, looking at fossils, walking & listening for birds
– Beckie

Great learning experience and family bonding time
– Jeanne

A fun event…connecting family among themselves, plus connecting with other families
– Abbey

When we say “fun for the whole family,” we mean it: the day’s youngest participant was under 6 and the oldest was over 60! The Science Mill is designed for all ages, too. Little ones will love the Young Explorers area for ages 0-3; bigger kids and kids at heart will have a blast with hands-on exhibits indoors and out, including live animals, gardens and immersive art installations. Bring your whole crew to see us soon and make memories at the Mill. 

SNEAK PREVIEW: Science Outside will return to the Science Mill in summer 2020, with two weeks of camp sessions! For your chance to join, watch www.sciencemill.org this winter or email info@sciencemill.org for future details. 

2019 STEM Toy Gift Guide

Welcome to the Science Mill’s STEM Toy Gift Guide for 2019! STEM is all about asking “How…,” “Why…” and “What if…?,” so these gifts guarantee to spark curiosity and stoke creativity. Everything featured here (and much more) can be purchased at the Mill’s Science Store, which has the largest selection of science toys, kits and books in the Hill Country. All store proceeds support STEM programming for tomorrow’s science leaders — so give a gift that gives back!

Makey Makey GO

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Makey Makey can turn almost anything into a computer keyboard: bananas, Play-doh, even people! (It’s the secret behind the Science Mill’s banana piano.) The object just needs to conduct electricity, allowing you to create a simple circuit. Makey-Makey GO is the pocket-sized, single-connector USB version for inventors on the go.

Why Diane picked it: “It’s so much fun to create circuits with Makey Makey. No programming knowledge needed — kids pick up the principles of circuitry as they play and experiment. For extra inspiration, there are lots of great Makey-Makey projects shared online.” Suggested age: 6+

Motorized Robot Hand

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Bring a robot hand to life! The kit includes all the parts to build an articulated robotic hand. Compose a rhythm, then program the hand to tap out the beat. Explore anatomy, build engineering skills and get creative with programming.

Why Sherri picked it: “A great gift for kids who wonder how things work (like the Science Mill’s Colossal Robotic Hand), because they get to do every step of the process.” Suggested age: 8+

Grow Your Own Crystal Nightlight

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Create a captivating, color-changing crystal nightlight. Use alum powder to grow your own crystal structures; the kit explains the chemical processes involved. Then learn how to wire the base using a circuit with color-changing LEDs. Put the crystals on display and get glowing!

Why Bonnie and Cheyanne picked it: “This toy is a chemistry experiment and an engineering tool kit all in one. It introduces kids to multiple fields of STEM learning.” “The end product is so colorful; it reminds me of the Science Mill’s Fractalarium.”  Suggested age: 8+ (with adult supervision)

Academy Books Series

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Step into different STEM careers (Architect, Engineer, Scientist, Coder, and more) with the interactive books in the Academy series. Each book includes how-to sections, activities based on real-world challenges and playful extras, such as stickers, posters and games. 

Why Bradley and Mary picked it:  “These books are simple but informative and interactive. I would have much preferred Architect Academy to my textbook in college. Probably would have been more helpful as well!” “Scientist Academy covers a lot: it shows you how to make a pendulum, and it talks about chemistry, biology, forensic science, geology, space and fossils.”  Suggested age: 7+

Hatchin’ Grow Turtle

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Place your “turtle egg” in water to watch the foam turtle hatch and grow. (The ideal solution when your kid wants to take home one of the Science Mill’s baby tortoises!)

Why Portia picked it: “Growing up, I loved sea monkeys: growing the little creatures, seeing their different stages of life and taking care of them. The Hatchin’ Grow Turtle is a nice first step for kids who aren’t quite ready for a real pet. It’s a mini life science lesson.” Suggested age: 5+

Experimental Greenhouse Kit and See-Thru Garden View

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Nurture observation and problem-solving skills essential to STEM with these botany kits. Watch seeds sprout and roots spread thanks to the See-Thru Garden’s clear walls. Or make a living laboratory with the Experimental Greenhouse Kit: it comes with tools and an activity book with a variety of experiments, including a DIY automatic watering system.

Why Holly and Aubry picked it: “I love to garden and it's always fun to watch things grow before your eyes!” “The Aquaponics Greenhouse is one of my favorite places at the Science Mill. An interest in nature can be an entry point to STEM for many kids.” Suggested age: 5+

Synth Kit

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See — and hear — how circuits and sound work together with the Synth Kit. Build three different synthesizers with unique sounds, or remix parts for new combinations; everything is designed to be rebuilt again and again, helping kids home in on the role each part plays in the circuit.  Experiment with pitch, frequency and volume as you make your own electronic music.

Why Joel picked it: “If you like to tinker around, take things apart and put them back together, this gift is for you! Suggested age: 13+

Spiral Art Set

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A classic artmaking toy that’s also mathematics in disguise. Create cool and complex geometric patterns by experimenting with the spinning discs. What happens when you try a new shape or change where you place your pencil? Everything packs inside the slim kit for art on the go.

Why Alexis picked it: “This is a miniature version of our Wondergraph exhibit. It’s a memorable experience that allows people of all ages to be creative and enjoy unique art anywhere.” Suggested age: 6+

Kids First Biology Lab with Microscope

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Reveal cell structures and invisible organisms with a real microscope. The Biology Lab includes premade microscope slides, plus tools and guides for making your own. How is the cat’s fur different than your hair? What’s living in a drop of lake water? See the world with new eyes under 750x magnification! (For tweens, check out the precision TKx400i Dual-LED Microscope.)

Why Wendy picked it: “My favorite toy as a kid was a microscope with pre-made slides and a slide making kit. Kids are fascinated by the microscope views of zebrafish embryos in our BioLab, and this is a wonderful way to build on that curiosity at home.” Suggested age: 8+

Happy Atoms Set

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“Atoms are the building blocks of life”: The Happy Atoms set lets kids play with that idea and learn by building. Make atoms and molecules using magnetic connectors that represent bonds. Scan what you build with a smartphone or tablet camera, and use the Happy Atoms app to explore that molecule in depth (similar to the Science Mill’s Chemical Reactions table).

Why Amber picked it: “As a kid, I loved science experiments that incorporated kitchen chemistry: volcanoes made with baking soda and vinegar, alka seltzer rockets, etc. Chemistry felt like a struggle in high school, but became my favorite thing to teach to 6th and 8th graders.” Suggested age: 10+

For Kids at Heart

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The Science Store has gifts for the grown-ups on your list, too. Hailey’s top pick is the heat-changing mug: fill it with hot coffee to reveal how caffeine interacts with your brain. Emilee suggests the bee notebooks to add bit of nature to any desk. Browse the store for more, including scarves, puzzles, bags and books. (But don’t be surprised when the adults have just as much fun with the kids’ toys above!)

For Kids of All Ages

Need a gift for the kid who has everything? Something you know they won’t outgrow? Or want to avoid all the wrapping and skip straight to the memory-making and fun? Treat the whole family to a Science Mill membership or day passes! Pre-sale tickets are also available now for Snow Day 2020.

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Monarch Migration!

The monarchs are here! After a record wildflower bloom this year, we’ve been expecting record numbers of monarch butterflies, and we just spotted the first ones enjoying the Butterfly Garden in our Science and Art Park.

These beauties travel through Central Texas two times a year, heading to Mexico for the winter and returning to Canada for the summer. On the Texas A&M website, Craig Wilson, USDA Future Scientists Program Director, estimates that we could see 300 million monarchs pass through the state, and that’s encouraging after several years of declining numbers.

“Butterflies are not only fun to watch, but they serve a critical purpose as well,” said Zac
Zamora, Science Mill Creative Director. “Butterflies and other pollinators, including bees,
moths, birds, and bats pollinate over 75% of the world’s flowering plants.”

Attracting monarchs and other pollinators requires the right kinds of plants. When planning the Science Mill’s Butterfly Garden, we learned that not all milkweed is good for monarchs. It’s important to get native plants that are in sync with local seasons. This goes for other varieties of plants in your garden, too. Encouraging healthy pollination locally can have a global impact. To attract pollinators, our Science Mill garden includes these plant varieties, all available at local nurseries:

You can be part of this year’s historical monarch migration by planting your own butterfly
garden and reporting sightings on the Journey North website. Speaking of pollinators, join us Saturday, Oct. 19 for Bat Bazaar, and come check out our Butterfly Garden at the Science Mill!

We've Gone Batty!

Texas is home to more species of bats than anywhere else in the world. In fact, the Science Mill sits between two record-breaking bat colonies. The largest bat colony in the world is located near San Antonio, at the Bracken Cave Preserve, and the largest urban bat colony is in downtown Austin, under the Congress Avenue Bridge.

This month, in preparation for our Bat Bazaar event on October 19, we’re gobbling up bat facts like our bat friends gobble up insects. One of our favorite facts is how bats navigate through the dark Central Texas nights, using echolocation to identify objects and food sources.

What is echolocation, exactly?

Echolocation is how certain animals use sound to see. They make sounds that echo off other objects, and depending on how the sounds bounce and return to their ears - and the direction the sound comes from - the animal can determine the location of the objects around them. Bats, dolphins, whales, shrews, and some birds all use echolocation to find food and navigate their environments.

Blind as a bat?

Bat blindness is a common myth, but Arizona State University biologists explain that bats can see.

“Using echolocation, bats can detect objects as thin as a human hair in complete darkness. Echolocation allows bats to find insects the size of mosquitoes, which many bats like to eat. Bats aren't blind, but they can use echolocation to find their way around very quickly in total darkness.”

Can people echolocate?

Some people can! There are instances of visually impaired people learning to use echolocation.

Humans have also developed a form of echolocation that helps engineers and scientists see under water. Sonar, originally an acronym for Sound Navigation and Ranging, helps scientists map the ocean floor. Sonar is also used to find objects in the ocean, like shipwrecks.

What is it like to navigate by sound?

Come to the bat bazaar to experience our Sonar Simulator Challenge, and see if you can navigate like an echolocating bat!

Join us on Saturday, October 19 from 11am-2:30pm for hands-on Bat Bazaar activities. Southern Wildlife Rehab will be on site with three different species of live bats and live presentations at 11:30am and 1:30pm. We think you’re guano love this event! Plus…

Visitors who dress up in their Halloween costumes will receive FREE Excavation Kits from our Science Store!*

Live presentations and all bat activities are included in museum admission.

*While supplies last.