Families looking to explore science, technology, engineering, and math now have a new resource available through Oconomowoc Public Library.
The Library has officially launched its new STEM Kit Collection, a set of 20 themed kits designed to help children and their adults learn together through hands-on activities and reading. The collection covers a wide range of STEM topics, including electricity, simple machines, outer space, circuits, coding, math concepts, and more.
Available kits include: Addition & Subtraction, Bridges, Buildings, Cells & Organisms, Circuit Tiles, Coding with Botley, Coding with Pyxel, Electricity, Force & Motion, Fractions & Percentages, Geometry & Tangrams, Human Anatomy, Magnetism, Mazes, Measurements, Multiplication & Division, Outer Space, Simple Machines, Snap Circuits Rover, and Time & Money.
The kits are geared primarily toward children ages 8–12 and combine books, activities, tools, and educational materials into convenient, take-home learning experiences.
The collection was made possible through a Science Kits for Public Libraries Grant from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), which offers annual funding opportunities for public libraries in the Midwest to create science-focused learning kits.
Special Services Coordinator Jennie Fidler first learned about the grant opportunity several years ago and explored it further during a session at the Wisconsin Library Association conference. After successfully developing the Library’s Early Learning Kits for young children and Memory Care Kits for adults experiencing memory loss, creating a STEM-focused collection for school-age children became a natural next step.
“I wanted to create an interactive kit collection for school-age children,” Jennie said. “As I researched topics and activity ideas, building a STEM kit collection for ages 8-12 became a great fit. I’m excited to provide families with activities and resources to explore STEM topics, reinforce learning, and build on their interests.”
The collection offers something for a variety of learners and interests. Children fascinated by outer space can explore astronomy-themed resources. Aspiring programmers can experiment with coding concepts. Young engineers can build and test structures, while budding scientists can investigate the microscopic world with tools such as a microscope included in the Cells & Organisms kit. Several kits also help reinforce math concepts through hands-on activities.
The STEM Kits are expected to be particularly valuable for homeschooling families seeking supplemental educational resources, as well as children who want to explore a favorite subject more deeply outside the classroom.
“These kits provide families with an affordable opportunity to access educational activities and equipment they may not otherwise have at home,” Jennie said. “Over the past few years, we’ve had patrons ask to borrow microscopes and other classroom materials, so we know there is interest in these types of resources.”
Examples of the collection include the Coding with Botley kit, which introduces basic coding concepts while developing critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and sequential logic. The Circuit Tiles kit teaches the fundamentals of electrical circuits through projects such as creating a night light, flashlight, beeping alarm, and motion sensor.
The STEM Kits join three other popular kit collections available through Oconomowoc Public Library: Early Learning Kits, Yoto Player Kits, and Memory Care Kits.
Families can borrow a STEM Kit by visiting the Library of Things area, selecting the case for the kit they would like to check out, and bringing it to the Checkout Desk. Kits circulate for three weeks.
Library staff hope the collection not only supports learning but also creates opportunities for families to spend time exploring new ideas together.
Whether a child dreams of becoming an engineer, scientist, programmer, or astronaut, a single experiment or activity can spark a lifelong interest. With the new STEM Kit Collection, families have a new way to discover, build, experiment, and learn together.
