Dr. Amanda Foster

A family coding night at home is one of the easiest ways to turn an ordinary evening into a hands-on STEM adventure that everyone remembers. In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to plan, run, and enjoy a home coding night from start to finish, even if no one in the family has written … Read more

When my nephew turned five, his preschool sent home a flyer advertising a coding app for three-year-olds. I watched my sister stare at that flyer with real panic in her eyes, the kind that comes from feeling like every other kid is already ahead. I pulled her aside and told her what I wish more … Read more

When my daughter finally outgrew Scratch last spring, she told me she wanted to “type code like a real programmer.” She had built 40+ animations and games, and she was bored. That boredom was the signal I needed to learn how to move a child from Scratch to Python, and I realized the transition deserves … Read more

I’ve helped organize three small robotics events in our community over the past four years, and every single one taught me something I couldn’t have planned for. If you’re wondering how to organize a beginner robotics competition for kids, the good news is that you don’t need a robotics degree or a massive budget to … Read more

Setting up a home chemistry lab for kids is one of the most rewarding projects you can take on as a parent or educator. When our team built our first kitchen science station, we learned quickly that safety planning matters more than any beaker or chemical you buy. The right setup turns curiosity into real … Read more

Every year, U.S. poison control centers receive over 2 million calls about potential poisonings. Children under 6 account for nearly half of those calls. Most of these emergencies happen at home, with everyday products sitting in cabinets just feet from where kids play. Learning how to store home chemistry chemicals safely away from children is … Read more

Running science experiments at home is one of the most rewarding ways to learn chemistry, biology, and physics. But whether you are a homeschool parent, a hobbyist, or a curious student, one thing separates a fun afternoon from an emergency room visit: the right safety goggles and gloves for home experiments. Every year, thousands of … Read more

When you and your kids finish a volcano eruption with vinegar and baking soda, the cleanup is easy. But some home chemistry experiments leave behind materials that need a little more thought. If you’re wondering how to dispose of household chemistry experiment waste safely, you’re not alone. Many parents hesitate to do science at home … Read more

Yes, you can run acid and base experiments safely with kitchen ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, and red cabbage. The key is using mild household chemicals, wearing safety glasses, supervising children closely, and working in a well-ventilated area away from food preparation surfaces. If you are a parent, homeschool educator, or classroom teacher … Read more

Last winter, my home weather station kept telling me it was 28°F outside while my neighbor’s identical unit read 33°F. That’s a 5-degree gap, and for anyone tracking weather data, that kind of drift is enough to throw off frost warnings, gardening decisions, and personal climate logs. I pulled the sensor indoors, ran the ice … Read more