Plan This Fun Lego Challenge for a Group of Kids or Just One

With summer coming on in the Northern Hemisphere, I feel like we all need some fun activities we can do with one kid at home or a bunch in a classroom when it’s too hot to go outside (I guess you can say the same for if it’s too cold to go out in the Southern Hemisphere, too).

This disaster island Lego challenge from Lego Librarian was designed to be done with a Lego club, but you can do it in a classroom if you have bricks handy, or at home with one or two kids.

The idea is that first the kids each design their own island, with a given amount of time where that is the only prompt.

Then each person draws a disaster card. You can use the ones from Lego Librarian or make up your own. These are things like there’s a storm coming so you need to build a strong shelter, or there’s a rescue plane so you need to build something so they will see you.

There’s a whole bunch of ideas, which should get kids thinking creatively about ways to alter their islands for whatever situations you throw at them.

If you’re doing this with just one or two kids, the idea is the same, or you could have them draw several cards over a session if they want to keep the fun going.

This is a great low prep STEM activity for kids that should get them thinking creatively about how to solve problems. It’s a great idea to have the kids explain what they did to solve their particular problem, too, and why they think that will help.

Even though it won’t be a surprise what’s going to happen after the first time you play it, this is one you can do again and again because the kids will probably draw different cards.

Get all the details and a printable list of challenge prompts at Lego Librarian.

[Photo: Lego Librarian]

Next Plan Idea:

Lego Building Ideas and Challenges for Summer

Finland is a country in Northern Europe bordered by Sweden, Norway and Russia, as well as the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia. Let’s learn more about this Nordic country.

Finland Basics

Finland is 130,678 square miles, or 338,455 square kilometers, and is home to about 5.7 million people.

Its capital and largest city is Helsinki. The official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

The area now known as Finland was first settled around 9000 BC, and it was part of Sweden from the late 13th century until 1809, when it became an autonomous grand duchy within the Russian Empire. It declared independence in 1917 and it officially became a republic in 1919. It lost some territory to Russia after World War II but retained its independence.

It was the first country in Europe to grant its citizens universal suffrage, and the first in the world to allow all adult citizens to run for office. It is a Nordic style welfare state with an advanced economy and is often ranked as one of the countries with the happiest people in the world.

It has a unitary parliamentary government, with a president and prime minister.

The name in Finnish is Suomi, and it’s not clear where the name came from but it seems to have a common original with the Sámi, indigenous people from the Nordic region and Russia.

Finland National Symbols

The flag of Finland has a white background with a blue Nordic cross (which looks like a Christian cross on its side) in the center. It is said that the blue represents the nation’s thousands of lakes (there are more than 180,000 recorded lakes in the country) as well as the sky.

The national anthem, “Maamme” in Finnish or “Our Land” in English, was originally written for the 500th anniversary of the town of Porvoo and was first performed in 1848. The song is not officially the national anthem but has been commonly used as the anthem since the nation’s independence. Estonia‘s national anthem uses the same tune.

Finland’s coat of arms is a crowned heraldic lion on a red field, with the right front leg replaced by a human arm holding a sword. He’s also standing on a sabre and surrounded by nine roses.

The Eurasian brown bear is the national animal, and the Finnhorse is the national horse. Finland’s national insect is the seven-spot ladybird and the national fish is the European perch.

Lily of the valley is a floral emblem of Finland, and their national dog is the Finnish Spitz. In addition, granite, the silver birch, the Whooper swan and the holly blue butterfly are all considered national symbols. (You can read about several of these here.)

Finland Learning Activities for Kids

Grab resources for teaching about Finland from Teachers Pay Teachers. Artsy Craftsy Mom also has a printable fact book you can purchase.

Make a tape resist Finnish flag with this idea from taidekoti. Or use watercolors to make the Northern Lights, which can be seen in Finland, with this project from The Pinterested Parent. And learn more about the Aurora Borealis in this video from Little School.

Learn more about the boreal forest/taiga biome, which covers the majority of Finland, with this resource from Let’s Talk Science. Talk about the differences between brown bears and grizzly bears, and pull out horse crafts and learning activities.

Take a listen to some music performed on the kantele, the national instrument of Finland.

Check out the Moomins, described as “with and roundish trolls with large snouts,” developed by Finnish author and illustrator Tove Jansson.

The national food of Finland is rye bread, so give it a try with this recipe from Zingerman’s. (It will still be good even if you don’t have freshly milled rye.)

Next Plan Idea:

Have you read?

Finland Basics

Finland National Symbols

Finland Learning Activities for Kids

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