Neuse Regional Libraries are thrilled to announce that STEM Kits are now available for check out!  These exciting new kits are the perfect way for families to engage in STEM activities at home and enjoy related reading material.  The Library currently has six kits for check out with a variety of themes available.  These themes include Robotics and Coding; Electronics, Coding, and Bots; Construction and Building; Engineering Gears and Mazes; Sound, Music, and Band; and Machines and Contraptions.

The Robotics and Coding Kit is full of fun facts about robots, computers, x-rays, and other cool technology and inventions.  The kit engages children with interactive coding games that keeps bodies busy while brains gain valuable practice in sequencing, decision-making, and following commands just like a computer.

The Electronics, Coding, and Bots Kit includes an exciting graphic novel from Science Comics packed with facts on robots and drones.  Children can apply the information they learn to coding with Artie the programmable robot.  Artie draws whatever they code on any sheet of paper.  Children can also enjoy using Snap Circuits for hours of educational fun while learning about electronics and circuits with hands-on manipulatives and easy-to-follow activity guides. 

The Construction and Building Kit is an engineering-focused STEM kit that encourages young readers to become interested in construction and engineering while they are learning basic life skills.  The book about a ninja visiting a construction site and the construction blocks included in this kit will keep little ones happy and busy while channeling their inner engineers.

Hands on crafts, rolling marble gravity mazes, and machines that move are included in the Engineering Gears and Mazes kit, providing all the enrichment a future engineer could need. With open ended play and building options, these items help kids learn and build STEM skills like critical thinking through trial and error. Colorful pieces help keep children engaged and drive imaginative thinking.

Children will delight in the Sounds, Music, and Band Kit which features a silly sing-along story with funny, eye-popping illustrations and informative picture guides to help readers mimic and act out the hand and foot movements and develop their fine motor skills.  Children will create fun songs using the band equipment provided to encourage creative play and to help children experience the fun of making music.

The Machines and Contraptions Kit allows young thinkers to explore the ideas of Leonardo da Vinci through his notebook sketches which show how his ideas foreshadowed modern inventions. Students construct, examine, and explain simple machines to develop a deeper understanding of how they make work easier. The KEVA planks included in the kit build an early understanding of proportion and balance, while teaching basic principles of physics and engineering.

Each of the STEM kits is available for three-week check out at no charge using an adult’s library card.  Upon return, STEM kits will be thoroughly sanitized and quarantined for 24 hours before they are available for check out by the next patron. For more information about our new STEM Kits, please call the Youth Services Department at 252-527-7066 ext. 133.