My daughter Jane and I had fun in this video for General Mills and Megabloks about the joy of using cardboard and spare parts to create a Rube Goldberg contraption, as part of their Rev Up the Breakfast Table campaign.
- It STEMs from Somewhere: As an illustrator and journalist, my
girls are exposed to creative arts all the time, so exploring activities
rooted in science helps promote learning in other areas. Plus, I
learn a lot from my kids about creativity, experimentation and
improvisation in the process. - Building the Bond: Creating something together and seeing it
daughters. In fact, I wrote the book Maker Dad, because I saw the
need for a resource that gives dads and daughters ideas for activities
they both enjoy doing. - It's What's Inside That Counts: General Mills putting a free, buildable
Mega Bloks car in its cereal boxes is a nostalgic experience for me and
one I love to share with my daughters. We're all excited for the free
prize inside. - Try and You Shall Succeed: Building an elaborate structure like this
shows that it's okay to fail, just try again! These kinds of challenges
will stretch your mental muscles, and are also a great way to give
your kids an introduction to real-life challenges. - Get Creative: Making a Rube Goldberg contraption leverages the
it to our extreme. You can build small ramps and simple structures
from anything in your house.