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Be an astronaut, film director or designer of New Mexico museums. By Mari Angulo for her Techie Corner in Tumbleweeds: The Quarterly Newspaper for Santa Fe Families
When most people think of technology, they probably think of computers, electrical grids, new medical devices and high-end electrical innovations. We may forget that technology exists in virtually every area of our lives. When I began contacting New Mexico organizations for great “techie” options for local and visiting kids and families this summer, Elena Baca, External Relations Coordinator at ¡Explora!, responded: “What’s interesting about ‘technology’ is that, to us, a rubber band is technology.” And she’s right. the word “technology” needs to be defined in an appropriate context. As it relates to educational programming and events for children and families, technology is about discovery and about the tools that enable imagination, creativity and learning. Here are a few of the best places where your family can explore technological innovation this summer and learn more about how it transforms our lives. • The Santa Fe Children’s Museum (1050 Old Pecos Trail, (505) 989-8359) recently added two programs that involve both new and “classic” technologies. The brand-new Makerspace is a place where, as its name suggests, kids can “learn how to bring things from their imagination to life,” according to Franki Williams, Makerspace coordinator. e creative space, geared toward youth 8 to 18 years old, is outfitted with familiar and not-so-familiar technologies including sewing machines, soldering irons, digital cameras, a 3-D printer and a computer lab. Workshops by skilled members of the community teach young people how to use available tools to create whatever they imagine. Since opening in February, Makerspace has hosted workshops in 3-D printing, paper stop-motion, game programming and sewing. Ultimately, the museum hopes that “the space will really be run by [youth],” Williams said, and that newer generations will see older Makerspace members as mentors who can help them bring their ideas to fruition. Access to Makerspace is available during workshops, with museum admission and a small fee for materials. Call Williams at 989-8359 x 117 for information about upcoming workshops. On the third Saturday of every month, the Children’s Museum hosts a Kid’s Night Out, focused on animation and film, giving kids 4 to 11 extra time at the museum and giving parents a few hours to themselves. The evening begins with a healthy dinner, after which the young participants break up into groups to work on film projects. Past activities have included claymation, pixilation and stop-motion animation. Sometimes children watch examples of the project at hand or a short instructional film. At the end of the night, everyone’s finished work is shared on a projector screen. Parents are invited to come early to watch the work of their young filmmakers. These hands-on film projects allow participants to learn about the technological process and creativity behind the illusion of animation, in a way that gives them deeper appreciation of the final products. For example, when museum staff initially asks the children how they think a film like “Fantasia” is made, they always respond, “with computers.” The film series teaches them that for every few moments of the film, there are multiple frames, each hand-drawn with extreme attention to detail. Cost per child for the workshop is $30, and space is limited. Those interested in having their child participate can call 989-8359 x 112. • Bradbury Science Museum (1350 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, (505) 667-4444) allows free public access to a plethora of historical, technological and declassified scientific information from the Los Alamos National Laboratories. Exhibits include artifacts and documents from the Manhattan Project and models of atomic bombs. e museum features historical projects as well as current projects and research conducted at the labs. e “TechLab” offers hands-on activities and science exhibits for all ages. Visitors can watch several films, including one about the origins of the “town that never was,” dating back to the early days of Los Alamos in the 1940s. is summer the museum will be open until 8 p.m. on select evenings and will feature demos and talks on subjects such as high-speed imaging and nanotechnology. e museum also hosts a monthly lecture series, along with many other community events year-round. To learn more about specific dates and events visit the Bradbury Science Museum’s website www.lanl..gov/museum. • Challenger Learning Center of New Mexico (1776 Montano Road NW, Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, (505) 248-1776) provides year-round programming on outer space for schools and the public. Programs include space mission simulators in which participants form teams that act out the roles of astronauts (in a model spacecraft) and Mission Control, to cooperatively complete an assigned mission. Missions, typically undertaken by whole school classrooms, are available and open to the public every other month, and groups 15 and over can inquire about scheduling their own. During the summer the center offers over 10 camps, including Junior Rocketry and Robotics, and International Space Station Camp where participants are taught to construct a 22-foot model of an International Space Station, or ISS, underwater. Visit www.challengernm.org or call the museum to see a full list of camps or to inquire about missions and other events. • ¡Explora! (1701 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque, (505) 224-8300), a family-friendly science center, describes itself as part learning center, part children’s museum, part Grandma’s attic, part Grandpa’s garage and part laboratory. ¡Explora! prides itself on table-top sized exhibits with manipulatives that are hand-sized and designed to be engaging. For example, one new exhibit explores the properties of light. You can make a green chile appear black or a yellow flower appear red. Experiments with light, optics, color and perception offer clues into the principles of physics, math and biology. Other activities in this exhibit include refracting light with different lenses and exploring how various lights and movement can make interesting and surprising shadows. Educational programs include camps, after-school clubs, field trips and outreach. Prices vary, so call or visit www.explora.us to inquire about summer camps, youth internships, special events and visitor information. This is just a sampling of the many “techie” related explorations on which families can embark this summer. For additional options, check out our Summer Calendar, beginning on page 30.
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Twelve fun, educational apps for kids (and one for good measure) By Mari Angulo for her Techie Corner in Tumbleweeds: The Quarterly Newspaper for Santa Fe Families
Technology is a story that is always being rewritten. It is unsurpassed in its ability to create new possibilities for every type of user. Aside from offering convenience and enhancing productivity, technology also brings a vast array of entertainment into our lives. For both kids and parents, what can be better than pairing fun and education into one? The latest in convenience, entertainment and education for kids can be found at the friendly app store on your phone or computer.
Many of us have heard the word “app” many times and we may even have a vague idea of what it is... but what is an app, really? The term “app” is an abbreviation for “application.” An app is a piece of software that performs a specific function. It is a program that can be downloaded onto computers and electronic devices such as smart phones or tablets. There are many types of apps. Some are designed for productivity and are geared toward adults and students. These include calendars, schedulers, note-taking tools, and so on. Some apps are just for fun, and you may already be familiar with them from their earlier lives as board games: Monopoly, Chess and Scrabble. Other apps are information tools: maps, city guides and flight trackers. Apps are not just for us adults. There are hundreds out there designed for kids — anything from digital sketchpads to vocabulary flash cards and other learning games. Apps designed for children are cheap (often free), portable and convenient. Imagine your child learning a new language during that long wait at the checkout line or on a cross-country drive. Following is a list of apps that are suitable for kids and that both entertain and educate. They offer interactive, new ways to learn and are amazingly convenient as they can all be played on your mobile devices on the go. Most are available in Apple and Android versions. 1. Toddler Flashcards (Ages 1 to 4) $1.99 Just like traditional flashcards, Toddler Flashcards teach the names of animals, foods and other objects as well as the alphabet and numbers. Unlike traditional flashcards, these o er speech and animal sounds. English, Spanish, French and even Chinese options are available. There is a free “lite” version. available for those who want to try it first before buying the full version. 2. Toddler Teaser Shapes (Ages 2 to 4) Free Approved by teachers, parents and toddlers, Toddler Teasers Shapes helps tots learn the names of different shapes through a simple, colorful game that offers positive reinforcement and fun rewards. Parents can customize game-play difficulty. 3. Wacky Safari (Ages 2 to 5) Free Young children can play five different engaging activities in this safari games collection. With sounds from wild animals and fun facts disguised as jokes, toddlers and preschoolers will giggle and learn as they mix and match animal photos. 4. Super Why! (Ages 3 to 6) $2.99 Already a well-known PBS show for preschoolers, the Super Why! app is a collection of literacy games in which the alphabet, rhyming, spelling, writing and reading are featured in fun ways. Re- views suggest that this app is fun even for babies because of the attractive colors and the characters’ facial expressions. 5. Lee Paso a Paso (Ages 3 to 8) $1.99 This app is intended to help children learn 580 common Spanish words by way of fast-paced, quiz-like activities. Exercises include identification of letter sounds, picture/word matching, counting syllables and more. The app is geared both to children who speak Spanish as a first language and are just starting to read, as well as kids and adults learning Spanish as a second language. This app also has a free “lite” version available for those who want to try it first. 6. Mini Piano (Ages 3+) Free With 14 notes, this app offers young children a great introduction to the piano. It looks and sounds like a piano and features scales, chords and beginner tunes like “Mary had a Little Lamb” and “Chopsticks.” 7. Alphabet Animals: Talking ABC Cards (Ages 4+) $.99 The game is packed with colorful animations, animal sounds and tons of tips for learning letters. The digital flash cards are interactive, with animals that talk them through every letter of the alphabet. 8. iSign Alphabet (Ages 4+) Free The entire American Sign Language Alphabet is now stored in one little application. After practicing, kids will love showing off their new communication skills. 9. Mad Libs (Ages 6+) Free Just as goofy and fun as the pen and paper version. Kids can create silly stories by filling in the blanks with this story creator — great for grammar-whizzes, with tons of stories to choose from. 10. Dinosaurs: American Museum of Natural History ( Ages 7+) Free If your child is a paleontologist-in-the-making, this is the app to download. The interface begins with an amazing mosaic of dino photos (more than 800) that make up an image of a T-Rex. Your child can tap on any of the images to learn about the creature featured. Children can also learn about fossil collections at the museum in New York City and use it as a guide when visiting. 11. Nasa App (Ages 7+) Free The NASA Ames Research Center has created an all-in-one astronomy, engineering and “future- astronaut inspiration” tool. This is an official NASA app filled with information on astronomy and the U.S. space program. New information is added daily from a variety of NASA sources. Kids can learn about the solar system and NASA missions by browsing through photos and videos. 12. U.S Geography by Discovery (Ages 7+) $4.99 Recently featured in “Top 10 Paid Apps,” this educational app will help your child become an expert in U.S geography. It features videos, inter- active gameplay, global competition and sharing. Regardless of whether you have an “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” attitude or embrace each new technological advance, digital learning will be a growing force in your children’s lives. These apps will only get them started! There are end- less categories and possibilities; the number of all apps currently available is in the millions and still counting. But I must add, even though technology continues to fascinate us, we must all remember that digital play is no substitute for real world, nitty-gritty kid play. Spring is in the air — don’t forget to go outside to play... ...And download The Night Sky app on your phone or tablet, h old it up to the sky, and it will display the names of the stars, planets, constellations and galaxies overhead. The “app-ortunities” are endless! By Mari Angulo for Techie Corner in Tumbleweeds: The Quarterly Newspaper for Santa Fe Families
As a child of the 80s, raised on technology, I imagine that it can be overwhelming for today’s parents to teach their kids about Internet and social media safety. It’s intuitive to assume that parents are the ones who teach their children how to perform new skills and make use of tools, but technology has turned that idea on its head. I grew up with technology that my parents couldn’t begin to understand, and oftentimes they didn’t know what else to do but trust me to do the “right” thing with it. For this article I have thought about the things that might have helped my parents guide me, even when “technically” I was much more savvy. Online safety is no longer only a matter of strict browsing controls. Yes, it’s advisable for parents to seek filtering software that blocks adult content and viruses. However, even the best filters can’t stop certain inappropriate sites from surfacing, as the content may not yet have been “flagged” as inappropriate. ere are also no filters smart enough to block inappropriate interactions between your kids and their social media contacts. Because of this, it becomes imperative to keep an open conversation with your kids about online and social media safety. Parents should give kids an idea of what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior online, starting from their guidelines for acceptable behavior in day-to-day life. Computer safety also requires us to discuss issues of privacy and reputation. is includes helping kids to understand what things should stay private, as they decide what information to share with their contacts. Setting some basic (or not so basic) ground rules will allow you to stay informed about your kids’ online habits and help you provide guidance for their safety. Just as you wouldn’t allow your child to go to a mixed-age event without supervision, you should recognize social media and the Internet as a real-world means of communication that should also be moderated.  Please note this is an article from 2012. Some websites may no longer be active. The following are some ideas to help you get started with setting your own ground-rules for Internet and social media use:
• Know their online friends. If you know your kids’ friends at school, your role in their social media use shouldn’t be much different. You have a similar right and responsibility to know who your kids are “friending” and interacting with on social media sites. Make this an important part of your ground rules: you should have open access to their account so that you can browse through friends and make sure content they are sharing is appropriate. • Limit use. Designate times and limits for use, just as you would for TV and video games. Social media shouldn’t replace face-to-face interaction. • Pick a centralized location. Allow them use of a computer or tablet only in a shared space in your home, such as the family room or kitchen, as opposed to privately in their rooms. Kids are less likely to engage in risky behavior if you are in the room or might walk through at any moment. • Block pop-ups. Tell your child to block pop-up windows and to ask you when they’re unsure about online ads. Kids are more likely to click on a colorful button that says, “You’ve won $1,000 dollars, click here to redeem.” announcements and pop-up windows usually lead to viruses or inappropriate websites. • Beware what you share. e issue of privacy online quickly becomes an issue of reputation. Advise your kids that with the widespread use of social media sites, our lives are being “recorded” online, and anything we say or post can easily be shared and copied. Parents should urge their children to think twice about what is appropriate to post in public platforms. • Don’t believe everything you see. Teach your kids that not everything they see online is true. A lot of information has not been verified, and many websites and blogs are filled with opinion presented as fact. e same principle applies to others’ identities; not everyone is who they say they are. e Internet brings new meaning to “Don’t talk to strangers,” and parents have a key role in identifying risky behavior. If you are coming to social media new as an adult, or even to the Internet, you are not alone! ere are countless resources online and locally that can help you keep your kids safe. Look for free computer literacy classes offered at the Santa Fe Public Library, or sign up for a beginner course at the Santa Fe Community College. As a good parent, your responsibility is to make an effort to get familiar with new communication technologies that affect your children. Finally, remember to model proper technology etiquette. Be a good example for your kids! Don’t text and drive or check email — even at stoplights. |
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