Brain Flakes 500-Piece STEM Set

If you are an Aussie parent staring down the barrel of a freezing, rainy Melbourne weekend, having a jar of Brain Flakes in the cupboard is essentially a strategic parenting masterstroke. When the weather completely packs it in and we are stuck inside our Carnegie house, I just tip this massive jar out onto the dining table and let the kids loose. It instantly buys me an hour of peace to actually drink my coffee while it is still hot. What I really appreciate about these is how perfectly they tie into the ‘Design and Technologies’ strand of the Victorian Curriculum F-10. My kids are constantly coming home talking about evaluating designs and testing materials. Brain Flakes takes all that abstract classroom theory and puts it right into their hands. They build a bridge, realise the structural integrity is completely shot when the dog walks past, and then have to re-engineer the base. It is hands-on, practical STEM learning happening on a Sunday afternoon. They are also an absolute staple for our family camping trips. When we head out past the Grampians, I just chuck the plastic jar into the back of the 4WD. Because there are no electronic components or batteries to worry about, they are totally indestructible. The kids will sit on a picnic rug in the dirt for hours, clicking together weird and wonderful alien spaceships. Just be warned: trying to spot a stray green plastic flake in the Aussie bush grass before you pack up the tent is an absolute mission!