With wide eyes and busy hands, Midvale Elementary students explored a world of robots, puzzles and sweet science during the school’s Family STEAM Night. With curiosity leading the way, students and their families discovered interactive STEAM activities that were accessible and connected to everyday life.

Offering STEAM experiments set up from Canyons School District which align with curriculum standards, Midvale added several unique elements, including a cotton candy creation station that explored the science behind the sweet treat, displays from Brain Booster classes and student-created projects such as bridges from STEM classes and lava lamp paintings from their art rotation.

“The provided activities aim to help families grasp the essence of STEAM and its connection to children’s daily play,” said Heidi Sanger, Midvale Elementary community school facilitator. “By asking the right questions, routine activities can take on greater significance.”

The activities are designed to build interest in STEAM while emphasizing the four C’s: communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.

Students and families rotated through challenges such as the Code & Go Mouse Challenge, Snap Circuits, LittleBits coding kids, marble runs, KEVA planks, K’NEX, magnets, pattern block symmetry and even a Hot Wheels racetrack challenge. 

Teachers and community members, including Rise Life Church members, led activities. The church volunteers also served pizza; earlier in the school year, they helped with Back-to-School Night and have assisted with clothing distributions.

Students could meet “Kevin,” the robot brought by the 17230 Aluminum Falcons, a Sandy-based FIRST Tech Challenge robots team made up of area middle and high school students. The team demonstrated the robot and introduced students to the FIRST competitive robotics world. 

Families also took home books, many STEM-related, donated by Progressive Leasing.

“I do think that families had a fun experience, but also a learning experience,” Sanger said. “It is a great opportunity to demonstrate that play and fun activities are also learning opportunities.”

She said by hosting STEAM nights, it has helped reduce fear around subjects such as math and science while empowering families to support learning at home. It has helped to strengthen relationships between the school and the community.

For Sanger, seeing the families together was meaningful.

“Having families come and enjoy time with their children, participating in activities with them and seeing the smiles on their faces is the best part,” she said.

Midvale Elementary will next host a Family Literacy Night on March 24.