Thinkbutton Blog

Kids' Science Challenge Update

Thinkbutton is pleased to announce that our packaging team is in the process of shipping out prizes to some of the winners of the first annual Kids' Science Challenge.  771 children from across the nation submitted their ideas and challenged the judges with their creative, scientific thinking.  Over the next few months the grand prize  winners will be meeting with scientists to transform their ideas into real working scientific solutions.  How awesome is that! 

Thinkbutton awarded prizes in the SETI and Water Ecology categories. The winners in the SETI category won a Young Scientists Club Astronomy Kit and Hubble Space Card Deck.  The winners of the Water Ecology category won an Aquatic Explorer Kit, Awesome Ocean Science Activity Book or a Professor Noggins Life in the Ocean Card Game.  Congratulations to all the winners and everyone who entered the competition.  Be sure to visit the Kids' Science Challenge site and vote for your favorite entry.

Kids' Science Challenge

We are pleased to announce that the Kids' Science Challenge launched on October 1, 2008.  Sponsored by The National Science Foundation this effort centers around a national competition which encourages third through sixth graders to submit problems and experiments for a select group of scientists and engineers to solve.

A recent study found that 84% of eight to eleven-year-olds would rather clean their room, go to the dentist or, take out the garbage than learn about math or science.  This disturbing lack of interest is what inspired the need for the Kids' Science Challenge.  How do we get young minds interested in one of the most critical fields of study that can potentially get our nation back on track with alternative energy sources, competitive technologies, medical breakthroughs and endless other possibilities?  Encourage them to design a new skateboard, invent a new type of candy, create a new writing device or study new ways of seeking out extraterrestrials.  The possibilities are endless; and, Team Thinkbutton wants to participate any way we can.

Although Thinkbutton is a small, family-owned business we feel compelled to get involved in this effort.  Throughout the competition, children will receive incentives for joining the effort, submitting science problems and participating in each stage of the experiments.  This is where Team Thinkbutton comes in.   We are donating some of the incentives for the kids that participate and win.  A few of the items a child could potentially win are the Hubble Space Cards, Awesome Ocean Science Activity Book, Young Scientists Astronomy Kit and even more items you will have to find out about when you visit the Kids' Science Challenge official site.  This site further explains the process, shows how to submit your idea, offers games and activities, provides a page for parents and teachers to visit and much more!

So, teachers, parents, administrators and anyone else who has an eight to eleven year old in their life, here is the perfect opportunity to inspire young minds and get kids back on the science track.  Turn this effort into a class project, a family activity or a community endeavor. Team Thinkbutton is asking you to get the word out and get involved!