The Talk of the Playground
Words by Wendy Meyer @LittleRebelMom
The inside scoop on what’s happening around town for Orlando families!
Big Dreams Bloom Local teacher creates virtual STEM and design thinking program for girls Over the past two decades, Emily Blomquist has taught a variety of subjects at Windermere Prep, Park Maitland and Lake Highland Prep, including STEM and design thinking. During the pandemic, Emily saw that parents and kids working from home were seeking new opportunities to learn, so she created a virtual program for young girls. Big Dreams Bloom, a STEM program focused on empowering girls, explores the lives of influential women — from artists to activists, explorers to engineers — who followed their dreams and changed the world. The class follows up with book club-style discussions and complete science, art and maker-style STEM projects as a learning extension. Program supplies are delivered to the home in carefully curated surprise activity bags. The program has students enrolled all over the U.S. and most recently in Canada. Check it out at bigdreamsbloom.com.
Discovered: Planet Play This new, interactive play-and-learn space for kids ages 2 to 12 has opened at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Children will enjoy learning fun facts as they play among replicas of the planets in our solar system. Kids can also map a constellation, climb a worm hole, walk on Saturn’s rings, slide through an asteroid field and more. PLAY Tip: While kids play, parents can enjoy a coffee, beer or wine in a comfortable lounge while watching their tiny explorers learn about space. kennedyspacecenter.com
NEW! Chubby Cheek Cookie Co. Local mom, Megan Gardner, turned the quarantine and stayat-home order into an opportunity! She used her love of baking to make some silver lining in a dark time. Chubby Cheek Cookie Co. is a delicious and decadent home-based cookie bakery with delivery routes in Windermere and Ocoee as well as a partnership with Foxtail Coffee Co. in SODO for all of your downtown Orlando cookie needs. Check out their Instagram @chubbycheekcookieco for more info and ordering information. 10 PLAYGROUND Feb / Mar 2021
