Learning Resources STEM Explorers Pixel Art Pro - Critical Thinking Math Manipulatives Problem Solving Skills Pattern Blocks Brain

Ok, in all honesty, I ordered this STEM Explorers Pixel Art kit for my 6 yo ADHD Montessori daughter and to encourage her to enjoy creating art without realizing she was doing STEM based math & graph plotting. Exploring art through creative thinking skills, symmetry, color by number, matching, coordinate plotting & a subtext of coding. The science behind my decision to order this kit; this kits purpose is perfectly designed to encourage critical thinking and art primarily enhancing the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is responsible for complex cognitive behavior, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Art also activates the cerebellum for creative problem-solving and utilizes the Default Mode Network (imagination) alongside the Central Executive Network (evaluation) for creative production. Combined, art and critical thinking, bridge the gap between analytical, logical thinking (often left-brain) and intuitive, creative thinking (often right-brain), fostering better integration & use of the entire brain. As a parent of a school aged child, that as a result of being in Montessori from 2 1/2 years old to present, we were EXTREMELY fortunate to not have a child who would have been forced to use a tablet in school, however in today’s “tech age,” it is extremely difficult to not have a tablet at home and even more difficult to curb that tablet use or avoiding ALL of the subscription plans each app has, in order to get to the higher levels. One of the most important opportunities this STEM kit provides to a child & ADULTS, is the primary benefit of performing physical pixel art tasks with the tangible blocks, which enhances multi-sensory integration that creates stronger neural pathways compared to digital apps. The physical interaction engages proprioception (the body's sense of position and force) and haptic feedback, which are largely absent in a tablet environment. In addition to the 28 design challenges within the included booklet and 750 pieces, split between 9 colors, which fit perfectly into the 400 squares laid out on the jumbo 9.9”x9.9” Pixel Axis Grid; not only are the included designs easily achievable; the freedom of choice to supplement colors and or create one of a kind mosaics through personal design is endless. As you can see in the attached, the first thing I did with my daughter was to separate the blocks and store them in 9 ziplock sandwich bags. This provides a sense of order and control over what colors to use and encourages that freedom of movement and creative expression without the confusion of where the pieces are, which leads to distraction. Now for why my honest intentions regarding of all of the benefits I mentioned above for our ADHD creative kiddo and how this kit has become an important tool for me, The FFD (Fuzzy Faced Daddy, that’s me! 😉). I am High Functioning AuDHD with Multiple Sclerosis. I excel at pattern recognition, yet I often experience micro flares, to include dexterity issues/weakened fingers/hands and the always fun CogFog. As I was trying to figure out the best way to demonstrate and show the amazing benefits of this product, I decided to tackle at random, one of the projects in the included booklet and randomly selected #4, the Snail. With the major challenge of block/color selection, as you can see in the attached, I was able to quickly identify the 5 sets of pre-separated colored blocks and line them up in order 1-5. Within minutes of beginning the project, I was able to ignore the AuDHD impulse to free hand it and began to focus on the plots as directed the page. Before I knew it, I reached a mental “flow state,” activating my neural pathways, with no hint of CogFog and though I began with some fine motor skill dexterity issues in picking up the tiny colored cubes, the level of focus I achieved, quickly turned into a meditative state and without thinking of how to pick up the squares and fit them into the plotted cubes, I simply got the work done and before I knew it…a Snail was born and I found a new form of creative mental & physical therapy for myself. I am very proud to say that this Pixel Art Kit, is the perfect solution for so many people of any age, with a singular focus on creating a mental & physical flow state. I cannot recommend this product enough! Read more

This is a great artistic learning toy. The only issue I have is that I didn't know from the pics that the blocks were foam. I thought they'd be hard plastic. The foam pieces can be hard to get in if not lined up correctly. BUT it doesn't stop my homeschool kids from enjoying this activity. My three eldest love it (6-12 years old). My eldest loves it the most and spends hours making her own pixel art. The size of the product is nice and the pieces work well enough. It of course shouldn't be used near by or by young toddlers as they may eat the small pieces. This is a great value for the money and besides the is durable enough to last many years (as long as you can keep the foam blocks clean). Read more

I ordered this for my daughter, but honestly, I think I’ve played with it more than she has so far! It’s fun, engaging, and once you start building a design, it’s hard to stop until you finish your picture. I love that it gives you the option to follow the patterns in the book or create something completely from your imagination. It’s a great way to practice problem-solving and critical thinking skills without it feeling like “work.” My 6-year-old enjoys assembling puzzles, so I thought this would be a nice alternative to keep her challenged and prevent boredom, and it definitely does that. The finished picture also gives her a nice visual reward for all her effort and thinking. The board is large, sturdy and the print is clear and easy to read. There’s a great assortment of colorful foam blocks included. My only small complaint is that the foam pieces can be tricky to fit if they’re not lined up correctly. My daughter got a little frustrated at first trying to push them in and felt the need to smash the squares with her fist. Aside from that, I think this is an excellent set for home or classroom use. It’s a fun STEM activity that also helps develop fine motor skills. Learning Resources never disappoints, so its to no surprise that this Pixel art set exceeds my expectations. Its definitely a solid addition to our learning toys. Read more

This will be our fourth or fifth stem game for my two youngest grandchildren. They’ve had a lot of fun with these games and it makes me happy that they are learning while playing. This kit is a bit different because it seems very simple but when you read through the instructions, you realize it’s teaching them some very useful items in today’s world. They don’t have to make a pattern necessarily, they can create their own item. They include an “art grid” which holds the cubes, a bag of 750 colored cubes and a design guide booklet. You can also download more designs on line. There are different types of designs included. The booklet shows symmetry, color by number, matching the picture, coordinates and coding. My 8 year old grandson loves video games and Minecraft is a particular favorite so I’m hoping this will become a favorite as well. Anything to get them away from the screen for a bit. I’m hoping we can get both the kids interested and maybe they can write their own codes or coordinates and let each other try them out. I think they would have great fun writing directions for the Minecraft characters. I have to admit I played with it too! Read more