STEAM Daydream with National Children's Museum

When Aubrey, Andre, Newton, and 12-year old Kid Investigator Will C. hit the road with only a printed map and Aubrey’s thinking cap to guide them, they quickly become lost. After one too many wrong turns, they turn to GPS for directions to get home—but where do the directions come from? GEICO software engineer Cesar Alcantara helps point them in the right direction.

Thanks for tuning in to Season 2 of STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum! You can find more STEAM programs and resources on our website at www.nationalchildrensmuseum.org. Stay in touch by joining our newsletter and following the fun on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

After using a magical machine called Le Petit Artiste, A.J., Aubrey, and Andre wonder what makes art art. With the help of the Museum’s first-ever artist-in-residence Tommy Bobo and 10-year-old Kid Investigator Olivia S., the STEAM Daydream investigative team compares different masterpieces to draw conclusions about the elements of art.

Aubrey, Andre, A.J., and 8-year-old Kid Investigator Jack head to the Curiosity Carnival, where all the festivities—treats and games included—are based on a STEAM mystery. This year, the mystery is, “Why do some things float and others don’t?” Will the answer sink in before the carnival ends?

When Janay challenges Andre and Aubrey to a bubble blowing battle, they think outside of the box for a way to blow away the judges, including 11-year-old Kid Investigator Kaedence. They decide the best way to upstage Janay is with a bubble in the shape of a cube. When things don’t go according to plan, Janay wins fair and…circle? Will they be able to square why bubbles are always round?

Check out our guided video activity on bubbles, which includes a recipe for the perfect at-home bubble solution!

Aubrey and Andre organize a surprise birthday party for A.J. complete with extravagant decorations and a humongous cake, but it turns out they got the day confused. 11-year-old Kid Investigator Evelyn wonders where all the decorations will end up once they’re thrown away. The STEAM Daydream team goes on a wild trash chase to find out. Suit up, this investigation might get a little stinky!

Aubrey and Andre are on a mission to find a theme song for A.J.’s barking cat, Newton, but they can’t find a track that strikes the right chord. They decide to make it themselves with the help of 10-year-old Kid Investigator Exum. They stumble upon a set of plastic tubes, each of which makes a beautiful sound when struck with a mallet—but how?

8-year-old Kid Investigator Charles recalls the Taco Tuesday where he first noticed something strange… As he began to sweat (too much hot sauce), so too did his glass. He meets Aubrey and Andre in the STEAM Daydream studio to recreate the situation—minus the tacos. Will they be able to solve the mystery of where the water on the outside of the glass is coming from?

Once a year, the Science Is Magic Club accepts applications for new members and requires applicants to explain the science that powers their tricks. When a particularly illusive applicant named Harriet Whodini refuses to reveal the source of her shocking ability to zap people, Aubrey, Andre, and 12-year-old Kid Investigator Megha are called in to investigate.

Life is full of curiosities—from the shape of the bubbles we blow to the puddles that pool beneath our water cups. In Season 2 of STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum, our quirky cast investigates the everyday wonders we encounter and uncovers the science, technology, engineering, art, and math concepts at play. You’ll hear from a real-life STEAM expert and a curious kid investigator in each of the eight, 20-minutes-or-less episodes. Subscribe today wherever you listen to podcasts to wonder “Why?” with two new episodes on the third Wednesday of every month through December 2022.

It’s time to hit the red carpet for the biggest event of the year: the Community Captain Awards! Join A.J. in celebrating the Community Captains around the world who are fighting climate change by reducing waste in their communities. The Gill Brothers, three young entrepreneurs who created their own candle company and recycling program, join us to accept their award! Then, A.J. chats with Peggy Mandanas, the Sustainability Liaison at GEICO, to learn how she uses her passion for sustainability at her job and in her everyday life.

For STEAM videos, programs, resources, and more from National Children’s Museum, visit nationalchildrensmuseum.org.

STEAM Daydream with National Children’s Museum is generously sponsored by GEICO. It is narrated by A.J. Calbert and produced by Aubrey Vaughan and Paige Childs, with post-production by Maddie Zampanti of Conceptual Podcasting.