Lux Corner Blog

Developing Lux Blox: Families, Friends, and a Caring Community

Lux is the culmination of husband and wife team Mike and Heather Acerra’s life long fascination with nature, architecture, science, and working with kids. In 2010 they began a project with their children and their friends called “Project Lux”. They had play groups in which they worked in a back yard maker space creating different types of toys and construction methods. The Lux Project became an obsession, and the Acerra household was taken over by the sights, sounds and smells of 3D printers, tubs and tubs of prototype construction toys, and a small army of neighborhood kids testing out ideas and drawing AutoCAD designs. By 2013 the Acerra’s submitted drafts of their first patents and began developing what would be the first Lux part. American Made The Acerra's were determined to make their product in the USA and continue to keep their company’s values centered on the families and communities that helped them develop Lux. When they first began creating the product they had the raw materials sent from factories around Illinois to a barn in the forests of Cameron , Illinois. During the summer and most of the fall of 2015, with the help of friends and children (usually only being paid in toys and pizza), they worked tirelessly, packaging, and shipping out the first Lux products. As orders began piling in from around the nation and overseas, the Acerra’s realized they needed help. In what seemed like serendipity they were approached by a local organization called Bridgeway, a not-for-profit agency, that empowers people with disabilities by offering training opportunities and the creation of meaningful employment. The folks at Bridgeway were interested in helping a new local company and were excited by the prospect of making toys. This partnership was a Godsend for the Acerras and offered their young company a manufacturing solution that met with their values of making a product in the US as close to home and with as much community involvement as possible. Today Lux products are made and supplied by partners in Missouri , Illinois, and Wisconsin, and are centralized between Galesburg and Macomb. Many of those same children and their families continue to be a vital part of the company and many of them are still working for Lux as designers, draftsman, testers, and video instructors. Lux is and will continue to be all about making connections and finding meaning through work and play. Mike Acerra

Five Ways to use Lux Blox in the Classroom

2nd grade teacher Bailey tells us how she uses Lux Blox in her classroom management techniques and enrich students lives in her classroom!

Why Teachers (and Parents) Love Lux Blox

By Emma Helferich “Lux is a wonderful classroom tool. I have used multiple of their classroom sets for so many projects…… It is my go to! I have saved so much time in lesson planning with these.” says Ms. Sophia Wood, Canadian math teacher and homeschool mom. Lux Blox is more than a great way to keep your child entertained for hours - these small building blox provide an inquiry-based learning experience to teach STEM topics at home and in the classroom. When looking for a great free time reward, Julie Hirschfield, Albuquerque public school teacher, recommends Lux Blox. “When I give my kids the option between Lux Blox and playground time, 9/10 times they choose the Lux!” Lux Blox are great for developing fine motor skills, enhancing spatial intelligence and keeping students minds and hands engaged. Because Lux Blox can build static or dynamic models, they lend themselves to projects to support learning objectives across the curriculum. “My kids visually see, pull, touch, and play with math.”, says Ms. Aly Eastman, a 1st grade teacher at Coast Catholic Academy. Ms. Hill, a Junior High Science teacher at the same school says “I’ve used Lux Blox many, many times in the classroom. We use them for making models of structural things like bridges, viruses, and water molecules...students are very engaged when using LuxBlox. They are fascinated by the endless opportunities and new things they can create.” Lux Blox is popular in design challenges and classrooms because it demonstrates engineering principles like tensile construction, corrugation, and the min/max principle. To learn more about what teachers have to say visit our Educators Homepage. https://www.luxblox.com/pages/education

Lux Blox Super Fan

Written by Emma Helferich As Lux Blox becomes more popular in homes and classrooms throughout the world, we wanted to start a series highlighting some of our Lux Blox super fans. Our first super fan is from Barrington, Illinois and has built hundreds of projects with Lux Blox. Timothy Price is 16 years old and has been a loyal fan of Lux Blox for the past year. Some of his favorite things to build are ground vehicles and spaceships. Timothy discovered Lux Blox through his friends who were fans and it didn’t take long for Timothy to get hooked. Timothy said the durability and creativity that come with Lux Blox are simply unmatchable. His most recent creation has been named, “Cortex Class Assault Cruiser,” this happens to be one his biggest - 7 by 8 inches wide. Timothy has models utilize all of the Lux Blox parts - squares, trigons, and axles. And while he has built hundreds of models, so far, his favorite creation is a “Head Hunter Class Medium Tank.” Timothy stated that this was the first time he had pictured one design he planned to build but ended up with something completely different than he had imagined. Timothy stated, “I really like the fact that they (freestyle sets) do not come with any instructions. I can create whatever my imagination comes up with.” One of the most unique things about Lux Blox is some sets come with instructions and others are all up to your imagination. Although Lux Blox is known to boost creativity, these blocks are also the perfect construction tool. Last school year, Timothy took a class called Project Lead the Way (PLTW). This is a STEM inspired class and when asked to build a project, Timothy built a “projectile launcher” (or slingshot) made from Lux Blox and a few additional materials - landing him an A in the class! Timothy is an inspiring young man and continues to spread his love for Lux Blox by building for the Luxforce. Check out some of his work:

D.I.Y. Summer Activities For Kids

By Emma Helferich As we head into the peak of summer, kids are getting excited to play outside and have some fun! Here we have gathered three fun and easy, DIY summer activities for kids. Sidewalk chalk drawing is always a fun activity for kids. Take it to the next level with this Puffy Sidewalk Paint recipe. With 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of water, 1 TBSP of dish soap, and a piece of chalk, you can create hours of outdoor fun. Instructions: Mix together the flour, water, and dish soap Using a cheese grater, grate the sidewalk chalk on the finest setting in the color of your choice Mix well to combine the color. Add more grated sidewalk chalk in if the color is not bright enough Pour the mixture into squeeze bottles or a zip-lock bag This is an easy way to keep kids entertained throughout the day while also getting them involved with mixing it up in the kitchen! After a fun day of playing outside, who wouldn’t want ice cream? In just fifteen minutes you can have your own ice cream ready to eat without leaving your house! Follow these steps to make ice cream in a bag: In a small, sealable plastic bag, combine 1 cup of half-and-half, 2 TBSP of granulated sugar, and ½ TSP of vanilla In a large resealable plastic bag, combine ice and salt. Place the small bag inside the bigger bag and shake vigorously, 7 to 10 minutes, until the ice cream has hardened. Remove ice cream from the bag and enjoy a cool, tasty treat!! There’s just something about a covered play area that opens up a kid’s imagination. Creating a fun area for your kids to relax or read a book doesn’t have to be difficult. With just a few household supplies you can have a Hula Hoop Tent up in minutes. What you need: 1 Hula Hoop 1 Shower Curtain & Curtain Rings 1 Long Rope First, hook each ring, with the shower curtain attached, onto the hula hoop. Next, cut your rope into four equal strands (about 2 feet in length). Then cut one additional fifth strand longer, depending on your ceiling/tree branch height. Finally, Attach one end of each of the four equal-length strands to the hula hoop, spread out evenly around the hoop. Gather the untied ends of the four strands and tie in a big strong knot. Then, tie the extra-long strand to the knot you just created. Hang it on a safe branch or ceiling hook and enjoy days of fun!! https://www.capitalgazette.com/cg2-arc-140323style-pin-sisters-20140323-story.html

Hands-On Learning Helps Brain Development - Here’s Why

By Emma Helferich We have always heard that hands-on learning will help with a child's brain development, but why is that? Children of all ages - preschool through teenage years - are continuously growing and developing. These are critical periods; the more a child can engage in different activities and create different projects, the more motivated they will be to continue pursuing new challenges and learning new skills. Hands-on learning allows someone to develop intelligence as they use their vision and other senses while touching, pulling, and playing. This type of learning can be applied to something as simple as basic math or as complex as the structural design. While there are many benefits to hands-on learning, one of the greatest is it engages both sides of the brain. According to Goodwin University, “Research done by Cindy Middendorf, an education consultant, has shown that between the ages of four and seven, a child’s right side of the brain is developing, and the learning derives clearly through visual and spatial activities. The right side of the brain, which involves more analytical and language skills, is said to develop later in childhood, around 10 years old.” Being able to touch something is much more engaging than simply reading about it. Hands-on learning requires children and teens to multitask by talking, listening, and moving, and manipulating, which stimulates and develops multiple areas of the brain. In another study done with animals, it was proven that experience increases the overall quality of the functioning of the brain. In this experiment, rats were placed with the presence of a changing set of objects for exploration to encourage play (Rosenzweig and Bennett, 1978). These animals performed better on a variety of problem-solving tasks than rats reared in standard laboratory cages. It was also observed that animals raised in these complex environments had a greater volume of capillaries per nerve cell (therefore a greater supply of blood to the brain) than those who did not experience the environments full of manipulatives with which to play. There are numerous studies that support the effectiveness of hands-on learning. We encourage you to create challenges and projects for your family to enjoy. https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/benefits-of-hands-on-learning/ https://www.nap.edu/read/9853/chapter/8#118

Three Inspiring Achievements of Kids during COVID-19

By Emma Helferich As stay at home orders were put into place, schools closed and activities paused, allowing children more free time than ever before. What some did to ‘do their part’ during these uncertain times is truly inspiring. As the coronavirus spread, face masks became scarce. A group of Detroit students - aged 8 through 13 – created non-surgical masks for healthcare professionals. Providing instruction online, fashion designer Elena Victoria taught the students to sew masks for medical professionals, which they shipped to local hospitals. These children have created hundreds of masks which are being used all over the United States. https://greekcitytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/face-mask-sewing-pattern-1024x683.jpg Millions of healthcare workers have been risking their lives each day to help care for patients with COVID-19. Some are isolating themselves away from their family and close friends, which can take a toll on a person’s mental health. One inspiring family from Arizona has found a way to put smiles on the faces of these front-line workers. Tory Pottinger Feiler and her two boys, Luke and Colin, started making cards for healthcare providers. It didn’t take long for this to become a huge hit in their community. Tory created a Facebook page - “Cards for Hospitals and Nursing Homes”. The community grew quickly as the page has over 500 members from across Arizona. Members of the group post pictures of the cards, allowing the children to display their creativity before sending them to the health care workers. Both the authors and the recipients received a boost of positivity from the cards. According to the Greater Good Magazine, research shows writing letters of gratitude once per week can help with mental health significantly, even up to three months after writing them. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1518924278275666&set=gm.284737955900034&type=3&theater&ifg=1 Instead of asking for birthday presents, Domonic Mercado, a 12-year-old from New Jersey, asked his community members for non-perishable foods for the local food pantry in his hometown. Spirit & Truth Ministries Kitchen said this was the largest donation they had seen in years - - 5 SUV’s! This act is truly inspiring due to the rising number of people who have had to rely on local soup kitchens to feed their family during this pandemic. While the pandemic and quarantines have cost many lives and done great damage to our economy, it is comforting to know that children, working with adults, have been sparked by their caring into action which helped those in need.

Building Model Airplanes

At Lux Blox, we celebrate all kinds of builders, young and old, big and small. Don Cahill grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1930’s. He is a former teacher, school superintendent, software creator, and author. Don has 10 children, 21 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Below Don recalls the joy of building model airplanes. My brother Jack was a year older than me and was probably the one who taught me about building model airplanes. And not just any model airplanes but flying models. We would walk down Jamaica Ave some blocks to Tex Foster's shop which, as you entered, had finished models hanging from the ceiling. I don’t know if he sold anything else besides model kits and loose balsa wood strips and blocks, but it was where we would pick out our next projects in kit form. Ten cents would get you a kit for a 12-inch wingspan plane. Cessna, Stinson-Reliant, Piper Cub, Focke-Wulff, Spirit of St. Louis, and others. We would make our buys and rush home to start the new project. The kit contained: strips of balsa wood, a thin sheet of balsa with the outlines of necessary shapes for wing and fuselage, a propeller, long rubber band, wire hooks to hold the rubber band at the back and to the prop, a vial of glue, a sheet of thin rice paper to cover the surfaces, and, of course, the plans. You were expected to supply your own straight pins to hold pieces to the plans while the glue dried, and a single-edge razor blade for cutting out the wing ribs and rounded tips of wings, rudder, and elevator, as well as the strips for forming the skeleton of the plane. I would feverishly go to our room and pin the plan to a flat piece of cardboard so I could push pins into it and set to work. Next, I would cut out all the parts from the balsa sheet. Long balsa strips were pinned in place on the plan and connected with little dabs of glue. As each assembly was dried, I removed it from the plan. The fuselage (the body of the plane) required two sides to be constructed and then pieced together with cross pieces and rounded formers if called for. The wing was a single unit as were the rudder and elevator (the control surfaces). Gradually the whole skeleton grew into a unit lacework of balse which now required covering with the provided paper. Piece by piece the paper was glued to the outside of the plane. We would work for hours after school and sometimes even on the weekend until interrupted (“Dinner is ready.”; “Have you done your homework?”; “Time for bed!”) When it was all trimmed and lightly sanded, water was gently brushed onto all the paper surfaces and allowed to dry, shrinking to a taut surface, provided no wrinkles had been allowed to form. Finally, after hours and days of delicate laboring, the plane was ready to try out. First the prop, now connected by a rubber band to a hook at the rear of the fuselage, had to be wound just the right number of times to tighten the band enough to make it whir for the few seconds required to make it actually fly! But, first, you had to test its glide over a soft surface (a bed would do) and balance it with judicious weight fore or aft. Then, the acid test: wind it up and launch it by hand. Oh, the wonder of it as it wobbled through the air... the thrill ... the power... and frequently the awkward nalding which might snap a wing or rudder. Back to the room to see what repairs were possible. Of course, Tex Foster also sold 25 cent kits for models which had a wingspan of 2 feet or so. These were sturdier and more likely to fly better and with less accident proneness. But, we seldom could afford the upgrade. - Don Cahill If you have an inspiring story about building, send us your story to be featured on our blog - Lux Corner. Did you know that you can build planes with Lux Blox? Check out our Airplanes and Banshee Helicopters!

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