What is BLOCK Fest®?
- A fun, interactive hands-on block experience to encourage parent-child engagement, boost early learning, and introduce STEM education
- In an hour event, families explore five different block stations of non-interlocking blocks
- Block stations are guided by a trained facilitator to:
- Support parents in discovering how to help their child learn early math and science concepts
- Assist children in scaffolding them to the next level of block play with proper modeling and the usage of open-ended questions
See BLOCK Fest in action
Why should we host an IBFE event?
- It is FUN!
- It is LEARNING!
- It is an activity for the entire family to participate in…hooray for parent-child engagement!
- It introduces STEM learning, promotes literacy, enhances problem solving, communication skills, and more through block play
- Borrowing it is easy; the entire exhibit is housed in a small utility trailer, making pick up and return quick and simple.
Who will be compensated?
- If you are a trained host, you will be compensated for IBFE events you facilitate outside of your “home organization” when scholarships are available
- Your facilitation time will be compensated up to $300 (exhibit assembly, event facilitation, exhibit disassembly)
- Your mileage will be reimbursed at $0.58/mile; including travel to pick up and return the BLOCK Fest® Exhibit trailer and travel to event location
What is a BLOCK Fest® Host?
- A BLOCK Fest® Host is someone who has completed the BLOCK Fest® Host Training through Twiga Foundation and can facilitate a BLOCK Fest® event
- The BLOCK Fest® Host Training is a 4-hour interactive training through Zoom; the cost is $350 per person
- Idaho STEM Action Center has generously granted 12 Host Scholarships to train facilitators across the state
- Identify a potential host in your organization and apply for an IBFE Host
How do we get it?
- Apply for an IBFE scholarship (if needed)
- Coordinate with the IBFE Team to schedule your event & borrow the exhibit
- Coordinate with the IBFE Team to secure a BLOCK Fest® Host to facilitate your event
What does it cost to host an event?
- Idaho STEM Action Center has generously granted 20 event scholarships (a $750 value) to bring BLOCK Fest® to communities across the state; apply for an IBFE Scholarship for your community
- The scholarship covers registration assistance, the time and travel of a BLOCK Fest® Host to facilitate your event, and the transportation cost of the exhibit
What is my commitment? …depends on your role.
Event Contact
- Apply for an IBFE Event Scholarship
- Coordinate with the IBFE Team to:
- Schedule your event & obtain the exhibit
- Register your participants secure a BLOCK Fest® Host to facilitate your event
- Recruit volunteers to assist at the event (approximately 7, plus Host)
Host
- Complete the BLOCK Fest® Host Training: (if you’ve already been trained, we ask you complete the training again, it’s updated and specific to this project…and Twiga will cover your re-training fee)
- Recruit volunteers to assist at the event (approximately 7, plus Host)
- Coordinate with the IBFE Team to schedule the 1-hour training for your event volunteers (the first Volunteer Training in conducted by Twiga, any subsequent will be facilitated by the BLOCK Fest® Host…we provide you a PowerPoint)
- Coordinate with the IBFE Team to register your participants
- Facilitate at least one event through the IBFE project (2019-2020 school year)
- Facilitate at least three events in the next two years to obtain BLOCK Fest® Host Certification
- Collect data from your events and submit to Twiga Foundation after your event
Upcoming Host Training Dates
