By exploring STEM subjects with our children we are preparing the innovators and inventors of tomorrow.
STEM stands for: Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, and these four subjects will help your child develop several important skills for their future.
Parents should start exploring STEM subjects with their children as early as possible by incorporating STEM learning into fun activities at home. Here are a few examples provided by an independent school in Hampshire on how to get started…
STEM learning outdoors
Learning STEM subjects doesn’t have to take part in a classroom. One of the best ways to teach STEM subjects is by exploring the great outdoors. Outdoor learning encourages children to use all of their senses, which is incredibly beneficial when observing nature. It is also much easier to get creative and messy outdoors, making learning more fun.
Learn STEM through water play
Playing with water is a fun STEM learning activity that can take place in the bath or out in the garden. Let your child experiment with different materials to see which ones sink and which ones float. They can also investigate what happens to certain materials when water is added or what occurs when water is heated or cooled. The possibilities are endless.
Homemade experiments
Children are inquisitive and love to ask questions and learn how things work. Help to stimulate their curiosity with some simple homemade science experiments. These can be made using household items. For example, vinegar and baking soda can create a fun simulation of a volcano eruption.
Get creative with cooking
You may not think it, but cooking is a great opportunity for a STEM learning lesson. Cooking can help to develop your child’s reading, writing, math and science skills. For example, during the process of baking a cake, they will need to read the recipe, write a shopping list, weigh and measure ingredients, and learn about how the cake mixture rises.
Erin absolutely loves to come up with her own experiments at home and using water is great for that.
Our youngest could explore with water play all day long, he always used to come home from Reception soaking wet from playing at the water table.
Both my boys absolutely love doing any kind of STEM activity. My eldest wants to be an astronaut and so just absorbs all and any kind of science he can!
Science is so interesting, my children all love it too and get excited telling me about experiments they have done at school.
We love STEM activities with our 10yo and 2yo. We’ve got a tuff tray and set up all sorts of things for the two of them to do 🙂
I didn’t hear about tuff trays until mine were too old but I wished we could have had one, they are amazing!