Let's Talk STEM!
STEM is about discovery. Be co-discoverers with your child!
STEM is about exploring the world around us and asking questions about how or why something works. Naturally, children are great at this! As their partners in learning, you can make STEM part of children’s intentional play activities.
Use math concepts to talk with children. Point out the rectangular side of a truck and the circle- or triangle-shaped sign as you walk down the street. Help children count sort a variety of everyday objects according to size, color, shape or type.
Look at the world around us! Observing is important in science. Communicate throughout the day about what you see, feel, smell, taste or hear and ask students to describe the world as they observe it: “Wow that is a tall tower! How many blocks did you use to make that structure? 1, 2, 3, 4. You used four blocks to make that tower.”
Ask open-ended questions. Ask children to wonder about the world around them using phrases like “What would happen if... “Or “I wonder...?”
Bath time is an easy application for these ideas to get you started with cups and water as you bathe your little learner. “How much can this cup contain? Oh, you are filling it to its capacity!”
Follow the child’s lead. Observe children closely and see what they are looking at, pointing to or seem curious about. STEM is about exploration, and when children make their own discoveries, they are making guesses or hypotheses while learning to make sense of the world around them. This empowers them to continue this type of exploration outside of the classroom.
Learn along with children! You don’t have to have all the right answers to help children learn. You can respond by saying, “That’s a great question. How could we find out together?”