That’s why, at Kids Konnect we offer your child our play-based curriculum filled with STEM (STEAM) focused activities to encourage your little one to develop and grow in a friendly and interesting environment.
But why do we focus so much on play? And how do STEM activities in early childhood prepare children for further education and later life?
Let’s discover 5 ways preschoolers learn about STEM subjects through play based learning and how these activities get your child ready for the world of work.
1. Science: Growing Seeds
One way preschoolers learn about science is through hands on projects such as growing seeds.
Understanding plant life is an important part of the later curriculum and this activity is quick to prepare and – almost always – produces fast results.
Children love getting dirty, but by growing seeds they can learn about their environment in a safe space while at the same time developing skills of reasoning and discovery.
Looking for activities to try outside with your preschooler? Our blog is filled with fun outdoor activities.
2. Technology: DIY Stop Motion Videos
Secondly, in order to succeed in the modern world, your child needs to have an understanding of basic technology.
However, this doesn’t mean they need to spend hours of the day blankly staring at a screen.
To incorporate technology into your preschooler’s day in a fun way, you can make stop motion videos using your mobile phone camera and modeling clay figures.
Staying safe online is incredibly important. Click here for our essential internet surfing tips and learn more about screen time guidelines for young children here.
3. Engineering: Tower Building
Teaching children about engineering may seem confusing but trust us, it needn’t be.
More often than not children learn simple design, building and structuring skills on their own by playing and experimenting with toys like building blocks.
These practical, organization skills come in useful in most jobs as well as around the home, so it makes sense to incorporate these into the curriculum.
One fun way to teach children about engineering is through tower building. Why not build a tower using pieces of chopped apple and toothpicks at home?
4. Arts: Ice Painting
This easy experiment is a great way to stimulate your child’s curious mind and teach them about mixing colors.
Mix together different acrylic paints in an ice tray and place wooden craft sticks in each compartment and once frozen solid create colorful designs by swirling over paper.
Recognizing and mixing colors helps children learn useful words and develop tools for identifying abstract concepts through matching, sorting and labeling.
Art activities are good ways to teach children with Autism about the world. Check out our sensory activity ideas.
5. Math: Sorting Toy Animals
Early numeracy skills form an important part of our everyday curriculum at Kids Konnect and are needed in all aspects of later life.
From counting out loud, identifying shapes, to even sorting objects, there are various engaging ways to encourage your preschooler to show an interest in the world of Math.
Sorting toy animals into groups is one method used to introduce these concepts via play.
By focusing on the basics of addition and subtraction, preschool provides children with a strong foundation in math skills for the future.
STEM (STEAM) Subjects Are As Important As Ever for Success
Children who are exposed to basic Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math concepts early in life are equipped with a foundation of skills and abilities that enables them to understand the outside world.
Learn more about STEM (STEAM) and why these play-based activities are so important by clicking below.
What are some of your child’s favorite preschool activities? Let us know in the comments.