Young children are natural-born engineers and scientists, curious about their world as they explore everything around them. In this day and age, technological and scientific skills are becoming much more important in the work force. At Tiny Hearts Academy, our philosophy and curriculum are inspired by STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
There is a powerful link between STEM and early childhood. Though STEM learning focuses on the four disciplines above, we also embrace another discipline, art. We call it STEAM! Every week our teachers come up with different activities to make learning fun for children. Check out these age-appropriate activities for your little one:
Infants
Mirror play – At this stage, infants are developing self-awareness. They are developing hand coordination, language and listening skills, and beginning to imitate. Ask them to point to his/her nose, hair, eyes, etc. Have them imitate your sign language. Show them more, all done, please, thank you, and milk. See our blog for initial signs.
Bubble Play – Blowing bubbles is perfect for infants and a lot of fun! By blowing bubbles, they are learning simple ways to move because they are motivated to get the bubble, learning hand-eye coordination, sensory input and more. On top of all of that, they are beginning to learn scientific ways by observing the color of the bubbles and where they are landing.
Toddlers:
Stacking toys – Toddlers love to stack objects on top of each other. Stacking toys are a challenge for toddlers because if they’re stacking blocks, ring stackers, plastic Lego pieces, etc. that are not stacked in the right sequence, they topple over. Not to mention, they are also learning about size, shapes, and even sequence. Try having them stack the pots and pans in your cupboards.
Water Play – Playing in the water is so much fun at this age. The little giggling moments they have when water splashes in their face is so cute! Something fun to do during their bath time would be to add toy boats and fill the boats with something that would make it sink. Or even adding a sponge so they can observe and explore water absorption. Adding cups also introduces volume, weight, and measurements.
Preschoolers:
Cooking & Baking – Including your children in cooking and baking is so beneficial for them because they are learning basic measurements. Try letting them follow a recipe and ask questions such as: how many teaspoons of salt do we need to add? How many cups of water? They would be using plenty of science, technology, and math!
Go on a nature walk together – Not only are you using math and science for this, but you’re also getting some fresh air! When going on a nature walk, explore your surroundings. Look at the stones on the ground, the leaves on the trees, the flowers and bushes that are planted. Talk about the different colors, shapes, and sizes that you both saw.
For more information on how to keep your parent game strong 💪, see Parent Pointers, a series of helpful articles, tips, and ideas.
Raising a child takes a village and we’re proud to be part of the tribe!
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