Benefits Of STEAM
Why STEAM Education From A Young Age Is So Beneficial
Fostering Critical Thinking
We’ve heard it before that children’s minds are like sponges. If given the right opportunities, they will soak up knowledge and information that can guide them for a lifetime.
STEAM learning fosters critical thinking and allows children to begin thinking like an engineer or scientist naturally. Critical thought gives them better problem-solving skills that can carry them through life. It also creates transferable skills, including creativity, curiosity, resourcefulness, and confidence.
No matter what they decide to do when they grow up, the right early childhood education gives children the tools to create and think creatively. For example, instead of teaching science and math separately, STEAM education shows how the two support and complement each other.
At Science Matters, everything we do incorporates this methodology. We will integrate STEAM activities both indoors and outdoors, whether the kids are on free play time or structured playtime.
How We Integrate STEAM Into Daily Activities
SCIENCE
Combining art with science is a great way to engage and encourage our little learners. Some of the ways we will teach the kids about science are with projects like this lava lamp experiment, which combines water, oil, and a secret ingredient. Rainbow walking water, magic milk, and zones of the ocean are all also popular experiments the kids enjoy learning.
ENGINEERING
In daycare, engineering is almost a natural part of how the kids already play. For example, it involves building challenges using blocks, creating marble runs, building sandcastles, or creating a Rube Goldberg machine.
TECHNOLOGY
Technology is an integral part of society. By familiarizing kids from a young age, they will develop the skills and knowledge to adapt to changing technologies. At Science Matters, we will have some simple coding toys, introduce cameras for photography, and introduce simple robotics.
ARTS
Throughout the month, the kids will participate in creating several arts and crafts related to the monthly theme. Artwork is produced using a variety of mediums, including painting with watercolours or acrylic paints. We will also work with pastels, drawing, cutting, pasting, using clay, and more.
MATHEMATICS
Children will learn simple math to prepare them for Kindergarten. We will teach them about shapes and sizes. The kids will learn how to count and recognize numbers up to 20. We will also explain the concepts of bigger, smaller, heavier, and lighter.
FREE PLAY WITH LOOSE PARTS
All of the children at Science Matters Daycare will also engage in free play with loose parts. The ability to take loose objects and transform them is an excellent way for children to spark their imagination. Loose parts can be synthetic or natural materials used in endless ways. Take a rock, for example. To a child, it could become anything they can think of. The only limit is their imagination. For one child, a simple rock could be a bridge. For another, it could be the base of a spaceship. There are countless resources available that outline the benefits of loose parts play.
