“Research shows that having a strong foundation in early math, for example, can lead to higher achievement in both math and reading later in school. In addition, interacting with many different materials in early childhood prepares students for science and engineering later in school.” Source: Let’s Talk, Read and Sing about STEM! (Too Small to Fail)
Adding STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) into your day is easier than you think. Young children are naturally curious about the world, so you have tons of chances to work in some learning as you play and discover together. What does STEM for the youngest kiddos look like? For the littlest kids, singing songs that have repetitive patterns like Old Mac Donald Had a Farm, seeing what sinks and floats during bath time, building with blocks, and exploring faces in the mirror. As your child grows, you can explore activities based on The Three Little Pigs – we love the idea of building different houses and testing their sturdiness with a hairdryer!
This month we challenge you to embrace winter STEM with your child. This is a great chance to get curious about how ice forms and melts, how and why some bears hibernate, how Polar Bear Blubber insulates, and why the amount of daylight changes.