With the constant advancement of technology, it’s no surprise that STEM fields continue to grow. One 2018 study estimated that companies would not fill 2.4 million STEM jobs due to a lack of workers in the field, while the field itself was estimated to keep growing at 13% a year from 2017 to 2027.
While countless teachers across the United States agree that STEM education is essential, especially in early learning, implementing that learning is another story. Some studies note that STEM education continues to fall by the wayside compared to other literacy programs. On the other hand, there is a misconception that STEM learning requires every subject to include science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, instead of encompassing the basic skills used in said fields.
Examples of Early STEM Education
Early STEM education can include things as essential as playing with building blocks or working on spatial awareness in children. Early STEM learning benefits from hands-on projects, including simple experiments, things like whether objects sink or float, or learning about the seasons. STEM learning aims to instill a curiosity about the world in students while also encouraging them to work together to find answers to problems. Play-based learning is also a considerable portion of early STEM education, which has been found to offer a wide range of benefits to both students and teachers.
Early STEM education is connected with higher academic achievement in some cases, and it also acts as a foundation for a wide range of other studies, including those in other fields. While associated with set educational topics, STEM bleeds over into other forms of learning, giving students creative problem-solving skills and confidence that will assist them in a wide range of studies. In addition, STEM fosters increased learning skills in students, and similar studies show that early mathematics skills have been linked to academic achievement later in life.
Ways to Add STEM to Your Curriculum
STEM learning works well as a combination of hands-on projects and problem-solving initiatives. Still, despite the focus on technology found within the study, it is possible to teach STEM skills without technology. Reading books, doing at-home experiments, and playing with puzzles and blocks are all examples of STEM activities that encourage creative problem-solving and can benefit your children.
Of course, scientific activities and texture exploration can contribute to STEM education, but it is also essential to follow creative exploration in whatever form. For example, raising a home garden, learning how cooking works, or even answering questions about how dishes get cleaned with soap can contribute to your child's STEM education.
By feeling like they know more about how the world works, children can gain a sense of individual accomplishment and academic confidence that can help them across all intellectual pursuits. In addition, early collaborative learning and hands-on experimentation, like those found within the GIGIL STEM Kit, can give children the confidence to take on advanced learning experiences and continue to push themselves in their education journey.
Here at GIGIL, we believe early STEM learning is the key to success, both academically and personally. Knowing how the world works, and having the skills to ask questions, are critical foundational skills for children of all ages that will serve them well throughout their lives.
If you are looking for more STEM activities to help foster a love of learning, check out our other articles to learn more. We work closely with educators to help encourage a love of STEM and foster the skills needed to succeed in the modern world. From providing STEM kits to teachers to offering educational articles for all ages, we work to ensure that STEM learning is easier than ever!
GIGIL STEM Subscription Boxes bring STEM Education to your doorstep, with 5 activities each month and all the supplies you need to complete them! Just open up your STEM Kit and go (easy)! We have been tested and awarded by Mom's Choice Awards, Parents' Picks, and The National Parenting Center. Along with our subscriptions, we are approved by charter schools and offer wholesale rates for groups or classrooms.